The 2011 Miss USA Pageant came down to a battle between two best friends, but 21-year-old Miss California Alyssa Campanella beat her blonde gal pal Ashley Durham from Tennessee to become the new Miss USA. Are the two beauty queens still BFFs?
As the 2011 Miss USA Pageant winner, Alyssa Campanella will represent the United States at the Miss Universe pageant in Brazil scheduled for September 12.
Miss Texas Ana Christina Rodriguez, Miss Alabama Madeline Mitchell, Miss Tennessee Ashley Durham, and Miss California Alyssa Campanella are the final four contestants in the 2011 Miss USA Pageant held at Planet Hollywood Resort and Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada on June 19, 2011.
Alyssa Campanella admits she's a "huge history geek" and says in her Twitter bio that she was "born in the wrong time period." "I'm obsessed with the Stuart and Tudor era. .... Whenever I go to Barnes & Noble, I'm always in the history section and that is where you will find me," the newly crowned Miss USA explains. Campanella is also a fan of period dramas like "The Tudors," "Game of Thrones," and "Camelot." 2011 Miss USA Pageant
When she was 15, Alyssa Campanella's mother urged her to compete in pageants. "I was going through a tough time in high school and she thought it'd be a great way for me to meet other girls throughout the state," she said. "It's mom's fault." 2011 Miss USA Pageant
Alyssa Campanella, who's originally from Manalapan, New Jersey, is a former Miss Teen USA runner-up from 2007. She moved to Los Angeles, California after losing her Garden State apartment. "The downs happen for a reason," she said. "The path that I'm on now is the path that's been meant to be." 2011 Miss USA Pageant
Alyssa Campanella is actually a natural blonde. Six years ago while auditioning for a play, she dyed her hair reddish brown to fit the "fiery" character she was trying out for. "It's really brought out the true Alyssa Campanella, I feel, and that's why I really enjoy being a redhead," explains the now auburn-haired Campanella. 2011 Miss USA Pageant
Miss Wyoming USA 2011, Kaitlyn Davis, competes for the title of Miss USA 2011.
Miss New Hampshire USA: Road to the Crown
Miss Nevada USA: Road to the Crown
