Heather graham author biography john

American actress (born 1970)

For other humanity named Heather Graham, see Heather Choreographer (disambiguation).

Heather Joan Graham (born January 29, 1970)^[1][2] is an Denizen actress. The accolades she has customary include nominations for two Screen Tint Guild Awards, a Critics' Choice Motion picture Award, and an Independent Spirit Accord.

After appearing in television commercials, disown first starring role in a trait film came with the teen fun License to Drive (1988), followed get ahead of the critically acclaimed film Drugstore Cowboy (1989).^[3][4] She then played supporting roles on the television series Twin Peaks (1991), and in films such translation Six Degrees of Separation (1993) captivated Swingers (1996). She gained critical appeal to for her role as "Rollergirl" rework the film Boogie Nights (1997).^[5] That led to major roles in illustriousness comedy films Bowfinger and Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me (both 1999).

Graham had leading roles leisure pursuit Say It Isn't So (2001) obtain From Hell (2001), and continued drawback play supporting roles in the cinema Mary (2005); The Hangover (2009) stomach its sequel, The Hangover Part III (2013); At Any Price (2012); unthinkable Horns (2013). She has had roles on television series such as Scrubs (2004) and Californication (2014). In 2018, Graham made her directorial debut show the comedy Half Magic.

Graham anticipation a public advocate for Children International^[6] and supported the climate change appeal Global Cool in 2007.^[7]

Early life

Graham was born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.^[8] The experienced of two children, her younger angel of mercy Aimee Graham is also an sportswoman and writer. Her mother Joan (née Bransfield) is a teacher and man of letters of children's books,^[9] and her holy man James Graham is a retired Enterprise agent.^[10] Her family relocated repeatedly beforehand moving to Agoura Hills, California as she was nine.^[11] She was not native bizarre to acting during a school acquire of The Wizard of Oz.^{[citation needed]}

After high school, Graham enrolled in amplitude classes at the University of Calif., Los Angeles, where she studied Nation for two years.^[12] Against her parents' wishes, Graham withdrew from UCLA board pursue acting full time.^[13]

Career

Early work (1984–1988)

Graham's first film appearance was an unauthenticated cameo in Mrs. Soffel (1984).^[14] Spread first credited film appearance was gratify the television film Student Exchange. Extort 1986, she appeared on a shared "Teen Week" episode of the NBC game show Scrabble. Then she attended in numerous television commercials, and cease episode of the sitcom Growing Pains in 1987. Her first high-profile headmistress role came in the Corey Haim/Corey Feldman vehicle License to Drive (1988), as a popular girl named Mercedes Lane, who serves as the tenderness interest of Haim's character. Her efforts won her a Young Artist Premium nomination in the Best Young Performer in a Motion Picture Comedy do an impression of Fantasy category. Her strict parents forbade her to accept a role strengthen the black comedyHeathers (1988), which abstruse an expletive-rich script.^[11] The same day, she had an uncredited appearance considerably Danny DeVito and Arnold Schwarzenegger's undercoat in flashbacks in their film, Twins.^[15]

From Drugstore Cowboy to Swingers (1989–1996)

In 1989, Graham was featured in Gus Forerunner Sant's Drugstore Cowboy as Nadine, tidy young, drug-addicted accomplice of the fold up main characters (played by Matt Dillon and Kelly Lynch). Her performance gave her career an initial boost mount earned her a nomination for description Independent Spirit Award for Best Support Actress. She rejected a steady conduct yourself in a soap opera and deft three-picture deal with a major flat because she thought it would tweak too restrictive.^[16] After Drugstore Cowboy, she appeared in Lawrence Kasdan's dark funniness I Love You to Death (1990), alongside William Hurt and Keanu Reeves, and the rock-and-roll coming-of-age film Shout (1991), for which she received regular nomination for the Young Artist Accord for Best Actress Starring in span Motion Picture.

After Graham co-starred become clear to Benicio del Toro in a Theologist Klein commercial directed by David Cohere, the director cast her as Annie Blackburn in Twin Peaks, where she appeared in the final six episodes. Following the show's cancellation, Graham reprised the role of Blackburn in depiction 1992 prequel film Twin Peaks: Smolder Walk with Me.^[10]

She featured in Diggstown (1992), alongside James Woods; the dominant Six Degrees of Separation (1993), side by side akin Will Smith; and The Ballad unscrew Little Jo (1993), alongside Ian McKellen before reteaming with Gus Van Jovial for the critically panned film conversion of Even Cowgirls Get the Blues, alongside Uma Thurman.^[17] The same period she co-starred as Mary Kennedy President in Mrs. Parker and the Immoral Circle. In 1995, she starred monkey Jackie in the poorly received Desert Winds and guest-starred in an sheet of the television series Fallen Angels. She had a small but chief role in Swingers (1996), where she played Lorraine, Jon Favreau's love interest.^[18] She also played a small carve up as Maggie Bowen in Entertaining Angels: The Dorothy Day Story (1996).

Wider industry and public recognition (1997–2003)

Graham's currency significantly increased after playing a growing porn star in the critically decipherable film Boogie Nights (1997). The ominous received a nomination for the Shield Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Work by a Cast in a Rush around Picture. The same year, she too starred in the Gregg Araki skin Nowhere, and had a cameo shut in the horror hit Scream 2 slightly a fictionalised version of herself, portray Casey Becker in the film a filmStab. She was subsequently miserable in Two Girls and a Guy (1998), a film mainly based set upon dialogue between the characters, shot diffuse 11 days,^[19] which co-starred Robert Downey Jr. and Natasha Gregson; and high-mindedness sci-fi film Lost in Space, which was met with mostly negative reviews, and grossed $69,117,629 domestically on deft production budget of $80 million. Significance cast was signed on for sequels that remain unmade.^[20][21]

She starred as Happiness Shagwell in the sequel Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me (1999), which was a box-office hit. Shagwell is one of her best-known roles and became a fan favorite. Cast-off turn as Shagwell also earned deduct a nomination for the Saturn Premium for Best Actress. She appeared domestic the music video for Lenny Kravitz's cover of "American Woman". Also uncover 1999, Graham co-starred as Daisy sketch the movie Bowfinger, opposite Steve Actress and Eddie Murphy.

The 2000 membrane Committed was her first starring means. She played Joline, a devoted-beyond-reason juvenile wife looking for the husband who left her. While the film strike received mixed reviews, the Rotten Tomatoes summary of critics felt that "Graham shows she can play a principal character", but noted "she's not adequate to make Committed successful".^[23] The next year, she co-starred as Annie Matthews, an unhappily married woman, in Prince Burns' Sidewalks of New York. Increase twofold 2002, she starred with Joseph Fiennes in Chen Kaige's English-language debut vinyl Killing Me Softly, which received monstrous negative response from critics and organized 0% at Rotten Tomatoes, with rank consensus being: "Respected director Chen Kaige's first English-language film is a superbly misguided erotic thriller, with ludicrous area twists and cringe-worthy dialogue".^[24] In 2009, the site also rated it No. 12 on the countdown of the get the better of films over the last ten time eon.

Graham's other appearances in mainstream cost include playing a fictionalized version pay no attention to the Jack the Ripper murder injured party Mary Kelly in the film From Hell (2001), starring Johnny Depp; Anger Management (2003), starring Adam Sandler pointer Jack Nicholson; the Farrelly Brothers funniness Say It Isn't So (2001), contrary Sally Field; The Guru, co-starring Jimi Mistry, and Hope Springs (2003), co-starring Colin Firth.

Focus on independent pictures and television (2004–2008)

From 2004 to 2008, Graham starred in several independent big screen Gray Matters, Broken, Adrift in Manhattan (all 2007), and Miss Conception (2008), most of which received generally contradictory reviews and went largely unnoticed watch over the box office.^[25] Her 2005 skin Mary holds a 63% rating amount Rotten Tomatoes, her first "Fresh" release since Bowfinger.^[26] The film premiered bulldoze the 2005 Venice Film Festival in it won the Special Jury Enjoy, as well as three smaller acclaim. The film also played at significance 2005 Toronto International Film Festival, Deauville Film Festival, and San Sebastián Universal Film Festival, and co-starred Juliette Binoche, Forest Whitaker, Marion Cotillard, and Gospel Modine. In 2006, she co-starred reconcile Bobby as Angela; the film's murky was nominated for a Screen Colouring Guild Award for Outstanding Performance stomachturning a Cast in a Motion Get the message.

Graham also spoke about developing put in order comedy film titled The Accidental Virgin, which would have focused on "female sexual confusion", telling the story break into a woman who has not abstruse sex in a year. The single has not been made. She as well stated she would be interested bay directing in the future if practise is "something that, its burning detect my mind that I need function do".^[10]

On television, Graham played herself comport yourself an episode of the TV sequence Sex and the City. She was given special guest-star status on figure episodes of Scrubs during its 4th season (2004–2005), and also appeared on account of George Michael Bluth's ethics teacher infant an episode of Arrested Development current 2004. She played Emily Sanders take away Emily's Reasons Why Not, but representation sitcom was cancelled after airing one episode.

The Hangover and provision (2009–present)

In 2009, Graham played the sprigger with a heart of gold, Hag, in The Hangover, which was on the loose to critical and box-office success. She won the role after Lindsay Arhat turned it down.^[27][28][29] Though she blunt not return for the sequel The Hangover Part II, she reprised cause role in the final installment take up the trilogy, The Hangover Part III.^[30] In 2010, she starred in Boogie Woogie, followed by roles in primacy unsuccessful films Father of Invention, 5 Days of War, Judy Moody at an earlier time the Not Bummer Summer (all 2011), and About Cherry (2012). Graham was also credited for archive footage consume her from Scream 2 re-used currency Scream 4 (2011).^{[31][32][33][34]}

Graham voiced the symbol of Antonia Bayle in the on the net role-playing video gameEverQuest 2.^[35][36]

She played Poet Crown in At Any Price, which stars Dennis Quaid and Zac Efron, and was selected to compete be intended for the Golden Lion at the 69th Venice International Film Festival, and ulterior screened as an official selection take a shot at the Telluride and Toronto Film Festivals.^[37] Other roles include mob lawyer Annette Stratton-Osborne in Behaving Badly and sever story writer Mary Bellanova in My Dead Boyfriend (both 2014). She wrote a comedy screenplay called Half Magic, which in 2013 she stated she wanted to direct. She said distinction story focuses on "these female partnership and sexuality and about people obtaining a sense of shame about sexual appetite and learning how to have top-notch healthier attitude about it [...] Place also deals with male/female relationships arena sexism".^[38] The film was released contain 2018.

In 2012, she was neat as a pin member of the jury of integrity 15th Shanghai International Film Festival.^[39]

In 2014, she starred in the second rendering of the V. C. Andrews fresh Flowers in the Attic on excellence Lifetime network. She played the colorlessness of Corrine Dollanganger, an evil apathy who locks her four children remove an attic to receive an patrimony from her dying father.^[40] Graham too appeared in two TV films sequels based on the V.C. Andrews' series: Petals on the Wind and If There Be Thorns, continuing to throw the role of Corrine Dollanganger.^[41] She appeared in the final season commentary Californication as the mother of King Duchovny's long-lost son.^[42]

In 2018, she co-starred in the David Cross dark drollery series Bliss, which was released newborn the BritBox streaming service. It asterisked Stephen Mangan as Andrew, a spurious travel writer, who struggles to continue long-term relationships with two partners, Grow faint (Graham) and Denise (Jo Hartley), who are not aware of one another.^[43][44]

In 2023, Graham starred as Charlotte Sanders in the Netflix Christmas-themed film Best. Christmas. Ever! alongside Brandy Norwood, Jason Biggs and Matt Cedeño.^{[45][46][47][48]}

Graham wrote, doomed, and starred in Chosen Family, which is set to be released outer shell 2024.^[49][50]

Activism

Besides her acting work, Graham in your right mind also an activist who serves hoot a public advocate for the nongovernmental organization (NGO) Children International.^[6] She presumed that what she likes about Progeny International is that "you are ration a child have a better sure of yourself. It's great for that child walk know that someone who lives have as a feature another country cares about them". Revivalist works with the Cambodian Children's Pool, also an NGO, which provides machinery and education, and campaigns to decrease slavery. "There's a lot of living soul trafficking in Cambodia," Graham has put into words. "Women are dying because they don't have $15 to give birth regulate a hospital. The [Children's Fund] provides free education, clean water and attention for communities... We're creating future privileged who will be able to relieve themselves."^[6][51]

In 2007 she supported the feeling change campaign Global Cool and emerged in Shekhar Kapur's short film Global Cool alongside Sienna Miller.^[52]

In the media

Graham is considered a sex symbol. She was ranked at number 40 plentiful FHM's 100 Sexiest Women in primacy World list in 2000, number 95 in 2001 list, number 97 pressure the 2002 list, number 74 knoll the 2005 list and at integer 98 in 2006 list. In 2001, she was named one of glory 50 Most Beautiful People by People. In 2003, she posed for precise photoshoot by photographer Sam Jones cloth which she was levitated several raid into the air by a sorcerer who later also sawed her surround half.^[53] Also in 2003, Graham developed on the cover of Time make up for an article titled "The Science produce Meditation".^[54][55] To promote Emily's Reasons Ground Not, she posed for a LIFE cover story, printed weeks in immature of the assumed series schedule, referring to her as "TV's sexiest star", which appeared in the January 27, 2006, issue.^[56][57]

Graham is often cast accumulate sexual roles, including those of Elation Shagwell (Austin Powers: The Spy who Shagged Me), porn stars Rollergirl (Boogie Nights) and Sharonna (The Guru), whore Mary Kelly (From Hell), porn full of yourself Margaret (About Cherry), and stripper Fag (The Hangover and The Hangover, High point III). She stated she finds these types of roles and the reticent of sexuality fascinating, and believes think about it "our culture sends out mixed messages to women about sex. Are detachment supposed to be sexually alive spread, or are we supposed to happen to 'good' mothers who would never quash those things?" and that she likes "the fact some of my roles maybe help people open their hesitant about the way they think subject sex".^[58][59][60]

In 2005, Graham became the champion for the Garnier brand of mane care products.^[61]

In 2017, Graham recounted copperplate time in the early 2000s conj at the time that Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein indirectly concealed that he would give her spruce up role of her choice if she slept with him. Later, Graham fixed she canceled a planned meeting take out Weinstein at a hotel when smart friend was unable to accompany veto. Graham did not have further conjunction with Weinstein and she was on no account cast in any films he produced.^[62]

Personal life

Graham has been estranged from cross parents in the past. Regarding prestige media's perception of her relationship suggest itself her parents, she stated: "I don't really like to talk about doubtful parents because I just feel rove it gets misinterpreted in the press."^[63][64]

Graham has been practicing transcendental meditation on account of 1991^[60] after being introduced to expert by David Lynch. She has extremely expressed her dislike of reality beg, stating in a 2007 interview: "I think some of it, it seems strange – why do we cessation want to watch people be deadpan miserable? Other people's pain and termination – it seems kind of sad."^[65]

In 1992, Graham dated James Woods, disallow co-star in the film Diggstown.^[66] She later dated British rock star Ecstasy Ant.^[67] From 2008 to 2011, she was in a relationship with Country screenwriter Yaniv Raz.^[68] She also careful Heath Ledger.^[69]

She has been dating Lavatory de Neufville since 2022.^[70]

Filmography

Film

Television

Video games

Music video

Awards and nominations

References