Leisha Hailey
Encyclopedia
Leisha Hailey is an American actress and musician most widely known for playing Alice Pieszecki
in the Showtime Networks
production The L Word
. Hailey first came to the public's attention as a musician in the pop duo
The Murmurs and has continued a music career as part of the band Uh Huh Her
.
, Japan to American parents, Hailey grew up in Bellevue, Nebraska
and attended Bellevue West High School
. At 17, she came out
as a lesbian
before moving to New York City to attend the American Academy of Dramatic Arts
.
. In 2001, Hailey and Grody changed their name to Gush. The band split when Hailey began working for The L Word. In 2005, Hailey founded Marfa Records.
In July 2007, Uh Huh Her
, an electropop duo consisting of Hailey and Camila Grey
, released an EP entitled I See Red; over a year later they released their first album Common Reaction
.
Hailey also co-wrote the Shakira
hit song "Don't Bother
" for her 2007 hit album Oral Fixation Vol. 2
.
. Since 2003, she has starred as Alice Pieszecki
, a bisexual journalist, on The L Word.
In September 2008, Showtime announced Hailey would star in a "pilot presentation spinoff" The Farm of The L Word, to be written and produced by Ilene Chaiken
, creator and executive producer of The L Word. It was announced in April 2009 that the show would not be picked up by Showtime. Hailey's award winning indie film La Cucina
premiered on Showtime in December 2009, where she plays a straight pregnant newlywed.
Hailey has appeared in several Yoplait
yogurt commercials as well as a BMW commercial. In April 2008, Hailey was named spokesperson for Olivia Cruises
, a travel company which sells cruises and resort vacations marketed towards lesbian customers. She also stars in the psychological thriller Fertile Ground
.
for nearly five years, in a relationship that ended in 2001. In 2006 she began dating fashion designer Nina Garduno; in 2011, news of her relationship with Uh Huh Her bandmate Camila Grey
became public after the two were ejected from a Southwest Airlines flight for arguing with a flight attendant who asked them to stop kissing. Leisha actively tweeted her displeasure regarding the injustice surrounding this incident and Southwest Airlines offered a standard apology that did not address the issue of discrimination based on sexual orientation.
Alice Pieszecki
Alice Pieszecki is a fictional character on the Showtime television network series The L Word, shown nationally in the United States. She is played by American actress Leisha Hailey. Alice lives in Los Angeles, California, and mostly hangs out in West Hollywood...
in the Showtime Networks
Showtime Networks
Showtime Networks, Inc. is the corporate division of media conglomerate CBS Corporation.The company was established in 1983 as Showtime/The Movie Channel, Inc. after Viacom and Warner-Amex Satellite Entertainment merged their premium channels, Showtime and The Movie Channel respectively, into one...
production The L Word
The L Word
The L Word is an American co-production television drama series originally shown on Showtime portraying the lives of a group of lesbian, bisexual, and transgender people and their friends, family and lovers in the trendy Greater Los Angeles, California city of West Hollywood...
. Hailey first came to the public's attention as a musician in the pop duo
Pop duo
Pop duo is a term generally referring to a pop group with only two members.- Male :*The Everly Brothers*Simon & Garfunkel*The Righteous Brothers*Hall & Oates*Pet Shop Boys*Erasure*Red Box*Savage Garden*The Communards*Tears for Fears*Wham!...
The Murmurs and has continued a music career as part of the band Uh Huh Her
Uh Huh Her (band)
Uh Huh Her is an indie/electropop band that was formed in January 2007 and released their first EP on July 24, 2007. The band's name came from an album by artist PJ Harvey, titled Uh Huh Her.-Band members:...
.
Early life
Born in OkinawaOkinawa Prefecture
is one of Japan's southern prefectures. It consists of hundreds of the Ryukyu Islands in a chain over long, which extends southwest from Kyūshū to Taiwan. Okinawa's capital, Naha, is located in the southern part of Okinawa Island...
, Japan to American parents, Hailey grew up in Bellevue, Nebraska
Bellevue, Nebraska
Bellevue is a city in Sarpy County, Nebraska, United States. The population was 50,137 at the 2010 census. Eight miles south of Omaha, Bellevue is part of the Omaha-Council Bluffs metropolitan area. Originally settled in the 1830s, It was the first state capitol. Bellevue was incorporated in...
and attended Bellevue West High School
Bellevue West High School
Bellevue West High School is a public secondary school located in Bellevue, Nebraska. The school principal is Mr. Kevin Rohlfs. Their mascot is the Thunderbird and their school colors are purple, gold and white. The school's cross-town rival is Bellevue East.Bellevue West is accredited by the...
. At 17, she came out
Coming out
Coming out is a figure of speech for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people's disclosure of their sexual orientation and/or gender identity....
as a lesbian
Lesbian
Lesbian is a term most widely used in the English language to describe sexual and romantic desire between females. The word may be used as a noun, to refer to women who identify themselves or who are characterized by others as having the primary attribute of female homosexuality, or as an...
before moving to New York City to attend the American Academy of Dramatic Arts
American Academy of Dramatic Arts
The American Academy of Dramatic Arts is a fully accredited two-year conservatory with facilities located in Manhattan, New York City – at 120 Madison Avenue, in a landmark building designed by noted architect Stanford White as the original Colony Club – and in Hollywood, California...
.
Music
With her Academy classmate Heather Grody, she formed the pop duo The Murmurs in 1991. In the 1990s, they released several albums and toured on the Lilith FairLilith Fair
Lilith Fair was a concert tour and travelling music festival, founded by Canadian musician Sarah McLachlan, Nettwerk Music Group's Dan Fraser and Terry McBride, and New York talent agent Marty Diamond. It took place during the summers of 1997 to 1999, and was revived in the summer of 2010. It...
. In 2001, Hailey and Grody changed their name to Gush. The band split when Hailey began working for The L Word. In 2005, Hailey founded Marfa Records.
In July 2007, Uh Huh Her
Uh Huh Her (band)
Uh Huh Her is an indie/electropop band that was formed in January 2007 and released their first EP on July 24, 2007. The band's name came from an album by artist PJ Harvey, titled Uh Huh Her.-Band members:...
, an electropop duo consisting of Hailey and Camila Grey
Camila Grey
Camila Grey is a Los Angeles based musician currently performing in the duo Uh Huh Her. Grey was formerly the bassist and keyboardist for the band Mellowdrone. She has also worked with such artists as Dr. Dre, Busta Rhymes, Tricky, Melissa Auf der Maur, and Kelly Osbourne...
, released an EP entitled I See Red; over a year later they released their first album Common Reaction
Common Reaction
Common Reaction is the debut album from Uh Huh Her, which was released on August 19, 2008 in the United States. This is an elextro/pop album that features Camila Grey's voice and Leisha Hailey's abilities to guitar and keyboard....
.
Hailey also co-wrote the Shakira
Shakira
Shakira Isabel Mebarak Ripoll , known professionally as Shakira , is a Colombian singer who emerged in the music scene of Colombia and Latin America in the early 1990s...
hit song "Don't Bother
Don't Bother
"Don't Bother" is the first single released from Shakira's second English language studio album, Oral Fixation Vol. 2 .-Song information:...
" for her 2007 hit album Oral Fixation Vol. 2
Oral Fixation Vol. 2
Oral Fixation Vol. 2 is the fifth studio album by Colombian pop singer-songwriter Shakira, released on November 28, 2005 by Epic Records. According to her biography on her website and Epic Records, the album has sold 8 million copies worldwide....
.
Acting
Hailey's first major role was in the 1997 movie All Over Me, and around this time, she played a struggling musician on an episode of Boy Meets WorldBoy Meets World
Boy Meets World is an American comedy-drama series that chronicles the events and everyday life lessons of Cory Matthews, played by Ben Savage, a kid from suburban Philadelphia who grows up from a young boy to a married man. The show aired for seven seasons from 1993 to 2000 on ABC, part of the...
. Since 2003, she has starred as Alice Pieszecki
Alice Pieszecki
Alice Pieszecki is a fictional character on the Showtime television network series The L Word, shown nationally in the United States. She is played by American actress Leisha Hailey. Alice lives in Los Angeles, California, and mostly hangs out in West Hollywood...
, a bisexual journalist, on The L Word.
In September 2008, Showtime announced Hailey would star in a "pilot presentation spinoff" The Farm of The L Word, to be written and produced by Ilene Chaiken
Ilene Chaiken
Ilene Chaiken is an American television producer, director and writer. Chaiken is best known as being the co-creator, writer and executive producer of the television series The L Word...
, creator and executive producer of The L Word. It was announced in April 2009 that the show would not be picked up by Showtime. Hailey's award winning indie film La Cucina
La Cucina (film)
La Cucina is a 2007 romantic drama written by A. W. Gryphon. The film stars Christina Hendricks, Joaquim de Almeida, Leisha Hailey, & Rachel Hunter. It was directed by first time directors Allison Hebble & Zed B. Starkovich. The film was scored by Ian Ball from the band Gomez...
premiered on Showtime in December 2009, where she plays a straight pregnant newlywed.
Hailey has appeared in several Yoplait
Yoplait
Yoplait is a brand of yogurt produced by a company owned by two French holdings, SODIAAL and PAI Partners.-History:In 1964, 100,000 French farmers merged their regional dairy cooperatives to sell nationally. In 1965, two co-ops, "Yola" and "Coplait", merged, becoming "Yoplait"...
yogurt commercials as well as a BMW commercial. In April 2008, Hailey was named spokesperson for Olivia Cruises
Olivia (company)
Olivia is a travel company which sells cruises and resort vacations marketed towards lesbian customers. It was founded by Judy Dlugacz in 1973 as a women’s record label, Olivia Records. It offered its first all-woman cruise in 1990 and remains the only company in the world offering cruises catering...
, a travel company which sells cruises and resort vacations marketed towards lesbian customers. She also stars in the psychological thriller Fertile Ground
Fertile ground
Fertile Ground is an American soul jazz band led by James H. Collins Jr. The group was founded in Baltimore, Maryland and is based in Atlanta, Georgia.- History :...
.
Acclaim
In 2007, Hailey was named the sexiest woman in the AfterEllen Hot 100 list compiled by AfterEllen.com.Personal life
Openly a lesbian, Hailey dated k.d. langK.D. Lang
Kathryn Dawn Lang, OC , known by her stage name k.d. lang, is a Canadian pop and country singer-songwriter and occasional actress...
for nearly five years, in a relationship that ended in 2001. In 2006 she began dating fashion designer Nina Garduno; in 2011, news of her relationship with Uh Huh Her bandmate Camila Grey
Camila Grey
Camila Grey is a Los Angeles based musician currently performing in the duo Uh Huh Her. Grey was formerly the bassist and keyboardist for the band Mellowdrone. She has also worked with such artists as Dr. Dre, Busta Rhymes, Tricky, Melissa Auf der Maur, and Kelly Osbourne...
became public after the two were ejected from a Southwest Airlines flight for arguing with a flight attendant who asked them to stop kissing. Leisha actively tweeted her displeasure regarding the injustice surrounding this incident and Southwest Airlines offered a standard apology that did not address the issue of discrimination based on sexual orientation.
Filmography
| Film | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Film | Role | Notes | |
| 1996 | All Over Me | Lucy | ||
| 1998 | Some Girl | The Murmurs | ||
| 1999 | Sleeping Beauties Sleeping Beauties Sleeping Beauties is a 1999 short comedy film directed by Jamie Babbit. It premiered at the 1998 Sundance Film Festival. It stars Sarah Lassez as a morgue beautician trying to get over her ex-girlfriend, played by Radha Mitchell. Babbit made the film with help from David Fincher and Michael Douglas... |
Sno Blo Band | ||
| 2002 | The Snowflake Crusade | Marigold | ||
| 2007 | La Cucina La Cucina (film) La Cucina is a 2007 romantic drama written by A. W. Gryphon. The film stars Christina Hendricks, Joaquim de Almeida, Leisha Hailey, & Rachel Hunter. It was directed by first time directors Allison Hebble & Zed B. Starkovich. The film was scored by Ian Ball from the band Gomez... |
Shelly | ||
| 2009 | Make Up | Shelley Cabot | ||
| 2010 | "Fertile Ground" | Emily Weaver | ||
| Television | ||||
| Year | Title | Role | Notes | |
| 1996 | Boy Meets World Boy Meets World Boy Meets World is an American comedy-drama series that chronicles the events and everyday life lessons of Cory Matthews, played by Ben Savage, a kid from suburban Philadelphia who grows up from a young boy to a married man. The show aired for seven seasons from 1993 to 2000 on ABC, part of the... |
Corinna | 1 episode | |
| 1997 | Ellen Ellen (TV series) Ellen is a U.S. television sitcom that ran on the ABC network from March 29, 1994 to July 22, 1998, producing 109 episodes.The theme song, "So Called Friend" is by Scottish band Texas... |
Woman in Gay Bar | 1 episode | |
| 2004–2009 | The L Word The L Word The L Word is an American co-production television drama series originally shown on Showtime portraying the lives of a group of lesbian, bisexual, and transgender people and their friends, family and lovers in the trendy Greater Los Angeles, California city of West Hollywood... |
Alice Pieszecki Alice Pieszecki Alice Pieszecki is a fictional character on the Showtime television network series The L Word, shown nationally in the United States. She is played by American actress Leisha Hailey. Alice lives in Los Angeles, California, and mostly hangs out in West Hollywood... |
70 episodes | |
| 2006 | CSI: Crime Scene Investigation CSI: Crime Scene Investigation CSI: Crime Scene Investigation is an American crime drama television series, which premiered on CBS on October 6, 2000. The show was created by Anthony E. Zuiker and produced by Jerry Bruckheimer... |
Allison Bradford | 1 episode | |
| Grey's Anatomy Grey's Anatomy Grey's Anatomy is an American medical drama television series created by Shonda Rhimes. The series premiered on March 27, 2005 on ABC; since then, seven seasons have aired. The series follows the lives of interns, residents and their mentors in the fictional Seattle Grace Mercy West Hospital in... |
Claire Solomon | 1 episode | ||
| 2007–2010 | American Dad! American Dad! American Dad! is an American animated television series created by Seth MacFarlane and owned by Underdog Productions and Fuzzy Door Productions. It is produced in association with 20th Century Fox Television... |
Lily (Voice) | 3 episodes | |
| 2009 | Maneater | Harriet | 1 episode | |
| 2010 | "Drop Dead Diva Drop Dead Diva Drop Dead Diva is an American legal comedy-drama/fantasy television series that debuted on Lifetime on July 12, 2009. The hour-long series, which was created by Josh Berman, is produced by Sony Pictures Television... " |
Hope Prentiss | 1 Episode | |
| 2010 | CSI: Crime Scene Investigation CSI: Crime Scene Investigation CSI: Crime Scene Investigation is an American crime drama television series, which premiered on CBS on October 6, 2000. The show was created by Anthony E. Zuiker and produced by Jerry Bruckheimer... |
Dana Carlston | 1 episode | |
External links
- Profile at AfterEllen.com