Alyson Hannigan Biography

Alyson Hannigan Biography

Alyson Hannigan was born on March 24, 1974, in Washington, D.C. with born name Alyson Lee Hanniganto. Her parent are Albert Hannigan, an Irish American Photographer, and Emilie Posner, a Jewish American real estate agent. Her parents divorced a year after her birth and she was raised mostly by her mother in Atlanta. Although Hannigan had appeared in an industrial film for "Active Parenting" as a baby, as well as starred in a commercial for the "Duncan Hines cookie mix" in 1978, it wasn't until she moved to Los Angeles, California in 1985 that she formally began her acting career. Living with her mother and attending North Hollywood High School, she successfully auditioned for agents while visiting her father in Santa Barbara.

Hannigan began to model as a child, posing for nearly a hundred print advertisements before making the transition into commercial acting. At the age of four, Hannigan landed her first commercial, promoting Duncan Hines cookie mix. She was later featured in a number of national TV commercials, including campaigns for McDonald’s and Oreo cookies. Growing up in Atlanta, Hannigan attended the Northside School of the Performing Arts. With her burgeoning success in commercial acting, the eleven-year-old Hannigan and her mother relocated to Los Angeles so that she could pursue her career more seriously.

Hannigan’s first breakthrough role came in 1988 when she was cast as Dan Aykroyd's suspicious daughter in the misbegotten comedy, "My Stepmother Is an Alien." Next, Hannigan landed a regular role on the ABC sitcom, "Free Spirit" (1989-90). She went on to land a number of other small television roles while still in school, including spots on “Roseanne” (ABC, 1988-1997), “The Torkelsons” (NBC, 1991-93), “Touched by an Angel” (CBS, 1994-2003) and “Picket Fences” (CBS, 1992-96). After graduating high school at North Hollywood High in 1992, Hannigan took some time off to attend college at California State University, where she majored in psychology.

Returning to work in 1997, Hannigan landed her biggest break yet – she was cast as Willow Rosenberg, Buffy’s (Sarah Michelle Gellar) quirky best friend on the cult Joss Whedon TV series, “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” (WB, 1997-2001; UPN, 2001-03).

With her newfound recognition, Hannigan started landing roles in a number of films geared towards a teenage audience, including "Dead Man on Campus" (1998), in "Boys and Girls" (2000), her biggest film to date – the unexpected teen comedy hit, “American Pie” (1999). Playing off her natural geekiness, Hannigan portrayed the sweetly perverted flute-playing band geek Michelle Flaherty opposite Jason Biggs. Hannigan uttered the film franchise’s most infamous line: “One time, at band camp…” culminating in a hilariously x-rated explanation of what really did happen at band camp with that flute. The actress reprised her “Pie” role in the sequels "American Pie 2" (2001) and later, more prominently in the disappointing "American Wedding" (2003).

Crossing over to the “Buffy” spin-off, “Angel” (WB, 1999-2004), Hannigan reprised her role as Willow Rosenberg, appearing on the series in a number of episodes. In 2004, Hannigan made her stage debut opposite Luke Perry, starring in a stage adaptation of “When Harry Met Sally” at the Theatre Royal Haymarket in London’s West End. Returning to series television in 2005, Hannigan guest-starred on “Veronica Mars” (UPN, 2004- ) and landed a regular spot on the CBS sitcom hit “How I Met Your Mother” (2005- ) portraying kindergarten teacher Lily Aldrin. With such a workload, Hannigan found time to return to the big screen in the 2006 send-up of cheesy romantic, "Date Movie," a modest hit.

Alyson Hannigan Personal life

Alyson Hannigan married actor Alexis Denisof (who played Wesley Wyndam-Pryce in the Buffy/Angel franchise) at Two Bunch Palms Resort in Desert Hot Springs, California on October 11, 2003. They bought a home together in Santa Monica, California.

Alyson Hannigan Milestones

1974 As a baby, featured in the industrial film "Active Parenting"
1978 Landed first commercial for Duncan Hines cookie mix at age four (date approximate)
1985 Moved with mother to L.A.
1985 While visiting father in Santa Barbara, California, auditioned for agents
1988 Feature acting debut in "My Stepmother Is an Alien"
1989 TV series debut as regular in the ABC sitcom "Free Spirit"
1991 Had featured role as the teenaged sister of one of the young women who were "Switched at Birth" (NBC)
1993 Appeared in two episodes of the short-lived ABC sitcom "Almost Home"
1997 Played regular role of Willow Rosenberg in "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" (The WB; 1997-2001; UPN, 2001-2003)
1998 Co-starred in the film "Dead Man on Campus"
1999 Had featured role in the teen sex comedy "American Pie"
2001 Reprised role in the sequel "American Pie 2"
2003 Married Jason Bigg's character in the summer comedy sequel "American Wedding"
2004 Appeared with Luke Perry in the London stage version of ''When Harry Met Sally''
2005 Cast as Lily on the CBS comedy "How I Met Your Mother"
2006 Starred in "Date Movie," the comedy spoof of romantic movies, co-directed and co-wrote by Jason Friedberg and Aaron Seltzer
Born in Washington, DC
Moved to Atlanta, Georgia with mother after parents' divorce
Worked as a child model; featured in over 30 commercials and more than 100 print advertisements