Heather Graham

Graham was born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, the daughter of Joan, a teacher and noted author of children's books, and James Graham, a retired FBI agent. Graham has a younger sister, Aimee, who is also an actress and writer. The family, who are of Irish descent, followed a strict traditional Catholic upbringing; Graham graduated from the Agoura High School in California in 1989. In 1986, she appeared on a special "Teen Week" episode of the NBC-TV game show Scrabble.

After high school, Graham enrolled in extension classes of the University of California at Los Angeles, and she also met the actor James Woods. They became romantically involved at about the time she was cast in the movie Diggstown, which starred Woods. Two years later, Graham stopped taking classes at UCLA to pursue acting full time, over her parents' objections. She then moved to Hollywood, where she worked different jobs while continuing to establish herself as an actress.

As a supporting actress, Graham was cast in a number of parts that brought her attention, including Nadine in the 1989 film Drugstore Cowboy. In 1991, she appeared in the TV series Twin Peaks as Annie Blackburn. However, her breakthrough role was that of 1970s porn starlet Roller Girl in 1997's Boogie Nights. Her first starring role was in 1999 as Felicity Shagwell in Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me. She also appeared in the music video for Lenny Kravitz's cover of "American Woman" by The Guess Who.

Although Graham has taken roles in mainstream films, she has also been cast in a number of independent films. Some of those films, like 2002's The Guru, have brought her critical praise. She also starred opposite Joseph Fiennes in the less successful Killing Me Softly. In 2001, Graham was named by People as one of the "50 Most Beautiful People in the World".

Graham also played herself on one episode of the TV series Sex and the City. In 2005, Graham became the spokeswoman and TV model for the Garnier brand of hair care products. Graham voiced the character of Antonia Bayle in the online role playing game EverQuest 2.

Graham has been in relationships with Chris Doyle, Adam Ant, and actors James Woods, Kyle MacLachlan, Elias Koteas, Heath Ledger, Elijah Blue, and Edward Burns. Although she had her ears pierced in her teens, she has recently let them heal up again and can no longer wear pierced earrings.