Erika Jane Christensen (born August 19, 1982)
is an American actress and singer whose filmography includes roles in ''
Traffic
Traffic comprises pedestrians, vehicles, ridden or herded animals, trains, and other conveyances that use public ways (roads) for travel and transportation.
Traffic laws govern and regulate traffic, while rules of the road include traffic ...
'' (2000), ''
Swimfan
''Swimfan'' is a 2002 American teen psychological thriller film directed by John Polson and written by Charles Bohl and Phillip Schneider. Starring Jesse Bradford, Erika Christensen, and Shiri Appleby, the film is about a high school swimming sta ...
'' (2002), ''
The Banger Sisters
''The Banger Sisters'' is a 2002 American comedy film written and directed by Bob Dolman, and produced by Fox Searchlight Pictures. The film stars Goldie Hawn and Susan Sarandon as two middle-aged women who used to be friends and groupies when ...
'' (2002), ''
The Perfect Score
''The Perfect Score'' is a 2004 American teen comedy-heist film directed by Brian Robbins and starring Chris Evans, Erika Christensen, Bryan Greenberg, Scarlett Johansson, Darius Miles, and Leonardo Nam.
The film focuses on a group of six New ...
'' (2004), ''
Flightplan
''Flightplan'' is a 2005 mystery psychological thriller film directed by Robert Schwentke from a screenplay written by Peter A. Dowling and Billy Ray. It stars Jodie Foster as Kyle Pratt, a recently-widowed American aircraft engineer living ...
'' (2005), ''
How to Rob a Bank'' (2007), ''
The Tortured
''The Tortured'' is a 2010 Canadian-American horror-thriller film directed by Robert Lieberman, written by Marek Posival, and starring Erika Christensen, Jesse Metcalfe, Fulvio Cecere, and Bill Moseley.
Plot
The film tells the story of a cou ...
'' (2010), and ''
The Case for Christ'' (2017). For her performance in ''Traffic'', she won the
MTV Movie Award for Breakthrough Female Performance and the
along with her co-stars.
In 2006, she starred on the short-lived drama series ''
Six Degrees'' on
ABC
ABC are the first three letters of the Latin script known as the alphabet.
ABC or abc may also refer to:
Arts, entertainment, and media Broadcasting
* American Broadcasting Company, a commercial U.S. TV broadcaster
** Disney–ABC Television ...
. From 2010 until its ending in 2015, Christensen starred as
Julia Braverman-Graham on the
NBC
The National Broadcasting Company (NBC) is an Television in the United States, American English-language Commercial broadcasting, commercial television network, broadcast television and radio network. The flagship property of the NBC Enterta ...
family drama series ''
Parenthood''. In 2014, she won a
Gracie Award
The Gracie Awards are awards presented by the Alliance for Women in Media Foundation (AWM) in the United States, to celebrate and honor programming created for women, by women, and about women, as well as individuals who have made exemplary cont ...
for her performance in the role. Christensen portrayed Betty Beaumontaine on ABC's short-lived crime drama series ''
Wicked City''.
Early life
Christensen was born in
Seattle
Seattle ( ) is a seaport city on the West Coast of the United States. It is the seat of King County, Washington. With a 2020 population of 737,015, it is the largest city in both the state of Washington and the Pacific Northwest regio ...
,
Washington
Washington commonly refers to:
* Washington (state), United States
* Washington, D.C., the capital of the United States
** A metonym for the federal government of the United States
** Washington metropolitan area, the metropolitan area centered on ...
,
the daughter of Kathy (née Hendricks), a construction manager, and Steven Christensen, an insurance worker and human resources executive.
She has an older half-brother, Nick, and two younger twin brothers, Dane (who appeared in the 2005 film ''
The Upside of Anger
''The Upside of Anger'' is a 2005 American romantic comedy-drama film written and directed by Mike Binder and starring Joan Allen, Kevin Costner and Evan Rachel Wood. The film was produced by Jack Binder, Alex Gartner and Sammy Lee, received mo ...
'') and Brando.
She has
Danish
Danish may refer to:
* Something of, from, or related to the country of Denmark
People
* A national or citizen of Denmark, also called a "Dane," see Demographics of Denmark
* Culture of Denmark
* Danish people or Danes, people with a Danish a ...
,
Icelandic,
Swedish
Swedish or ' may refer to:
Anything from or related to Sweden, a country in Northern Europe. Or, specifically:
* Swedish language, a North Germanic language spoken primarily in Sweden and Finland
** Swedish alphabet, the official alphabet used by ...
,
Norwegian
Norwegian, Norwayan, or Norsk may refer to:
*Something of, from, or related to Norway, a country in northwestern Europe
*Norwegians, both a nation and an ethnic group native to Norway
*Demographics of Norway
*The Norwegian language, including the ...
,
Welsh
Welsh may refer to:
Related to Wales
* Welsh, referring or related to Wales
* Welsh language, a Brittonic Celtic language spoken in Wales
* Welsh people
People
* Welsh (surname)
* Sometimes used as a synonym for the ancient Britons (Celtic peop ...
, and
Irish
Irish may refer to:
Common meanings
* Someone or something of, from, or related to:
** Ireland, an island situated off the north-western coast of continental Europe
***Éire, Irish language name for the isle
** Northern Ireland, a constituent unit ...
ancestry.
Christensen lived in Seattle until age four, when her family relocated to suburban
Los Angeles
Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the largest city in the state of California and the second most populous city in the United States after New York City, as well as one of the world' ...
,
California
California is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States, located along the West Coast of the United States, Pacific Coast. With nearly 39.2million residents across a total area of approximately , it is the List of states and territori ...
. She started out acting on television in commercials for
McDonald's
McDonald's Corporation is an American Multinational corporation, multinational fast food chain store, chain, founded in 1940 as a restaurant operated by Richard and Maurice McDonald, in San Bernardino, California, United States. They rechri ...
and
Volvo
The Volvo Group ( sv, Volvokoncernen; legally Aktiebolaget Volvo, shortened to AB Volvo, stylized as VOLVO) is a Swedish multinational manufacturing corporation headquartered in Gothenburg. While its core activity is the production, distributio ...
. Christensen is a member of the
Church of Scientology
The Church of Scientology is a group of interconnected corporate entities and other organizations devoted to the practice, administration and dissemination of Scientology, which is variously defined as a cult, a scientology as a business, bu ...
. Her parents became Scientologists in their 20s while living in Seattle, and raised her as a Scientologist. Her parents also decided to
home school
Homeschooling or home schooling, also known as home education or elective home education (EHE), is the education of school-aged children at home or a variety of places other than a school. Usually conducted by a parent, tutor, or an onlin ...
her.
Career
1997–2006: Beginnings
Christensen began her professional career with a supporting role in the comedy film ''
Leave It to Beaver'', and a one-episode guest appearance on the drama series ''
Nothing Sacred'', both of which were released/aired in 1997. She went on to guest star in numerous other television series in the late 1990s, including ''
Frasier
''Frasier'' () is an American television sitcom that was broadcast on NBC for 11 seasons. It premiered on September 16, 1993, and ended on May 13, 2004. The program was created and produced by David Angell, Peter Casey (screenwriter), Peter Case ...
'', ''
The Practice
''The Practice'' is an American legal drama television series created by David E. Kelley centering on partners and associates at a Boston law firm. The show ran for eight seasons on ABC, from March 4, 1997, to May 16, 2004. It won an Emmy in 1 ...
'', ''
3rd Rock from the Sun
''3rd Rock from the Sun'' is an American television sitcom created by Bonnie and Terry Turner, which originally aired from January 9, 1996, to May 22, 2001, on NBC. The show is about four Extraterrestrial life, extraterrestrials who are on an e ...
'', and ''
Touched by an Angel
''Touched by an Angel'' is an American fantasy drama television series that premiered on CBS on September 21, 1994, and ran for 211 episodes over nine seasons until its conclusion on April 27, 2003. Created by John Masius and executive produced b ...
''.
She also starred in the
Disney Channel
Disney Channel, sometimes known as simply Disney, is an American pay television channel that serves as the flagship property of Disney Branded Television, a unit of the Disney General Entertainment Content division of The Walt Disney Compan ...
original movie ''
Can of Worms
Can of worms is an idiom referring to a slew of subsequent problems and dilemmas arising from a decision or action. The phrase may also refer to:
Transportation
* Can of Worms (interchange) in Rochester, New York
* Can of Worms (Minnesota interc ...
'' in 1999. Also in 1999, she starred as Abigail Winthrop on the short-lived
CBS
CBS Broadcasting Inc., commonly shortened to CBS, the abbreviation of its former legal name Columbia Broadcasting System, is an American commercial broadcast television and radio network serving as the flagship property of the CBS Entertainmen ...
sitcom ''
Thanks
Thanks may refer to:
* ''Thank you'' (phrase), a common expression of gratitude
Film and television
* ''Thanks'' (film), a 2011 American film
* ''Thanks'' (TV series), a 1999 American sitcom
Music Albums
* ''Thanks'', by Ivan Neville, 1994
...
''. That same year, she featured in
Michael Jackson
Michael Joseph Jackson (August 29, 1958 – June 25, 2009) was an American singer, songwriter, dancer, and philanthropist. Dubbed the "King of Pop", he is regarded as one of the most significant cultural figures of the 20th century. Over a ...
's music video for his song "
Childhood
A child (plural, : children) is a human being between the stages of childbirth, birth and puberty, or between the Development of the human body, developmental period of infancy and puberty. The legal definition of ''child'' generally refers ...
", alongside actress
Jena Malone
Jena Laine Malone (; born November 21, 1984) is an American actress, musician, and photographer. Known for her roles in both independent films and mainstream blockbuster features, she has received numerous accolades, including nominations for a ...
.
For her performance as
cocaine
Cocaine (from , from , ultimately from Quechuan languages, Quechua: ''kúka'') is a central nervous system (CNS) stimulant mainly recreational drug use, used recreationally for its euphoria, euphoric effects. It is primarily obtained from t ...
user Caroline Wakefield in
Steven Soderbergh
Steven Andrew Soderbergh (; born January 14, 1963) is an American film director, producer, screenwriter, cinematographer and editor. A pioneer of modern independent cinema, Soderbergh is an acclaimed and prolific filmmaker.
Soderbergh's direc ...
's crime drama film ''
Traffic
Traffic comprises pedestrians, vehicles, ridden or herded animals, trains, and other conveyances that use public ways (roads) for travel and transportation.
Traffic laws govern and regulate traffic, while rules of the road include traffic ...
'' (2000), she received the awards for
Breakthrough Female Performance at the
MTV Movie Awards
The MTV Movie & TV Awards (formerly the MTV Movie Awards) is a film and television awards show presented annually on MTV. The first MTV Movie Awards were presented in 1992. The ceremony was renamed the MTV Movie & TV Awards for its 26th editi ...
,
Standout Performance – Female at the
Young Hollywood Awards
The Young Hollywood Awards was awards presented annually which honored the year's biggest achievements in pop music, movies, sports, television, fashion and more, as voted on by teenagers aged 13–19 and young adults. The award ceremonies also hon ...
, and
Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture at the
Screen Actors Guild Award
Screen Actors Guild Awards (also known as SAG Awards) are accolades given by the Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA). The award was founded in 1952 to recognize outstanding performances in movie an ...
s. Also in 2000, Christensen guest starred in single episodes of ''
Time of Your Life'', ''
Movie Stars
A movie star (also known as a film star or cinema star) is an actor or actress who is famous for their starring, or leading, roles in movies. The term is used for performers who are marketable stars as they become popular household names and wh ...
'', ''
FreakyLinks
''FreakyLinks'' is an American science fiction series that combined elements of horror, mystery, and comedy. It aired on Fox from October 2000 until June 2001, for a total run of 13 episodes. The feel of the show closely modeled that of ''The X ...
'', and ''
The Pretender''. In 2001, she had a recurring role on the sitcom ''
The Geena Davis Show
''The Geena Davis Show'' is an American sitcom television series created by Terri Minsky starring Geena Davis. The show aired for one season on ABC from October 10, 2000, to July 20, 2001, during the 2000–01 U.S. television season.
Plot
Se ...
''. She also appeared in an episode of the
Fox
Foxes are small to medium-sized, omnivorous mammals belonging to several genera of the family Canidae. They have a flattened skull, upright, triangular ears, a pointed, slightly upturned snout, and a long bushy tail (or ''brush'').
Twelve sp ...
sitcom ''
That '70s Show
''That '70s Show'' is an American television Period piece, period teen sitcom that aired on Fox Broadcasting Company, Fox from August 23, 1998, to May 18, 2006. The series focuses on the lives of a group of six teenage friends living in the ficti ...
'', reuniting her with her ''Traffic'' co-star
Topher Grace
Christopher John Grace ( ; born July 12, 1978) is an American actor. He is known for portraying Eric Forman in the Fox sitcom ''That '70s Show'', Eddie Brock / Venom in Sam Raimi's film ''Spider-Man 3'', Pete Monash in ''Win a Date with Tad Ham ...
. She was named one of ''
People
A person (plural, : people) is a being that has certain capacities or attributes such as reason, morality, consciousness or self-consciousness, and being a part of a culturally established form of social relations such as kinship, ownership of pr ...
'' "Breakthrough Stars of 2001". The following year, Christensen starred in three feature films: the teen thriller ''
Swimfan
''Swimfan'' is a 2002 American teen psychological thriller film directed by John Polson and written by Charles Bohl and Phillip Schneider. Starring Jesse Bradford, Erika Christensen, and Shiri Appleby, the film is about a high school swimming sta ...
'', the crime drama ''
Home Room
A homeroom, tutor group, form class, or form is a brief administrative period that occurs in a classroom assigned to a student in primary school and in secondary school. Within a homeroom period or classroom, administrative documents are distri ...
'', and the comedy ''
The Banger Sisters
''The Banger Sisters'' is a 2002 American comedy film written and directed by Bob Dolman, and produced by Fox Searchlight Pictures. The film stars Goldie Hawn and Susan Sarandon as two middle-aged women who used to be friends and groupies when ...
''.
In 2003, Christensen starred in
MTV
MTV (Originally an initialism of Music Television) is an American cable channel that launched on August 1, 1981. Based in New York City, it serves as the flagship property of the MTV Entertainment Group, part of Paramount Media Networks, a di ...
's television film adaptation of ''
Wuthering Heights
''Wuthering Heights'' is an 1847 novel by Emily Brontë, initially published under her pen name Ellis Bell. It concerns two families of the landed gentry living on the West Yorkshire moorland, moors, the Earnshaws and the Lintons, and their tur ...
'', based on the
Emily Brontë
Emily Jane Brontë (, commonly ; 30 July 1818 – 19 December 1848) was an English novelist and poet who is best known for her only novel, ''Wuthering Heights'', now considered a classic of English literature. She also published a book of poet ...
novel of the same name. She also recorded multiple songs for the film's soundtrack. In 2004, she starred in the teen heist film ''
The Perfect Score
''The Perfect Score'' is a 2004 American teen comedy-heist film directed by Brian Robbins and starring Chris Evans, Erika Christensen, Bryan Greenberg, Scarlett Johansson, Darius Miles, and Leonardo Nam.
The film focuses on a group of six New ...
'',
and the horror film ''
Riding the Bullet
''Riding the Bullet'' is a Horror fiction, horror novella by American writer Stephen King. It marked King's debut on the Internet. Simon & Schuster, with technology by SoftLock, first published ''Riding the Bullet'' in 2000 as the world's first m ...
''. In 2005, Christensen recorded a version of "
Let's Fall in Love
"Let's Fall in Love" is a song written by Harold Arlen (music) and Ted Koehler (lyrics) for the film ''Let's Fall in Love'' and published in 1933. In the film, it is heard during the opening credits and later sung by Art Jarrett and chorus, and ...
" with
John Stevens for his debut album ''
Red
Red is the color at the long wavelength end of the visible spectrum of light, next to orange and opposite violet. It has a dominant wavelength of approximately 625–740 nanometres. It is a primary color in the RGB color model and a secondar ...
''.
Also in 2005, Christensen co-starred in the films ''
The Upside of Anger
''The Upside of Anger'' is a 2005 American romantic comedy-drama film written and directed by Mike Binder and starring Joan Allen, Kevin Costner and Evan Rachel Wood. The film was produced by Jack Binder, Alex Gartner and Sammy Lee, received mo ...
'' as Andy Wolfmeyer, co-starring
Kevin Costner
Kevin Michael Costner (born January 18, 1955) is an American actor, producer, film director and musician. He has received various accolades, including two Academy Awards, two Golden Globe Awards, a Primetime Emmy Award, and two Screen Actor ...
and
Joan Allen
Joan Allen (born August 20, 1956) is an American actress. She began her career with the Steppenwolf Theatre Company in 1977, won the 1984 Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Actress in a Play for ''And a Nightingale Sang'', and won the 1988 Tony Awa ...
; ''
The Sisters'' as Irene Prior, with
Maria Bello
Maria Elena Bello (born April 18, 1967) is an American actress and writer. Her film roles include ''Permanent Midnight'' (1998), ''Payback (1999 film), Payback'' (1999), ''Coyote Ugly (film), Coyote Ugly'' (2000), ''The Cooler'' (2003), ''A Hist ...
and
Elizabeth Banks
Elizabeth Banks (born Elizabeth Irene Mitchell; February 10, 1974) is an American actress and filmmaker. She is known for playing Effie Trinket in ''The Hunger Games'' film series (2012–2015) and Gail Abernathy-McKadden in the ''Pitch Perfe ...
; and ''
Flightplan
''Flightplan'' is a 2005 mystery psychological thriller film directed by Robert Schwentke from a screenplay written by Peter A. Dowling and Billy Ray. It stars Jodie Foster as Kyle Pratt, a recently-widowed American aircraft engineer living ...
'' as Fiona, starring
Jodie Foster
Alicia Christian "Jodie" Foster (born November 19, 1962) is an American actress and filmmaker. She is the recipient of numerous accolades, including two Academy Awards, three British Academy Film Awards, three Golden Globe Awards, and the ho ...
. The following year, she starred in the series ''
Six Degrees'', which debuted on the
ABC
ABC are the first three letters of the Latin script known as the alphabet.
ABC or abc may also refer to:
Arts, entertainment, and media Broadcasting
* American Broadcasting Company, a commercial U.S. TV broadcaster
** Disney–ABC Television ...
fall schedule on September 21, 2006.
Low ratings caused its cancellation after one season, leaving five episodes unaired.
2007–2015: ''Parenthood''
In 2007, she appeared in the comedy-drama film ''
Gardener of Eden
''Gardener of Eden'' is a 2007 American comedy-drama film directed by Kevin Connolly. It stars Lukas Haas, Erika Christensen and Giovanni Ribisi.
The film premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival, and was Connolly's directorial debut. It was prod ...
'', and the independent crime comedy ''
How to Rob a Bank''. In 2008 and 2009, she guest starred as a special agent on ''
Law & Order: Special Victims Unit'', a college student with
dissociative identity disorder
Dissociative identity disorder (DID), better known as multiple personality disorder or multiple personality syndrome, is a mental disorder characterized by the presence of at least two distinct and relatively enduring personality states.
The di ...
on ''
Lie to Me
''Lie to Me'' (stylized as ''Lie to me*'') is an American crime drama television series. It originally ran on the Fox network from January 21, 2009, to January 31, 2011. In the show, Dr. Cal Lightman (Tim Roth) and his colleagues in The Lightma ...
'', and a victim of domestic abuse on ''
Mercy
Mercy (Middle English, from Anglo-French ''merci'', from Medieval Latin ''merced-'', ''merces'', from Latin, "price paid, wages", from ''merc-'', ''merxi'' "merchandise") is benevolence, forgiveness, and kindness in a variety of ethical, relig ...
''. Christensen made a cameo in the
Joaquin Phoenix
Joaquin Rafael Phoenix (; né Bottom; born October 28, 1974) is an American actor. He is known for playing dark and unconventional characters in independent films. He has received various accolades, including an Academy Award, a British Academ ...
-directed music video "
Tired of Being Sorry
"Tired of Being Sorry" is a song written by American singer-songwriter Scott Thomas for his band, Ringside. Singer Enrique Iglesias' cover of the song was released as the second international single from his album '' Insomniac'' (2008) and achie ...
" for
Balthazar Getty
Paul Balthazar Getty (; born January 22, 1975) is an American actor and musician. His acting debut was in ''Lord of the Flies'' (1990) as Ralph. He went on to appear in '' Lost Highway'' (1997) and had a recurring role as Richard Montana in '' Ch ...
's band
Ringside
Ringside may refer to:
Sports
*Ringside of a boxing ring
*Ringside of a wrestling ring
*Ringside seating (combat sports), see Ringside (boxing)
Film
*''Ringside Maisie'', 1941 boxing film
* ''Ringside'' (1949 film), American boxing drama film
*' ...
.
In 2009, she was part of the cast of the film adaptation of ''
Veronika Decides to Die
''Veronika Decides to Die'' ( pt, Veronika Decide Morrer) is a novel by Paulo Coelho. It tells the story of Veronika, a 24-year-old Slovenian who appears to have everything in life going for her, but who decides to kill herself. This book is pa ...
'', and starred in the romantic drama ''
Mercy
Mercy (Middle English, from Anglo-French ''merci'', from Medieval Latin ''merced-'', ''merces'', from Latin, "price paid, wages", from ''merc-'', ''merxi'' "merchandise") is benevolence, forgiveness, and kindness in a variety of ethical, relig ...
'' alongside
James Caan
James Edmund Caan ( ; March 26, 1940 – July 6, 2022) was an American actor. He came to prominence playing Sonny Corleone in ''The Godfather'' (1972) – a performance which earned him Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor, Academy Award an ...
and
Dylan McDermott
Dylan McDermott (born Mark Anthony McDermott; October 26, 1961) is an American actor. He is known for his role as lawyer and law firm head Bobby Donnell on the legal drama series ''The Practice'', which earned him a Golden Globe Award for Best ...
. In 2010, Christensen co-starred with
Jesse Metcalfe
Jesse Eden Metcalfe (born December 9, 1978) is an American actor and musician. He is known for his portrayal of John Rowland on ''Desperate Housewives''. Metcalfe has also had notable roles on ''Passions'' and played the title role in '' John T ...
in the horror-thriller film ''
The Tortured
''The Tortured'' is a 2010 Canadian-American horror-thriller film directed by Robert Lieberman, written by Marek Posival, and starring Erika Christensen, Jesse Metcalfe, Fulvio Cecere, and Bill Moseley.
Plot
The film tells the story of a cou ...
''.
![Erika Christensen 2013](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/1f/Erika_Christensen_2013.jpg)
Christensen was a regular cast member on the
NBC
The National Broadcasting Company (NBC) is an Television in the United States, American English-language Commercial broadcasting, commercial television network, broadcast television and radio network. The flagship property of the NBC Enterta ...
drama television series ''
Parenthood'', which debuted on March 2, 2010, and concluded on January 29, 2015. She portrayed the role of Julia Braverman-Graham, the youngest daughter of the Braverman family.
She won the 2014
Gracie Award for Outstanding Female Actor in a Supporting Role in a Drama Series for her performance in the series. In 2013, she starred in the musical film ''
How Sweet It Is'', directed by
Brian Herzlinger
Brian Scott Herzlinger (born February 19, 1976, Brooklyn, New York) is an American film director who directed and starred in ''My Date with Drew'', a documentary released in 2005. Herzlinger graduated from Ithaca College (NY) with a film degree ...
, and was a guest judge on 2 episodes of the cooking competition series ''
Knife Fight
A knife fight is a violent physical confrontation between two or more combatants in which one or more participants is armed with a knife.MacYoung, Marc, ''Winning A Street Knife Fight'', (Digital format, 70 min.), Boulder, CO: Paladin Press, (J ...
''. The following year, she appeared on the celebrity game show ''
Hollywood Game Night
''Hollywood Game Night'' is an American television game show that aired on NBC from July 11, 2013, to July 5, 2020. The series, which is hosted by Jane Lynch, follows two contestants who take part in a casual game night with three celebrities ea ...
'', and lead the cast of the
Hallmark Channel
The Hallmark Channel is an American television channel owned by Crown Media Holdings, Inc., which in turn is owned by Hallmark Cards, Inc. The channel's programming is primarily targeted at families, and features a mix of television movies and ...
television film ''
My Boyfriends' Dogs
''My Boyfriends' Dogs'' is a 2014 American made-for-television comedy film directed by Terry Ingram, written by Jon Maas and Gary Goldstein, and based on the Dandi Daley Mackall novel of the same name. The film stars Erika Christensen as Bailey Da ...
'', based on the
Dandi Daley Mackall
Dandi Daley Mackall is an American author with around 500 of her works published for adults and children. Some of her works are the ''Winnie the Horse Gentler'' series and the ''Flipside Stories'', ''The Silence of Murder'', and ''With Love, Wher ...
novel of the same name.
In February 2015, she was cast in the short-lived ABC crime drama series ''
Wicked City'' as Betty Beaumontaine, a single mother who becomes romantically involved with a serial killer. Also in 2015, she partnered with food company
Lean Cuisine
Lean Cuisine is a brand of frozen entrées and dinners sold in the United States and Canada by Nestlé, and in Australia by Vesco (under a licensing agreement with Nestlé). The brand began as low-fat, low-calorie versions of Stouffer's products ...
to launch their brand overhaul. In September 2015, Christensen was among several celebrities to appear in the music video "Love" for
Dash Mihok
Dashiell Raymond Mihok (; born May 24, 1974) is an American actor and director best known for playing Brendan "Bunchy" Donovan in the Showtime drama ''Ray Donovan''.
Early life
Mihok was born in New York City, the son of theater actors Andrea Mi ...
's band Diz and the Fam.
2016–present
Christensen led the cast of the Hallmark Channel television film ''Anything for Love'' co-starring with
Paul Greene. The film was released on February 14, 2016. The following month, she starred in the music video "All Is Forgiven" for
Sal Masekela
Selema "Sal" Mabena Masekela (born August 28, 1971) is an American television host, sports commentator, actor and singer.
Life and career
Masekela was born in Los Angeles, the son of a Haitian mother and South African jazz musician Hugh Masekela. ...
's band Alekesam. Christensen next appeared as part of the all-star cast of
HBO
Home Box Office (HBO) is an American premium television network, which is the flagship property of namesake parent subsidiary Home Box Office, Inc., itself a unit owned by Warner Bros. Discovery. The overall Home Box Office business unit is ba ...
's courtroom drama film ''
Confirmation
In Christian denominations that practice infant baptism, confirmation is seen as the sealing of the covenant created in baptism. Those being confirmed are known as confirmands. For adults, it is an affirmation of belief. It involves laying on ...
'', directed by
Rick Famuyiwa
Rick Famuyiwa (born June 18, 1973) is an American director, producer and screenwriter of productions including ''The Wood'' (1999), ''Brown Sugar'' (2002), '' Talk to Me'' (2007), '' Dope'' (2015), and ''Confirmation'' (2016). His films have bee ...
and co-starring
Kerry Washington
Kerry Marisa Washington (born January 31, 1977) SidebarCertificate of Live Birth: Isabelle Amarachi Asomugha(County of Los Angeles Department of Public Health). Gives Kerry Washington birth dateArchivedfrom the original on May 2, 2016.Note: Fi ...
,
Wendell Pierce
Wendell Edward Pierce (born December 8, 1963) is an American actor and businessman. Having trained at Juilliard School, Pierce rose to prominence as a character actor portraying roles both on the stage and screen. He first gained notoriety portra ...
, and
Greg Kinnear
Gregory Buck Kinnear (born June 17, 1963) is an American actor. He was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his role in ''As Good as It Gets'' (1997).
Kinnear has appeared in many popular films, including ''Sabrina'' (199 ...
. The same year, Christensen starred in
Jon Abrahams
Jon Avery Abrahams (born October 29, 1977) is an American actor. His most notable film roles include Bobby in ''Scary Movie'' (2000), Denny Byrnes in ''Meet the Parents'' (2000), and Dalton Chapman in the '' House of Wax'' (2005).
Early life ...
' directorial debut film ''
Two for One'', which had its world premiere at the Napa Valley Film Festival.
In 2017, she co-starred with
Mike Vogel
Michael James Vogel (born July 17, 1979) is an American actor and former model. Vogel began acting in 2001 and has appeared in several films and series, including ''The Texas Chainsaw Massacre'', ''The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants'', ''Grind' ...
and
Robert Forster
Robert Wallace Forster Jr. (July 13, 1941 – October 11, 2019) was an American actor, known for his roles as John Cassellis in ''Medium Cool'' (1969), Captain Dan Holland in ''The Black Hole'' (1979), Abdul Rafai in ''The Delta Force'' (1986), ...
in the
Lee Strobel
Lee may refer to:
Name
Given name
* Lee (given name), a given name in English
Surname
* Chinese surnames romanized as Li or Lee:
** Li (surname 李) or Lee (Hanzi ), a common Chinese surname
** Li (surname 利) or Lee (Hanzi ), a Chinese s ...
biopic ''
The Case for Christ'', in the role of Strobel's wife Leslie. That same year, Christensen began starring as Ali Petrovich in the ABC drama series ''
Ten Days in the Valley
''Ten Days in the Valley'' is an American drama television series that aired on ABC from October 1, 2017, through January 6, 2018. The series, starring Kyra Sedgwick, was ordered direct-to-series on August 4, 2016. After airing four episodes, ABC ...
'', alongside
Kyra Sedgwick
Kyra Minturn Sedgwick (; born August 19, 1965) is an American actress, producer and director. For her starring role as Deputy Chief Brenda Leigh Johnson on the TNT crime drama ''The Closer'', she won a Golden Globe Award in 2007 and an Emmy Awa ...
. She starred in Jon Abrahams' second film, the comedy mob thriller ''
Clover
Clover or trefoil are common names for plants of the genus ''Trifolium'' (from Latin ''tres'' 'three' + ''folium'' 'leaf'), consisting of about 300 species of flowering plants in the legume or pea family Fabaceae originating in Europe. The genus ...
'', alongside
Mark Webber,
Julia Jones
Julia Jones (born January 23, 1981) is an American actress, known for playing Leah Clearwater in '' The Twilight Saga'' films and Kohana in the HBO series ''Westworld''. She also co-stars on '' Dexter: New Blood''.
Early life and education
Jul ...
, and
Ron Perlman
Ronald Perlman (born April 13, 1950) is an American actor. His credits include the roles of Amoukar in ''Quest for Fire'' (1981), Salvatore in ''The Name of the Rose'' (1986), Vincent in the television series ''Beauty and the Beast'' (1987–199 ...
.
Personal life
In November 2014, Christensen became engaged to cyclist Cole Maness. They married on September 5, 2015, in
Palm Springs, California
Palm Springs (Cahuilla: ''Séc-he'') is a desert resort city in Riverside County, California, United States, within the Colorado Desert's Coachella Valley. The city covers approximately , making it the largest city in Riverside County by land a ...
, and reside in
Los Feliz, Los Angeles
Los Feliz (, ; Spanish for "The Feliz amily, ) is a hillside neighborhood in the greater Hollywood area of Los Angeles, California, abutting Hollywood and encompassing part of the Santa Monica Mountains. The neighborhood is named after the Feli ...
. The couple have two daughters, born in June 2016 and August 2018.
Filmography
Film
Television
Music videos
Awards and nominations
References
Works cited
*
External links
*
Photo Essay of Erika Christensen for Left Field Project by Duane Fernandez
{{DEFAULTSORT:Christensen, Erika
1982 births
20th-century American actresses
21st-century American actresses
Actresses from Los Angeles
Actresses from Seattle
American film actresses
American television actresses
American child actresses
American Scientologists
American people of Icelandic descent
American people of Swedish descent
American people of Danish descent
American people of Norwegian descent
American people of Welsh descent
American people of Irish descent
Living people
Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture Screen Actors Guild Award winners
People from Los Feliz, Los Angeles