Lara Flynn Boyle
Quick Facts
Biography
Lara Flynn Boyle (born March 24, 1970) is an American actress. She first became known for her performance as Donna Hayward on the 1990 cult TV series Twin Peaks (1990–1991). She subsequently starred in the films Where the Day Takes You (1992), Wayne's World (1992), Threesome (1994), Men in Black II (2002), and Life Is Hot in Cracktown (2009). Boyle played Assistant District Attorney Helen Gamble in the television series The Practice from 1997 to 2003.
Early life
Boyle was born in Davenport, Iowa, the daughter of Sally, a clerical worker, assistant, and manager, and Michael L. Boyle. Her paternal grandfather was U.S. Representative Charles A. Boyle. She has German, Irish, and Italian ancestry. She is named after a character in Boris Pasternak's novel Doctor Zhivago. She was raised in Chicago, Illinois and Wisconsin. She graduated from The Chicago Academy for the Arts.
Career
Boyle's first film role was a small part in Ferris Bueller's Day Off (1986), which earned her a SAG card, though her scenes were deleted from the final cut of the film. She then appeared in the miniseries Amerika (1987) and feature film Poltergeist III (1988). Although she was cast in Dead Poets Society (1989), her scenes were deleted.
Her first major role was as Donna Hayward in the critically acclaimed television series Twin Peaks (1990-1991). However, she was unable to reprise her role as Donna in the prequel film Twin Peaks: Fire Walk with Me (1992) due to scheduling conflicts with roles in other films such as Where the Day Takes You, Wayne's World, and Equinox. In 1993, Boyle was cast as Kris Bolin in The Temp and Suzanne in Red Rock West.
In 1994, Boyle was cast as Alex in the comedy Threesome. In 1997, she portrayed Marianne Byron in the film Afterglow. The following year, Boyle portrayed Helen Jordan in Happiness. In 1997, Boyle auditioned for the title role in David E. Kelley's Ally McBeal. Although she lost out to Calista Flockhart, the actress impressed Kelley enough to create the role of Assistant District Attorney Helen Gamble in his other 1997 series, The Practice, specifically for her. She starred on that show until 2003, when, in a dramatic attempt to revamp the show and cut costs, she was dismissed along with most of the cast. For her performance as Helen Gamble, she received an Emmy nomination as well as several Screen Actors Guild ensemble cast nominations. Boyle also made a crossover appearance in the role of Helen Gamble in an episode of Ally McBeal, and an uncredited guest appearance on the same show in its final season.
In 2002, Boyle played a lead role in the blockbuster feature film Men in Black II as the villainous shapeshifting alien Serleena. She also guest-starred on one of the last episodes of Ally McBeal, this time as Tally Cupp, and had a recurring role on several episodes of Huff. In 2005, Boyle joined the cast of Las Vegas for a seven-episode stint as Monica Mancuso, a new hotel owner. She played Barbara Amiel in the TV true story Shades of Black, about Amiel's controversial husband, Lord Conrad Black. Boyle also guest-starred as an ambitious reporter involved with the suspects in a possible murder in the Law & Order 2008 episode "Submission".
In 2009, Boyle portrayed Mary in Baby on Board. The same year, Boyle was cast as Betty McBain in the independent film Life Is Hot in Cracktown. In 2010, she starred as Kathy in Cougar Hunting. In 2013, Boyle portrayed Witch Agnes in the horror comedy film Hansel & Gretel Get Baked. In 2014, she portrayed Ms. Donley in the film Lucky Dog.
Personal life
Boyle has been married twice. Her first husband was John Patrick Dee III, whom she married on August 11, 1996, and divorced two years later. Later, Boyle dated Jack Nicholson. They went public with their romance at the 1999 Emmys, and remained together until the end of 2000. Her current husband is Donald Ray Thomas II, a real-estate investor, whom she married on December 18, 2006, in San Antonio, Texas.
Filmography
Film
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
1986 | Ferris Bueller's Day Off | Heather | Scenes deleted |
1988 | Poltergeist III | Donna Gardner | |
1989 | How I Got into College | Jessica Kailo | |
1989 | Dead Poets Society | Ginny Danburry | Scenes deleted |
1990 | Rookie, TheThe Rookie | Sarah | |
1991 | Dark Backward, TheThe Dark Backward | Rosarita | |
1991 | Mobsters | Mara Motes | |
1991 | Eye of the Storm | Sandra Gladstone | |
1992 | Where the Day Takes You | Heather | |
1992 | Wayne's World | Stacy | |
1992 | Equinox | Beverly Franks | Nominated-Independent Spirit Award for Best Supporting Female |
1993 | Temp, TheThe Temp | Kris Bolin | |
1993 | Red Rock West | Suzanne Brown/Ann McCord | |
1994 | Threesome | Alex | |
1994 | Baby's Day Out | Laraine Cotwell | |
1994 | Road to Wellville, TheThe Road to Wellville | Ida Muntz | |
1995 | Cafe Society | Pat Ward | |
1996 | Big Squeeze, TheThe Big Squeeze | Tanya Mulhill | |
1997 | Red Meat | Ruth | |
1997 | Farmer & Chase | Hillary | |
1997 | Afterglow | Marianne Byron | |
1998 | Happiness | Helen Jordan | |
1998 | Susan's Plan | Betty Johnson | |
2000 | Chain of Fools | Karen | |
2002 | Men in Black II | Serleena | Nominated-Razzie Award for Worst Supporting Actress |
2003 | Speaking of Sex | Emily Paige, Dr.Dr. Emily Paige | |
2006 | Land of the Blind | First Lady | |
2006 | Fwiends.com | Yuppie girl | Short film |
2007 | Have Dreams, Will Travel | Ben's Mother | |
2009 | Baby on Board | Mary | |
2009 | Life Is Hot in Cracktown | Betty McBain | |
2010 | Cougar Hunting | Kathy | |
2013 | Hansel & Gretel Get Baked | Witch Agnes | also credited as associate producer |
2014 | Lucky Dog | Ms. Donley |
Television
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
1987 | Jack and Mike | Leslie | Episode: "Quality of Mercy" |
1987 | Amerika | Jackie Bradford | 5 episodes |
1987 | Sable | Melanie Waterston | Episode: "Toy Gun" |
1989 | Terror on Highway 91 | Laura Taggart | TV movie |
1989 | Preppie Murder, TheThe Preppie Murder | Jennifer Levin | TV movie |
1990–1991 | Twin Peaks | Donna Hayward | 30 episodes |
1991 | Hidden Room, TheThe Hidden Room | Nicole | Episode: "Splinters of Privacy" |
1991 | May Wine | Cammie | TV movie |
1994 | Past Tense | Tory Bass/Sabrina James | TV movie |
1994 | Jacob | Rachel | TV movie |
1995 | Legend | Theresa Dunleavy | Episode: "Skeletons in the Closet" |
1997–2003 | Practice, TheThe Practice | Helen Gamble | 116 episodes Nominated—Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series Nominated—Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series (1999–2001) |
1998 | Ally McBeal | Helen Gamble | Episode: "Making Spirits Bright" |
1998 | Since You've Been Gone | Grace Williams | TV movie |
2002 | Ally McBeal | Tally Cupp | Episode: "Tom Dooley" |
2004–2005 | Huff | Melody Coatar | 5 episodes |
2005–2006 | Las Vegas | Monica Mancuso | 8 episodes |
2006 | House Next Door, TheThe House Next Door | Col Kennedy | TV movie |
2006 | Shades of Black: The Conrad Black Story | Barbara Amiel | TV movie |
2008 | Law & Order | Dawn Talley | Episode: "Submission" |