American actress Lauren Graham was born in Honolulu, Hawaii on March 16, 1967. While growing up with her father in Washington, D.C., she discovered acting, and started honing her talent while studying in high school. She eventually graduated from Barnard College in New York with an English degree, and later, an MFA in acting performance at the Southern Methodist University in University Park, Texas.
Graham moved back to New York after graduation, where she did promotional appearances and bit roles in different productions. She played different guest roles in numerous television sitcoms, the first being on 3rd Rock from the Sun in 1996; this was followed by stints in Caroline in the City and Seinfeld, and starring roles in the failed sitcoms Townies and Lush Life. She also played a Hollywood producer in three episodes of Law & Order, before being given a guest role in the television comedy Newsradio. Producers loved her portrayal of highly-inefficient efficiency expert Andrea, but while they wanted to give her a regular slot on the show, test audiences weren’t so keen.
Graham’s biggest breakthrough came in 2000, when she was cast as Lorelai Gilmore in the drama Gilmore Girls. Her character is portrayed as a “hip mom” to Rory Gilmore (Alexis Bledel) who uses words to keep her “loneliness at bay.” Audiences were endeared to her performance, and she earned a Golden Globe nomination in 2001. She stayed with the show until its cancellation in 2007; at that point, she was also producer for the program.
Graham’s film career include numerous appearances in NYU student films, as well as some major releases, including Bad Santa, The Pacifier, Sweet November, Because I Said So and Evan Almighty. After Gilmore Girls, she guest starred on Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip, and became a competitor on Celebrity Poker Showdown.
Graduate of Barnard College/Columbia University.
Lauren's father, Larry, is the President of the Chocolate Manufacturer's Association. Her mother, Donna, left her family when Lauren was 5 to pursue a singing career. She ended up in the fashion industry.
Has Irish roots. Has a half sister, Maggie and a half brother, Chris. First paying job was in high school, in a video about Planned Parenthood.
Received an MFA in Acting from Southern Methodist University.
She has a dog named Hanna.
Her stepmother is Karen Graham.
She cooks good butterscotch brownies.
She can't leave home without a book to read in case things get boring.
"Perspective is the most important thing to have in life."
"Belly buttons are cool".
[On her career prior to "Gilmore Girls" (2000)]: "I kept playing the bland friend, and my line was like 'Let's go get a sandwich!'".
"These days I have to be extra nice in stores. It never fails that whenever I look as bad as I can possibly look or I am sort of cranky because the store is out of something, that is precisely the time when someone one will recognize me and say: 'I really like your show.'"
My character has louder taste in clothes, I think. Personally, all I ever want to be wearing are jeans. - on Lorelai Gilmore
"Nobody ever seems to want my advice about serious stuff. People will be like: 'Who made that sweater?' Or 'How did you get your hair so straight?' They don't to come to me for the relationship advice or deep stuff. In fact, my little sister actually hides from me."
"It can't be Christmas every day!"