Laura Allen was born March 21, 1974 in Portland, Oregon but was raised in Bainbridge Island, Washington. During her younger days, she performed in a local community theater with her sisters and father.  She attended Bainbridge High School, where she was also active in stage productions.  In 1996, she graduated from Wellesley College with a degree in Criminology.  Shortly after her graduation, she worked as a domestic violence counselor for the NYPD.  After being on the job for nine months and seeing violence everyday, Laura Allen decided to take a break and began attending acting classes as a breather.

She eventually joined the Robin Hood tour where she was cast as Maid Marian.  She also joined The Manhattan Class Company and performed in the stage play Wit.  In 2000, she auditioned for and landed the role of Laura Kirk English du Pres on All My Children.  She left the soap opera in 2002 and went on to star as Lily Moore Tyler on The 4400.  Among her other TV appearances were on shows The $treet, Cold Case, House M.D., Criminal Minds and Law & Order: Special Victims Unit.

In 2003, she played Susan Delacorte in the movie Mona Lisa Smile, which starred Julia Roberts.  The film was shot at her very own alma mater, Wellesley College.  She was also part of How You Look to Me, Old Dogs, Hysteria and The Collective, and acted in the short film A Tale of Two.

Laura did a TV commercial for Michelob Amber Bock beer in 2004, and was featured in Cult Times Special in 2005.

Laura Allen and Bruce Weyman tied the knot on September 23, 2006 at the Relais Palazzo del Capitano in Pienza, Italy.

Julia Mallory is played by Laura Allen on FX's drama series Dirt.  The show focuses on DirtNow's editor-in-chief Lucy Spiller, the people around her and the publication of the first ever glossy tabloid.  Actress Julia Mallory is “America's Sweetheart” until the tabloid destroys her career.  Mallory also suffers from narcotic, sexual, physical and mental problems, and all these contribute largely to her career's demise.