Alyson Hannigan
Alyson Hannigan | |
---|---|
File:Alyson Hannigan2010.jpg Alyson Hannigan at the People's Choice Awards in 2010 | |
Born | Alyson Lee Hannigan March 24, 1974 Washington, D.C., U.S. |
Other names | Alyson Denisof |
Occupation | Actress |
Years active | 1986–present |
Spouse | Alexis Denisof (m. 2003- present) |
Children | 2 |
Alyson Lee Hannigan (born March 24, 1974)[1] is an American actress. She is known for her roles as Willow Rosenberg in the television series Buffy the Vampire Slayer (1997–2003), Lily Aldrin on the CBS sitcom How I Met Your Mother (2005–present) and Michelle Flaherty in the original American Pie film series (1999; 2001; 2003; 2012).[2]
Early life
Hannigan was born in Washington, D.C.[2] She is the only child of Emilie (Posner) Haas, a real estate agent,[3] and Al Hannigan, a truck driver.[4] Her father is of Irish descent and her mother is Jewish.[5][6] Her parents divorced when she was two and she was raised mostly by her mother in Atlanta, Georgia.[7]
Career
1978 – 1996
At age four, Hannigan began appearing in commercials.[8] She moved to Hollywood at age 11.[3] Living with her mother and attending North Hollywood High School, she successfully auditioned for agents while visiting her father in Santa Barbara. After attending North Hollywood High School, she attended California State University, Northridge where she earned a degree in psychology.[9]
Hannigan's first major film role was in My Stepmother Is an Alien,[2] a science fiction comedy released in 1988; one of her co-stars in the film was actor Seth Green, who would later join her in the regular cast of Buffy as her on-screen boyfriend. Then in 1989, her first regular role on a TV series came when she was cast in the short-lived ABC sitcom Free Spirit.
As a teenager, Hannigan babysat for the kids of Bob Saget, who would later narrate her TV series, How I Met Your Mother.[10]
1997 – present
In 1997, Hannigan was cast to play Willow Rosenberg, Buffy Summers' best friend, on the television series Buffy the Vampire Slayer.[11] The show became a success, and Hannigan gained recognition, subsequently appearing in several notable films aimed at teenage audiences, including American Pie, American Pie 2, Boys and Girls and American Wedding.[2] She also had a guest spot on the Buffy spin-off, Angel, reprising her role of Willow in a few episodes (including most notably "Orpheus," during the fourth season of Angel and the seventh season of Buffy), but none after Buffy finished production.
In early 2004, Hannigan made her West End debut, starring in a stage adaptation of When Harry Met Sally... at the Theatre Royal Haymarket, opposite Luke Perry.[12]
In 2005, Hannigan returned to starring in a regular television series, appearing in the hit comedy How I Met Your Mother as Lily, and also playing a recurring guest role on Veronica Mars as Trina Echolls.[13]
In February 2006, Hannigan starred as Julia Jones in Date Movie, a parody of romantic comedies.[2] She was also a guest star on the ABC animated sitcom The Goode Family in 2009.[14]
Hannigan joined forces with Emily Deschanel, Jaime King, Minka Kelly, and Katharine McPhee in a "video slumber party" featured on FunnyorDie.com to promote regular breast cancer screenings for the organization Stand Up 2 Cancer.[15]
In 2012, Hannigan reprised the role of Michelle in American Reunion.[16]
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/99/Alyson_Hannigan_and_Alexis_Denisof_2.jpg/170px-Alyson_Hannigan_and_Alexis_Denisof_2.jpg)
Personal life
Hannigan married fellow Buffy the Vampire Slayer actor Alexis Denisof at Two Bunch Palms Resort in Desert Hot Springs, California, on October 11, 2003. The couple have two daughters, Satyana Marie Denisof, born March 24, 2009,[1] and Keeva Jane Denisof, born May 23, 2012.[17] Hannigan and her husband are godparents to Joss Whedon's son, Arden.[18]
Filmography
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
1986 | Impure Thoughts | Patty Stubbs | As Alyson Hannigan |
1988 | My Stepmother Is an Alien | Jessie Mills | |
1991 | Switched at Birth | Gina Twigg, Age 13–16 | TV movie |
1995 | The Stranger Beside Me | Dana | TV movie |
1996 | A Case for Life | Iris | TV movie |
1996 | For My Daughter's Honor | Kelly | TV movie |
1998 | Dead Man on Campus | Lucy | |
1999 | Hayley Wagner, Star | Jenna Jakes | TV movie |
1999 | American Pie | Michelle Flaherty | |
2000 | Boys and Girls | Betty | |
2001 | American Pie 2 | Michelle Flaherty | |
2001 | Beyond the City Limits | Lexi | |
2003 | American Wedding | Michelle Flaherty | |
2004 | Americana | Andrea | TV movie |
2005 | In the Game | Unknown | TV series |
2006 | Date Movie | Julia Jones | |
2011 | Love, Wedding, Marriage | Courtney | Co-starred with real-life husband Alexis Denisof |
2012 | American Reunion | Michelle Flaherty-Levenstein |
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
1989–1990 | Free Spirit | Jessie Harper | Main role; 14 episodes |
1990 | Roseanne | Jan | Episode: "Like, a New Job" |
1993 | Almost Home | Samantha | Episode: "The Dance" Episode: "Hot Ticket" |
1994 | Touched by an Angel | Cassie Peters | Episode: "Cassie's Choice" |
1996 | Picket Fences | Peggy Patterson | Episode: "To Forgive Is Devine" |
1996 | Friends for Life | Emma Daniels | Unaired TV Pilot |
1997–2003 | Buffy the Vampire Slayer | Willow Rosenberg | Main Role; 144 episodes |
1999–2000 | 100 Deeds for Eddie McDowd | Gigi | Episode: "Dogs Day Out" Episode: "The Return of Gigi" |
2000 | The Wild Thornberrys | Gerda | Episode: "Every Little Bit Alps" |
2001–2003 | Angel | Willow Rosenberg | Episode: "Disharmony" Episode: "There's No Place Like Plrtz Glrb" Episode: "Orpheus" |
2004 | That '70s Show | Suzy Simpson | Episode: "Sally Simpson" Episode: "Won't Get Fooled Again" |
2004 | King of the Hill | Stacey Gibson | Episode: "Talking Shop" |
2005 | Veronica Mars | Trina Echolls | Episode: "Ruskie Business" Episode: "Hot Dogs" Episode: "My Mother, the Fiend" |
2005–present | How I Met Your Mother | Lily Aldrin | Lead Role |
2009 | The Goode Family | Michelle | Episode: "Graffiti in Greenville" |
2011 | The Simpsons | Melody | Season 22: Episode 11: "Flaming Moe" |
2011 | American Dad | Chelsea | Season 7: Episode 5: "Virtual In-Stanity" |
Awards and nominations
Year | Award | Category | Role | Result |
---|---|---|---|---|
1998 | Saturn Awards | Best Network TV Series | Buffy the Vampire Slayer Cast and Crew | Won |
2001 | Won | |||
2001 | Best Supporting Actress in a Series | Willow Rosenberg | Nominated | |
2002 | Nominated | |||
2002 | Best Network TV Series | Buffy the Vampire Slayer Cast and Crew | Won | |
2003 | Best Supporting Actress in a Series | Willow Rosenberg | Won | |
2003 | Golden Satellite Awards | Best Performance by a Supporting Actress in a Series | Willow Rosenberg | Nominated |
2003 | Television Critics Association Awards | Heritage Award | Buffy the Vampire Slayer Cast and Crew | Won |
2008 | Teen Choice Awards | Choice TV show: Comedy | How I Met Your Mother Cast and Crew | Nominated |
2010 | People's Choice Awards | Favorite TV Comedy Actress | Lily Aldrin | Won |
2011 | People's Choice Awards | Favorite TV Comedy | How I Met Your Mother Cast and Crew | Nominated |
2011 | People's Choice Awards | Favorite TV Comedy Actress | Lily Aldrin | Nominated |
2012 | Favorite TV Comedy | How I Met Your Mother Cast and Crew | Won | |
2012 | Teen Choice Awards | Choice Movie Actress: Comedy | Michelle Flaherty-Levenstein in American Reunion | Nominated |
References
- ^ a b Wihlborg, Ulrica (2009-03-31). "Alyson Hannigan Welcomes a Daughter!". People. Retrieved 2009-03-31.
- ^ a b c d e "How I Met Your Mother Cast: Alyson Hannigan". CBS. Retrieved 2012-06-12.
- ^ a b "Former Atlantan Alyson Hannigan interview for 'How I Met Your Mother'". The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. September 21, 2009. Retrieved 2012-06-12.
- ^ "Film Reference Alyson Hannigan Bio". Filmreference.com. Archived from the original on 10 February 2010. Retrieved 2010-03-07.
{{cite web}}
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suggested) (help) - ^ Bloom, Nate (2004-07-09). "Celebrity Jews". the Jewish News Weekly of Northern California. Retrieved 2006-07-16.
- ^ Pearce, Garth (2003-07-13). "Alyson Hannigan Interview". The Sunday Times.
{{cite news}}
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(help) - ^ Biography for Alyson Hannigan at IMDb
- ^ "Interview: Alyson Hannigan on American Pie". Scotland on Sunday. April 22, 2012. Retrieved 2012-06-12.
- ^ "Alyson Hannigan". SuperiorPics.com. Retrieved 2010-04-18.
- ^ "It's Evening in America". Vanity Fair. May 2012. Page 158.
- ^ "Where Are They Now? Buffy the Vampire Slayer". People. December 3, 2007. Retrieved 2012-06-12.
- ^ "When Harry Met Sally, Review by Philip Fisher (2004)". British Theatre Guide. Retrieved 2010-04-18.
- ^ "'Veronica Mars' scoop". Chicago Tribune. January 20, 2006. Retrieved 2012-06-12.
- ^ Alyson Hannigan at IMDb
- ^ Kate Stanhope (2009-10-01). "Deschanel, Hannigan and Others Cop a Feel for a Cause". TVGuide.com. Archived from the original on 1 October 2009. Retrieved 2009-10-01.
{{cite news}}
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suggested) (help) - ^ "Alyson Hannigan, Cobie Smulders and 'Mother'-hood". USA Today. April 15, 2012. Retrieved 2012-06-12.
- ^ "Alyson Hannigan and Alexis Denisof Welcome Daughter Keeva Jane". People. June 12, 2012. Retrieved 2012-06-12.
- ^ Hannigan is godmother of Joss Whedon's son, Alyson Hannigan.
External links
- 1974 births
- Actors from Los Angeles, California
- Actors from Washington, D.C.
- American child actors
- American film actresses
- American people of Irish descent
- American stage actors
- American television actresses
- California State University, Northridge alumni
- Living people
- American people of Jewish descent
- 20th-century actresses
- 21st-century actresses
- American actresses