Shelley Hennig was born on January 2, 1987, in Metairie, Louisiana, to Cathy Distefano Gosset and Glenn H. Hennig Sr.12 She grew up in St. Rose and later moved to Destrehan, Louisiana.1 Hennig's family background is diverse, with her father having German, Swiss-German, Scottish, and English ancestry, while her mother is of Italian descent.3

As a child, Hennig was passionate about dance and spent much of her youth as a competitive dancer.3 She attended Destrehan High School, where she excelled academically and was named an Academic Excellence Student.4 Hennig's early life was marked by tragedy when her older brother, Brad Joseph Hennig, was killed in a drunk driving accident in 2001 at the age of 18.13 This personal loss would later inspire her advocacy work against underage drinking and drunk driving.4

Shelley Hennig's breakthrough in acting came with her role as Stephanie Johnson on the long-running soap opera "Days of Our Lives" in 20071. This marked the beginning of her successful television career and earned her critical acclaim, including two Daytime Emmy Award nominations for Outstanding Younger Actress in a Drama Series2.

Following her soap opera success, Hennig's career gained further momentum with her portrayal of Diana Meade in The CW's supernatural teen drama "The Secret Circle" (2011-2012)1. However, her true breakthrough came when she joined the cast of MTV's hit series "Teen Wolf" in 2014 as Malia Tate2. Initially a recurring character, Hennig's performance was so well-received that she was promoted to a series regular, becoming a fan favorite and solidifying her status as a rising star in the television industry32.

Shelley Hennig maintains a relatively private personal life, but some details have emerged over the years. She has been romantically linked to a few fellow actors, including Jay Kenneth Johnson, her co-star from "Days of Our Lives"12. Hennig is known to be an animal lover and actively supports various animal welfare organizations3.

Despite her success in the entertainment industry, Hennig remains connected to her roots. She frequently visits her hometown in Louisiana to spend time with family, including her mother Cathy Distefano Gosset, father Glenn Hennig, stepfather Wayne Gosset, and brother Glenn Hennig Jr.4 Hennig is also passionate about fitness and enjoys activities like yoga, hiking, and strength training to maintain her health and well-being3.