Lara
Flynn Boyle
Lara
Flynn Boyle was
born in Davenport, Iowa, and raised in Chicago. In grade school,
she discovered that she had trouble processing information while
reading (integration disorder). She was sent to Loyola University
for training in various study methods. In the meantime Lara began
attending the prestigious Piven Theater, an improvisational workshop
for young actors. There, she found out just exactly what she wanted
to do with her life. She won a scholarship to the Chicago Academy
for the Arts, a small, elite, private high school for the performing
arts. She also wrote and acted in several local theater productions.
In 1985, at the age
of 15, she auditioned for the role of daughter to the Robert Urich
character on ABC's controversial miniseries, "Amerika".
Director Donald Wyre thought Ms. Boyle was so perfect for the part
that he lowered the character's age in order to cast her. She spent
nine months on location in Nebraska and Toronto. Lara Flynn
Boyle recalls her movie debut with affection:"I suppose
everyone always has the fondest memories of their first film. I
was treated like a queen. Donald Wyre gave me a diamond pendant
for my birthday, and in Nebraska, I got invited to five proms. I
was also necking passionately on screen for the first time with
a 25-year-old actor." Ms. Boyle also notes gleefully that she
was still a full-time student while working in "Amerika",
and as a result flunked her acting and directing classes. She went
home to Chicago, took the courses again, and continued with both
her school work and acting. Following Lara Flynn Boyle
graduation, she and her mother moved to Los Angeles.
Lara drives a classic
'57 pink and gray Oldsmobile, and likes to spend as much time as
she can with her golden retriever, Bella. On weekends, she browses
the antique stores and collects antique hats, purses and clothes.
Lara Flynn Boyle is still an ardent Chicago Cubs
fan, and she goes to the movies constantly.
