Ari Graynor
Age: 41
Birthplace: Boston, Massachusetts, U.S.
Ariel Geltman "Ari" Graynor (born April 27, 1983) is an American actress, known for her roles in TV series such as The Sopranos and Fringe, in stage productions such as Brooklyn Boy and The Little Dog Laughed, and in films such as Whip It and For a Good Time, Call.... She also starred as Meredith Davis on the short-lived CBS television sitcom Bad Teacher, which was cancelled on May 10, 2014.
Early life
Graynor was born in Boston, Massachusetts, the daughter of Joani Geltman, a parenting expert, and Greg Graynor, a contractor. Her mother is from a Jewish family and her father is of Polish Catholic background (her paternal grandfather's surname was changed from "Gryzna"); Graynor was raised Jewish. She attended Buckingham Browne & Nichols, a private school in Cambridge, Massachusetts, and Trinity College in Hartford, Connecticut.
Career
Graynor first came to prominence as Caitlin Rucker on HBO's The Sopranos. Her film credits include An American Crime (2007), which premiered in January 2007 at the Sundance Film Festival. She also appeared early in the second season of UPN's Veronica Mars as the daughter of a bus driver. She made her Broadway debut as 'Alison' in 2005's Brooklyn Boy after appearing in the world premiere at South Coast Repertory. She also appeared in The Little Dog Laughed.
Graynor played Elvina, a pop star, in CSI: Miami, and was a recurring guest star on the Fox series Fringe, playing Agent Olivia Dunham's younger sister, Rachel. In 2008, Graynor appeared in the film Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist, and in October 2009, she also was in Whip It, a comedy film directed by Drew Barrymore and written by Shauna Cross, based on Cross' young adult novel Derby Girl. In 2010 she appeared in the play Trust at the off-Broadway Second Stage theatre company with Sutton Foster, Zach Braff and Bobby Cannavale. In the fall of 2011, she appeared on Broadway in the Woody Allen-written segment of three one-act comedies collectively called Relatively Speaking. She played Nina Roth in Allen’s “Honeymoon Motel” segment.
In 2012, Graynor starred in the comedy For a Good Time, Call..., and is also credited as the film's executive producer. Graynor starred on Broadway opposite Cheyenne Jackson, Henry Winkler, and Alicia Silverstone in David West Read's play The Performers, which opened November 2012 at the Longacre Theatre.
Filmography
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
2001 | Sopranos, TheThe Sopranos | Caitlin Rucker | 4 episodes |
2003 | Law & Order: Special Victims Unit | Missy Kurtz | Episode: "Damaged" |
2003 | Mystic River | Eve Pigeon | |
2004 | Book of Love | Naomi | |
2004 | Imaginary Heroes | Jenny | |
2004 | Bereft | Louise | TV movie |
2005 | Game 6 | Laurel Rogan | |
2005 | Veronica Mars | Jessie Doyle | Episode: "Driver Ed" |
2006 | For Your Consideration | Young PA | |
2007 | An American Crime | Paula Baniszewski | |
2007 | CSI: Miami | Elvina | Episode: "Rush" |
2007 | Turn the River | Charlotte | |
2007 | Numb3rs | Ella Pierce | Episode: "Tabu" |
2008 | Blues | Tara | |
2008 | Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist | Caroline | |
2008-09 | American Dad! | (voice) | Episode: "Spring Breakup" Episode: "Chimdale" Episode: "G-String Circus" |
2009 | Youth in Revolt | Lacey | |
2009 | Whip It | Eva Destruction | |
2009-10 | Fringe | Rachel Dunham | 10 episodes |
2010 | No Deal | Cassie | Video short |
2010 | Holy Rollers | Rachel Apfel | |
2010 | Cleveland Show, TheThe Cleveland Show | BigSkeez (voice) | Episode: "Our Gang" |
2010 | Date Night | Young Woman | |
2010 | Conviction | Mandy Marsh | |
2011 | Lucky | Lucy | |
2011 | What's Your Number? | Daisy Anne Darling | |
2011 | Sitter, TheThe Sitter | Marisa Lewis | |
2011 | 10 Years | Sam | |
2012 | For a Good Time, Call... | Katie Steel | Executive producer |
2012 | Celeste and Jesse Forever | Beth | |
2012 | The Guilt Trip | Joyce Margolis | |
2014 | Bad Teacher | Meredith Davis | Lead role |
2014 | Garfunkel and Oates | Cornish | Episode: "Third Member" |
2015 | Kroll Show | Bartender Examiner | Episode: "Karaoke Bullies" |
2016 | The Masterpiece | Juliette Danielle | Filming |