Calista Flockhart Biography

Calista Kay Flockhart was born on November 11, 1964, in Freeport, Illinois. Her father, Ronald, was an executive with Kraft Foods and her mother, Kay Calista, taught English. Calista's father was transferred numerous times, but they ultimately settled in Medford Township, New Jersey.At Shawnee High School, Calista was a cheerleader, and a member of the student council and drama club. After graduating in 1982, she studied drama at Rutgers University. Early on, Calista became a favorite of William Esper, who was not only the director of Rutgers Mason Gross School of the Arts, but also had his own acting studio in New York. Esper recognized Calista's talent and began casting her when she was only a sophomore.Calista received her BFA in 1988 and moved to New York. She began auditioning for whatever roles she could find. Her first television appearance came in 1989 when she was cast in an episode of The Guiding Light, and in October of that year she made her Broadway debut at the New York's Circle Reparatory Theatre in Joe Pintauro's Beside Herself, which also featured William Hurt and Melissa Joan Hart. In his New York Times review, Frank Rich wrote, Among the younger alter egos, Ms. Flockhart, in her New York debut, shows unusual promise.Calista continued working in television, and her credits include Darrow in 1991 and The Secret Life of Mary-Margaret: Portrait of a Bulimic in 1992. Her first film role came in 1993's Naked in New York, and in 1994 she appeared in Getting In. The same year, she made her Broadway debut as Laura in The Glass Menagerie, which starred Julie Harris. Calista's performance earned her the Clarence Derwent Award.In 1994, she had a small part in Quiz Show, which starred Ralph Fiennes and was produced and directed by Robert Redford. This role was followed by Drunks in 1995, starring Faye Dunaway; Jane Doe in 1995; Milk and Money in 1996; Birdcage in 1996; and Telling Lies in America in 1997. Flockhart also appeared in the 1996 production of Three Sisters on Broadway.In 1997, producer David E. Kelly requested that Calista audition for the lead in a new television series, Ally McBeal. Although she was reluctant to commit to a series, Calista auditioned and won the part. The show, which ran from 1997 to 2002, was immensely popular, and made Calista Flockhart a household name. She won a Golden Globe for her work and was also featured on the cover of Time magazine in June 1998.During summer breaks, Calista continued working. In 1999, she appeared as Helena in A Midsummer Night's Dream. In 2000, she appeared in Rodrigo Garcia's Things You Can Tell Just by Looking at Her with Holly Hunter. She also appeared off-Broadway in Bash: Latter-Day Plays and received rave reviews. Calista hosted Saturday Night Live in November of 2000.During her run on Ally McBeal, Calista experienced the downside of fame when the tabloids began speculating that she was suffering from an eating disorder. She has consistently denied these rumors, however, and claims that she stays thin by working out and eating right.After Ally McBeal, Calista returned to films, starring in 2004's The Last Shot with Matthew Broderick, Alec Baldwin, and Tony Shaloub, and in 2005's Fragile with Amy Nichols. In 2006, she was cast in an ABC series, Brothers and Sister.Calista Flockhart has a son, Liam, whom she adopted in January of 2001. She is engaged to marry Harrison Ford. The couple has been dating since 2002.

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