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Minka Kelly
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| Minka Kelly | |
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 Kelly at the 2007 NBC Upfronts, May 14, 2007 |
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| Born | June 24, 1980 Los Angeles, California |
| Occupation | Actress |
| Years active | 2003–present |
Minka Dumont Kelly (born June 24, 1980) is an American actress. She stars in the NBC series Friday Night Lights as Lyla Garrity.
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Early life
Kelly was born in Los Angeles, California.1 She is the only child of former Aerosmith guitarist Rick Dufay2 and the late Maureen Kelly, a former Vegas showgirl. According to Kelly, her childhood was "pretty rough", but her best friend, Melrose Place star Mickey Tarrington helped her through. She resented Dufay, as he had abandoned her and her mother. However, at seventeen, she decided to try and reconcile by inviting him out to New Mexico.3 She is of Irish and French descent.4
Career
After graduating from high school, Kelly returned to Los Angeles with her father to pursue acting as a hobby while she went to school to become a surgical technician. However, after her first acting class she got "hooked" and began pursuing acting as a career.3 Success came slowly, and she began her career with small roles in various movies and shows, including the film State's Evidence, and a recurring-guest role on the TV program What I Like About You.2
In the spring she was cast as Lyla Garrity on the show Friday Night Lights. In preparation for the role, she trained with the Pflugerville High School cheerleading squad.1 Kelly has received praise for her acting on Friday Night Lights, with the New York Times calling her performance "heartbreaking".5
She shot a cameo for The Kingdom, alongside Jamie Foxx. Peter Berg, the creator and pilot director of Friday Night Lights, directed the film.6 Kelly is the lead actor on the CW's new pilot Body Politic.
Minka joined forces with Sergio Alaverz, Jaime King, Emily Deschanel, and Katharine McPhee in a video slumber party featured on FunnyorDie.com to promote regular breast cancer screenings for the organization Stand Up 2 Cancer.7
Personal life
Kelly dated Dylan Brazil in 2005,8 and had a relationship with actor Chris Evans, as well. She dated musician John Mayer from September 2007 to January 2008. Reported in 2009 to be possibly engaged to New York Yankees shortstop Derek Jeter. 9 This was reported false by Jeter on The Late Show with David Letterman on November 5, 2009.
Filmography
Film
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2004 | Turbo-Charged Prelude for 2 Fast 2 Furious | uncredited | |
| 2005 | Devil's Highway | River | |
| 2006 | The Pumpkin Karver | Tammy | |
| State's Evidence | - | ||
| 2007 | The Kingdom | Ms. Ross | |
| 2009 | 500 Days of Summer | Autumn | |
| 2010 | The Roommate | Sara | post-production |
Television
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2004 | Cracking Up | Monica | one episode |
| Drake & Josh | Stacey | one episode | |
| 2005 | American Dreams | Bonnie | one episode |
| What I Like About You | Ricki | three episodes | |
| 2006-present | Friday Night Lights | Lyla Garrity | major role |
| 2009-present | Body Politic | Frankie | CW pilot |
References
- ^ a b No byline (2007). "Minka Kelly" AskMen.com. Retrieved October 2, 2007
- ^ a b Sturtz, Rachel (November 2006), "FUNNY JOKE FROM A BEAUTIFUL WOMAN". Esquire. 146 (5):41
- ^ a b Dalton, Kyle (October 2006), "Getting a Second Chance". Capital City Sports Report (18):12-14
- ^ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=whgz4uwU4v0
- ^ No byline (2006). "Full Biography" NYTimes.com. Retrieved October 2, 2007
- ^ Hefferan, Virginia (December 29, 2006), "You Can Find 'Friday Night Light' on Monday, Tuesday … Even Friday Night". New York Times. 156 (53808):E37
- ^ Kate Stanhope (1 October 2009). "Deschanel, Hannigan and Others Cop a Feel for a Cause". TVGuide.com. http://www.tvguide.com/News/Deschanel-Hannigan-Cop-1010367.aspx. Retrieved 2009-10-01.
- ^ Savvy staff writers (2006). "Minka Kelly" Savvy.com. Retrieved October 2, 2007
- ^ http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/blogs/sfgate/detail?blogid=7&entry_id=46370