Christine Taylor

Christine Taylor
Taylor at the 2024 Toronto International Film Festival
Born
Christine Joan Taylor

(1971-07-30) July 30, 1971 (age 53)
Allentown, Pennsylvania, U.S.
OccupationActress
Years active1989–present
Spouse
​
(m. 2000)​
Children2

Christine Joan Taylor Stiller (born July 30, 1971) is an American actress. She is known for playing Marcia Brady in The Brady Bunch Movie and A Very Brady Sequel, for her roles in The Craft, The Wedding Singer, Zoolander, and Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story, and for her television roles in Hey Dude, Arrested Development, and Search Party.

Early life

Taylor was born on July 30, 1971, in Allentown, Pennsylvania,[1] to Joan, a homemaker, and Albert E. "Skip" Taylor III, who owns a security company.[2] She grew up in neighboring Wescosville, Pennsylvania,[2] and has a younger brother.[2]

Taylor was raised Roman Catholic and attended St. Thomas More School and then Allentown Central Catholic High School.[1]

Career

In 1989, Taylor began her acting career on the Nickelodeon children's television series Hey Dude in which she portrayed the lifeguard Melody Hanson.[3] She continued in that role through 1991, while making various guest appearances on other programs and films.[3]

In 1995, Taylor was cast as Marcia Brady in The Brady Bunch Movie and later in A Very Brady Sequel.[3] Following The Brady Bunch Movie, Taylor made several comedic guest appearances on the television series Ellen, landing the lead role in the television series Party Girl, based on the 1995 film of the same name, and more guest appearances on sitcoms, including Seinfeld and Friends.[4][5]

In 1996, she portrayed the racist school bully Laura Lizzie in the horror film The Craft, and also portrayed Drew Barrymore's cousin, Holly Sullivan, in the 1998 comedy The Wedding Singer.[6] In 2001, she starred alongside her husband Ben Stiller in Zoolander.[3][6] In 2005, Taylor guest starred on two episodes of Arrested Development, portraying the character Sally Sitwell; and the following year she performed in an episode of NBC's My Name Is Earl.[3][7]

In July 2006, Taylor's husband Ben Stiller announced plans to direct a CBS sitcom starring Taylor,[8] but the series never aired.[1] Taylor has appeared with Mandy Moore in both Dedication and License to Wed.[9][10] In 2010, Taylor guest starred in Hannah Montana Forever and the Hallmark Channel Christmas movie Farewell Mr. Kringle.[11][12]

In 2013, Taylor reprised her role as Sally Sitwell in two episodes of the revived fourth season of Arrested Development.[13] She also guest starred on Elementary in 2017, playing villainess Gail Lundquist. From 2016 to 2022, Taylor had a recurring role as Gail on Search Party.[14] In 2021, Taylor joined the cast of High Desert, an Apple TV+ series.[15] In 2023, she reunited with her Hey Dude co-star David Lascher for the Hey Dude...The 90s Called! podcast.[16]

Personal life

Taylor dated actor Neil Patrick Harris from 1997 to 1998.[17]

In May 2000, Taylor married Ben Stiller, whom she first met in 1999 while they were both filming Heat Vision and Jack.[18] Taylor and Stiller appeared together in the films Zoolander, Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story, Tropic Thunder, and Zoolander 2, and the television series Arrested Development and Curb Your Enthusiasm and "Friends". They live in Westchester County, New York,[19] and have a daughter and a son.[20] Taylor and Stiller are both vegetarians.[21][22]

After 17 years of marriage, Taylor and Stiller separated in 2017.[23] The couple later reconciled after living together during the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown.[24][25]

Filmography

Film

Year Title Role Notes
1993 Calendar Girl Melissa Smock Credited as Christine Joan Taylor
Showdown Julie
1994 Night of the Demons 2 Terri
1995 Breaking Free Brooke Kaufman
The Brady Bunch Movie Marcia Brady
1996 The Craft Laura Lizzie
A Very Brady Sequel Marcia Brady
Cat Swallows Parakeet and Speaks! Ballerina
To the Ends of Time Princess Stephanie
1997 Campfire Tales Lauren
1998 Denial Sammie
The Wedding Singer Holly Sullivan
Overnight Delivery Kimberly Jasney
Desperate but Not Serious Lili
1999 Kiss Toledo Goodbye Deeann Emory
2001 True Love Unknown
Zoolander Matilda Jeffries
2004 Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story Katherine "Kate" Veatch
The First Year's a Bitch Andrea
2006 Room 6 Amy
Dedication Allison
The Mirror Herself
2007 License to Wed Lindsey Jones
2008 Tropic Thunder Rebecca
Kabluey Betty
2012 The First Time Mrs. Miller
2016 Zoolander 2 Matilda Jeffries
Little Boxes Joan
2020 Friendsgiving Brianne
2024 Sweethearts Diane
TBA The Dink Filming

Television

Television
Year Title Role Notes
1989–1991 Hey Dude Melody Hanson Main cast; 5 seasons
1991 Dallas Margaret Barnes 1 episode: "Conundrum"
Saved by the Bell Heather Brooks 1 episode
Life Goes On Drama Student #1 1 episode, as Christine Joan Taylor
1992 Blossom Patti 1 episode, as Christine Joan Taylor
1995 Caroline in the City Debbie 1 episode
Here Come the Munsters Marilyn Hyde (Munster) Television film
Ellen Karen Lewis 2 episodes
1996 Party Girl Mary 4 episodes
To the Ends of Time Princess Stephanie Television film
1997 Rewind Dana Unaired pilot
Murphy Brown Taffy 1 episode
Friends Bonnie 3 episodes
Seinfeld Ellen 1 episode: "The Van Buren Boys"
1999 Cupid Yvonne 1 episode
Heat Vision and Jack The Sheriff Pilot
2000 Spin City Catherine Moore (Caitlin's Sister) 1 episode
2003 Harry's Girl Harry's Girl Television film
2004 Curb Your Enthusiasm Herself 3 episodes
2005 The Commuters Sandy Television film
2005–2019 Arrested Development Sally Sitwell 11 episodes
2006 My Name Is Earl Alex Meyers 1 episode: "The Professor"
American Dad! Candy (voice) 1 episode
52 Flights Jennifer Television film
2010 Phineas and Ferb Mrs. Khaka Peü Peü (voice) 1 episode
Hannah Montana Forever Lori 2 episodes
Farewell Mr. Kringle Anna Television film
2011 Rip City Janet Marsh Television film
2012–2013 Burning Love Symphony 4 episodes
2015 Sharing Polly Television film
2016 Zoolander: Super Model Matilda Jeffries (voice) Television film
2016–2022 Search Party Gail 11 episodes
2017 Elementary Gail Lundquist 1 episode
Odd Mom Out Barrett 1 episode
2018 Insatiable Gayle Keene 2 episodes
2021 iCarly Argenthina Woolridge 1 episode
2023 High Desert Dianne Recurring role

References

  1. ^ a b c "Christine Taylor Biography". Yahoo! Movies. Archived from the original on July 11, 2012. Retrieved June 20, 2020.
  2. ^ a b c Willstein, Paul (February 12, 1995). "Here's The Story How Christine Taylor Became Marcia Brady". The Morning Call. Archived from the original on February 24, 2022. Retrieved October 20, 2015.
  3. ^ a b c d e "Wescosville native Christine Taylor and 'Hey Dude' cast reunites after 25 years". The Morning Call. June 13, 2014. Retrieved November 19, 2021.
  4. ^ "Every Actor Who Appeared On Friends & Seinfeld". ScreenRant. November 4, 2021. Retrieved November 19, 2021.
  5. ^ James, Caryn (September 9, 1996). "Party Girl by Night, Library Clerk by Day". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved November 19, 2021.
  6. ^ a b McDowell, Erin. "THEN AND NOW: The cast of 'The Craft' 25 years later". Insider. Retrieved November 19, 2021.
  7. ^ Goldberg, Lesley (March 10, 2015). "Christine Taylor Boards NBC Comedy 'Sharing' (Exclusive)". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on November 19, 2021. Retrieved November 19, 2021.
  8. ^ "Stiller, CBS down home for Taylor-tailored comedy". moldova.org. Archived from the original on July 22, 2011. Retrieved July 5, 2006.
  9. ^ Scott, A. O. (July 3, 2007). "Ready to Put This Union Asunder". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved November 19, 2021.
  10. ^ Catsoulis, Jeannette (August 24, 2007). "In a World of Heartbreak, He's a Catch (Quirks a Plus)". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved November 19, 2021.
  11. ^ ""Hannah Montana" starts final season as Miley moves on". Reuters. July 5, 2010. Retrieved November 19, 2021.
  12. ^ Piane, Charlie. "Christine Taylor Stars In 'FAREWELL MR. KRINGLE,' A Hallmark Channel Original Movie". BroadwayWorld.com. Retrieved November 19, 2021.
  13. ^ "Actress Christine Taylor loved getting 'Arrested' again". The Morning Call. May 25, 2013. Retrieved November 19, 2021.
  14. ^ "Rosie Perez, Christine Taylor join cast of TBS mystery-comedy 'Search Party'". UPI. Retrieved November 19, 2021.
  15. ^ Holmes, Martin (November 3, 2021). "Apple Series 'High Desert' Adds Matt Dillon, Bernadette Peters, Christine Taylor & More". TV Insider. Retrieved November 19, 2021.
  16. ^ "Hey Dude... The 90s Called!". iheart.com.
  17. ^ "Neil Patrick Harris realized he was gay while dating a famous woman", IMDb, April 16, 2023
  18. ^ Errico, Marcus (May 16, 2000). "Ben Stiller Hitched!". E!. Retrieved June 20, 2020.
  19. ^ Tulloch, Lee (November 16, 2013). "Ben Stiller in the moment". The Sydney Morning Herald. Sydney, Australia: Fairfax Media. Retrieved October 14, 2018.
  20. ^ Thompson, Bob (December 16, 2006). "Group Outing". National Post. Archived from the original on December 8, 2012. Retrieved March 29, 2009.
  21. ^ Yates, Karin (May 18, 2012). "Christine Taylor and Ben Stiller Embrace Plant-Based Lifestyle". Ecorazzi.com. Archived from the original on May 25, 2013. Retrieved February 22, 2013.
  22. ^ Denson, Jarrod (January 9, 2013). "Living Green with Christine Taylor". Organic Spa Magazine. Retrieved October 19, 2020.
  23. ^ Deerwester, Jayme (May 26, 2017). "Ben Stiller, Christine Taylor separate after 17 years of marriage". USA Today. Mclean, Virginia: Gannett Company. Retrieved May 28, 2017.
  24. ^ D'Agostino, Ryan (February 22, 2022). "Ben Stiller Sees the World Differently Now". Esquire. Retrieved November 2, 2024.
  25. ^ Jakiel, Olivia (February 23, 2022). "Ben Stiller and Christine Taylor Are Back Together After Separating in 2017: 'We're Happy'". People.com. Retrieved November 2, 2024.