Laura Harring

Birthday: 3 March 1964, Los Mochis, Sinaloa, Mexico

Birth Name: Laura Elena Martínez Herring

Height: 168 cm

Ever since astounding audiences and critics with her breakthrough performance in David Lynch's award-winning Mulholland Dr. (2001) for which she received an Alma Award, Laura Harring has been one ...Show More

Ever since astounding audiences and critics with her breakthrough performance in David Lynch's award-winning Mulholland Dr. (2001) for which she received an Alma Award, Laura Harring has been one of Hollywood's most versatile stars. The International Herald Tribune compared Laura to Ava Gardner, and film critic Roger Ebert likened her to Rita Hayworth, while The Cannes Film Festival's "Nice Matin" compared Laura's appearance to the sensation Marilyn Monroe caused when she first arrived. Laura went on to work opposite John Travolta in The Punisher (2004), William Hurt in The King (2005), and Emma Roberts in Nancy Drew (2007)."Laurita" as her family called her, got her first taste as an actor at the age of five, after playing an angel in the Christmas play, "The Nativity Story". Her pursuit of excellence was inspired by her grandfather Isauro Martinez Cairo, a world class athlete who, in 1954, became the National Champion in Fencing and Equestrian for Mexico. During her teen years, Laura studied abroad at the prestigious boarding school, Aiglon College, in Switzerland, one of the top schools in the world, where she graduated with an Academic Diploma. It was here that Laura met the brother of her future husband of two years, Count Carl Eduard von Bismarck, making her Contessa von Bismarck. After graduating from boarding school, she traveled the world and spent time as a social worker in India, performing manual labor and working to fix the soil erosion problem that hit the foothills of the Himalayas.Upon returning, Laura became the first Latina to win the Miss USA title, and, after being cast opposite Raul Julia in The Alamo: Thirteen Days to Glory (1987), her acting passion was re-sparked and Laura went on to become classically-trained at the famous London Academy of Performing Arts in which she relished playing Shakespeare.Laura played opposite Denzel Washington in John Q (2002), as well as Javier Bardem in New Line's Love in the Time of Cholera (2007), which was written by Nobel Prize winner Gabriel García Márquez and directed by Mike Newell. She gained 30 lbs. for her comedic role of "Sara Noriega". Other credits include The Caller (2008), which won the 2008 Tribeca Film Festival's "Made In New York Best Narrative Feature Film Award" and then the 2009 Grand Jury Award, at Outfest, for Outstanding Actress in the feature film Drool (2009), a dark comedy for which she also won Special Mention Female at the Gasparilla International Film Festival, among others. At her first Oscar appearance, Laura wore the million dollar shoes designed by Stuart Weitzman, making her the most photographed woman at then 2002 Oscars.Her more recent television work includes the critically-acclaimed The Shield (2002), Gossip Girl (2007) and Chasing Life (2014). Her European upbringing and travels made it easy for her to find a niche playing strong, upscale, matriarchal women.Her early social work instilled a strong sense of philanthropy and Laura has worked as a Goodwill Ambassador for the "David Lynch Foundation", supported "Children Uniting Nations", traveled to Africa with "Stop Hunger Now" and visited more than 100 nursing homes and hospitals in personal appearances.Her passions include dancing Tango, Salsa, Merengue, ballroom, and performing Commedia Dell' Arte in both Italian and French styles. Hide