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Alison Lohman

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Alison Lohman
Lohman in 2024
Born
Alison Marion Lohman

(1979-09-18) September 18, 1979 (age 45)
Palm Springs, California, U.S.
OccupationActress
Years active1988–present
Spouse
​
​
(m. 2009)​
Children3

Alison Marion Lohman (born September 18, 1979) is an American actress. She began her career with small roles in short and independent films, and had a breakthrough as the star of the drama film White Oleander (2002), which earned her recognition and a Young Hollywood Award. She earned praise for her performances in the fantasy film Big Fish (2003) and the dark comedy film Matchstick Men (2003), winning a Hollywood Film Award for Best Supporting Actress for the latter. She lent her voice to the 2005 redub of the 1984 animated film Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind and starred in the sitcom Tucker (2000–2001) before taking a role in the soap opera Pasadena (2001).

Lohman sporadically worked in acting throughout the late 2000s, notably playing roles in the action film Beowulf (2007) and the drama film Things We Lost in the Fire (2007). Her highest-grossing film came with the horror film Drag Me to Hell (2009), which earned her nominations for the Detroit Film Critics Society Award for Best Actress, the Saturn Award for Best Actress, and the MTV Movie Award for Best Scared-As-Shit Performance. She retired from acting following her marriage to filmmaker Mark Neveldine later that year, stating that she wanted to teach online acting classes while focusing on raising their three children. She has since had small roles in Neveldine's films The Vatican Tapes (2015), Urge (2016), and Officer Downe (2016).

Early life

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Alison Marion Lohman was born in Palm Springs, California, on September 18, 1979,[1][2][3] the daughter of pâtisserie owner Diane (née Dunham) and Minnesota-born architect Gary Lohman.[3][4] She has a younger brother named Robert.[5] She excelled in high school, obtaining top grades in all subjects except drama because she suffered from shyness.[6] During her senior year, she won an award from the National Foundation for Advancement in the Arts.[7] She was offered a full scholarship to attend New York University but declined, opting instead to directly pursue an acting career.[7]

Career

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Lohman with the cast of Drag Me to Hell in 2008

At age nine, Lohman played Gretl in The Sound of Music at the Palm Desert's McCallum Theater. Two years later, she won the Desert Theater League's award for Most Outstanding Actress in a Musical for the title role in Annie. She went on to perform locally as a child singer, which included alongside Frank Sinatra at a benefit event in Palm Springs.[8] She moved to Los Angeles in 1997 to pursue an acting career,[9] beginning with minor roles in independent films and B movies. She was set to play a cancer patient in Tom Shadyac's 2002 film Dragonfly, for which Lohman shaved her hair.[10][11] Her scenes were later removed.[12]

Lohman and her husband, Mark Neveldine, with a fan in 2011

Lohman was subsequently cast in White Oleander, an adaptation of Janet Fitch's novel, which was directed by Peter Kosminsky. Due to her previous haircut,[13] she had to wear a wig during filming.[12] Released in 2002, White Oleander earned positive reviews, and Lohman's performance was met with widespread acclaim.[14] It was described as her "breakthrough role" by media sources,[9] with the New York Times describing her work as "the year's most auspicious screen acting début".[13] She additionally earned praise for her roles in Matchstick Men,[15] released in 2003,[16] and Big Fish, also released in 2003. Matchstick Men earned Lohman's performance as an adolescent con-artist acclaim over her co-star Nicolas Cage,[16] while Big Fish saw her playing the younger version of Jessica Lange's character, for which USA Today wrote that "equally delightful is the Alison Lohman character's evolution into an older woman. It's a metamorphosis to equal any in screen history."[17]

In 2005, Lohman appeared in Atom Egoyan's Where the Truth Lies which originally received an NC-17 rating for its graphic sexual content,[18] and emerged as a critical and commercial failure.[19] Some critics felt that Lohman was miscast, however Roger Ebert spoke positively of her performance.[20] Her next feature of that year, The Big White, was also panned by critics. Better received was the English language dubbing of Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind, also released in 2005, in which she voiced the titular character.[21] Lohman beat out actress Natalie Portman for the role.[22] The film was lauded by critics and audiences alike, and had a considerable impact on popular culture.[23][24][25]

Lohman's next film was the drama Flicka, which was released in 2006. At the age of 25, she played a 16-year-old girl who befriends a wild mustang in the film. She had trained rigorously in horse-riding for the role, stating she was "constantly thrown emotionally and physically" while working with the horses for this role.[9] She next played a recovering heroin addict in Things We Lost in the Fire, which was released in 2007 to mostly positive reviews.[26] She had a role in 2009's Gamer, which was heavily criticized by critics.[27]

Lohman in 2017

Lohman starred in Sam Raimi's 2009 horror film Drag Me to Hell, taking the role after Elliot Page dropped out due to scheduling conflicts.[28] Lohman enjoyed her stunts during filming, despite not being particularly fond of horror films.[29] The film grossed $90 million worldwide,[30] becoming her highest-grossing role and garnering praise for her performance.[31] In his review of the film, Roger Ebert wrote that she "greatly assisted" in the film's success and labeled her a scream queen: "It is essential that the heroine be a good screamer, and man, can that Alison Lohman scream. Stanley Kubrick would have needed only a day with her on The Shining."[32] She received nominations for the Detroit Film Critics Society Award for Best Actress, the Saturn Award for Best Actress, and the MTV Movie Award for Best Scared-As-Shit Performance.

Following the release of the film Gamer, Lohman retired from acting in 2009, citing her recent marriage to filmmaker Mark Neveldine and her desire to focus on raising their three children.[33] She has since taught online acting classes and had small roles in three of Neveldine's films, released between 2015 and 2016.[34][35]

Personal life

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In 2009, Lohman married filmmaker Mark Neveldine at St. Anthony's Catholic Church in Watertown, New York.[36][37] They have three children.[38]

Filmography

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Film

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Year Title Role Notes
1998 Kraa! The Sea Monster Curtis
1999 Planet Patrol Patrolman Curtis
The Auteur Theory Teen Rosemary
The Thirteenth Floor Honey Bear Girl
2000 The Million Dollar Kid Courtney Hunter
2001 Alex in Wonder Camelia
Delivering Milo Ms. Madeline
2002 White Oleander Astrid Magnussen
White Boy Amy
2003 Big Fish Sandra Bloom (young), née Templeton
Matchstick Men Angela
2005 Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind Nausicaä Voice role; English dub
The Big White Tiffany
Where the Truth Lies Karen O'Connor
2006 Delirious K'harma Leeds
Flicka Katy McLaughlin
2007 Beowulf Ursula
Things We Lost in the Fire Kelly
2009 Drag Me to Hell Christine Brown
Gamer Trace
2015 The Vatican Tapes Psych Patient
2016 Urge Mother
Officer Downe Sister Blister

Television

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Year Title Role Notes
1998 Pacific Blue Molly Episode: "Seduced"
7th Heaven Barbara Episode: "Let's Talk About Sex"
1999 Crusade Claire Episode: "The Long Road"
Safe Harbor Hayley Recurring role; 4 episodes
2000 Sharing the Secret Beth Moss Television film
2000–2001 Tucker McKenna Reid Main role
2001 Pasadena Lily McAllister Main role

Stage

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Year Title Role Notes
1988 The Sound of Music Gretl
1990 Annie Annie

Accolades

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Year Award Category Work Result
1991 Desert Theater League Most Outstanding Actress in a Musical Annie Won
1997 National YoungArts Foundation Advancement in the Arts Herself Won
2003 Golden Schmoes Awards Best Supporting Actress of the Year Matchstick Men Nominated
Hollywood Film Awards Best Supporting Actress Won
Phoenix Film Critics Society Awards Best Newcomer White Oleander Nominated
ShoWest Awards Female Star of Tomorrow Won
Young Hollywood Awards Best Superstar Won
2004 Central Ohio Film Critics Association Best Supporting Actress Matchstick Men Nominated
2009 Detroit Film Critics Society Awards Best Actress Drag Me to Hell Nominated
Fright Meter Awards Best Actress Nominated
Scream Awards Best Horror Actress Nominated
Scream Awards Fight Scene of the Year Nominated
2010 Saturn Awards Best Actress Nominated
MTV Movie & TV Awards Best Scared-As-Shit Performance Nominated

References

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  1. ^ "Alison Lohman's pixie face masks the inner adult" , By Ron Dicker, The Baltimore Sun, September 18, 2003
  2. ^ "Alison Lohman Biography" Archived March 4, 2016, at the Wayback Machine By Rebecca Murray, About.com.
  3. ^ a b Alison Lohman Biography (1979–), Film Reference
  4. ^ Lammers, Tim (September 11, 2003). "@ The Movies Interviews: Ridley Scott, Alison Lohman". Lifewhile.com. Archived from the original on July 13, 2011. Retrieved August 28, 2010.
  5. ^ "Alison Lohman Biography – Yahoo! Movies".
  6. ^ "Improvising and the Brain". Psych Central.com. Archived from the original on October 4, 2018. Retrieved May 1, 2012.
  7. ^ a b Neumeier, Joel (September 8, 2003). "SHE'S YOUNG BEYOND HER YEARS -- Alison Lohman, 24, plays troubled 14-year-olds with the wisdom of experience". New York Daily News. Archived from the original on January 14, 2019. Retrieved January 14, 2019.
  8. ^ Flynn, Gillian (August 26, 2003). "She's not 14 -- she just acts it around Nic Cage". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved January 14, 2019.
  9. ^ a b c Hart, Hugh (October 22, 2006). "Horse sense helps Lohman in 'Flicka'". San Francisco Chronicle. Retrieved October 22, 2006.
  10. ^ Harvey, Amelia (July 18, 2013). "10 Actors Who Wasted Time On Parts You Never Got To See". WhatCulture.com. Retrieved September 19, 2021.
  11. ^ Synnot, Siobhan (May 28, 2009). "Drag Me To Hell star Alison Lohman on how she suffered at the hands of Sam Raimi". Daily Record. Retrieved September 19, 2021.
  12. ^ a b "Don't let her pigtails fool you". Christian Science Monitor. September 12, 2003. ISSN 0882-7729. Retrieved September 19, 2021.
  13. ^ a b Holden, Stephen (October 11, 2002). "FILM REVIEW; Slowly, A Princess Turns Into An Urchin". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved September 19, 2021.
  14. ^ Koehler, Robert (September 7, 2002). "White Oleander". Variety. Retrieved November 26, 2021.
  15. ^ Berardinelli, James. "Review: Matchstick Men". preview.reelviews.net. Retrieved September 19, 2021.
  16. ^ a b Graham, Renee (September 12, 2003). "Movie Details: Matchstick Men". Boston.com. Archived from the original on September 23, 2003. Retrieved September 19, 2021.
  17. ^ Clark, Mike (December 24, 2003). "Fanciful 'Big Fish' swimming in visual delight". USA Today. Retrieved September 19, 2021.
  18. ^ "Movie & TV News @ IMDb.com – Studio Briefing – August 22, 2005". IMDb. Archived from the original on November 9, 2012. Retrieved June 25, 2006.
  19. ^ Where the Truth Lies (2005), Box Office Mojo
  20. ^ "Where the Truth Lies " Archived October 31, 2007, at the Wayback Machine, Roger Ebert review, October 28, 2005.
  21. ^ Mays, Jonathan (October 17, 2003). "English Nausicaä dub in the works". Anime News Network. Retrieved September 19, 2021.
  22. ^ "Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind (movie)". www.crystalacids.com. Retrieved September 19, 2021.
  23. ^ "文化庁メディア芸術祭10周年企画アンケート日本のメディア芸術100選 結果発表". plaza.bunka.go.jp (in Japanese). September 13, 2008. Archived from the original on September 13, 2008. Retrieved September 19, 2021.
  24. ^ Hotes, Cathy Munroe. "Kinema Junpo Top 10 Animated Films (キネマ旬報ベストテン, 2010)". Retrieved September 19, 2021.
  25. ^ Peters, Megan (December 18, 2017). "Did You Notice This Hayao Miyazaki 'Star Wars' Connection?". Anime. Retrieved September 19, 2021.
  26. ^ Rosenblatt, Josh (October 19, 2007). "Movie Review: Things We Lost in the Fire". www.austinchronicle.com. Retrieved September 19, 2021.
  27. ^ "Film Review: Gamer". RVA Mag. September 4, 2009. Retrieved September 27, 2021.
  28. ^ Gallagher, Brian (February 29, 2008). "Ellen Page Quits Sam Raimi's Drag Me to Hell". MovieWeb.com. Archived from the original on June 11, 2011. Retrieved September 19, 2021.
  29. ^ "Drag Me to Hell Production Notes". dragmetohell.net. Archived from the original on May 19, 2009. Retrieved September 19, 2021.
  30. ^ "2010 MTV Movie Awards Nominees Announced; New Category for Horror". Dread Central.
  31. ^ "00's Retrospect: Bloody Disgusting's Top 20 Films of the Decade…Part 2". Bloody Disgusting!. December 16, 2009. Retrieved September 19, 2021.
  32. ^ Ebert, Roger. "Drag Me to Hell movie review & film summary (2009) | Roger Ebert". www.rogerebert.com/. Retrieved April 9, 2022.
  33. ^ Reuben, Emily (2018). "Whatever happened to the star of Drag Me to Hell". Looper. Retrieved November 28, 2013.
  34. ^ Lee, Nick (May 16, 2022). "Whatever Happened To Alison Lohman? (2022 Update) - Ned Hardy".
  35. ^ Foster, Tom (September 7, 2021). "Whatever Happened to Alison Lohman?".
  36. ^ Weiner, Jonah (August 30, 2009). "The Fast and Furiously Lampooned". The New York Times. Retrieved April 23, 2010.
  37. ^ "Celebrity wedding in Watertown". MyABC50.com. August 19, 2009. Archived from the original on April 11, 2013. Retrieved March 25, 2013.
  38. ^ Lohman, Alison (September 8, 2019). "Most of the time I'm just a mother of 3..." Instagram. Archived from the original on December 24, 2021. Retrieved November 28, 2019.
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