Alison Lohman

Alison Marion Lohman (born September 18, 1979) is an American former actress. Born in Palm Springs, California, she began her career with small roles in short and independent films. Lohman headlined the drama film '' White Oleander'' (2002), which earned her recognition and a Young Hollywood Award.

Lohman earned praise for her performances in the black comedy film '' Matchstick Men'' (2003), which won her the Hollywood Film Award for Best Supporting Actress, and the fantasy film '' Big Fish'' (2003). She lent her voice to the cult-animated film '' Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind'' (2005), and starred in the television sitcom '' Tucker'' (2000–2001) and the critically acclaimed soap opera '' Pasadena'' (2001–2002).

Lohman sporadically worked in acting throughout the late 2000s, notably playing roles in the action film ''Beowulf'' (2007) and the drama film ''Things We Lost in the Fire'' (2007). Her highest-grossing film came with the horror film '' Drag Me to Hell'' (2009), which earned her nominations for the Detroit Film Critics Society Award for Best Actress, the Saturn Award for Best Actress, and the MTV Movie Award for Best Scared-As-Shit Performance.

In 2009, Lohman announced her retirement from acting following her marriage to director, producer and screenwriter Mark Neveldine, with whom she has three children. She has participated in three of Neveldine's projects with cameo roles.

Early life

Lohman was born and raised in Palm Springs, California, the daughter of Diane Dunham, a patisserie owner, and Gary Lohman, a Minnesota-born architect.Alison Lohman Biography (1979–)
Film Reference She has one younger brother, Robert. She excelled in high school, and obtained A letter grades in all her school subjects except drama, because she suffered from shyness. During her senior year, Lohman was an awardee of the National Foundation for Advancement in the Arts.

Career

At age nine, Lohman played Gretl in ''The Sound of Music'' at the Palm Desert's McCallum Theater. Two years later, she won the Desert Theater League's award for Most Outstanding Actress in a Musical for the title role in '' Annie''. She went on to perform locally as a child singer, which included alongside Frank Sinatra at a benefit event in Palm Springs. She moved to Los Angeles in 1997 to pursue an acting career, beginning with minor roles in independent films and B movies. She was set to play a cancer patient in Tom Shadyac's 2002 film ''Dragonfly'', for which Lohman shaved her hair. Her scenes were later removed.

Lohman was subsequently cast in '' White Oleander'', an adaptation of Janet Fitch’s novel, which was directed by Peter Kosminsky. Due to her previous haircut, she had to wear a wig during filming. Released in 2002, ''White Oleander'' earned positive reviews, and Lohman's performance was met with widespread acclaim. It was described as her "breakthrough role" by media sources, with the ''New York Times'' describing her work as "the year's most auspicious screen acting début". She additionally earned praise for her roles in ''Matchstick Men'', released in 2003, and '' Big Fish'', also released in 2003. ''Matchstick Men'' earned Lohman's performance as an adolescent con-artist acclaim over her co-star Nicolas Cage, while ''Big Fish'' saw her playing the younger version of Jessica Lange's character, for which USA Today wrote that "equally delightful is the Alison Lohman character's evolution into an older woman. It's a metamorphosis to equal any in screen history."

In 2005, Lohman appeared in Atom Egoyan's '' Where the Truth Lies'' which originally received an NC-17 rating for its graphic sexual content, and emerged as a critical and commercial failure. Some critics, notably Roger Ebert, felt that Lohman was miscast. Her next feature of that year, ''The Big White'', was also panned by critics. Better received was the English language dubbing of '' Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind'', also released in 2005, in which she voiced the titular character. Lohman beat out actress Natalie Portman for the role. The film was lauded by critics and audiences alike, and had a considerable impact on popular culture.

Lohman's next film was the drama ''Flicka'', which was released in 2006. At the age of 25, she played a 16-year-old girl who befriends a wild mustang in the film. She had trained rigorously in horse-riding for the role, stating she was "constantly thrown emotionally and physically" while working with the horses for this role. She next played a recovering heroin addict in '' Things We Lost in the Fire'', which was released in 2007 to mostly positive reviews. She had a role in 2009's ''Gamer'', which was heavily criticized by critics, although it has gained a cult following.

Lohman was signed to lead Sam Raimi's horror film, '' Drag Me to Hell'', replacing Elliot Page who dropped out due to issues with scheduling. Lohman enjoyed her stunts during filming, despite not being particularly fond of horror films. The film was released in 2009 and grossed $90 million worldwide, garnering her acclaim and praise for her performance. In his review of the film, Roger Ebert wrote that the actress "greatly assisted" in the film's success and additionally labeled her a scream queen, explaining that "It is essential that the heroine be a good screamer, and man, can that Alison Lohman scream. Stanley Kubrick would have needed only a day with her on ''The Shining''". She received nominations for the Detroit Film Critics Society Award for Best Actress, the Saturn Award for Best Actress, and the MTV Movie Award for Best Scared-As-Shit Performance.

Following her ''Drag Me to Hell'' role, Lohman retired from acting, with the exception of a few small roles in film projects directed or produced by her husband. This includes the supernatural horror film '' The Vatican Tapes'', released in 2015, where she plays a patient in a psychiatric ward.

Personal life

Lohman was offered a full scholarship to attend New York University but declined, opting instead to directly pursue an acting career. In 2009, Lohman married filmmaker Mark Neveldine in Watertown, New York, at St. Anthony's Catholic Church. They have three children. She has focused more on motherhood and working as an online acting coach.

Filmography

Film

Television

Stage

Accolades

References

External links

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Lohman, Alison
1979 births
Living people
20th-century American actresses
21st-century American actresses
American acting coaches
Actresses from Palm Springs, California
Alumni of the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art
American child actresses
American film actresses
American stage actresses
American television actresses
American voice actresses