Alyson Hannigan facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Alyson Hannigan
Alyson Hannigan in 2013
Born	Allison Lee Hannigan (1974-03-24) March 24, 1974 (age 51) Washington, D.C., U.S.
Other names	Alyson Denisof
Education	California State University, Northridge (BA)
Occupation	Actress television presenter
Years active	1986–present
Spouse(s)	Alexis Denisof ​ (m. 2003)​
Children	2
Signature

Alyson Hannigan (born March 24, 1974) is an American actress and TV host. She started her acting journey in movies like Impure Thoughts (1986) and My Stepmother Is an Alien (1988). For the second movie, she was even nominated for a Young Artist Award. Later, she became famous for playing Michelle Flaherty in the American Pie movies from 1999 to 2012. She also starred in the comedy Date Movie (2006) and the superhero film Flora & Ulysses (2021).

On TV, Alyson first appeared in the show Free Spirit (1989–1990). Her big break came when she played the teenage witch Willow Rosenberg in the popular supernatural series Buffy the Vampire Slayer (1997–2003). Her role as Willow was highly praised. From 2005 to 2014, she starred as Lily Aldrin in the sitcom How I Met Your Mother, which was a huge success. More recently, she hosted the magic show Penn & Teller: Fool Us (2016–2023) and voiced Claire Clancy in the animated series Fancy Nancy (2018–2022).

Early Life

Alyson Hannigan was born on March 24, 1974, in Washington, D.C.. Her mother was a real-estate agent and her father was a truck driver. Alyson started appearing in TV commercials when she was just four years old.

She spent her early childhood in Atlanta, Georgia. When she was 11, she moved to Hollywood, Los Angeles. She went to North Hollywood High School. After high school, she studied psychology at California State University, Northridge.

Acting Career

Early Roles

Alyson's first big movie role was in My Stepmother Is an Alien in 1988. She acted alongside Seth Green in this film. Seth Green later became her on-screen boyfriend in Buffy the Vampire Slayer. In 1989, she got her first regular TV role in the sitcom Free Spirit.

Becoming Willow and Michelle

In 1997, Alyson was cast as Willow Rosenberg in the TV series Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Willow was the best friend of the main character, Buffy Summers. The show became very popular, and Alyson became well-known.

She also played 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 big hit and became a part of pop culture. Alyson also appeared as Willow in the Buffy spin-off show, Angel.

Alyson Hannigan at a celebration for the 100th episode of How I Met Your Mother in 2010.

Starring in How I Met Your Mother

In 2005, Alyson started 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. Alyson won a People's Choice Award for Favorite TV Comedy Actress in 2010. The show ran for nine seasons and ended in 2014. In 2006, she also starred in the movie Date Movie, which made fun of romantic comedies. She returned as Michelle in American Reunion (2012), another successful American Pie film.

Hosting and Voice Acting

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 Disney Junior animated series Fancy Nancy (2018–2022). In 2019, she played Ann Possible in the Disney Channel movie Kim Possible.

In September 2023, Alyson joined Dancing with the Stars as a contestant. She danced with partner Sasha Farber and made it to the finals, finishing 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.

Film and TV Roles

Television

Stage

Awards and Recognition

See also

In Spanish: Alyson Hannigan para niños