Marla Lynne Sokoloff (born December 19, 1980) is an American actress. She is known for playing Lucy Hatcher on the legal drama television series '' The Practice'', and Gia Mahan on '' Full House'' and '' Fuller House''. She has also appeared in films '' True Crime'' (1996), '' Dude, Where's My Car?'' (2000), ''

Sugar & Spice ''Sugar & Spice'' is a 2001 American teen black comedy film directed by Francine McDougall and starring Marley Shelton, Marla Sokoloff and Mena Suvari. The plot follows a group of high school cheerleaders who conspire and commit armed robbery wh ...

'' (2001) and ''

Love on the Side ''Love on the Side'' is a 2004 romance comedy film about a small town waitress who seeks the attention of a most eligible bachelor. The film stars Marla Sokoloff, Jennifer Tilly and Monika Schnarre, is written by Brigitte Talevski and directed by ...

'' (2004).

Early life

Sokoloff was born in San Francisco, to Cindi (

née A birth name is the name of a person given upon birth. The term may be applied to the surname, the given name, or the entire name. Where births are required to be officially registered, the entire name entered onto a birth certificate or birth re ...

Sussman) and Howard Sokoloff, a former caterer and podiatrist. Her family is Jewish and originates from Russia and Germany. She graduated from the Los Angeles County High School for the Arts, where she studied music and theatre.

Career

In 1993, Sokoloff (then aged 12) began pursuing an acting career when she was cast as Gia Mahan in the ABC sitcom '' Full House''. She was originally to play Topanga Lawrence in ABC's '' Boy Meets World'' and had even filmed a few scenes. However, the part was subsequently given to Danielle Fishel. In 1998, Sokoloff landed the role of receptionist Lucy Hatcher in the legal television drama series '' The Practice''. Along with other popular appearances, she is well-remembered as Joey's pregnant sister, Dina, in season 8 of ''

Friends ''Friends'' is an American television sitcom created by David Crane and Marta Kauffman, which aired on NBC from September 22, 1994, to May 6, 2004, lasting ten seasons. With an ensemble cast starring Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox, Lisa ...

''. She also had a three-episode stint as nanny Claire in the comedy-drama series ''

Desperate Housewives ''Desperate Housewives'' is an American comedy-drama soap opera television series created by Marc Cherry and produced by ABC Studios and Marc Cherry, Cherry Productions. It aired for eight seasons on American Broadcasting Company, ABC from Octobe ...

''. In 2000, she played Maggie Carter in the teen romance film '' Whatever It Takes''. In November 2006, she starred in the ABC television series '' Big Day'', which ended on January 30, 2007. She also made a guest appearance in an episode of ''

Burn Notice ''Burn Notice'' is an American espionage television series created by Matt Nix, which originally aired on the USA Network for a total of seven seasons from June 28, 2007, to September 12, 2013. The show stars Jeffrey Donovan, Gabrielle Anwar, ...

'', where she played Melanie, working undercover as a receptionist at a Miami art gallery whose owner had murdered her character's father. Sokoloff also has starred in several movies, including '' Whatever It Takes'', '' The Climb'', ''

The Tollbooth ''The Tollbooth'' is a 2004 coming-of-age film directed by Debra Kirschner and starring Marla Sokoloff. The plot concerns a young artist struggling to forge her own identity in the big city, while her Jewish parents keep watch from just over th ...

'', '' Dude, Where's My Car?'', ''

'' and ''

''. In 2008, Sokoloff starred alongside Paul Campbell, Andy Griffith, Doris Roberts and

Liz Sheridan Elizabeth Ann Sheridan (April 10, 1929 – April 15, 2022) was an American actress. While best known for her roles as Jerry's mother, Helen, in ''Seinfeld'' and the nosy neighbor, Mrs. Ochmonek, on sitcom '' ALF'', her decades-long career was ex ...

in the romantic comedy '' Play the Game''. She also voices the Glatorian Kiina in '' Bionicle: The Legend Reborn''. She played Imogene O'Neill in the mini series ''Meteor''. In 2012, she starred in the television film ''A Christmas Wedding Date''. She reprised her role as Gia on ''Full House''s sequel series '' Fuller House'', making 11 appearances starting with the second season episode "Girl Talk".

Personal life

Sokoloff dated actor James Franco for five years after they met on the set of ''Whatever It Takes'' in 1999. In 2004, she began dating Deadsy drummer Alec Puro. They married on November 7, 2009, and have three daughters, born February 2012 March 2015 and February 2022.

Filmography

Film

Television

References

External links

* * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Sokoloff, Marla 1980 births 20th-century American actresses 21st-century American actresses Actresses from San Francisco American child actresses American film actresses American television actresses American voice actresses American people of Russian-Jewish descent American people of German-Jewish descent Jewish American actresses Living people Los Angeles County High School for the Arts alumni 21st-century American Jews