Marisa Coughlan

Marisa Coughlan
Born (1974-03-17) March 17, 1974 (age 50)
Alma materUniversity of Southern California
Occupation(s)Actress, writer
Years active1995–present
Spouse
Stephen Wallack
(m. 2008)
Children4

Marisa Coughlan (/ˈkɒflən/ KOF-lən; born March 17, 1974)[1][2][3] is an American actress and writer. Her first prominent role was a lead in Kevin Williamson's Teaching Mrs. Tingle (1999), followed by a role as Officer Ursula Hanson in the comedy Super Troopers (2001) and as Betty in Freddy Got Fingered (2001). She also had a recurring role as Melissa Hughes on the series Boston Legal.

Early life

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Coughlan was born and raised in Minneapolis, Minnesota. She graduated from Breck School, a small private school in nearby Golden Valley, Minnesota.[4] When she moved to Los Angeles with her father, Daniel Merritt Coughlan, she enrolled at the University of Southern California. She studied abroad in Paris in 1995, and graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in French in 1996.[citation needed]

Career

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Coughlan's first film appearance to gain mainstream attention was in Kevin Williamson's directorial debut Teaching Mrs. Tingle (1999), in which she co-starred alongside Katie Holmes and Helen Mirren. She was cast in the role after reportedly having been rejected for a role on Williamson's series Dawson's Creek.[5] She followed this with a recurring role on the series Wasteland in 1999.[6]

Other films she appeared in included Pumpkin (co-starring with Christina Ricci), a drama about sorority girls; New Suit, a satirical comedy about the inner workings of Hollywood; Super Troopers, playing Officer Ursula Hanson; and Freddy Got Fingered as Betty.

She had a recurring role on the television series Boston Legal as secretary Melissa Hughes in seasons two and three. In 2007, she starred as Jenny McIntyre in Lifetime Television's original series Side Order of Life. In 2008–2009, she appeared on three episodes of the TV show Bones.

Coughlan began writing while she was pregnant and taking time off from acting. She wrote and produced her first pilot, Lost & Found for ABC in 2011. In 2014, she completed writing a comedy based on Peter and Wendy for NBC.[7] In 2016, it was reported by Variety that Fox was developing a comedy series titled Pushing, written by Coughlan and produced by Greg Berlanti.[8]

In 2022, Coughlan wrote and starred opposite Beau Bridges in the independent drama film Days When the Rains Came, which was filmed in Minnesota.[9]

Personal life

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In November 2008, Coughlan married childhood friend Stephen Wallack in a ceremony at a private estate in Pasadena, California. They have four children together. As of 2015, Coughlan had relocated to her native Minnesota and was residing in Deephaven,[citation needed] after several years of residing in Studio City, California.[10]

Filmography

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Film

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Year Film Role Notes
1996 Our Son, the Matchmaker Julie Longwell
1997 The Sleepwalker Killing Tanya Lane
1999 Teaching Mrs. Tingle Jo Lynn Jordan
2000 Gossip Sheila
2001 Freddy Got Fingered Betty
Super Troopers Ursula
2002 Pumpkin Julie Thurber
New Suit Marianne Roxbury
2003 Criminology 101 Molly
Dr. Benny Candy
Dry Cycle Ruby
I Love Your Work Jane
2004 Kat Plus One Kat
2005 Jake in Progress Hope
2006 Wasted Kelly
2007 Meet Bill Laura
2008 Poundcake Deborah also known as The Dissection of Thanksgiving
Already Dead Sarah Archer
2014 Space Station 76 Misty
2018 Super Troopers 2 Chief Ursula Hanson
2020 Infamous Janet
TBA Days When the Rains Came Also writer

Television

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Year Film Role Notes
1995 Step by Step New Girl 2 Episode: "The Wall"
Weird Science Barbara Episode:"Future Bride"
Fist of the North Star Jenny Television film
1996 High Society Dana Episode: "Nip and Tuck"
The Guilt Kendall Cornell Episode: "Dean's Office"
The Burning Zone Chante Lefort Episode: "Blood Covenant"
1997 Beyond Belief: Fact or Fiction Summer Segment: "The Prophecy"
Diagnosis Murder Allison Porter Episode: "Open and Shut"
1998 The Magnificent Seven Nora Episode: "Working Girls"
1999 Wasteland Dawnie Parker Main role
2003 The Twilight Zone April Beech Episode: "Rewind"
2006 Boston Legal Melissa Hughes Recurring role (seasons 2–3); 12 episodes
Masters of Horror Dina Episode: "The Damned Thing"
Separated at Worth Tess Television film
2007 Side Order of Life Jenny McIntyre Main role
2009 Medium Gabrielle Episode: "Soul Survivor"
Bones Special Agent Payton Perotta 3 episodes
2011 Man Up! Dr. Donna Perkins Episode: "Men and Their Chickens"
2012 How to Be a Gentleman Candice Episode: "How to Share a Relationship"
2019 Legacies The Keeper Episode: "Screw Endgame"

References

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  1. ^ The Associated Press (March 10, 2018). "Celebrity birthdays for the week of March 11–17". WTOP-FM. Archived from the original on November 13, 2023.
  2. ^ "Today's famous birthdays list for March 17, 2023 includes celebrities Rob Lowe, Gary Sinise". Cleveland.com. March 17, 2023. Archived from the original on November 13, 2023.
  3. ^ Legge, Lisa (March 17, 2016). "Famous birthdays March 17; Not green beer, but 'Tequila'". St. Paul Pioneer Press. Archived from the original on November 13, 2023.
  4. ^ Gustafson, Amy Carlson (July 14, 2007). "St. Paul native Marisa Coughlan, Stillwater's Rich Sommer in new TV shows". Twin Cities Pioneer Press. Retrieved February 22, 2017.
  5. ^ Callahan, Maureen (September 1999). "Soul Coughlan". Spin. 15 (9): 89.
  6. ^ "Marisa Coughlan". Mademoiselle: The Magazine for the Smart Young Woman. 105: 339. November 1999.
  7. ^ Andreeva, Nellie (October 2, 2014). "NBC Nabs Peter Pan-Inspired Romantic Comedy 'Wendy And Peter' With Penalty". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved February 25, 2017.
  8. ^ Wagmeister, Elizabeth (October 20, 2016). "Greg Berlanti Producing Fox Comedy From 'Super Troopers' Writer/Actress Marisa Coughlan (EXCLUSIVE)". Variety. Retrieved February 26, 2017.
  9. ^ James, Derek (November 1, 2022). "Minnesota actor brings cameras to home state to film movie starring Beau Bridges". CBS News. Archived from the original on November 13, 2023.
  10. ^ Beale, Lauren (August 10, 2015). "Marisa Coughlan sells her secluded hillside home in Studio City for above the asking price". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on August 13, 2015. Retrieved February 26, 2017.
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