Wikipedia

Laura Allen

For the American make-up artist, see Laura Allen (make-up artist).

Laura Allen (born March 21, 1974)[1] is an American actress. She is best known for her roles on the ABC Daytime soap opera All My Children (as Laura Kirk-English) and the USA Network television series The 4400 (as Lily Tyler). She has also been a regular cast member on Dirt, Terriers, Awake, and Hap and Leonard.

Laura Allen
Born (1974-03-21) March 21, 1974 (age 50)
Portland, Oregon, U.S.
Alma materWellesley College
OccupationActress
Years active2000–present
Spouse
Bruce Weyman
​
(m. 2006)​
Children2

Early life edit

Allen was born in Portland, Oregon and grew up on Bainbridge Island, Washington.[1] She is the daughter of Julie and David Allen and the middle child of three sisters. Her sisters are named Jenny and Lindsay.[2] She attended Wellesley College as a sociology major and graduated in 1996. She worked with the NYPD as a domestic violence counselor[3] before pursuing acting.

Career edit

While pursuing her career in social work, Allen became drawn to the theatre. She took a job as a crew member for the Blue Man Group, then won a role as Maid Marion in a touring production of Robin Hood. Despite the grueling experience of the Robin Hood tour, Allen decided she wanted to focus on acting.[4]

Allen began working as a waitress while interning at the MCC Theater, where she met Robert LuPone. He mentored her, teaching her the Meisner technique and introducing her to her first agent.[4] Allen eventually won a guest starring role on The Street.[2]

She auditioned unsuccessfully for the roles of Michelle Bauer on Guiding Light and Melanie MacIver on One Life to Live before being cast as Laura Kirk-English on All My Children. The role had previously been played by Lauren Roman. Allen played Laura from 2000-2002.[2]

After departing AMC, Allen went on to play Susan Delacorte in Mike Newell's Mona Lisa Smile.[5] On television, she guest starred on Cold Case, North Shore, House, and Criminal Minds.[2][6] In 2004, Allen was cast as Samantha Wade in Sucker Free City, a Showtime film directed by Spike Lee.[7] This was followed by a leading role as Jane Carol Webb in the film How You Look to Me.[4][8]

She landed a starring role on USA Network's hit series, The 4400, playing the role of Lily Tyler.[4] However, her character was written out of the show before its third season. She reprised the role of Lily Tyler in 2007 in the fourth season of The 4400 for one episode.[9][10]

In 2007, Allen was cast in a regular role on the FX drama series Dirt, playing Julia Mallory.[10] She guest starred on Law & Order: Special Victims Unit and appeared in the films From Within[10] and The Collective.[11][2][12]

Allen played a recurring role on Grey's Anatomy in 2009 as the ex-lover of Owen (Kevin McKidd).[13] She guest starred on CSI: Miami and appeared in the films Hysteria and Old Dogs.[12][2]

She played Linda in the 2010 comedy film Cherry, co-starring with Kyle Gallner.[14] Allen then had a regular role as Katie Nichols on the short-lived FX series Terriers in 2010.[15] She was then cast in another regular role as Hannah Britten on the NBC series Awake in 2012.[16]

Allen was cast in a Lifetime pilot, The Secret Lives of Husbands and Wives, in 2012.[17] In early 2013, it was announced that the project wasn't going forward.[18]

In 2014, Allen had a recurring role as Rochelle Matheson on Ravenswood, a spinoff of Pretty Little Liars.[19] She portrayed Meg in the horror film Clown[12][20][21][22] and Linda Kessler in the drama thriller film Nanny Cam.[23][19] She also had a guest starring role on NCIS: New Orleans.[6]

Allen was cast as Olivia in Marvel's Most Wanted, a proposed spinoff of Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. in 2016.[24] The project was unfortunately dropped before it could air. In May 2016, Allen guest starred on Criminal Minds: Beyond Borders.[12] She had a recurring role on American Horror Story in 2017.[25]

In the 2018 film The Tale, a drama about sexual abuse, Allen played a younger version of Ellen Burstyn's character.[26] She continued to take on dramatic roles, appearing in the short film Unspeakable, directed by Milena Govich.[27] On television, she had a regular role as Officer Reynolds in the third season of Hap and Leonard.[28]

Allen had recurring roles on 9-1-1 and Suits in 2019.[6][29] In 2024, she began appearing in the recurring role of Chief Robinson on Chicago Fire.[29]

Personal life edit

After leaving All My Children in 2002, Allen took a ten week training course to become an Emergency Medical Technician.[4]

She married Bruce Weyman at the Relais Palazzo del Capitano in Pienza, Italy on September 23, 2006. They have two sons.[30] Their first son, Harper Edward Weyman, was born on September 3, 2008 in Los Angeles, California.[31]

Filmography edit

Film edit

Year Title Role Notes
2003 A Tale of Two Limo Girl Short film
2003 Mona Lisa Smile Susan Delacorte
2005 How You Look to Me Jane Carol Webb
2008 From Within Trish
2008 The Collective Clare
2009 Old Dogs Kelly
2010 Cherry Linda
2010 Hysteria Erin
2013 Red Car Marilyn Short film
2014 Clown Meg McCoy
2014 Nanny Cam Linda Kessler
2018 The Tale Young Nettie
2018 Unspeakable Marie Deguire Short

Television edit

Year Title Role Notes
2000 The Street Jennifer Episode: "Pilot"
2000–2001 All My Children Laura English Regular Role
2004 Cold Case Vanessa Prosser Episode: "Late Returns"
2004 North Shore Monique Episode: "More"
2004 Sucker Free City Samantha Wade Television movie
2004–2005; 2007 The 4400 Lily Tyler Main role (seasons 1–2)
2006 House Sarah Alston Episode: "All In"
2007 Criminal Minds Bobbi Baird Episode: "Open Season"
2007 Law & Order: Special Victims Unit Cass Magnall Episode: "Alternate"
2007–2008 Dirt Julia Mallory Main role
2009 Grey's Anatomy Beth Whitman Episodes: "Beat Your Heart Out", "Before and After"
2009 CSI: Miami Sondra Moore Episode: "Dissolved"
2010 Terriers Katie Nichols Main role
2012 Awake Hannah Britten Main role
2013 Secret Lives of Husbands and Wives Alison Dunn Television movie
2013–2014 Ravenswood Rochelle Matheson Recurring role
2014 NCIS: New Orleans Katherine Wilson Episode: "Watch Over Me"
2015; 2019 Suits Lily Specter Episodes: "Hitting Home", "Faith", "Thunder Away"
2016 Marvel's Most Wanted Olivia Unsold TV pilot
2016 Criminal Minds: Beyond Borders Emily Wagner Episode: "Paper Orphans"
2017 American Horror Story: Cult Rosie Episodes: "Neighbors from Hell", "Holes"
2017 Wisdom of the Crowd Shelly Walsh Episode: "Clear History"
2018 9-1-1 Marcy Nash Episodes: "Point of Origin", "Bobby Begins Again"
2018 Hap and Leonard Officer Reynolds Recurring role (season 3)
2019 Truth Be Told Alana Cave Episodes: "Even Salt Looks Like Sugar", "No Cross, No Crown", "Graveyard Love", "Not Buried, Planted"

References edit

  1. ^ a b Baker, Jeff (April 28, 2014). "18 actors you (maybe) didn't know were from Portland". The Oregonian. Portland, Oregon. Retrieved February 15, 2016.
  2. ^ a b c d e f "About the Actors: Laura Allen". Soap Central. Retrieved May 4, 2024.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  3. ^ "Bio". Lauraallen.net. Archived from the original on September 28, 2020. Retrieved January 14, 2014.
  4. ^ a b c d e Kuhn, Sarah (November 5, 2019). "Laura Allen: Down to Earth". Backstage. Retrieved May 5, 2024.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  5. ^ Rooney, David (December 9, 2003). "Mona Lisa Smile". Variety. Retrieved May 5, 2024.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  6. ^ a b c "Laura Allen". TV Guide. Retrieved May 5, 2024.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  7. ^ Rooney, David (September 16, 2004). "Sucker Free City". Variety. Retrieved May 5, 2024.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  8. ^ "'Look' looks about done". Variety. March 17, 2005. Retrieved May 6, 2024.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  9. ^ Lee, Patrick. "What Happened To 4400's Lily?". Archived from the original on July 15, 2006. Retrieved December 11, 2006.
  10. ^ a b c Webb Mitovich, Matt (August 17, 2007). "Laura Allen Has the Dirt on The 4400's Surprising Reunion". TV Guide. Retrieved May 5, 2024.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  11. ^ "The Collective". Brooklyn Film Festival. Retrieved May 5, 2024.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  12. ^ a b c d "Interview: Laura Allen (Clown)". Gruesome Magazine. August 16, 2016. Retrieved May 5, 2024.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  13. ^ Cellura, Regan (January 14, 2009). "AMC's Laura Allen Cast on Grey's Anatomy". Daytime Confidential. Retrieved May 5, 2024.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  14. ^ Hale, Mike (November 4, 2010). "A Freshman Year to Remember". The New York Times. Retrieved May 5, 2024.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  15. ^ Bellafante, Gina (September 7, 2010). "In a Golden Land, but Grateful for Brass Rings". The New York Times. Retrieved May 5, 2024.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  16. ^ Stanley, Alessandra (February 29, 2012). "Choose a Reality? If Only He Could". The New York Times. Retrieved May 5, 2024.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  17. ^ Kerr, Luke (October 15, 2012). "Laura Allen Uncovers The Secret Lives of Husbands and Wives". Daytime Confidential. Retrieved May 6, 2024.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  18. ^ Goldberg, Lesley (January 16, 2013). "Lifetime's Kim Raver Starrer 'Secret Lives of Wives' Not Moving Forward". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved May 6, 2024.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  19. ^ a b Kay, Ariel (December 28, 2014). "'Nanny Cam's Star Used To Work with the NYPD". Bustle. Retrieved May 6, 2024.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  20. ^ Miska, Brad (March 7, 2015). "'Clown' Clip Enters a Jungle Gym of Terror". Bloody Disgusting!. Retrieved May 7, 2024.
  21. ^ Jones, Gareth (February 28, 2015). "Clown (UK DVD)". Dread Central. Retrieved May 7, 2024.
  22. ^ Barton, Steve (February 27, 2015). "Eli Roth's Clown Gets a New UK Trailer". Dread Central. Retrieved May 7, 2024.
  23. ^ Nanny Cam - MarVista Entertainment Archived February 13, 2015, at the Wayback Machine
  24. ^ "Marvel's Most Wanted - 2016". AV Club. Retrieved May 6, 2024.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  25. ^ Nemetz, Dave (July 19, 2017). "American Horror Story: Lena Dunham Books Season 7 Role (Yes, Really)". TV Line. Retrieved May 6, 2024.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  26. ^ Felperin, Leslie (January 20, 2018). "'The Tale': Film Review | Sundance 2018". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved May 6, 2024.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  27. ^ "Unspeakable". American Film Institute. Retrieved May 6, 2024.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  28. ^ Keene, Allison (March 14, 2018). "'Hap and Leonard' EP on Florida's Journey & Balancing Humor with Serious Darkness". Collider. Retrieved May 6, 2024.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  29. ^ a b Poisuo, Pauli (April 5, 2024). "Why Chicago Fire's Chief Robinson Looks So Familiar". Looper. Retrieved May 6, 2024.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  30. ^ "Profile in People Magazine". People.com. January 14, 2013. Retrieved January 14, 2014.
  31. ^ "Laura Allen Welcomes Son Harper Edward". People. September 5, 2008. Retrieved May 7, 2024.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)

External links edit

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