Calista Kay Flockhart is a popular American film and television actress best known for her title role in the successful television series ‘Ally McBeal’, a show that ran for five seasons from 1997-2002. It is the role, Flockhart is most associated with till date although the series has been off-air for so many years. She also starred in the series ‘Brothers and Sisters’ that ran from 2006-2011, in which she portrayed the lead role of Kitty Walker.
Flockhart has also featured in several films which include ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’, ‘The Birdcage’, ‘Quiz Show’ and ‘The Last Shot’. She was named by People Magazine in their list of ’50 most beautiful people’ in 1998. Flockhart has won a Golden Globe Award; A People’s Choice Award and a Screen Actors Guild Award and also has three Emmy nominations to her credit. Since 2015, Flockhart has been portraying the character of Cat Grant on the series ‘Supergirl’
Early Life and Education
Flockhart was born on 11 November, 1964 in Freeport, Illinois to Ronald Flockhart, employed with Kraft Foods and Kay Flockhart, an English teacher, and was named after two of her great grandmothers and her mother, all of whom had ‘Calista’ in their names. Flockhart is of German, Irish, English and Scottish ancestry. She has one sibling, a brother named Gary Flockhart.
Owing to the nature of her father’s job, Flockhart’s family was required to move often. She grew up in several places such as Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota and even New Jersey and New York. Flockhart graduated from Shawnee High School in Medford Township, New Jersey in 1983. She later attended the Mason Gross School of the Arts at Rutgers University, New Brunswick, New Jersey where she studied drama.
Career Rise
Although Flockhart appeared in a few films and minor roles on television, her first substantial speaking role came with Robert Redford’s film ‘Quiz Show’ in 1994. In the same year, Flockhart made her Broadway debut with Tennessee William’s ‘The Glass Menagerie’, essaying the character of Laura. Her performance earned her a Clarence Derwent Award. She later portrayed Barbara Keeley in the 1996 film ‘Birdcage’ and played Natasha on Broadway’s adaptation of Three Sisters by Anton Chekhov.
Flockhart expressed her wish to audition for the title role of ‘Ally McBeal’ and received an invitation to audition by the show’s maker David E. Kelley. Flockhart traveled to Los Angeles in order to audition and soon won the part. The show ran for five seasons, from 1997-2002 and Flockhart won a Golden Globe Award for her work in 1998. She also appeared on the cover of Time Magazine for the June 1998 issue and was applauded for her work on the show.
Since Ally McBeal, Flockhart has had a major role in the critically acclaimed ABC series ‘Brothers and Sisters’ where she portrays Kitty Walker. Flockhart appears on the CBS show ‘Supergirl’ where she portrays Cat Grant, with the third season on October 9, 2017.
Why is Calista Flockhart so thin in Ally McBeal?
She has been thin and lean throughout her career. She seemed quite thin in Ally McBeal and in a few public appearances, leading the media to believe that she was anorexic or bulimic. However, Calista Flockhart rubbished these claims stating that she had neither anorexia nor bulimia,and she was not even abusing drugs. She however stated that during the course of shooting for Ally McBeal, she had given up on sweets and carbs, and was into intense workouts and running.
Husband and Son
Flockhart met actor Harrison Ford at the 2002 Golden Globe Awards Ceremony and the couple started dating soon. After 7 years of courtship they got engaged on 14 February 2009. They got married in June 2010 in Santa Fe, New Mexico. Governor Bill Richardson and Charles W. Daniels, New Mexico Supreme Court Chief Justice presided over their nuptials.
Flockhart and Ford became parents to an adopted baby, whom they named Liam Flockhart Ford in January 2001.
Calista Flockhart – Net Worth
Although Flockhart’s has an estimated individual net worth of approximately $24 Million, her joint net worth along with her husband is approximately $234 Million.