Lara Flynn Boyle Biography

This section contains Lara Flynn Boyle Biography
Lara Flynn Boyle was born in March 24, 1970 in Davenport Iowa, of Irish descent. She spent her childhood days in Chicago, Illinois and Wisconsin. The 21-year old mother Sally Boyle raised Lara alone, so she was forced to work three jobs. Due to their closeness, Sally and Lara developed a unique bond that can still be seen today (they live a block away from each other).

Growing up, Boyle was extremely shy. However, she overcame the shyness by taking up art classes and Irish folk dancing, as well as working in an “improv class”. Boyle experienced plenty of emotional struggles, including dyslexia and a learning disability. Even with these conditions, Boyle never gave up her dreams. As soon as she graduated, Lara and her mother moved, driving to what-they-call “the road to fame”. Until today, Boyle keeps her mother close – she is Lara’s assistant.

She first appeared in Ferrs Bueller's Day Off in 1986, but her role was taken off the final cut of the film. It was followed by Amerika (1987), Poltergeist III (1988), and Dead Poets Society (1989). Her first major role was in the television series Twin Peaks as Donna Hayward. After Twin Peaks, Boyle took on different character roles which made her a critically acclaimed actress, including Wayne's World (1992), Where The Day Takes You (1992), Threesome (1994), and Afterglow (1997).

In 1997, Boyle auditioned but lost to Calista Flockhart in the title role of David E. Kelley's Alley McBeal. However, she was given the role of Helen Gamble in Kelley's other series, The Practice, which earned Boyle and Emmy nomination as well as household fame. In 2002, Boyle played the alien Serleena in Men in Black II. She also portrayed the role of Barbara Amiel in the TV movie "Shades of Black".

Other film credits of Boyle include “How I Got into College” (1989), The Rookie (1990), Mobsters (1991), Red Rock West (1992), The Temp (1993), Baby’s Day Out (1994), The Road to Wellville (1994), Happiness (1998), Susan’s Plan (1998), Since You’ve Been Gone (1998) and Have Dreams, Will Travel (2007).

In 2005, Lara joined the cast of “Las Vegas” for a 7-episode stint as the new hotel owner, Monica. She also had a recurring role on a few episodes of “Huff”, as Melody Coatar – a patient with bipolar and border personality disorder.

Boyle was involved with Richard Dean Anderson, Jack Nicholson, David Spade, Eric Dane and Kyle MacLachlan. She married John Patrick Dee III in 1996, but divorced in 1998. She is currently living with her second husband, Donald Ray Thomas II, whom she married in 2006.

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