Name: Angie Harmon
Date of Birth: August 10, 1972
Place of Birth: Dallas, Texas, USA
Nationality: American
Occupation: Actress
Angie Harmon was
born on August 10th, 1972, in Dallas, Texas. A model from an
early age, her childhood career must have been in her genes
since both of her parents were models as well.
This brown-eyed brunette
won the national cover contest for Seventeen magazine at the
age of 15, chosen out of a group of 63,000 other teenagers.
A car was one of the contest prizes, even though she wasn't
even old enough to drive. After a trip to New York to attend
a national photo shoot, Harmon returned to her studies at Highland
Park High School.
Once she graduated
in 1990, Harmon settled in New York and began modeling, although
her childhood dream was to become an actress. Her successful
modeling career includes appearances in high fashion magazines
such as Vogue, Bazaar, Cosmopolitan, GQ, and Esquire, as well
as European magazines. She also strutted her stuff down fashion
runways in the fashion capitals of the world and caught the
eyes of designers such as Armani, Ralph Lauren and Isaac Mizrahi.
Like other models-turned-actresses
such as Cameron Diaz and Denise Richards, Harmon began taking
acting lessons with acting coaches between New York and Los
Angeles. Her dream came true when David Hasselhoff (of Baywatch
fame) and executive producers of Baywatch Nights spotted Harmon
on an airplane flight. Hasselhoff and producers were searching
for an actress to cast for the role of detective Ryan McBride,
the female lead for the spin-off of the most popular syndicated
television show of all time. They thought Harmon would be perfect
for the role.
At 22 years old,
Harmon was hired for the role after her audition, preparing
to make her network television debut (excluding appearances
in national television commercials). In 1995, the same year
that Baywatch Nights debuted, Harmon made guest appearances
on Baywatch and the television series Renegade.
After her role as
detective Ryan McBride on Baywatch Nights, Harmon starred in
the television series C-16 in 1997, co-starring Eric Roberts.
That same year, Harmon made her move to the big screen.
Her first film role
was in the independent film named Lawn Dogs, directed by John
Duigan. The film received a lot of exposure, as it was screened
at the prestigious Toronto Film Festival and the Sundance Film
Festival.
The Texas beauty's
big break came in 1998 with her role as Assistant District Attorney
Abigail 'Abbie' Carmichael on the long-running courtroom drama
Law & Order, the show which spawned the career of fellow
actor Benjamin Bratt. Harmon has also appeared as Abbie Carmicheal
on Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, a spin-off of the
popular NBC show.
Harmon is not only
a huge Dallas Cowboys fan (she has been since high school),
but she is also a nature lover. She hopes to establish a ranch
in West Texas for underprivileged city children, to give them
a true outdoor experience. Harmon has a dog "Dakota";
three cats "Mogolie", "Madeleine" and "Spooky";
a goldfish named "Hercules", and divides her time
between Los Angeles and New York.
While appearing on
The Tonight Show on March 13, 2000, Harmon's boyfriend -- football
player Jason Sehorn -- surprised Harmon by proposing to her
on the show. Leno, who was in on the plan, had just asked her
if she was dating anyone special, to which she responded that
she doesn't discuss her personal life in public. She accepted
the marriage proposal on national television. Harmon and her
New York Giants defensive back fiancé were introduced
by Sehorn's mother.
