Annie Parisse

Biography

Annie Parisse is an American actress. She is popular for her role as Alexandra Borgia in the police & Legal Drama- Law & Order(2005–2006). Her role of Debra Parker in the TV drama The Following(2013) was notable as well.

Childhood, Family, Personal Life

Annie Parisse was born on 31st July 1975 in Anchorage, Alaska, United States to Annette Cancelmi(Mother) a school teacher in Pennsylvania & Louis G Cancelmi(Father) an executive officer with an airline(Alaska Air)

She & her brothers were brought up in Mercer Island, Washington where her parents worked. She has two brothers, Louis Cancelmi - an actor(married to Elisabeth Waterston) and Michael Cancelmi- a teacher who teaches Italian language. 

Annie Parisse & Paul Sparks marriage: Annie Parisse met actor Paul Sparks for the first time in 2005, they eventually got married after dating for some time in 2005, in October 2009 they had their first child Emmett Sparks(son), the couple also has a daughter.

Image: Annie Parisse with Husband Paul Sparks

Paul had a guest role in the TV series 'Law & Order' which features Annie. 

Career

Annie started acting when she was in college, she would take part in college dramas and plays.

She made her debut on Big Screen with the movie On the Q.T.(1999) where she played a minor role of Wendy. She made her TV debut in the series As the World Turns(1999-2001). 

She has appeared in movies like How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days(2003), National Treasure(2004), Monster-in-Law(2005), Prime(2005), Blackbird(2007), What Just Happened(2008), Definitely, Maybe(2008), Tickling Leo(2009), My Own Love Song(2010), The Tested(2010), Price Check(2012), One for the Money(2012), Wild Canaries(2014), And So It Goes(2014), Anesthesia(2015).

She has appeared in short movies like- Woman in Burka(2008), Bubble-Rama(2008), Wallace(2013)

She has had recurring roles in TV series like- Law & Order(2005–2006), Rubicon(2010), Person of Interest(2011–2016), The Following(2013), Vinyl(2016), Friends from College(2017–).

Some of  theater performances include- Antigone, As You Like It, Bodacious Flapdoodle, Farmyard, Leave It To Beaver Is Dead, Love's Labor Lost, Misalliance at the Roundabout Theatre, Much Ado About Nothing, Standards of Beauty, Throwing Bones

Interesting Facts

• Annie is of Italian(50%), Polish(12.5%), Slovak(12.5%), Syrian(25%) descent.
• While in college Annie appeared in plays & dramas, 'Medea' & 'Antigone' are among her colelge dramas.
• Annie's sister in-law Elisabeth Waterston is the daughter of her 'Law & Order' co-star Sam Waterston.
• She was nominated for Daytime Emmy Award for her role in As the World Turns(1999-2001)
• She took her great grandmother's surname Parisse for her screen name.
• She was nominated for Lucille Lortel Award(2009) for her performance in 'Becky Shaw'
• She was nominated for Drama Desk Award(2007) for her performance in 'The Internationalist'
• She has had a minor role (of exotic dancer who testified against a murderer in court) in Law & Order before taking the prominent role of Alexandra Borgia.
• Her scenes were deleted from the movie 'The Amazing Spider-Man'
• She participates in social activism online, she is pro-refugee, pro-equality, anti-racism, transgender rights activist.
• She is disappointed with the political environment of the country.
• She likes horror movies.
• Her favorite Coffee- cortado.
• She eats healthy food and drinks lot of water.
• Her friends think of her as- Intelligent, Kind, Humorous, Talented.
• She was listed in "Top 50 Female Celebrity" by People's Magazine

Quotes

• It's always a little nerve-wracking to do a love scene.
• One man's cult is another man's religion.
• I'm a big fan of horror, personally.
• One of my favorite classes was horror in theater and psychology.
• When the right person touches the right button in someone, you can get them to do almost anything