Kelly Carlson Biography

Date of Birth: February 17, 1976

At 17, Kelly Carlson began modeling and doing television commercials in her hometown of Minneapolis, Minnesota. At 19, she headed to Los Angeles, where she continued to model. Though she'd studied acting for years, she began to train with top coach Lee Kelton Smith. Her movie debut was a small role as a biker chick in the big budget film 3000 Miles to Graceland (2001), starring Kevin Costner. Her next acting gig came early in 2003-a small role in Paparazzi (2004), produced by Mel Gibson. Her screen time in the video Starship Troopers 2: Hero of the Federation (2004) was substantially larger, giving her the opportunity to play a starring role. As part of the film's promotion, she spent time visiting hospitals to meet with military personnel wounded in Iraq and Afghanistan, which made a big impression on her.

Soon after, she played model/porn star Kimber Henry on the FX series pilot Nip/Tuck. Though her part was initially intended just as a guest appearance, Carlson proved so popular that she was eventually made a regular.

Carlson's starring debut in a motion picture was in the action flick The Marine (2006), directed by her boyfriend, John Bonito.

She has also appeared in the Lifetime Network TV movie Break-In (2006), made guest appearances on the television series Everwood and CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, and performed on stage in productions such as Vanities, Cheaters, Girl's Guide to Chaos, Charlotte's Web and Can't Trust The Mate.

When not on set, Carlson is a spokesperson for the Smile Network, an organization that provides cosmetic surgery to children in developing countries. Once a nationally competitive equestrian, Kelly continues to enjoy horseback riding in her spare time.

Filmography:

The Marine (2006)
Paparazzi (2004)
3000 Miles to Graceland (2001)