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 (ex-brother-in-law)

Laura Prepon (born March 7, 1980) is an American actress and director. She is famous for playing Donna Pinciotti in the popular sitcom That '70s Show from 1998 to 2006.

Many people also know her as Alex Vause in the Netflix series Orange Is the New Black (2013–2019). Prepon has also acted in movies like Come Early Morning (2006), The Girl on the Train (2016), and The Hero (2017).

Early Life and Education

Laura Prepon was born in Watchung, New Jersey, and was the youngest of five children. Her mother, Marjorie, was a high school teacher, and her father, Michael, was an orthopedic surgeon (a doctor who fixes bones).

Sadly, her father passed away in 1993 when she was 13. Prepon went to Watchung Hills Regional High School. At age 15, she moved to New York City to study acting at the Total Theatre Lab.

Acting Career

Becoming Famous with 'That '70s Show'

Before becoming a famous actress, Prepon acted in plays and worked as a model in cities like Paris and Milan. Her big break came in 1998 when she was cast as Donna Pinciotti in the sitcom That '70s Show.

The show was about a group of teenage friends in the 1970s. Her character, Donna, was the smart and funny next-door neighbor and girlfriend of Eric Forman, played by Topher Grace. Prepon starred in the show for all eight seasons. While working on the show, she also attended film school.

During this time, she also appeared in the comedy movie Slackers (2002). She even lent her voice to a character in the popular video game Halo 2 in 2004.

Television Roles and Directing

Prepon in 2008

After That '70s Show ended, Prepon continued to act in television. She starred in the drama series October Road from 2007 to 2008. She also had guest roles on many popular shows.

She appeared in the comedy How I Met Your Mother as Karen, a girlfriend of the main character, Ted Mosby. She also had roles in the mystery show In Plain Sight and the medical drama House M.D.

Prepon also became interested in directing. She took classes at the Art Center College of Design and directed a short film.

'Orange Is the New Black' and Recent Work

In 2012, Prepon was cast in the Netflix series Orange Is the New Black. The show is a comedy-drama about the lives of women in a prison. Prepon played Alex Vause, a clever and important character. The show was a huge success and ran for seven seasons.

Prepon not only acted in the series but also directed three of its episodes. This showed her growing talent as a director.

In 2016, she co-wrote a wellness book called The Stash Plan, which became a bestseller. She also appeared in the thriller movie The Girl on the Train. In 2023, she returned to her famous role as Donna in the new series That '90s Show, a sequel to That '70s Show.

Personal Life

From 1999 to 2007, Prepon was in a relationship with actor Christopher Masterson.

In June 2018, Prepon married actor Ben Foster. They have two children together, a daughter born in August 2017 and a son born in February 2020. Foster filed for divorce from Prepon in November 2024.

Prepon began studying Scientology in 1999. In a 2021 interview, she said that she was no longer practicing Scientology.

Filmography

Film

Television

Awards and Nominations

See also

In Spanish: Laura Prepon para niños