Lara Flynn Boyle Biography:

Even though she was born in Iowa, Lara Flynn Boyle was raised in the Chicago area by her mother after her parents' divorce. While still a young teen, the energetic, freckled brown-haired beauty was diagnosed with a learning disability and she joined the Piven Theater improvisational workshop as a way to develop skills at expressing herself.

While Lara had been hired in a supporting role as Robert Urich's daughter in the ABC television miniseries "Amerika" (1987), Boyle respected her mothers' wishes and finished high school (the elite Chicago Academy for the Arts which she attended on a paid scholarship) before starting her career full on. 

Her film introduction came as the cousin of little Carol Ann (the late Heather O'Rourke) in the pointless "Poltergeist III" (1988) and Boyle started to gain standing with her portrayal of murder victim Jennifer Levin in the ABC television movie "The Preppie Murder" (1989). After a role as Charlie Sheen's girlfriend in "The Rookie" (1990) starring Clint Eastwood, David Lynch then hired and cast her as the natural young girl next door who harbored a naughty sexual obsession in the weird television cult drama "Twin Peaks" (ABC, 1990-91).

Boyle tried to get rid of her nice girl image portraying a showgirl involved with gangster Lucky Luciano (Christian Slater) in "Mobsters" (1991) featuring a young Patrick Dempsey. And then as a not-so-nice-girl role about a young teen girl runaway in "Where the Day Takes You" (1992) with Will Smith. This film revolved around a group of young teen runaways trying to survive in the streets of Los Angeles surrounded by drugs, prostitution and violence. 

Next was a role as the greedy, former girlfriend of Mike Myers' Wayne in "Wayne's World" (also 1992) with Tia Carrere. Lara gave a elegantly nuanced performance as Matthew Modine's timid lover in "Equinox" (1992), directed by Alan Rudolph before becoming the villain in the drama thriller "The Temp" (1993) about a cookie company takeover that has employees scrambling to make a case for continued employment. While an executive's administrative assistant takes paternity leave, he gets a temp who is too good to be true. 

Lara was fantastic as the target of a hit man in John Dahl's thriller "Red Rock West" (1993) starring Nicolas Cage, and as the energetic young college student in the film "Threesome" (1994). Working again with Modine, Boyle was radiant as Rachel in the biblical television miniseries "Jacob" (TNT, 1994). Her charms were used as a women driven to prostitution by her husband in the 1950's movie "Cafe Society" (Showtime, 1996), where a society playboy with a taste for the lowlife is set up for exploitation by an unscrupulous undercover cop and his shadowy political masters.

Lara was then cast in the starring role as a barmaid in the comedy "The Big Squeeze" (1996), about a man Benny, a hapless drifter, who is thrown off a train after cheating at cards, and into the life of Tanya, a lovely bartender (Boyle).

While getting a series of favorable reviews and attention for her film and television work, it was not until she returned to series television that Lara Flynn Boyle started to become a household name. In 1997, she joined the cast of David E Kelley's legal drama "The Practice" (ABC) as an assistant district attorney fascinated by defense lawyer Dylan McDermott. She also worked with director Alan Rudolph as a young woman romantically involved with an older man in "Afterglow" (1997) starring Nick Nolte.

In 2002, Boyle won her first blockbuster hit after replacing actress Famke Janssen in "Men In Black II”, the Will Smith and Tommy Lee Jones science fiction comedy where Earth is being threatened by a shape shifting alien, Selena.

Boyle returned to regular television series life with a returning role on “Huff” (Showtime, 2004- ), an award-winning medical drama on which she portrayed a mental patient with uncontrollable violent tendencies. She then joined the ensemble cast of “Las Vegas” (NBC, 2004- ) as a new casino owner who upsets her employees, especially the head of security (James Caan).

In 2006, Boyle starred alongside Ralph Fiennes in the drama "Land Of The Blind", about a soldier recounting his relationship with a famous political prisoner attempting to overthrow their country's authoritarian government. Then it was back to the television for series work on, "The House Next Door" (2006) about a women (Boyle) and her husband Walker who find their comfortable and suburban lifestyle suddenly interrupted when an intense and ambitious architect, builds a stunning, modern house on the empty lot next to their quaint, charming home. While neighbors are thrilled to have such an upscale and exquisite addition to their street, Col and Walker begin to question the new house when strange and disturbing events begin to happen to those who live in the home.

Another made-for-television movie followed, ""Shades Of Black, The Conrad Black Story" (2007), featuring Jason Priestley. The movie is a story of ambition, love, betrayal and greed as it chronicles the private and public struggles of Lord Conrad Black, one of the world's most controversial press barons. Next was "Have Dreams, Will Travel" (2007) starring Val Kilmer. Set in the 1960's, the film is a magical tale of two 12 year olds embarking on an adventure to find new, cool parents and escape their neglected, overly adult existence.

Lara then in the Buddy Giovinazzo drama "Life Is Hot In Cracktown" (2008) containing various stories of how crack cocaine has infiltrated the inner-city streets. Based on Buddy Giovinazzo's novel "Life is Hot in Cracktown". Boyle then starred next to hot and sexy Heather Graham in the Brian Herzlinger comedy "Baby On Board" (2008) where life for a successful power couple gets thrown for a loop when the wife finds out she's pregnant.

• Born:
  on 03/24/1970 in Davenport, Iowa
• Job Titles:
  Actor

Family

• Grandfather: Charles Boyle. was US representative from Illinois
• Mother: Sally Boyle. handles her daughter's career; divorced Boyle's father 1976

Significant Others

• Companion: Jaron Lowenstein. half of the identical-twin pop duo Evan and Jaron; reportedly dated in 2004; no longer together
• Companion: Jay Penske. the heir to the Penske automotive empire; nine years younger than Boyle; dated summer 2003; no longer together
• Husband: Donald Ray Thomas. married on December 18, 2006 in San Antonio, Texas
• Companion: David Spade. dated for approximately six months from 1998-99
• Companion: Eric Dane. had on-again, off-again relationship beginning in early 2001
• Companion: Jack Nicholson. had on-again, off-again relationship from summer 1999 to summer 2001
• Companion: Kyle MacLachlan. met on set of television series, "Twin Peaks" (1990-91); separated 1991
• Companion: Richard Dean Anderson. no longer together

Education

• Chicago Academy for the Arts, Chicago, Illinois

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