Ali Larter | |
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Larter at the 64th Annual Golden Globe Awards. |
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Born | Alison Elizabeth Larter February 28, 1976 Cherry Hill, New Jersey, U.S. |
Other names | Allegra Coleman |
Occupation | Actress |
Years active | 1997–present |
Spouse | Hayes MacArthur (2009–present) |
Alison Elizabeth "Ali" Larter (born February 28, 1976) is an American actress and former fashion model. She began her screen career after several guest stints on television shows in the 1990s. She is well-known for playing the dual roles of Niki Sanders and Tracy Strauss on the NBC science fiction drama Heroes.[1][2]
Larter began her career as a model but soon transitioned into acting. Her screen debut came in the 1999 film Varsity Blues, followed by the horror films House on Haunted Hill (1999) and Final Destination (2000). She had major supporting roles in the comedy Legally Blonde and the romantic comedy A Lot Like Love (2005), and lead roles in the Bollywood film Marigold (2007) and the 2009 thriller Obsessed. Larter achieved wider fame after her portrayal of Claire Redfield in Resident Evil: Extinction (2007) and the upcoming Resident Evil: Afterlife.
Larter has been named in "Sexiest Woman Alive" lists. She married her boyfriend of three years, Hayes MacArthur, in a small ceremony in Maine on August 1, 2009.[3] She is expecting her first child with MacArthur in winter 2010.[4]
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Larter was born in Cherry Hill, New Jersey.[5] She has an older sister named Kirsten, who is a teacher. She is the daughter of Margaret, a homemaker, and Danforth Larter, a trucking executive.[6] She attended Carusi Middle School and Cherry Hill High School West.
Larter began her modelling career at the age of 14 when a modelling scout discovered her on the street.[7] She was asked to star in a Phillies commercial and later signed a modeling contract with the prestigious Ford Modeling Agency in New York.[7] Larter subsequently skipped her senior year to model in Japan, Australia and Italy.[7] At seventeen, Larter settled temporarily in Japan.[8] Later, in 1995, she accompanied her boyfriend in his move to Los Angeles, California.
While modelling in Italy, Larter met fellow model and aspiring actress Amy Smart.[9] According to Larter, the two "became instant friends."[10] A modelling job later took Larter to L.A., whilst there, she decided to take acting classes with Smart.[9] The two then moved into an apartment together.[9]
In November 1994, Larter portrayed fictional model Allegra Coleman in an Esquire magazine hoax, which told of Allegra's relationship with David Schwimmer, how Quentin Tarantino broke up with Mira Sorvino to date her, and how Woody Allen overhauled a film to give her a starring role. When the magazine was published, Esquire received hundreds of phone calls about the non-existent Coleman and various talent agencies sought to represent her, even after the hoax was revealed.[11][12]
Larter landed her first professional roles in 1997 when she appeared in several television programs. She appeared in an episode of the Brooke Shields television series Suddenly Susan, and the short-lived series Chicago Sons. These roles were followed by a number of other appearances on Dawson's Creek, Chicago Hope, and Just Shoot Me!
In 1999, Larter began her film career with an appearance in Varsity Blues, which re-united her with Dawson's Creek star Van Der Beek and close friend Amy Smart. Smart had persuaded Larter to audition for the movie.[7] In the film she played Darcy Sears, a love interest for one of the main characters. Varsity Blues drew a domestic box office gross of $53 million on a budget of $15 million.[13] That year she made appearances in the teen comedies Giving It Up and Drive Me Crazy. Larter also starred in the horror remake House on Haunted Hill. Made for around $20 million, the movie was panned by critics,[14] but grossed $15 million on its opening weekend and went on to earn over $40 million.[15]
In 2000, Larter starred as one of the main characters, Clear Rivers, in the teen horror film Final Destination. Also starring Devon Sawa and Kerr Smith, the movie's premise followed several teenagers who survive a plane crash only to find that death is killing them off one by one. Final Destination made $112 million by the end of its theatrical run.[16] The following year, she appeared in the comedy Legally Blonde with Reese Witherspoon. She played Brooke Taylor Windham, a widow accused of her husband's murder.[17] The film earned the top spot with $20,377,426 in its opening weekend[18] and ended up grossing $141,774,679 world-wide.[19]
Larter next appeared as Zerelda Mimms in the western comedy American Outlaws.[20] Directed by Les Mayfield and co-starring Colin Farrell and Scott Caan, the movie was poorly received by critics[21] and at the box office making $13,678,913 at the end of its theatrical run.[22] She also starred in Kevin Smith's Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back. That year, Larter appeared on the cover of Maxim magazine and performed in the stage play The Vagina Monologues in New York City.[7]
In Spring 2002, Larter moved from Los Angeles to New York. "I was too young and impressionable to handle the pressures of L.A." Larter recalled in an interview, "I'm a woman now. I am no longer the little girl who could be easily influenced."[23]
Her first project there was to reprise her role as Clear Rivers in the sequel to Final Destination entitled Final Destination 2. In an interview with IGN, Larter explained her return to the franchise: "When New Line asked me to come back, I thought it was great. They showed me the script and let me have some input, and it was really terrific."[24] The film opened at number 2 with $16,017,141,[25] to mixed critical reception.[26] A year later, Larter served as an associate producer of and starred in the thriller Three Way. In 2005, Larter appeared in the independent political thriller, Confess, and had a role in the romantic comedy A Lot Like Love alongside Amanda Peet and Ashton Kutcher.
Larter moved back to Los Angeles in 2005.[8] Her first audition was for the NBC science fiction drama television series Heroes.[27] Larter played the characters of Jessica/Niki Sanders and Tracy Strauss on the show created by Tim Kring. Larter's initial character Niki Sanders, was a wife, mother, and a former internet stripper from Las Vegas who exhibits superhuman strength and an alternate personality who goes by the name of Jessica. "Ali read for the part and just owned it from the second she walked in.", Kring said to The Chicago Tribune, "It was a very impressive audition."[27] The series collected a number of accolades in it's first season including a People's Choice Award and nominations from the Primetime Emmy Awards and Golden Globes.[28] As of the third season, Larter began to play a new character, Tracy Strauss, who possessed the ability to freeze objects; and later, turn her body into water.[29]
Larter ultimately decided against starring in the sequel to House on Haunted Hill stating, "I feel so lucky with the things I am doing right now, and that's so long ago for me."[30]
In 2007, Larter starred in the Bollywood film Marigold as the title character alongside Salman Khan.[31] The movie, released in August 2007, was about an American actress (Larter) who goes to India and gets caught up in the eccentric world of Bollywood. Filming took place in North India and London, commencing in June 2004.[31] In an interview with the BBC, Larter explained how she came about the role of Marigold and expressed why she wanted to star in a Bollywood film: "I was living in (director) Willard Carroll's guesthouse when he gave me the script. He had written this really strong female character and for me, it was an opportunity to overcome my fear of singing and dancing because I have no professional training. Also, I would get to live in another country for couple of months. With Heroes I didn't think of it as that huge sci-fi series and it was the same for Marigold. I really focused on the character and loved this journey she went on and the experiences she had.[32] She was paid a seven-figure salary for the role of Marigold.[33]
It was this year that she was cast alongside Milla Jovovich in the horror film Resident Evil: Extinction, portraying the character of Claire Redfield. Her role sent her to Mexicali, Mexico for filming from May to late July, and required her hair to be dyed a light red.[34] Larter explained her character Claire: "She became the leader of this convoy. She's incredibly strong, patient. I think she serves a role for everyone within this convoy, let it be a mother to someone, a buddy, a best friend."[34] Larter also attended the 2007 Comic Con International, her second appearance at the event, to promote the movie, which was released in theaters on September 21, 2007. The film tripled its budget with $147,717,833 worldwide.[35] She appeared with Hayes McArthur in the comedy Homo Erectus the same year. She also appeared as Evelyn Garland in the biographical film Crazy, based on guitarist Hank Garland.
In an interview for Resident Evil: Extinction, Larter had expressed interest in producing films in the future, saying, "I definitely have many ideas and different avenues that I want to take as my career goes on."[34]
In April 2009, Larter starred opposite Beyoncé Knowles and Idris Elba in the Screen Gems-produced thriller Obsessed.[36] The film follows an office executive (Elba) whose marriage to Knowles' character is threatened by the aggressive interests of a co-worker, portrayed by Larter. In an interview with Glam, Larter said that she "was excited to get the chance to play a femme fatale. I love playing women that are dark and vulnerable and sort of filled with a little bit of crazy emotion."[37] The film is known to follow the same story lines as Fatal Attraction and Hand That Rocks the Cradle but was less well-received.[38] Nevertheless, Obsessed opened at #1 at the box office with $28,612,730.[39] It resulted in Larter's third Teen Choice Award nomination and won an MTV Movie Award for Best Fight against Beyonce.[40]
Larter reprises her role as Claire Redfield in Resident Evil: Afterlife, filmed in 3D. The film, due out in theatres on September 10th, 2010, is directed by Paul W.S. Anderson.[41] She attended WonderCon and Comic Con to promote the movie.[42][43] In an interview with JoBlo.com, Larter talked about her role in the film: "I guess people liked me as her...I'm excited that they brought me back. I love working with Milla, and it's also very excited to have Paul back directing this. To work with the man who really created this world and this vision was what excited me about joining this next installment."[44]
She is linked to the role of Col. Virginia Lake in the big-screen adaptation of UFO which stars Joshua Jackson.[45]
While at WonderCon, Larter commented on Heroes' possible fifth season. "I think that we'll be back...I think that there are still stories that need to be told."[42] NBC announced the show's cancellation on May 14, 2010,[46][47] however there will be a mini-series or a movie to wrap-up the story lines.[48]
In 2002, Larter was ranked #40 in Stuff magazine's "102 Sexiest Women in the World". In 2007, she ranked #49 on FHM's "100 Sexiest Women in the World".[49] Also ranking as #6 in Maxim's Hot 100 for 2007.[50] In 2008, Larter appeared on 3 lists. AskMen.com featured her as #92 on the "100 Most Desirable Women in the World", while FHM Magazine listed her as #19 in their "100 Sexiest Women in the World 2008" supplement.[51] She also ranked #2 on Maxim's "Hottest Women of Horror Movies" list.[52] In 2009, Larter made #91 on FHM's "100 Sexiest Women in the World".[53] She also appeared on MSN's "Scream Queen" list.[54]
She also appeared on People's "Ten Best Dressed List" as "The Newcomer"[55] and was named Victoria's Secret Sexiest Legs of 2008.[56]
Larter appeared in Glamour along with fellow actresses Rachel Bilson and Diane Lane in 2007. When asked if she still wishes she had the same body she had at 20 she replied, "No. I actually think I look better now because I feel so much better about myself now. And that’s what’s so exciting. As you get older, you get better…. Look at all these incredible women, like Vanessa Redgrave, who are still so beautiful. The reason is because they embrace who they are."[57] In an interview with Allure, Larter revealed she once was asked by producers, by faxes sent out to her agent and manager, to lose weight. "I just remember sitting in my trailer hysterically crying from the embarrassment I felt about myself, my body - and that no one could talk to me directly." She added that she refused to conform to the idea of the perfect Hollywood body.[58] In 2009, Larter was named Cosmopolitan magazine's Fun Fearless Female of the year at a ceremony held in Beverly Hills.[59]
At the 2007 Emmy Awards, Larter styled her own hair as opposed to using her hair-styling team. This was part of the Dove Hair's "Real Beauty" challenge which required her to use Dove's new moisturizing shampoos, conditioners and treatments.[60]
She has appeared on the covers of Shape, Cosmopolitan, Allure, Glamour, Lucky and Entertainment Weekly.[10][61][62][63]
During her time as a model, Larter moved to Los Angeles to pursue acting. In 2002, she moved to New York for a period of 3 years. In an interview with Phillymag, Larter gave reason for the move: "I took some time off to define myself outside the pressures of the industry..Part of me really needed to know if this is what I wanted to do with the rest of my life."[64] In January 2005, she moved to Los Angeles for a role in Heroes.[27]
In December 2007, Larter and her boyfriend of three years, Hayes MacArthur, were engaged to marry.[65] They had met on the set of National Lampoon's Homo Erectus. In a 2007 interview with Cosmo, Larter said "I told my boyfriend after three weeks that I wanted to marry him and that we could do it tomorrow".[66]
On August 1, 2009, Larter married MacArthur[67] in an intimate outdoor ceremony which took place at MacArthur's parent's estate in Kennebunk, Maine.[68] Among the invited was Larter's close friend Amy Smart.[3] During the ceremony, guests arrived via trolleys to the sounds of Irish music playing in honor of MacArthur's heritage.[3] The couple purchased a three storey home in the Hollywood Hills for $2.9 million.[69] On July 20, 2010, Larter announced that she and MacArthur are expecting their first child.[4] Larter admitted that she and MacArthur left the country for Europe in an effort to hide the news of the pregnancy.[70]
In an interview with Cosmopolitan, Larter "mused" on the state of her life, "I work on a TV show I love, I have the opportunity to do movies with actors I respect, and I’m in love with the man I want to spend the rest of my life with, who pushes me and excites me...There’s this fighter in me that kind of needs to be put to rest a little bit. I don’t need to be so tough to protect myself."[5] While speaking to Vanity Fair at the premiere of her film Obsessed, Larter spoke about her own obsessions, "I love to cook. I spend weekends reading cookbooks—it’s really my relaxation."[71]
In June 2010, Larter was one of thousands of delegates from 130 countries who participated in a United Nations conference, 'Women Deliver' in Washington D.C..[72]
Year | Film | Role | Notes |
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1999 | House on Haunted Hill | Sara Wolfe | |
Varsity Blues | Darcy Sears | ||
Drive Me Crazy | Dulcie | ||
Giving It Up | Amber | aka Casanova Falling | |
2000 | Final Destination | Clear Rivers | Young Hollywood Award for Breakthrough Performance Female Nominated — Blockbuster Entertainment Award for Favorite Actress - Horror |
2001 | American Outlaws | Zerelda 'Zee' Mimms | |
Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back | Chrissy | ||
Legally Blonde | Brooke Taylor Windham | ||
2003 | Final Destination 2 | Clear Rivers | |
2004 | Three Way | Isobel Delano | aka 3-Way Also Associate Producer |
2005 | Confess | Olivia Averill | |
A Lot Like Love | Gina | ||
2007 | Marigold | Marigold Lexton | Bollywood film |
Resident Evil: Extinction | Claire Redfield | ||
Homo Erectus | Fardart | aka National Lampoon's The Stoned Age | |
2008 | Crazy | Evelyn Garland | |
2009 | Obsessed | Lisa Sheridan | MTV Movie Award for Best Fight shared with Beyoncé Knowles Nominated — Teen Choice Award for Choice Movie Rumble shared with Beyoncé Knowles |
2010 | Resident Evil: Afterlife | Claire Redfield | Awaiting release |
Year | Show | Role | Notes |
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1997 | Suddenly Susan | Maddie | Episode: "The Ways and Means" |
Chicago Sons | Angela | Episode: "Beauty and the Butt" | |
1998 | Chicago Hope | Samantha | Episode: "Memento Mori" |
Just Shoot Me! | Karey Burke | Episode: "College or Collagen" | |
Dawson's Creek | Kristy Livingstone | Episodes: "The Dance" and "The Kiss" | |
2004 | Entourage | Herself | Episode: "Pilot" |
2006–2010 | Heroes | Niki / Jessica Sanders / Tracy Strauss | Gracie Allen Awards for Outstanding Supporting Actress - Drama Series Teen Choice Award for Choice Television Actress: Action Adventure Nominated — Teen Choice Award for Choice Television Actress: Action Adventure Nominated — Saturn Award for Best Supporting Actress on Television |