Laura Harrier facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Laura Harrier
Harrier in 2018
Born	Laura Ruth Harrier (1990-03-28) March 28, 1990 (age 35) Chicago, Illinois, U.S.
Alma mater	William Esper Studio
Occupation	Actress model
Years active	2007–present
Partner(s)	Sam Jarou (2022-present; engaged)
Relatives	J. Waskom Pickett (great-grandfather)

Laura Ruth Harrier (born March 28, 1990) is an American actress and model. She started modeling when she was 17 years old. A person who finds locations for filming discovered her. She then moved to New York City and continued modeling. She worked for big agencies like IMG Models and Wilhelmina Models.

Laura modeled for many popular magazines. She also appeared in ads for brands like Urban Outfitters and Macy's. She was even the face of Garnier products for a while. After doing some commercials and student films, Laura decided to become an actress. She studied acting at the William Esper Studio. Her first well-known role was as Destiny Evans in the TV show One Life to Live in 2013.

In 2017, Laura became famous worldwide. She played Liz Allan, Peter Parker's girlfriend, in the movie Spider-Man: Homecoming. She gained more fame for playing Patrice Dumas, a civil rights activist, in BlacKkKlansman (2018). She was even nominated for an award for this role. In 2019, she starred as an art student in the movie Balance, Not Symmetry. In 2020, she got more attention for her role as Camille Washington in the Netflix show Hollywood.

Laura Harrier is also an ambassador for Louis Vuitton. This means she represents the brand. She has also modeled for other fancy brands like Bulgari and Calvin Klein. She often speaks out about important issues. These include civil rights and equality. She uses her social media to share information and raise awareness.

Early Life and First Steps

Laura Ruth Harrier was born on March 28, 1990, in Chicago, Illinois. She grew up in Evanston, Illinois. Her father is African American. Her mother has Polish and English family. Her father works in insurance, and her mother is a speech pathologist. Laura has one younger brother named William. Her great-grandfather was J. Waskom Pickett, a famous minister and helper.

When Laura was a child, she had trouble speaking clearly until she was three. Her mother helped her overcome this. Laura was also very shy. So, her mother enrolled her in acting classes to help her gain confidence. She went to Evanston Township High School. There, she took drama classes and played sports. In high school, she loved fashion and was even voted "best dressed." She started modeling at 17. Her mother's friend, who found locations for photo shoots, discovered her.

Moving to New York and Modeling Career

After finishing high school in 2008, Laura moved to New York City. She planned to study art history at New York University. But when she arrived, she decided to put off college. She wanted to focus on her modeling career instead.

During her modeling career, she worked for top agencies. These included IMG Models, Wilhelmina Models, and Elite Model Management. Laura modeled for popular magazines like Vogue, Cosmopolitan, and Elle. She also appeared in ads for companies like Urban Outfitters, Macy's, and Target. She was the face of Garnier for a time. She even appeared in one of their national TV commercials.

Eventually, Laura felt that modeling wasn't what she truly wanted to do. She started acting after appearing in commercials and student films. She studied acting for two years at the William Esper Studio. She finished her studies in 2015.

Acting Career Highlights

Early Roles and Big Break

While studying acting, Laura got her first acting job. It was the main role of Destiny Evans in the online TV show One Life to Live (2013). This show was a new version of an older TV series.

Harrier at the 2016 San Diego Comic-Con promoting Spider-Man: Homecoming

Next, Laura appeared in one episode of the TV series Unforgettable in 2014. She also made her first movie appearance in The Last Five Years (2014). In 2015, she was in the movie 4th Man Out. She also got a role in a TV pilot (a test episode for a new show) for HBO called Codes of Conduct. This was a big step for her, but the show was never aired.

In 2016, Laura starred in a short film called The Realest Real. It was directed by Carrie Brownstein for the fashion brand Kenzo. She also modeled for brands like Calvin Klein and Louis Vuitton. She became an ambassador for Louis Vuitton and the jewelry brand Bulgari.

In 2016, she also got the role of Liz Allan in Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017). Liz Allan was Peter Parker's girlfriend in the movie. Laura had two auditions and then a screen test with Tom Holland, who played Spider-Man. Six weeks later, she got the part. Her character was based on a Marvel Comics character. Laura was allowed to make the character more modern. Spider-Man: Homecoming was Laura's first huge movie. It earned over $880 million worldwide and was very popular. This movie made Laura much more famous.

BlacKkKlansman and Hollywood

Laura co-starred as Patrice Dumas in the movie BlacKkKlansman (2018). Patrice was a civil rights activist. The movie also starred John David Washington and Adam Driver. It was shown at the Cannes Film Festival in May 2018. The director, Spike Lee, chose Laura after seeing her audition tape.

To prepare for her role, Laura met with real activists. She studied about important figures like Angela Davis. She also talked to her father about his experiences with racism. For her acting, Laura received good reviews. She was nominated for a Black Reel Award and a Screen Actors Guild Award.

In 2019, Laura played Caitlyn Walker in the movie Balance, Not Symmetry. Caitlyn was an art student dealing with her father's death. This movie was mostly made up on the spot, which Laura found interesting.

In 2020, she starred in the Netflix miniseries Hollywood. She played Camille Washington, a Black actress trying to succeed in old Hollywood. Camille faced unfair treatment during the time after World War II. Laura found inspiration for her role from actress Dorothy Dandridge. She also learned from singer Lena Horne. The show and Laura's acting received mixed reviews.

In July 2020, Laura appeared in a music video for the song "What's Love Got to Do with It" by Kygo. In 2022, Laura was in the Hulu TV show Mike. This show was about the life of boxer Mike Tyson. She also lent her voice to the Netflix animated special Entergalactic. In May 2023, she appeared in a new version of the 1992 movie White Men Can't Jump.

Personal Life

Laura Harrier has been a vegetarian since she was eight years old. After high school, she moved to New York City in 2008. In 2019, she moved to Los Angeles to help her acting career. Laura also loves art and collects art for her home.

Laura strongly supports civil rights. She speaks up for issues like intersectional feminism (equal rights for all women), transgender rights, and gun control. She also supports gender equality and better representation for Black people and people of color in movies and TV. She was part of the Time's Up movement, which helps people who have faced harassment.

Filmography

Denotes projects that have not yet been released

Film

Year	Title	Role	Notes
2014	The Last Five Years	Manuscript Woman
2015	4th Man Out	Dorothy Cuda
2016	The Realest Real	Abby	Short film
2017	Spider-Man: Homecoming	Liz Allan
2018	BlacKkKlansman	Patrice Dumas
2018	Fahrenheit 451	Mildred Montag
2019	Balance, Not Symmetry	Caitlin Walker
2021	The Starling	Sherri
2023	White Men Can't Jump	Tatiana
2025	Michael	Suzanne de Passe	Post-production

Television

Awards and Nominations

See also

In Spanish: Laura Harrier para niños