Ashley Laurence
Ashley Laurence | |
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Born | Los Angeles, California, United States | May 28, 1966
Occupation | Actress |
Years active | 1984–present |
Known for | Hellraiser series |
Website | www |
Ashley Laurence (born May 28, 1966) is an American actress and visual artist. She made her film debut in 1987 as the lead character, Kirsty Cotton, in Clive Barker's horror film Hellraiser (1987), a role she later reprised in Hellbound: Hellraiser II (1988). Hellraiser III: Hell on Earth (1992), and Hellraiser: Hellseeker (2004). The film franchise established her as a prominent actress in horror, and she subsequently starred in Mikey (1992) and The Lurking Fear (1994), gaining the title of "scream queen".
Laurence's other notable film roles include Jenny Graves in Lightning Bug (2004) and Mrs. McCormack in Red (2008). In addition to film, Laurence has had guest appearances on several television series including Hercules: The Legendary Journeys (1996), Suddenly Susan (1997), Beverly Hills, 90210 (1999), and provided the voice of Missy Carter in the video game The Vanishing of Ethan Carter (2014).
She has been featured in several national advertising campaigns.[1]
Career
Laurence began her career with guest roles on television series. In 1984, she made her acting debut with a recurring role on the CBS soap opera Capitol as Brenda Clegg. In 1986, Laurence had a guest appearance as Genna in an episode of the television series Highway to Heaven. In 1987, she made her film debut as the heroine Kirsty Cotton in Clive Barker's Hellraiser (1987). She starred alongside Clare Higgins and Doug Bradley as Pinhead. The film was a critical and commercial success, earning more than $14 million[2][3] at the American box office. When discussing how she obtained the part, in a retrospective interview Laurence credited Barker for her being cast as the lead, stating:
- "I had been in a teenage drama workshop because I had a crush on a boy. I took this workshop and a girl who works there who was also interning at New World at the time said they were casting this movie and couldn’t find the lead. They had gone to Chicago, New York and Los Angeles. She had called me and asked me if I would go down and audition for this film and it was the day that Clive Barker and Chris Haig were going back to England that day. So I went over there and I read and Clive was terrific and he said “Would you retest for this?” So they flew me to England and had me retest and said “I am going to have to fight for you because the studio wanted a name, but to me you are Kirsty!” I got it because he fought for me."[4]
In 1988, Laurence reprised her role as Kirsty in Tony Randel's sequel Hellbound: Hellraiser II. In 1989, Laurence guest-starred on the television series Monsters and Hunter.
In 1990, Laurence portrayed Jane in the film Face the Edge. In 1992, she appeared in the films Deuce Coupe, Hellraiser III: Hell on Earth, and Mikey. In 2000, Laurence starred in the film Cypress Edge and guest-starred on an episode of Beyond Belief: Fact or Fiction.
In 1994, Laurence starred in The Lurking Fear and Stranger by Night. In 1995, she starred in the martial arts Western Savate. The same year, she guest-starred on Legends and appeared in the television films Triplecross and American Cop. In 1996, Laurence starred in the film Livers Ain't Cheap and guest-starred on Hercules: The Legendary Journeys.
I am an oil painter and I like to do my paintings and create layers and it is my job to do the same thing with characters and I haven’t always had the right opportunity to do that. In this instance I was and that was very exciting for me. I got to create a full human being instead of just saying lines.
—Laurence on preparing for her role in Lightning Bug[5]
In 1997, she starred as Jennifer Taylor in the film Cupid and guest starred on the television series Suddenly Susan. In 1999, Laurence portrayed Janine DeVrie in the thriller film A Murder of Crows and Kris Miller in the horror film Warlock III: The End of Innocence. The same year, she guest starred on the television series Beverly Hills, 90210.
In 2002, Laurence reprised her role as Kirsty Cotton in the horror film Hellraiser: Hellseeker and portrayed Dakota in the television film Gentle Ben. The following year, she reprised her role as Dakota in the television film sequel Gentle Ben 2: Danger on the Mountain. In 2004, she portrayed Jenny Graves in the drama film Lightning Bug and had a guest role on the television series ER.[6]
In 2008, she appeared in the drama film Red, based on the novel by Jack Ketchum. In 2009, Laurence appeared in Slipknot's music video for their song "Snuff". In 2014, Laurence made her voice-over debut in the video game The Vanishing of Ethan Carter. In 2016, Laurence starred in the film The Green Fairy.
Filmography
Film
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
1987 | Hellraiser | Kirsty Cotton | |
1988 | Hellbound: Hellraiser II | Kirsty Cotton | |
1990 | Face the Edge | Jane | |
1992 | Mikey | Shawn Gilder | |
1992 | Deuce Coupe | Marie Vitelli | |
1992 | Hellraiser III: Hell on Earth | Kirsty Cotton | |
1994 | The Lurking Fear | Cathryn Farrell | |
1994 | Stranger by Night | Nicole Miller | Direct-to-video |
1995 | Savate | Mary Parker | Direct-to-video |
1995 | Felony | Laura Bryant | |
1996 | Livers Ain't Cheap | Carla | |
1997 | Cupid | Jennifer Taylor | |
1998 | A Murder of Crows | Janine DeVrie | |
1999 | Warlock III: The End of Innocence | Kris Miller | Direct-to-video |
2000 | Cypress Edge | Brittany Trummel | |
2002 | Hellraiser: Hellseeker | Kirsty Cotton Gooden | Direct-to-video |
2004 | Lightning Bug | Jenny Graves | |
2004 | Tomb of Terror | Cathryn Farrell (segment "Lurking Fear") | Archive footage |
2007 | Chill | Maria | Direct-to-video |
2008 | Red | Mrs. McCormack | |
2015 | The Green Fairy | Rachel |
Television
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
1984-1985 | Capitol | Brenda Clegg | TV series |
1986 | Highway to Heaven | Genna | Episode: "Sail Away" |
1989 | Monsters | Jodie | Episode: "The Match Game" |
1989 | Hunter | Erica | Episode: "Investment in Death" |
1995 | Legend | Libbie Custer | Episode: "Custer's Next to Last Stand" |
1995 | Triplecross | Julia Summers | TV film |
1995 | American Cop | Gina | TV film |
1996 | Hercules: The Legendary Journeys | Daniela | Episode: "Protean Challenge" |
1997 | Suddenly Susan | Pam | Episode: "The Ways and Means" |
1999 | Beverly Hills, 90210 | Ashley Reese | Episode: "Fortune Cookie" |
2000 | Beyond Belief: Fact or Fiction | Sandy | Episode: "Damsel" |
2002 | Gentle Ben | Dakota | TV film |
2003 | Gentle Ben 2: Danger on the Mountain | Dakota | TV film |
2004 | ER | Campbell | Episode: "Just a Touch" |
2005 | Mystery Woman: Sing Me a Murder | Francine | TV film |
Music videos
Title | Year | Performer(s) | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
"Snuff" | 2009 | Slipknot | |
"Unholy Manipulator" | 2012 | Product of Hate | Remastered in 2015 as "The Unholy Manipulator" |
Video games
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
2014 | The Vanishing of Ethan Carter | Missy Carter | Voice role |
References
- ^ Reynolds, Simon. "Horror's Final Girls: What happened to the stars of Halloween, Scream?". Digital Spy. Retrieved February 9, 2016.
- ^ Hellraiser, Box Office Information. The Numbers. Retrieved 22 September 2012.
- ^ "Hellraiser". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved 24 February 2018.
- ^ "Interview: Ashley Laurence". JoBlo.com. US. April 15, 2017.
- ^ "Interview: Ashley Laurence". JoBlo.com. US. April 15, 2017.
- ^ James, Jonathon. "Exclusive Interview: Ashley Laurence talks about Lightning Bug". Daily Dead. Retrieved February 9, 2016.