Lauren Graham’s parents are Donna Grant and Lawrence Graham. She was born in Honolulu, Hawaii, and came from a diverse Irish, English, and Scottish background.
Her mom, Donna Grant, was a fashion buyer, and her father, Lawrence Graham, was a candy industry lobbyist and the president of the National Confectioners Association. Unfortunately, not much is known about her parents.
During her childhood, Graham lived in Japan with her family while her father worked for the U.S. Agency for International Development (U.S.A.I.D.) in Vietnam.
After her parents divorced, she moved to the Virginia suburbs of Washington, DC, with her father, a congressional staffer.
Growing up, Graham had a close relationship with her father and enjoyed a certain degree of independence. She showed an early interest in acting and honed her talent at Langley High School, where she participated in the drill team.
She then earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in English Literature from Barnard College of Columbia University and a Master of Fine Arts degree in Acting Performance from Southern Methodist University.
Graham’s acting career took off after she earned her Equity Card in 1988, following 2 years in summer stock at the Barn Theatre inside Augusta, Michigan. She has a half-sister and a half-brother from her dad’s second marriage. However, her British half-sister, Shade Grant, works at a talent agency.
Acting Career
While pursuing her acting career, she also appeared in public wearing the costume of Striker, the mascot dog for the 1994 FIFA World Cup held in the U.S.
In 1995, she relocated to Hollywood and appeared in commercials for brands such as Cascade dishwasher detergent, Dimetapp, AT&T, and Lean Cuisine. She also hosted movie preview weekends for The Movie Channel.
From 1996 to 1997, Graham frequently appeared as a guest star on various N.B.C. shows. She played a graduate student role who captured the eye of Dick on “Third Rock from the Sun,” Richard’s overly optimistic girlfriend on “Caroline in the City,” and Jerry’s speed-dial-ranked girlfriend on “Seinfeld.”
She also portrayed a Hollywood producer with a love interest in Detective Rey Curtis in a three-part episode of “Law & Order,” opposite Scott Cohen, who later played one of her love interests (Max Medina) on “Gilmore Girls.”
In addition, she played an antagonizing but friendship-starved efficiency expert on “NewsRadio.”
Besides her numerous guest and co-starring roles on prime-time TV, Graham starred in four unsuccessful sitcoms, including “Townies” (with Molly Ringwald and Jenna Elfman), the short-lived “Lush Life” (with Lori Petty and Karyn Parsons), and “M.Y.O.B.” which N.B.C. aired during the summer months before the premiere of “Gilmore Girls.”
Personal Life
Graham was in a romantic relationship with actor Peter Krause for 11 years, starting in 2010, after first meeting on the set of the sitcom “Caroline in the City.” The couple ended their relationship in 2021, as reported in June 2022.
In the mid-90s, Graham shared a living space with actress Connie Britton.
She owns a property in Los Angeles and identifies with the Catholic faith, although she only attends church occasionally, as mentioned in an interview.
