Laura Leighton facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Laura Leighton
Leighton at the 2019 German Comic Con Dortmund
Born	Laura Diane Miller (1968-07-24) July 24, 1968 (age 57) Iowa City, Iowa, U.S.
Occupation	Actress
Years active	1993–present
Spouse(s)	Doug Savant ​ (m. 1998)​
Children	2

Laura Leighton (born Laura Diane Miller on July 24, 1968) is an American actress. She is best known for playing Sydney Andrews on the TV show Melrose Place and Ashley Marin on the popular series Pretty Little Liars.

Early Life and Education

Leighton was born in Iowa City, Iowa. She graduated from West High School in 1986. In high school, she was a cheerleader and a talented singer in the school's show choir.

After high school, she joined a performance group called The Young Americans. In 1988, she started using her mother's maiden name, Leighton, as her professional name.

Acting Career

Breakthrough with Melrose Place

Laura Leighton on the set of the movie In the Name of Love: A Texas Tragedy.

In the early 1990s, Laura Leighton started her career by appearing in commercials. Her big break came when she was cast as Sydney Andrews in the popular TV drama Melrose Place.

Her character was only supposed to be in two episodes. However, she became so popular with viewers that she became a main character from 1993 to 1997. For her work on the show, she was nominated for a Golden Globe Award. During this time, she was featured on the covers of many magazines, including Entertainment Weekly and Rolling Stone.

While on break from Melrose Place, Leighton starred in TV movies. She also hosted an episode of the comedy show Saturday Night Live in 1995.

After leaving Melrose Place, she joined the cast of Beverly Hills, 90210 for six episodes. She played an aspiring actress named Sophie Burns.

Pretty Little Liars and Other Roles

In the 2000s, Leighton appeared as a guest star on shows like Cupid and The Outer Limits. She also took a break from acting to start her family.

She returned to television with roles in shows like Boston Legal, CSI: Miami, and Law & Order: Special Victims Unit.

In 2009, Leighton returned to her famous role as Sydney Andrews in a new version of Melrose Place. The show explained that her character had not actually died in the original series.

From 2010 to 2017, Leighton played one of her most famous roles, Ashley Marin, on the hit series Pretty Little Liars. She played the mother of one of the main characters, Hanna Marin. She was part of the show for all seven seasons.

Recent Work

After Pretty Little Liars ended, Leighton continued to act in television. In 2018, she guest-starred on the medical drama Code Black. She also appeared in the TV movie Christmas on Honeysuckle Lane.

More recently, she has had roles in shows like L.A.'s Finest, Dynasty, and Fantasy Island.

Personal Life

In 1998, Leighton married Doug Savant, who was also her co-star on Melrose Place. They have two children together, a son named Jack and a daughter named Lucy.

Filmography

Film

Television

Awards and Nominations