Award-winning actress Holly Marie Combs was born on December 3, 1973 in San Diego, California. Born to young parents, she had to move through many homes during her childhood, after her parents, thinking they were too young to make their marriage work, separated. Her mother’s pursuit of an acting career brought them to New York when she was seven, where she eventually studied at the Professional Children’s School.
Combs took her earliest acting roles in 1988, playing small roles in films such as Sweet Hearts Dance, Dr. Giggles, Simple Men and Born on the Fourth of July. She also had stints on two daytime soaps, As the World Turns and Guiding Light. Her breakout role came in 1992, when she appeared in the drama series Picket Fences. The drama, which was created by Emmy-winning producer David E. Kelley, won critical acclaim (including two Emmys for Best Drama Series) despite lower-than-expected ratings. It also earned praise for Combs, who earned a Young Artist Award in 1993.
Combs earned wider popularity when she joined the cast of the supernatural-themed series Charmed in 1998. Introduced to the role by her friend Shannen Doherty, she originally auditioned as Prue Halliwell, but ended up taking the role of Piper Halliwell. (Doherty took on Prue’s role, a role she will hold for three seasons.) Throughout the show’s eight seasons, Combs’ character went through a lot of changes, including a pregnancy, estrangement with her husband Leo (Brian Krause), and being the eldest sister after Prue’s death. Eventually, she became a producer of the show, with fellow cast member Alyssa Milano, during its fifth season; she held the position until the show ended in 2006.
Combs is slated to appear in the drama series Mistresses, an adaptation of the British drama of the same name. She is set to co-star alongside Brooke Burns, Rochelle Aytes and Camille Sullivan.
Spouse:
David W. Donoho (14 February 2004 - present)
Bryan Travis Smith (28 February 1993 - 1997) (divorced)
She married and she is now Holly Marie Donoho
Daughter of David Combs and Lauralei Combs.
Hobbies include gardening and horseback riding.
Was a bridesmaid at the wedding of Alyssa Milano. [1999]
#62 in FHM's 100 sexiest women countdown [2002]
Married "Charmed" (1998) key grip David W. Donoho on February 14, 2004
Sons, Finley Arthur Donoho, born on April 26, 2004 and Riley Edward Donoho, born on October 26, 2006.
Her favorite books include, 'The Garden of Eden' by Ernest Hemingway and 'Practical Magic' by Alice Hoffman.
She is a huge Remy Zero fan.
Was the only cast member of Charmed to want the show to continue.
Enjoys horror movies.
Is good friends with Charisma Carpenter.
"I have no interest in a guy who doesn't know the right end of a screwdriver."
[About having a child, shortly before getting pregnant] "For some reason everybody on the set - except for me - thinks I should get pregnant for real. It's like they all got together and I've been nominated! Honestly, the thought of having a baby scares me!"
(About topless pictures of her on the internet.) "I did one topless scene when I was 20. There was no thought in my mind that they could freeze that moment into 15 different pictures. The worst, I was thinking, was that stupid guy friends of mine could rewind it and play it again."
I was the product of very young parents, and they had wild ways. My mother was in a punk band. Rebelling would have been learning to play piano.