Lauren Graham Movies
Though she was born in Hawaii, actress Lauren Graham spent her childhood traveling with her single father. After earning her Bachelor's degree in English from Barnard College in New York City, she got her Master's in Acting from Southern Methodist University in Dallas. She moved to California and landed a guest spot on 3rd Rock From the Sun in 1996. After playing recurring roles on Caroline in the City, Law & Order, and NewsRadio, she made her film debut in the horror thriller Nightwatch. Other film roles followed, including the mainstream sentimental drama One True Thing (starring Meryl Streep) the independent mockumentary Dill Scallion (starring Billy Burke). After starring in a few short-lived TV series, Graham's big breakthrough came in 2000 with the lead role on the WB family drama Gilmore Girls. As Lorelai Gilmore, the 32-year-old single mother of a teenager (Alexis Bledel), Graham earned several award nominations during the first two seasons. While the show itself earned critical acclaim, Graham gained much media exposure for her strong and independent yet conventionally attractive portrayal of a single mom. Even though her persona was that of a "sexy mom," she also (per the material given her by the program's creators) held fast to "PG Material, " and won the Best Actress prize from the Family Television Awards. Lest she be pigeonhold Graham traveled to the opposite extreme for a plum role in Terry Zwigoff's holiday crime comedy Bad Santa; she made many viewers do a double take as a lover of bad boy Billy Bob Thornton who harbors a thoroughly naughty little fetish for Santa caps - a part that justly won her critical raves.More feature film projects followed, including supporting roles in the romantic comedies Lucky 13 (2004), Seeing Other People (2004), and The Pacifier (2005) (opposite unlikely action hero-turned family star Vin Diesel). By the spring of 2007, Gilmore (which drew repeated rumors of cancellation that persisted for at least a year) finally did wrap, and Graham focused all of her attention and energy on the big screen. Assignments included a supporting part in the Diane Keaton/Mandy Moore mother-daughter comedy Because I Said So (2007) and the wife of funnyman Steve Carell in the Noah's Ark-themed religious comedy Evan Almighty (2007). ~ Andrea LeVasseur, All Movie Guide
Like The Vanishing (1988 and 1993), Nightwatch is an English-language version of a foreign-made film with the original director hired to remake his own movie. Ole Bornedal was the writer-director of the suspenseful 1994 thriller, Nattevagten, which had no U.S. release immediately on the heels of its success in Denmark. For the second time around, Bornedal directed, but Steven Soderbergh wrote a new script based on Bornedal's original film. Both were produced by Michael Obel. Nattevagten was Bornedal's directorial debut, and reviews praised the film for the claustrophobic atmospherics and suspense generated from the very first establishing scene. For the 1998 English-language remake, the artistic elements of the original gave way to name actors, slicker production values, and the more conventional grindhouse genre approach, opening with a brutal prostitute murder in a pre-credit sequence. University student Martin (Ewan McGregor) ignores warnings to take a city-morgue night watchman job for extra cash. Odd happenings at the morgue are linked to a serial killer, and Inspector Thomas Cray (Nick Nolte) investigates. Soon Martin's girlfriend Katherine (Patricia Arquette) learns that Martin has become a key suspect. However, some might suspect Martin's edgy friend James (Josh Brolin). Brad Dourif fills the role of a doctor, and young Alix Koromzay portrays vulnerable teen hooker Joyce. ~ Bhob Stewart, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Ewan McGregor, Nick Nolte, (more)
- 1998
This TV sitcom probes the personal problems of New York City ad copywriter Conrad Bloom (Mark Feuerstein), a single guy surrounded by women, including his ex-girlfriend Molly (Lauren Graham), sister Nina (Ever Carradine), co-worker Shelley (Jessica Stone), demanding boss Faye (Paula Newsome), and Conrad's irritating widowed mother Florie (Linda Lavin). In the pilot episode, Conrad struggled to get attractive Allison (Christina Moore) into bed. Premiered September 21, 1998 on NBC. ~ Bhob Stewart, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Mark Feuerstein, Lauren Graham, (more)
- 1997
In this second episode of a three-part story, Briscoe (Jerry Orbach) and Curtis (Benjamin Bratt) have returned to New York from Hollywood, after arresting the chief suspect in the grisly murder of a female movie-studio executive. Alas, their work may have been for nothing: There is a strong likelihood that someone else may be the culprit. Meanwhile, Assistant D.A. Ross (Carey Lowell) learns to her dismay that the suspect's defense counsel is her own ex-husband Neal Gordon (Keith Szarabajka) -- who has a hidden agenda all his own. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1997
In the concluding episode of a three-part story, Eddie Newman (Scott Cohen), chief suspect in the murder of a female Hollywood movie executive, may beat the rap thanks to an O.J.-like "dream team" defense. Complicating matters is the revelation of detective Rey Curtis' (Benjamin Bratt) possible extramarital fling with Tinseltown producer Lisa Lundquist (Lauren Graham). Worse still, assistant D.A. Ross' (Carey Lowell) ex-husband, defense attorney Neal Gordon (Keith Szarabajka), hopes to use the Eddie Newman case to regain custody of his daughter. Episode highlights include Assistant D.A. McCoy's (Sam Waterston) blistering indictment of "trial by media." ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1997
In this opening episode of Law & Order's first (and thus far only) three-part story, a female Hollywood studio executive is found murdered -- and decapitated -- in New York City. Detectives Briscoe (Jerry Orbach) and Curtis (Benjamin Bratt) head to Tinseltown to check out the suspects, among them the dead woman's abusive ex-husband, Eddie Newman (Scott Cohen), and shady personal trainer Evan Grant (Jeffrey D. Sams). Meanwhile, assistant D.A.'s McCoy (Sam Waterston) and Ross (Carey Lowell) work overtime to make sure that Briscoe and Curtis are not overstepping their jurisdictional bounds. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1997
Jerry (Jerry Seinfeld) thinks it's a good thing that he is number one on his girlfriend's speed dial -- but it isn't. Apprehensive about the approaching millennium, Kramer (Michael Richards) decides to hold his New Year's Eve party two years early. George (Jason Alexander) connives to get fired by the Yankees so he can accept what he thinks is a better job with the Mets. And Elaine (Julia Louis-Dreyfus) discovers that changing clothing stores after receiving bad service doesn't solve much of anything. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
