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Erika Christensen
Erika Christensen at PaleyFest 2013.jpg
Christensen in March 2013
Born
Erika Jane Christensen

(1982-08-19) August 19, 1982 (age 42)
Occupation Actress
Years active 1997–present
Spouse(s)
Cole Maness
(m. 2015)
Children 2

Erika Jane Christensen (born August 19, 1982) is an American actress. She has starred in many movies and TV shows. Some of her well-known films include Traffic (2000), Swimfan (2002), and Flightplan (2005).

For her acting in Traffic, she won the MTV Movie Award for Breakthrough Female Performance. She also won a Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture with her co-stars for the same film.

On television, Erika was a main star in the family drama series Parenthood from 2010 to 2015. She played Julia Braverman-Graham. In 2014, she won a Gracie Award for this role. Since 2023, she has been playing Angie Polaski in the ABC show Will Trent.

Early Life and Start in Acting

Erika Christensen was born in Seattle, Washington. Her mom, Kathy, worked in construction, and her dad, Steven, worked in insurance. She has an older half-brother named Nick and two younger twin brothers, Dane and Brando.

When Erika was four, her family moved to Los Angeles, California. She started acting in TV commercials for companies like McDonald's and Volvo. Her parents raised her as a member of the Church of Scientology. They also decided to home school her.

Acting Career Highlights

Early Roles (1997–2006)

Erika began her acting career in 1997. She had a small role in the movie Leave It to Beaver. She also appeared in TV shows like Frasier and Touched by an Angel. In 1999, she starred in the Disney Channel movie Can of Worms. That same year, she was in Michael Jackson's music video for his song "Childhood".

Her big break came in 2000 with the crime drama film Traffic. Her performance earned her several awards. These included the Breakthrough Female Performance award at the MTV Movie Awards. People magazine even named her one of their "Breakthrough Stars of 2001".

In 2002, Erika starred in three movies: the teen thriller Swimfan, Home Room, and the comedy The Banger Sisters. She also appeared in an episode of That '70s Show. In 2003, she starred in an MTV TV movie called Wuthering Heights. She even sang some songs for the movie's soundtrack.

More films followed, including The Perfect Score (2004) and Flightplan (2005), where she acted alongside Jodie Foster. In 2006, she was in the TV series Six Degrees on ABC.

Parenthood and Beyond (2007–2015)

Erika continued to act in films like How to Rob a Bank (2007). She also made guest appearances on popular TV shows. These included Law & Order: Special Victims Unit and Lie to Me.

Erika Christensen 2013
Christensen at the 2013 PaleyFest for Parenthood

A major role for Erika was in the NBC drama series Parenthood. The show started in 2010 and ended in 2015. She played Julia Braverman-Graham, the youngest daughter in the Braverman family. Her acting in Parenthood earned her a Gracie Award in 2014.

During this time, she also starred in the musical film How Sweet It Is (2013). In 2014, she led the cast of the Hallmark Channel TV movie My Boyfriends' Dogs. In 2015, she played Betty Beaumontaine in the ABC crime drama Wicked City.

Recent Work (2016–Present)

In 2016, Erika starred in another Hallmark Channel movie, Anything for Love. She also appeared in the HBO film Confirmation.

In 2017, she co-starred in the movie The Case for Christ. She played Leslie Strobel, the wife of the main character. That same year, she began starring as Ali Petrovich in the ABC drama series Ten Days in the Valley. More recently, she appeared in the film Kimi (2022) and Cheaper by the Dozen (2022).

Since 2023, Erika has been a main cast member in the ABC series Will Trent. She plays the character Angie Polaski.

Personal Life

In November 2014, Erika Christensen got engaged to cyclist Cole Maness. They were married on September 5, 2015, in Palm Springs, California. They live in Los Feliz, Los Angeles. The couple has two daughters.

Honors

On May 17, 2023, Erika Christensen received the Mark of Excellence award. This award was given at the Annual Medinova NY Dinner Gala. This event helps raise money for hospitals in areas of Haiti that need support.

Filmography

Film

Year Title Role Notes
1997 Leave It to Beaver Karen L. Connelly
2000 Traffic Caroline Wakefield
2002 Home Room Deanna Cartwright
2002 Swimfan Madison Bell
2002 The Banger Sisters Hannah Kingsley
2004 The Perfect Score Anna Ross
2004 Riding the Bullet Jessica Hadley
2005 The Upside of Anger Andy Wolfmeyer
2005 The Sisters Irene Prior
2005 Flightplan Fiona
2007 Gardener of Eden Mona Huxley
2007

How to Rob a Bank

Jessica
2008 Struck Bus Stop Girl Short film
2009 Mercy Robin
2009 Veronika Decides to Die Claire
2010 Melon Catherine Video short
2010 The Tortured Elise Landry
2013 How Sweet It Is Sarah Cosmo
2016 All at Once Tiffany Fontinella Working title: Two for One
2017 The Case for Christ Leslie Strobel
2020 Clover Gertie
2022 Kimi Samantha Gerrity
2022 Cheaper by the Dozen Kate

Television

Year Title Role Notes
1997 Nothing Sacred Romy Carrol Episode: "House of Rage"
1998 The Practice Melissa Episode: "The Pursuit of Dignity"
1998 Frasier Teenager Episode: "Frasier's Curse"
1998 3rd Rock from the Sun Brianna Episode: "Collect Call for Dick"
1999 Can of Worms Katelyn Sandman TV movie
1999 Thanks Abigail Winthrop Main cast
1999 Touched by an Angel Ivy Episode: "Voice of an Angel"
2000 Time of Your Life Flynn Halloway Episode: "The Time She Turned 21"
2000 Movie Stars Tawny Episode: "La Vida Loca"
2000 The Pretender Leigh Wright Episode: "Corn Man"
2000 FreakyLinks Cassie Episode: "Subject: Coelacanth This!"
2001 The Geena Davis Show Isabel 3 episodes
2001 That '70s Show Stacey Episode: "Red and Stacey"
2003 Wuthering Heights Cate Earnshaw TV movie
2005–2009 Robot Chicken Various characters 3 episodes
2006–2007 Six Degrees Mae Anderson Main cast
2007 I'm In Hell Jennifer TV movie
2008 Law & Order: Special Victims Unit SA Lauren Cooper Episode: "Signature"
2009 Lie to Me Sophie Howell Episode: "The Core of It"
2009 Mercy Dana Harper McPhearson Episode: "Destiny, Meet My Daughter, Veronica"
2010–2015 Parenthood Julia Braverman-Graham Main cast
2014 My Boyfriends' Dogs Bailey Daley TV movie
2015 Wicked City Betty Beaumontaine Main cast
2016 Anything for Love Katherine Benson TV movie
2016 Confirmation Shirley Weigand TV movie
2016 The Follower Chelsea Angel TV movie
2017 Ten Days in the Valley Ali Petrovich Main cast
2018 Adopted Rebekah Episode: "Julie's New Husband"
2019 To Have and to Hold Alice TV movie
2023–present Will Trent Angie Polaski Main cast

Music Videos

Year Title Role Artist Director
1995 "Childhood" Girl Michael Jackson Nicholas Brandt
2004 "Everything" (original/The Perfect Score version) N/A Fefe Dobson Chris Robinson
2010 "Tired of Being Sorry" Bridesmaid Ringside Joaquin Phoenix
2015 "Love" Woman Diz and the Fam Dash Mihok
2016 "All Is Forgiven" Woman Alekesam Toby Louie
2016 "Where's the Love?" Herself Black Eyed Peas featuring The World Michael Jurkovac
2019 "Whenever You're Around" Woman Bootstraps Sam Jaeger

Awards and Nominations

Year Award Category Work Result
1998 YoungStar Awards Best Performance by a Young Actress in a Drama Series Nothing Sacred Nominated
2001 Young Hollywood Awards Standout Performance – Female Traffic Won
2001 Teen Choice Awards Film – Choice Breakout Performance Traffic Nominated
2001 Screen Actors Guild Awards Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture Traffic Won
2001 Online Film & Television Association Awards Best Youth Performance Traffic Nominated
2001 MTV Movie Awards Breakthrough Female Performance Traffic Won
2014 Gracie Awards Outstanding Female Actor in a Supporting Role in a Drama Series Parenthood Won

See also

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