Laura Harring

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Laura Harring
Laura Harring Cannes 2008.jpg
Harring at the 2008 Cannes Film Festival
Born Laura Elena Martínez Herring
(1964-03-03) March 3, 1964 (age 60)
Los Mochis, Sinaloa, Mexico
Occupation Actress, model
Years active 1987–present
Spouse(s) Carl-Eduard von Bismarck (m. 1987–89)
Website www.lauraharring.net

Laura Harring (born Laura Elena Martínez Herring; March 3, 1964) is a Mexican-American actress. In 1985, Harring became the first Latina woman crowned Miss USA.[1][2][3] She later began her acting career in television and film. She is best known for her role as Rita in the 2001 cult neo-noir film Mulholland Drive. She is also known for her roles in other films, including The Forbidden Dance (1990), John Q (2002), Willard (2003), The Punisher (2004), The King (2005), and Love in the Time of Cholera (2007).

Early life

Harring was born in Los Mochis, Sinaloa, Mexico. Her mother, María Elena Martínez-Cairo, is a spiritual teacher, real estate investor, and secretary. Her father, Raymond Herring, was a developer and organic farmer of Austrian-German descent.[1][4] The two divorced in 1971. Harring lived the first ten years of her life in Mexico, before her family relocated to San Antonio, Texas. Caught by stray fire from a driveby shooting at age 12, Harring suffered a head wound from a .45 bullet.[5][6] At age 16, she convinced her family to let her study in Switzerland at Aiglon College. She eventually returned to the United States, settling down in El Paso, Texas and entered the world of beauty pageants. She won the title of Miss El Paso USA, and soon after, Miss Texas USA, ultimately going on to win the title of Miss USA 1985. Harring spent the next year traveling through Asia, exploring Europe and working as a social worker in India.[7] In 1987, she married Count Carl-Eduard von Bismarck-Schönhausen, great-great-grandson of Otto von Bismarck. While she retains the title of Countess von Bismarck-Schönhausen, the couple divorced in 1989.[2]

Career

Harring studied theatre at the London Academy of Performing Arts, having trained in the Italian Commedia dell'arte, as well as Latin dances, including the Argentine tango.[8] She began her acting career playing Jerri in the film Silent Night, Deadly Night 3: Better Watch Out![9] and, in television, portraying Raul Julia's character's wife in the NBC television movie The Alamo: 13 Days to Glory (1987).[1] In 1990, Harring was lead actress in the Columbia Pictures film The Forbidden Dance, and in same year began recurring role on the ABC daytime soap opera General Hospital, as Carla Greco. The next few years she had supporting roles in films like Exit to Eden (1994), and Black Scorpion II: Aftershock (1997). In 1997, she played the role of Paula Stevens in the NBC soap opera Sunset Beach. She starred in the soap from January 6, 1997 to December 17, 1997, and after leaving it, guest-starred on Frasier, and appeared in comedy film Little Nicky.

Harring is most well known for her performance in David Lynch's cult film Mulholland Drive (2001), opposite Naomi Watts and Justin Theroux. Harring went on to work twice more with Lynch—as an anthropomorphic rabbit in Rabbits (2002) and in a cameo appearance in Inland Empire (2006).

In 2002, she appeared in John Q, and was female lead opposite Jean-Claude Van Damme in Derailed. In 2003, she starred in Mi Casa, Su Casa together with Barbara Eden of I Dream of Jeannie fame. In 2004, she was John Travolta's spoiled wife in the movie adaptation of Marvel Comics's The Punisher.[10] In 2005, Harring starred in the independent film The King, and later had roles in Nancy Drew, Love in the Time of Cholera, The Caller, and Drool.

In 2006, Harring joined the cast of FX's critically acclaimed crime drama, The Shield, as defense attorney Rebecca Doyle.[11] From 2009 to 2010, she also had a recurring role as Evelyn Bass/Elizabeth Fisher in The CW series Gossip Girl.[12][13] She's also guest-starred on Law & Order: Special Victims Unit in 2003, Law & Order: Criminal Intent in 2010, and NCIS: Los Angeles in 2012.[14]

Filmography

Film

Year Title Role Notes
1989 Silent Night, Deadly Night 3: Better Watch Out! Jerri
1990 The Forbidden Dance Nisa
1991 Dead Women in Lingerie Marcia
1994 Exit to Eden M.C. Kindra
1997 Black Scorpion II: Aftershock Babette
1997 Hoover Park Unknown
2000 Little Nicky Mrs. Dunleavy
2001 Final Payback Gina Carrillo
2001 Feather Pimento Woman in Red Short film
2001 Mulholland Drive Rita
2002 John Q Gina Palumbo
2002 Derailed Galina Konstantin
2002 Rabbits Jane
2003 Willard Cathryn
2003 Mi Casa, Su Casa Catalina
2003 The Poet Paula
2004 The Punisher Livia Saint
2005 All Souls Day Martia
2005 The King Twyla
2006 Walkout Francis Crisostomo
2006 Inland Empire Jane Rabbit
2007 Ghost Son Stacey
2007 Nancy Drew Dehlia Draycott
2007 Love in the Time of Cholera Sara Noriega
2008 One Missed Call Beth's Mom Cameo
2008 The Caller Eileen
2009 Drool Anora Fleece
2010 Kluge
2011 Elwood Julie Jacobs Short film
2013 Return to Babylon Alla Nazimova
2014 Ice Scream Wendy
2014 Taco Shop
2014 Manson Girls Alice Rainer
2014 Sex Ed Lupe

Television

Year Title Role Notes
1987 The Alamo: 13 Days to Glory Santa Anna's bride Television movie
1988 Desperado: Avalanche at Devil's Ridge Unknown Television movie
1988 Beauty and the Beast Carmen Episode: "The Alchemist"
1989 Alien Nation Female Newcomer Episode: "Three to Tango"
1990–91 General Hospital Carla Greco Recurring role
1992 Baywatch Princess Catherine Randenberg Episode: "Princess of Tides"
1993 Blossom Nurse Episode: "The Fifty-Minute Hour"
1993 Rio Diablo Maria Benjamin Television movie
1995 Empire Gabriella Cochrane Unsuccessful television pilot
1995–96 Flipper Garcia 3 episodes
1996 Baywatch Nights Charlotte 'Charlie' McBride Episode: "Thin Blood"
1996, 1999 Silk Stalkings Paula Houston / Yvette Episodes: "Family Values", "Cook's Tour"
1997 Sunset Beach Paula Stevens Series regular, 141 episodes
1997 California Christina Guevara Unsuccessful television pilot (spin-off from Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman)
1998 Frasier Rebecca Wendell Episode: "Dial M for Martin"
2000 Beyond Belief: Fact or Fiction Mysterious Woman Episode: "Episode 30" Segment: Deadbeat Daddy
2000 Black Scorpion Ariana Episode: "Out of Thin Air"
2000 A Family in Crisis: The Elian Gonzales Story Marisleysis Gonzalez Television movie
2003 Law & Order: Special Victims Unit Joan Quentin Episode: "Perfect"
2006 The Shield Rebecca Doyle 8 episodes
2007 My Neighbor's Keeper Kate Powell Television movie
2009 Gossip Girl Evelyn Bass/Elizabeth 4 episodes
2010 Law & Order: Criminal Intent Marta Caldera Episode: "True Legacy"
2012 NCIS: Los Angeles Julia Feldman Episode: "Blye, K., Part 2"
2014–15 Chasing Life Olivia Ortiz Episodes: "Guess Who's Coming to Donate?", "First Person"

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  2. 2.0 2.1 "Laura Harring: Biography" tvguide.com
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  7. "Laura Harring" www.askmen.com
  8. "Laura Harring" www.filmbug.com
  9. 30th Anniversary Silent Night, Deadly Night Retrospective: Part 3
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External links

Awards and achievements
Preceded by
Laura Shaw
Miss Texas USA
1985
Succeeded by
Christy Fichtner
Preceded by Miss USA
1985
Succeeded by
Christy Fichtner
Media offices
Preceded by Miss USA color commentator
(with Leeza Gibbons)

1990
Succeeded by
Barbara Eden and Deborah Shelton
Preceded by Miss USA color commentator
(with Arthel Neville)

1994
Succeeded by
Daisy Fuentes