Anna Faris Biography Quotes 18 Report mistakes
| 18 Quotes | |
| Occup. | Actress |
| From | USA |
| Born | November 29, 1976 |
| Age | 49 years |
Anna Kay Faris was born on November 29, 1976, in Baltimore, Maryland, before her family settled in Edmonds, Washington. Her parents, Karen (a special education teacher) and Jack Faris (a sociology professor), encouraged creative expression from an early age. Alongside her older brother, Robert, she grew up near Seattle in a household that valued books, curiosity, and performance. As a child she appeared in local theater productions and radio plays around the Seattle area, discovering a comfort onstage and a knack for comedic timing that would later define her screen persona. After graduating from Edmonds-Woodway High School, she attended the University of Washington, earning a degree in English. The academic grounding in literature complemented her interest in character and narrative, and after college she headed toward professional acting opportunities.
Early Screen Work
Faris's first feature film appearance came in the independent horror film Lovers Lane (1999), shot in Washington state. The low-budget project gave her a taste of film acting and, more importantly, led to representation and auditions in Los Angeles. Casting directors quickly took note of her expressive reactions and fearlessness with offbeat humor, qualities that would become central to her breakout.
Breakthrough with Scary Movie
Her career accelerated with Scary Movie (2000), in which she played Cindy Campbell under director Keenen Ivory Wayans. A parody of contemporary horror franchises, the film relied on Faris's ability to anchor outrageous situations with sincerity and precision, and it became a major box-office hit. She reprised Cindy in Scary Movie 2 (2001), and under director David Zucker in Scary Movie 3 (2003) and Scary Movie 4 (2006). Working alongside collaborators such as Regina Hall, Shawn Wayans, and Marlon Wayans, she developed a screen identity that mixed wholesome charm with sharp, self-aware comedy. The series established her as one of the defining comedic leads of the early 2000s.
Beyond Parody: Film Career
To avoid being typecast, Faris pursued a variety of roles. She appeared in The Hot Chick (2002) and earned attention for a satirical turn in Sofia Coppola's Lost in Translation (2003), sharing scenes with Bill Murray and Scarlett Johansson. Comedies such as Just Friends (2005) with Ryan Reynolds showcased her gift for playing lovable chaos without losing emotional grounding. She took a risk on Gregg Araki's stoner farce Smiley Face (2007), a cult favorite that highlights her physical comedy. With The House Bunny (2008), Faris stepped forward not only as star but also as a key creative force, helping to develop and produce a story that paired broad humor with empathy; the film introduced audiences to future stars including Emma Stone. Subsequent projects included Observe and Report (2009), the family adventure Yogi Bear (2010), the romantic comedy What's Your Number? (2011) opposite Chris Evans, and The Dictator (2012) with Sacha Baron Cohen. She later headlined the remake Overboard (2018) with Eugenio Derbez, underscoring her staying power as a comedic lead.
Television Success
While she had memorable guest appearances on television, including a fan-favorite role on Friends in 2004 as Erica, the birth mother who entrusts twins to Chandler and Monica, Faris's most sustained small-screen success came with the CBS sitcom Mom. Created by Chuck Lorre and premiering in 2013, the series centered on the turbulent, often hilarious recovery journey of a mother-daughter duo. As Christy Plunkett, Faris balanced slapstick agility with vulnerability opposite Allison Janney, whose performance earned multiple awards. The ensemble's chemistry and the show's compassionate approach to addiction and second chances earned critical and audience loyalty. Faris departed the series in 2020, having anchored it for seven seasons.
Voice Work and Family Films
Faris has been a frequent presence in animated and family features, bringing an energetic warmth to voice roles. She voiced intrepid weather reporter Sam Sparks in Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs (2009) and its 2013 sequel, a pairing that became one of her most beloved credits among family audiences. She also voiced Jeanette, one of the Chipettes, in Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel (2009) and Alvin and the Chipmunks: Chipwrecked (2011). These projects expanded her reach beyond live-action comedy and demonstrated her versatility with vocal performance.
Podcasting and Writing
Demonstrating an instinct for connection beyond the screen, Faris launched the podcast Anna Faris Is Unqualified in 2015. Framed as an advice and interview show, it blends empathetic conversations with playful, improvisational bits, welcoming friends and colleagues from across film and television. The project resonated with listeners for its candid tone and humor. In 2017, she published the memoir Unqualified, reflecting on her upbringing, the craft of comedy, and lessons learned from relationships and work. Together, the podcast and book affirmed her voice as a storyteller in her own right.
Personal Life
Relationships and family have been an integral part of Faris's public journey. She married actor Ben Indra in 2004; the couple later divorced in 2008. She then married actor Chris Pratt in 2009 after meeting while working on a film; they welcomed a son, Jack, in 2012. Faris and Pratt announced their separation in 2017 and finalized their divorce in 2018, remaining committed co-parents. In 2021, she married cinematographer Michael Barrett. Throughout, she has often credited her parents, Karen and Jack, and the supportive community she found in the Pacific Northwest and later in Los Angeles, for helping her navigate the pressures of a high-profile career.
Craft, Image, and Legacy
Anna Faris's comedic identity rests on a rare balance: she delivers big, physical set pieces while preserving a grounded, emotionally readable core. Colleagues like Keenen Ivory Wayans, David Zucker, Sofia Coppola, and Chuck Lorre helped shape an arc that moves from parody to character-driven comedy to ensemble television. Her collaborations with performers such as Allison Janney, Ryan Reynolds, Emma Stone, and Sacha Baron Cohen reflect a willingness to play the fool, subvert vanity, and prioritize story over ego. By bridging early-2000s studio comedies, acclaimed indie experiments, and network television, she built a body of work that underscores how intelligent, self-aware humor can be both crowd-pleasing and character-rich. Offscreen, her voice as a podcaster and author extends that sensibility, inviting audiences into conversations that are curious, generous, and unpretentious.
Our collection contains 18 quotes who is written by Anna, under the main topics: Love - Funny - Life - Equality - Movie.
Other people realated to Anna: Alanna Ubach (Actress), Topher Grace (Actor)