Ali Larter

Ali Larter
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. From 2006 to 2010, Larter played the characters of Niki Sanders and then her identical long-separated sister Tracy Strauss on the NBC science fiction drama Heroes.

Larter began her career as a model but soon transitioned herself into acting. She received her breakthrough role in the 1999 film Varsity Blues. This was followed by the horror film House on Haunted Hill (1999), Final Destination (2000), and Legally Blonde (2001). Since then, she has starred in a string of projects including reprising her role in Final Destination 2 (2003), starring as the titular character in the Bollywood film Marigold (2007) and portraying the video game character Claire Redfield in the Resident Evil franchise. More recently, she starred in the 2009 thriller, Obsessed.

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 1 August 2009.
Early life

Larter was born in Cherry Hill, New Jersey. 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.
She attended Carusi Middle School and Cherry Hill High School West. She began modeling with Ford Models at the age of fourteen and traveled the world. At seventeen, Larter settled temporarily in Japan.
Later, in 1995, she accompanied her boyfriend in his move to Los Angeles, California. She began taking acting classes at a friend's suggestion.

Career

Modelling/Early career (1993–1999)

Larter began her modelling career at the age of 13 when a modelling scout discovered her on the street. She was asked to star in a Phillies commercial and later signed a modeling contract with the prestigious Ford Modeling Agency in New York. Larter subsequently skipped her senior year to model in Japan and Australia. While modelling in Italy, Larter met fellow model and aspiring actress Amy Smart. According to Larter, the two "became instant friends."
Smart persuaded Larter to take up acting and the two then moved into an L.A. apartment together.

In November 1994, Larter portrayed the hoax model Allegra Coleman in Esquire magazine in which the magazine told of the fictional model's relationship with David Schwimmer, how Quentin Tarantino broke up with Mira Sorvino to date her, and Woody Allen's overhaul of a film to have her star. 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.

Larter landed her first professional roles in 1997 when she appeared in several television programs. She appeared, for one episode, in the Brooke Shields television series, Suddenly Susan, and the short lived television series Chicago Sons. The 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. Varsity Blues drew a domestic box office gross of $53 million on a budget of $18 million.Afterwards, Larter appeared in teen comedies, Giving It Up and Drive Me Crazy. That year as well, Larter starred in the horror remake House on Haunted Hill. Made for around $20 million, the movie was panned by the critics but grossed $15 million on its opening weekend and went on to earn over $40 million.
Breakthrough (2000–2006)
In 2000, Larter starred as Clear Rivers in the teen horror film Final Destination which made $180 million at the end of its run.The following year in 2001, she appeared in the comedy Legally Blonde with Reese Witherspoon. The film earned the top spot with $20,377,426 in its opening weekend.She also appeared in the western American Outlaws with Colin Farrell and the Kevin Smith film 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.In 2003, Larter reprised her role as Clear Rivers in the sequel to Final Destination, 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."The film opened at number 2 with $16,017,141,critical reception was mixed.A year later, Larter served as an associate producer and starred in the thriller Three Way. In 2005, Larter appeared in the independent film Confess and had a role in the romantic comedy A Lot Like Love alongside Amanda Peet and Ashton Kutcher.

From September 2006 to March 2010, Larter portrayed the characters of Jessica/Niki Sanders and Tracy Strauss on the NBC Emmy Award-nominated science fiction drama television series Heroes, 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. Larter had been nominated for "Best Supporting Actress" for the 33rd Saturn Awards.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.

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."

Recent and future roles (2007–present)

In 2007, Larter starred in the Bollywood film Marigold as the title character alongside Salman Khan, which was released in August.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.She was paid a seven-figure salary for the role of Marigold.

It was this year that she was cast in the horror film Resident Evil: Extinction portraying the character of Claire Redfield alongside Milla Jovovich. Her role sent her to Mexicali, Mexico for filming from May to late July in which she also dyed her hair a light red for the film.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."Larter also attended the 2007 Comic Con International, her second appearance at the event, to promote the film, which was released in theaters on September 21, 2007.The film tripled its budget with $147,717,833 worldwide.That year, she appeared in the comedy Homo Erectus, which co-starred Hayes McArthur. She also filmed the biographical film Crazy based on guitarist Hank Garland which was released in the festival circuit in 2008 and on DVD in 2010.
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."In April 2009, Larter starred opposite Beyoncé Knowles and Idris Elba in the Screen Gems-produced film Obsessed, about 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, she 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."The film opened at #1 at the box office with $28,612,730, a career high for Larter.She won an MTV Movie Award for Best Fight for this role.

Larter reprises her role as Claire Redfield in Resident Evil: Afterlife (2010) which is due out in theatres on Spetember 10th. The film is directed by Paul W.S. Anderson.She attended the 2010 WonderCon to promote Resident Evil: Afterlife. She, along with director Paul Anderson and Milla Jovovich, debuted the 3D trailer for the movie.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."

She is "in talks" to star as Col. Virginia Lake in the big-screen adaptation of UFO (2011) which will star Joshua Jackson.

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."NBC announced the show's cancellation on May 14, 2010,however there will be a mini-series or a movie to wrap-up the story lines.

Public image

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".Also ranking as #6 in Maxim's Hot 100 for 2007.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.She also ranked #2 on Maxim's "Hottest Women of Horror Movies" list.

Larter also appeared on People Magazine's "Ten Best Dressed List" as "The Newcomer"and was named Victoria's Secret Sexiest Legs of 2008.

Larter appeared on the cover of 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."

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.

In 2009, Larter was named Cosmopolitan magazine's Fun Fearless Female of the year at a ceremony held in Beverly Hills.

She has appeared on the covers of Shape, Cosmopolitan, Allure, Glamour, Lucky and Entertainment Weekly.
Personal life

Larter has also lived in Miami and then New York after the spring of 2002,where she studied at Michael Howard Studios. In January 2007, she moved to Los Angeles to take on the commitment of working on Heroes.

In December 2007, Larter got engaged to her boyfriend of three years, Hayes MacArthur.They first met on the set of National Lampoon's Homo Erectus. Larter, in a 2007 interview with Cosmo, said, "I told my boyfriend after three weeks that I wanted to marry him and that we could do it tomorrow".On August 1, 2009, Larter and MacArthur married in a small ceremony at MacArthur's parent's estate in Kennebunkport, Maine.The couple purchased a home together in the Hollywood Hills for $2,925,000. The house is spread across three floors and has an open floor plan with 5,500 square feet of interior space.On July 20, 2010, Larter announced that she and MacArthur are expecting their first child.

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."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."

In June 2010, Larter visited Washington D.C. as part of a United Nations conference, 'Women Deliver'.Larter was part of the thousands of delegates who flew in from over 140 countries.After the announcement of their baby, Larter admitted that she and her husband, MacArthur, left for Europe in order to keep the news of the pregnancy private. "It was a very private time for me and my husband and something that I just wasn't ready to share, so we actually left the country for a while. So we came back from Europe, and I said to my husband, 'I just want to live my life.' I was four months pregnant and it was just time to start living my life."

Filmography
Year Film Role Notes
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 — 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 — Best Fight (shared with Beyoncé Knowles)
Nominated — Teen Choice Award — Choice Movie Rumble (shared with Beyoncé Knowles)
Nominated — Golden Raspberry Award — Worst Supporting Actress
2010 Resident Evil: Afterlife Claire Redfield (completed)
Television
Year Show Role Notes
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 — Outstanding Supporting Actress — Drama Series
Teen Choice Award — Choice TV Actress: Action Adventure
Nominated — Saturn Award for Best Supporting Actress on Television
Nominated — Scream Award — Sexiest Superhero
Nominated — SyFy Genre Awards — Best Supporting Actress/Television
Nominated — Teen Choice Award — Choice TV Actress: Action Adventure

Awards and nominations
Year Award Category Nominated Work Result
2001 Young Hollywood Award Breakthrough Performance - Female Final Destination Won
Blockbuster Entertainment Award Favorite Actress - Horror (Internet Only) Nominated
2007 Saturn Award Best Supporting Actress in a Television Program Heroes Nominated
Scream Award Sexiest Superhero Nominated
SyFy Genre Awards Best Supporting Actress/Television Nominated
2008 Gracie Allen Awards Outstanding Supporting Actress - Drama Series Won
Teen Choice Award Choice TV Actress: Action Adventure Won
2009 Choice Movie Rumble (shared with Beyoncé Knowles) Obsessed Nominated
Choice TV Actress: Action Adventure Heroes Nominated
2010 Golden Raspberry Award Worst Supporting Actress Obsessed Nominated
MTV Movie Awards Best Fight (shared with Beyoncé Knowles) Won
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