Charisma Carpenter

Charisma Carpenter Actress -

Born July 23, 1970 in Las Vegas, Nevada, USA

Birth Name Charisma Lee Carpenter

Nickname Chrissy

Height 5' 7" (1.7 m)

Mini Bio (1) Charisma Carpenter first made her television debut with a guest spot on Baywatch, before receiving a call from legendary producer Aaron Spelling and subsequently being cast on the primetime soap opera, Malibu Shores. But her big break - and the one that would forever change the trajectory of her life - came shortly thereafter when she was cast as Cordelia Chase on Buffy the Vampire Slayer, a role she would portray for three seasons before migrating to its spin-off series, Angel, and continuing on for four more seasons. In total, Carpenter portrayed Cordelia in 140 episodes across both franchises. The former series has been ranked by Time, The Hollywood Reporter, TV Guide, Rolling Stone and Entertainment Weekly amongst its lists of greatest television series' of all time.

Carpenter went on to recur on Charmed as the demon Kyra and on Veronica Mars as gold digging stepmother Kendall Casablanacas as well as Greek and, most recently, CW's Pandora. While working as a series regular on ABC Family's The Lying Game, Carpenter subsequently served as host and producer of Investigation Discovery's Surviving Evil, a series featuring survivors who fought back against their attackers. Additional guest starring roles include CSI, Burn Notice, Supernatural, Blue Bloods, Sons of Anarchy, Scream Queens, Chicago, P.D., Lucifer and 9-1-1.

Carpenter has also segued into movies, with a supporting role as Lacey in The Expendables and its sequel, The Expendables 2, as well as roles in over 12 made for television movies for Lifetime, Syfy and more.

Offscreen, Carpenter is the proud founder of MyCon, a platform intended to lift the spirits of socially isolated fans throughout the pandemic by connecting them with their favorite actors. Additionally, she works closely with the Thirst Project, an international water charity bringing safe, clean drinking water to the most vulnerable people around the world, as well as The Ronan Thompson Foundation, which is dedicated to researching pediatric cancer. In addition to her first love, that of a devoted mother, Carpenter spends much of her time working as a philanthropist, political activist and social justice advocate. So passionate about these causes, she recently completed a course on administrative justice.

- IMDb Mini Biography By: Max Akselrad/Advantage PR

Spouse (1) Damian Hardy (5 October 2002 - 8 July 2008) divorced 1 child

Trade Mark (1) Birthmark on her jawline

Became good friends with Susan Ward after both were turned down for the role of Maggie Cory on the soap Another World (1964).

Was an NFL cheerleader for the San Diego Chargers' football team.

Auditioned for the role of Buffy on the TV show Buffy the Vampire Slayer (1997), but got the role of Cordelia after it was turned down by actress Bianca Lawson.

Gave birth to a healthy baby boy, Donovan Charles Hardy, at 9:50 PM on March 24th 2003 at Cedar Sinai hospital in Beverly Hills.

After 7 years playing Cordelia Chase, 3 years on Buffy the Vampire Slayer (1997) and 4 years on Angel (1999), Charisma was not invited back as a regular for Angel's fifth and final season. She agreed to return for the 100th episode although she wasn't asked until Sarah Michelle Gellar turned down the chance to guest star in the episode.

Has a rosary tattoo on her left wrist.

The role of Delilah in The Faculty (1998) was written specifically for her, but she turned it down because it was too similar to her Buffy the Vampire Slayer (1997) character, Cordelia.

Appears on the June 2004 cover of Playboy with a 10 page layout inside.

After starring in Buffy the Vampire Slayer (1997), Angel (1999), and guest-starring in episodes of Charmed (1998), she has become the face of supernatural dramas on The WB.

Her character, Cordelia Chase, whom she had played for years on Buffy the Vampire Slayer (1997) and Angel (1999), was killed off in the landmark 100th episode of Angel (1999). It was her final appearance on the series, with the exception of archival footage.

Her characters on both Angel (1999) and Charmed (1998) could see into the future.

She is good friends with her See Jane Date (2003) co-star Holly Marie Combs. In fact, it was their friendship that prompted her to play Kira on Charmed (1998).

Was in an unaired pilot called "Like Cats & Dogs".

A fitness enthusiast, her outdoor interests include roller blading, rock climbing, hiking and sky diving.

Currently resides in Los Angeles, California with her two Golden Retrievers.

Has studied classical ballet since the age of 5, and pursued dancing as part of her high school curriculum, by commuting between Mexico and San Diego to take lessons at the School of Creative and Performing Arts.

Was discovered by a commercial agent while working as a waitress in Los Angeles to save for her college education.

Attended high school in Las Vegas with Kamar de los Reyes. She was a freshman when he was a junior.

Montreal, filming the Lifetime movie "White Silhouette" (the title may be changed to Flirting with Danger (2006)). [October 2005]

Friends with David Boreanaz, Nicholas Brendon and James Marsters.

After graduating she traveled throughout Europe, then went on to college.

She was named after an Avon perfume.

In 1991 she was picked to be a cheerleader for the San Diego Chargers football team. The next year she moved to Los Angeles to break into the entertainment business.

She worked as an aerobics instructor and in property management.

She writes poetry.

No relation to 1970's impresario Richard Carpenter, or to screenwriter/musician/director John Carpenter, despite a popular misconception.

[6/30/03\\ I had my heart set on becoming an English teacher, but stumbled into acting after meeting a theatrical agent in my dad's restaurant in San Diego.

[6/30/03] Lots of doors have opened for me because of [Buffy the Vampire Slayer (1997)] and [Angel (1999)], but, although I'm ambitious, I'm not going to just do anything simply because the money is good. If I can't love a project, then I'm not interested.

[in 2003, about Sarah Michelle Gellar winning the title role in Buffy the Vampire Slayer (1997)]. Initially I was disappointed, but while I didn't see it at the time, I know now I'm better suited to Cordelia . . . Moving from "Buffy" to [Angel (1999)] was great for me. On "Buffy" I wasn't all that high on the totem pole as far as responsibility and screen time. That all changed when I joined [David Boreanaz] in "Angel". The whole thing has been such a buzz.

I'm a mixed breed and hope to live longer because of it.

I don't really see myself being a sex symbol at all.

I think essentially the meaning of life is probably the journey and not really any one thing or an outcome or a result. I think it's kinda the process and I think that if you can find happiness in the process then maybe that's it. I just feel really in love with life and the life I've created with my family. So it works for me.

Well, I can tell you what my goals are. I have a son now, so I want the half-hour sitcom lifestyle, where you can have a family and work. And then, during summer hiatus, I'd like to do a Kill Bill: Vol. 1 (2003) or Wonder Woman (2009) or some movie like that.

You can take the girl out of Vegas, but you can't take the Vegas out of the girl.

[on her role as Cordelia in Buffy the Vampire Slayer (1997)] I was a little turned off by the idea of doing another bitch. But my agent put it to me quite frankly, that you have to be known before you can be typecast.

My mom owned a retail store, so I had these hot satin pants. I was like Satan at my all-Christian school.

[on playing "Kendall Casablancas" on Veronica Mars (2004)] The name is really spectacular. My manager was like, "It's the best name in prime time." I just laughed at him.

[on posing for Playboy] I wanted to get back to my old self. I wanted to feel desirable and sexy. So I thought, "What if I went full throttle?"

With seven years of "Cordelia" [her character on Buffy the Vampire Slayer (1997) and its spin-off, Angel (1999)], I can't help but think that she's imprinted on me and that acerbic tongue is just a part of who I am now.

[on posing for Playboy] Posing in Playboy is more then just baring your body. It's about baring your soul. It's about finding joy, liberation, and warmth. I'm a very shy person, and I really came out of my shell during the shoot. At first, I was very nervous since I had only given birth less then a year before and just recently lost most of the weight I put on during my pregnancy. I insisted that my husband be present for the shoot so I would feel more comfortable in front the photographer and crew. By the time the two-day shoot was over, I was so relaxed and comfortable with displaying my nude body on the set that my husband was saying, "Honey, they're not shooting now. You can put your robe back on."

Buffy the Vampire Slayer (1997) $35,000 per episode

Angel (1999) $50,000 (1999-2004)