Alyson Lee Hannigan (born March 24, 1974) is an American actress. After starting her career at age four with appearances in commercials, she moved to Hollywood at age 11 and soon got an agent.
Alyson Hannigan | |
---|---|
![]() Hannigan at the 2013 San Diego Comic-Con | |
Born | (1974-03-24) March 24, 1974 (age 48) Washington, D.C., U.S. |
Other names | Alyson Denisof |
Education | California State University, Northridge (BA) |
Occupation |
|
Years active | 1986–present |
Television |
|
Spouse | |
Children | 2 |
Signature | |
![]() |
Hannigan began her film career with supporting roles in the comedy films Impure Thoughts (1986) and My Stepmother is an Alien (1988), getting a Young Artist Award nomination for the latter. In 1999, she began starring in the American Pie film series as Michelle Flaherty, the films' primary love interest, appearing in every film in the series from 1999 to 2012. For her role in the series, she was nominated for three Teen Choice Awards and won a Young Hollywood Award. She went on to star in the parody film Date Movie (2006), the slasher film You Might Be the Killer (2018), and the superhero film Flora & Ulysses (2021).
Hannigan got her start in television starring in the short-lived sitcom Free Spirit from 1989 to 1990, for which she earned a Young Artist Award nomination. After several minor roles in television films and other series, she appeared in her breakout role as teenage witch Willow Rosenberg in the supernatural drama series Buffy the Vampire Slayer, appearing in every episode of the series from 1997 to 2003. Her role on the show was critically acclaimed and won her the Saturn Award for Best Supporting Actress on Television and a Teen Choice Award. From 2005 to 2014, she starred as Lily Aldrin in the sitcom How I Met Your Mother, for which she won two People's Choice Awards. Hannigan has hosted the television show Penn & Teller: Fool Us since 2016 and provides the voice of Claire Clancy in the Disney Junior animated series Fancy Nancy (2018–2022).
Hannigan was born on March 24, 1974[1] in Washington, D.C., the only child of Emilie (Posner) Haas, a real-estate agent, and Alan Hannigan, a Teamsters trucker.[2][3] Her father is of Irish ancestry and her mother is Jewish.[4][5] At age four, Hannigan began appearing in commercials.[6] She moved to Hollywood at age 11.[3]
Living with her mother and attending North Hollywood High School, she successfully auditioned for agents while visiting her father in Santa Barbara. After high school, she attended California State University, Northridge, where she was a member of the Alpha Chi Omega sorority and earned a degree in psychology.[7][8]
Hannigan's first major film role was in My Stepmother Is an Alien, a science-fiction comedy released in 1988; one of her co-stars in the film was actor Seth Green, who later joined her in the regular cast of Buffy as her on-screen boyfriend.[2] In 1989, her first regular role on a TV series came when she was cast in the short-lived ABC sitcom Free Spirit. As a teenager, Hannigan babysat for the children of her future How I Met Your Mother costar, Bob Saget.[9]
In 1997, Hannigan was cast to play Willow Rosenberg, Buffy Summers' best friend, on the television series Buffy the Vampire Slayer.[10]
The show became a success, and Hannigan gained recognition, subsequently appearing in several films aimed at teenaged audiences, including American Pie (1999), Boys and Girls (2000), American Pie 2 (2001), and American Wedding (2003).[2] She also had a guest spot on the Buffy spin-off, Angel, reprising her role of Willow in a few episodes (including most notably "Orpheus", during the fourth season of Angel and the seventh season of Buffy), but none after Buffy finished production (the final episode of Buffy aired May 20, 2003;[11] the Angel episode "Orpheus," the last in which Hannigan appears, aired March 19, 2003).[12]
In early 2004, Hannigan made her West End debut, starring in a stage adaptation of When Harry Met Sally... at the Theatre Royal Haymarket, opposite Luke Perry.[13]
In 2005, Hannigan returned to starring in a regular television series, taking the main role of Lily Aldrin in the hit comedy How I Met Your Mother, and also playing a recurring guest role on Veronica Mars as Trina Echolls.[14] In February 2006, she starred as Julia Jones in Date Movie, a parody of romantic comedies.[2] She was also a guest star on the ABC animated sitcom The Goode Family in 2009.[15]
Hannigan joined forces with Emily Deschanel, Jaime King, Minka Kelly, and Katharine McPhee in a "video slumber party" featured on FunnyorDie.com to promote regular breast cancer screenings for the organization Stand Up 2 Cancer.[16]
In 2012, Hannigan reprised the role of Michelle in American Reunion.[17] Since 2016, Hannigan has hosted the television series Penn & Teller: Fool Us.[18]
Hannigan plays Ann Possible, Kim's mother, in the Disney Channel original film Kim Possible, based on the animated series.[19]
Hannigan married her Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel co-star Alexis Denisof at Two Bunch Palms Resort in Desert Hot Springs, California, on October 11, 2003. The couple live in Encino, Los Angeles[20] with their two daughters: Satyana Marie, born in March 2009,[1] and Keeva Jane, born in May 2012.[21] Their home was used as the set for This Is Us.[22]
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
1986 | Impure Thoughts | Patty Stubbs | Credited as Allison Hannigan[23] |
1988 | My Stepmother Is an Alien | Jessie Mills | |
1998 | Dead Man on Campus | Lucy | |
1999 | Hayley Wagner, Star | Jenna Jakes[24] | First time working with Penn Jillette. |
1999 | American Pie | Michelle Flaherty | |
2000 | Boys and Girls | Betty | |
2001 | American Pie 2 | Michelle Flaherty | |
2001 | Beyond the City Limits | Lexi | |
2003 | American Wedding | Michelle Flaherty | |
2006 | Date Movie | Julia Jones | |
2006 | Farce of the Penguins | Hottie Penguin | Voice |
2011 | Love, Wedding, Marriage | Courtney | |
2012 | American Reunion | Michelle Levenstein | |
2016 | Do You Take This Man | Rachael | |
2018 | You Might Be the Killer | Chuck | |
2021 | Flora & Ulysses | Phyllis Buckman |
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
1989–90 | Free Spirit | Jessie Harper | Main role, 14 episodes |
1990 | Roseanne | Jan | Episode: "Like, a New Job" |
1991 | Switched at Birth | Gina Twigg (Age 13–16) | Television film |
1993 | Almost Home | Samantha | 2 episodes |
1994 | Touched by an Angel | Cassie Peters | Episode: "Cassie's Choice" |
1995 | The Stranger Beside Me | Dana | Television film |
1996 | For My Daughter's Honor | Kelly | Television film |
1996 | Picket Fences | Peggy Patterson | Episode: "To Forgive Is Divine" |
1997–2003 | Buffy the Vampire Slayer | Willow Rosenberg | Main role, 144 episodes |
1999–2000 | 100 Deeds for Eddie McDowd | Gigi (voice) | 3 episodes |
2000 | The Wild Thornberrys | Gerda (voice) | Episode: "Every Little Bit Alps" |
2001–03 | Angel | Willow Rosenberg | 3 episodes |
2002–03 | Rugrats | Cynthia P.I. / Young Starlet (voice) | 2 episodes |
2004 | That '70s Show | Suzy Simpson | 2 episodes |
2004 | King of the Hill | Stacey Gibson (voice) | Episode: "Talking Shop" |
2005 | Veronica Mars | Trina Echolls | 3 episodes |
2005–14 | How I Met Your Mother | Lily Aldrin | Main role, 206 episodes |
2009 | The Goode Family | Michelle (voice) | Episode: "Graffiti in Greenville" |
2011 | The Simpsons | Melody (voice) | Episode: "Flaming Moe" |
2011, 2018 | Robot Chicken | Various voices | 2 episodes |
2011, 2013 | American Dad! | Chelsea / Peasant's Daughter (voice) | 2 episodes |
2014 | Sofia the First | Winter (voice) | Episode: "Winter's Gift" |
2014 | The McCarthys | Pam | Episode: "Red Sox Swap" |
2016–present | Penn & Teller: Fool Us | Herself (host) | 64 episodes |
2018–2022 | Fancy Nancy | Claire Clancy (voice) | Main role, 57 episodes |
2019 | Kim Possible | Ann Possible | Television film |
2019 | Pure | Esther Dunkel | 2 episodes |
2019 | Abducted: The Mary Stauffer Story | Mary Stauffer | TV film[25] |
2020 | Girl Scout Cookie Championship | Herself (host) | 4 episodes |
2020 | Outmatched | Annabeth | Episode: "Couple's Friends" |
2021 | Adorableness | Herself | Panelist[26] |
Year | Title | Role | Theatre |
---|---|---|---|
2004 | When Harry Met Sally... | Sally Albright | Theatre Royal Haymarket |
Year | Award | Category | Nominated work | Result |
---|---|---|---|---|
1989 | Young Artist Award | Best Young Actress in a Motion Picture: Comedy or Fantasy | My Stepmother Is an Alien | Nominated |
1990 | Best Young Actress Starring in a Television Series | Free Spirit | Nominated | |
2000 | Young Hollywood Awards | Best Ensemble Cast | American Pie | Won |
Teen Choice Awards | Choice TV Sidekick | Buffy the Vampire Slayer | Nominated | |
2001 | Saturn Awards | Best Supporting Actress on Television | Nominated | |
2001 | Teen Choice Awards | Choice TV Sidekick | Nominated | |
2002 | Saturn Awards | Best Supporting Actress on Television | Won | |
2002 | Satellite Awards | Best Supporting Actress – Television Series | Nominated | |
2002 | Teen Choice Awards | Choice TV Sidekick | Won | |
2003 | Saturn Awards | Best Supporting Actress on Television | Nominated | |
2003 | Teen Choice Awards | Choice TV Sidekick | Nominated | |
2004 | Choice Movie Actress – Comedy | American Wedding | Nominated | |
2004 | Choice Movie Liplock (shared with Jason Biggs) | Nominated | ||
2008 | Choice TV Show: Comedy | How I Met Your Mother | Nominated | |
2009 | People's Choice Awards | Favorite TV Comedy Actress | Won | |
2010 | Favorite TV Comedy Actress | Nominated | ||
2012 | Favorite TV Comedy | Won | ||
2012 | Teen Choice Awards | Choice Movie Actress: Romantic Comedy | American Reunion | Nominated |
Saturn Award for Best Supporting Actress on Television | |
---|---|
Merged |
|
Network/Cable |
|
Streaming |
|
General | |
---|---|
National libraries | |
Other |