Alyson Hannigan facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Alyson Hannigan
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Hannigan in 2013
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| Born |
Allison Lee Hannigan
March 24, 1974 Washington, D.C., U.S.
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| Other names | Alyson Denisof |
| Education | California State University, Northridge (BA) |
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| Years active | 1986–present |
| Spouse(s) |
Alexis Denisof
(m. 2003) |
| Children | 2 |
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Alyson Hannigan (born Allison Lee Hannigan on March 24, 1974) is a well-known American actress and TV host. She started her acting journey in movies and later became famous for her roles in popular TV shows. Alyson has won several awards for her acting.
She is best known for playing Willow Rosenberg in the fantasy series Buffy the Vampire Slayer. She also starred as Lily Aldrin in the comedy show How I Met Your Mother. Many people also know her from the American Pie movies, where she played Michelle Flaherty.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Growing Up and Starting Out
Alyson Hannigan was born in Washington, D.C. on March 24, 1974. She is the only child of Emilie Haas and Alan Hannigan. Her father has Irish roots, and her mother is Jewish.
Alyson started appearing in commercials when she was just four years old. She spent her early childhood in Atlanta, Georgia. When she was 11, she moved to Hollywood to pursue acting.
High School and College Years
While living with her mother, Alyson attended North Hollywood High School. She continued to audition for roles. After high school, she went to California State University, Northridge. There, she studied psychology and was part of the Alpha Chi Omega sorority.
Acting Career Highlights
Early Roles and Breakthrough
Alyson's first big movie role was in the science-fiction comedy My Stepmother Is an Alien in 1988. She acted alongside Seth Green in this film. Seth Green later became her co-star in Buffy the Vampire Slayer. In 1989, she got her first regular TV role in the sitcom Free Spirit.
In 1997, Alyson was cast as Willow Rosenberg in Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Willow was the best friend of the main character, Buffy Summers. The show became very popular, and Alyson gained a lot of recognition.
She also appeared in movies for teenagers. These included Boys and Girls in 2000. A very important role for her was Michelle Flaherty in the comedy movie American Pie (1999). She returned for the sequels American Pie 2 (2001) and American Wedding (2003). The American Pie movies were a huge success. They earned almost a billion dollars worldwide.
Alyson also appeared as Willow in the Buffy spin-off show, Angel. In 2004, she performed in a play called When Harry Met Sally... in London.
Starring in How I Met Your Mother
In 2005, Alyson took on a main role in the CBS sitcom How I Met Your Mother. She played Lily Aldrin, a kindergarten teacher. The show was about a group of friends in New York City. Lily's character married Marshall Eriksen, played by Jason Segel.
How I Met Your Mother was very popular for its humor and unique storytelling. It ran for nine seasons. The final episode aired on March 31, 2014. Alyson won a People's Choice Award for Favorite TV Comedy Actress in 2010 for her role.
In 2006, she starred in the movie Date Movie, which made fun of romantic comedies. She also returned as Michelle in the movie American Reunion in 2012. This film showed the friends attending their high school reunion. It was also a box office success.
Hosting and Recent Work
From 2016 to 2023, Alyson hosted the TV show Penn & Teller: Fool Us. On this show, magicians try to trick the famous magic duo Penn & Teller.
She also voiced Claire Clancy in the animated series Fancy Nancy from 2018 to 2022. In 2019, she played Ann Possible in the Disney Channel movie Kim Possible.
In September 2023, Alyson was a contestant on Dancing with the Stars. She danced with professional partner Sasha Farber. They made it to the finals and finished in fifth place.
Personal Life
Alyson Hannigan married her co-star from Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel, Alexis Denisof. They got married on October 11, 2003. The couple lives in Encino, Los Angeles, with their two daughters.
Awards and Recognition
Alyson Hannigan has received many awards and nominations throughout her career.
- In 2000, she won a Young Hollywood Award for Best Ensemble Cast for American Pie.
- She won the Saturn Award for Best Supporting Actress on Television in 2002 for her role in Buffy the Vampire Slayer.
- In 2002, she also won a Teen Choice Award for Choice TV Sidekick for Buffy.
- For How I Met Your Mother, she won the People's Choice Award for Favorite TV Comedy Actress in 2009.
See also
In Spanish: Alyson Hannigan para niños
