Laura Prepon facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Laura Prepon
Prepon in 2014
Born	(1980-03-07) March 7, 1980 (age 45) Watchung, New Jersey, U.S.
Occupation	Actress director
Years active	1997–present
Spouse(s)	Ben Foster ​ ​ (m. 2018; sep. 2024)​
Children	2
Relatives	Jon Foster (brother-in-law)

Laura Prepon (born March 7, 1980) is an American actress and television director. She became famous for her role as Donna Pinciotti in the TV show That '70s Show (1998–2006). She is also well-known for playing Alex Vause in the Netflix series Orange Is the New Black (2013–2019).

Prepon first appeared in a movie in 2001. This was the independent drama Southlander. She has also been in other films like Come Early Morning (2006), Lay the Favorite (2012), The Girl on the Train (2016), and The Hero (2017).

Growing Up: Laura Prepon's Early Life

Laura Prepon was born in Watchung, New Jersey. She is the youngest of five children. Her mother, Marjorie, was a high school teacher and a great cook. Her father, Michael Prepon, was a surgeon. Laura's father passed away in 1993 when she was 13 years old.

She went to Watchung Hills Regional High School. Later, she studied acting at the Total Theatre Lab in New York City. Her father had a Jewish background from Russia. Her mother's family came from Ireland.

Laura Prepon's Acting Career

Starting Out: 1995–2005

Laura Prepon performed in plays in New York, like A Woman of Property. In 1996, she learned acting from Caroline Thomas. In 1997, she appeared in an online show called They Go On. Before acting, Prepon also worked as a model. She did photo shoots in cities like Paris and Milan.

Prepon became a big star playing Donna Pinciotti on the TV show That '70s Show. This show ran from 1998 to 2006. Donna was the girlfriend and next-door neighbor of Eric Forman. Later, Randy Pearson became Donna's boyfriend in the final season. While working on the show, Prepon also went to film school.

In 2002, Prepon was in the comedy movie Slackers. She was nominated for a Teen Choice Award in 2002 for her role in That '70s Show. Her first movie role was in 2001 in Southlander. She played a character named Seven=Five.

Prepon also did a voice role in the video game Halo 2 in 2004. Her first important movie role was in the drama Lightning Bug in 2004. She also helped produce this film. In 2003, she appeared on an episode of MTV's Cribs.

More Roles: 2005–2010

Prepon in 2008

In 2006, Prepon was in the thriller movie Karla. She also helped produce E! Hollywood Hold'em that same year. Prepon played Hannah Daniels in the TV drama October Road. This show started in 2007 but was canceled in 2008.

In 2007, she starred in a short film called Once Upon a Time. She also appeared in the romantic comedy Romancing the Bride in 2005. Prepon was the first voice for Hayley Smith in the cartoon show American Dad!. She also appeared in the show In Plain Sight.

In 2009, Prepon was a guest star in the TV show How I Met Your Mother. She played Karen, one of Ted Mosby's girlfriends. She appeared in three episodes of the show. She also had a role in the medical drama House M.D..

Prepon also took directing classes. She directed a short film called Abide with Me. She hopes to make it into a full movie someday.

Directing and New Shows: 2011–Present

In 2011, Prepon was a guest star in an episode of the TV show Castle. She played an actress preparing for a role. Prepon also worked on a web series called Neighbros. She directed and edited this series.

In 2011, she was cast as Chelsea Newman in the TV show Are You There, Chelsea?. The show started in 2012 but was canceled later that year. She also guest-starred in the show Men at Work.

In 2012, Prepon joined the cast of the Netflix series Orange Is the New Black. She played Alex Vause, the girlfriend of Piper Chapman. The show became very popular. Prepon was a main character in the first season. She returned as a regular character in the third season.

In 2016, Prepon and a nutritionist wrote a book called The Stash Plan. This book shares her ideas about healthy eating. The book became a New York Times Best Seller. Since then, Prepon has started a line of kitchen products called PrepOn Kitchen. She also posts cooking videos online.

In 2016, Prepon was in the movie The Girl on the Train. In 2017, she played Charlotte in the movie The Hero. Prepon also directed an episode of Orange Is the New Black in its fifth season. In 2022, it was announced that Prepon would appear in That '90s Show, a follow-up to That '70s Show. This new show started in 2023 on Netflix.

Laura Prepon's Personal Life

Laura Prepon was in a relationship with Christopher Masterson from 1999 to 2007. She later dated Scott Michael Foster for several years.

In 2017, Prepon and actor Ben Foster had a daughter. They got married in June 2018. Their second child, a son, was born in 2020. Ben Foster filed for divorce from Prepon in November 2024. Prepon has shared that she no longer practices Scientology since 2016.

Filmography

Film

Television

Awards and Nominations

See also

In Spanish: Laura Prepon para niños