Heather Joan Graham (born January 29, 1970) is an American actress. She has appeared in such films as Austin Powers: the Spy Who Shagged Me, Lost in Space, Bowfinger, From Hell, Anger Management, and The Hangover. She received critical acclaim for her performance in the 1989 film Drugstore Cowboy and for her role as Rollergirl in 1997's Boogie Nights directed by Paul Thomas Anderson. Heather Graham was born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, to a family of Irish descent. Her family relocated repeatedly before settling down in Agoura Hills, California when she was nine years old. She is the elder of two children. Her younger sister, Aimee Graham, is also an actress and writer. Their mother, Joan, is a teacher and noted author of children's books. Their father, James Graham, is a retired FBI agent. The girls were raised with traditional Roman Catholic values. She was introduced to acting during a school production of The Wizard of Oz. Graham graduated from Agoura High School in California in 1988.
After high school, Graham enrolled in extension classes of the University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA) and studied English for two years. There she met actor James Woods. They became romantically involved during the time she was cast in the movie Diggstown, where he had landed the starring role. After two years there, Graham withdrew from school at UCLA to pursue acting full time, despite her parents' objections.Her first film appearance was an uncredited cameo in Mrs. Soffel (1984). Her second film appearance was in the television film Student Exchange. In 1986, she appeared on a special "Teen Week" episode of the NBC-TV game show Scrabble. Then she appeared in numerous television commercials, and the sitcom Growing Pains in 1987. In the 1988 teen comedy License to Drive, she co-starred with Corey Haim and Corey Feldman. Her strict parents forbade her to appear in the black comedy, Heathers, which had an expletive-rich script.Graham was cast in a number of parts as a supporting actress including the part of Nadine in the 1989 film Drugstore Cowboy. In 1991, she appeared in the TV series Twin Peaks as Annie Blackburn, Dale Cooper's second-season love interest. Many became familiar with her for these two roles. Her breakthrough role proved to be that of the porn starlet "Roller Girl" in 1997's Boogie Nights, in which she appeared in scenes with frontal nudity and received several award nominations. Since then, Graham has been known as a Hollywood sex symbol. In addition, she has been part of two ensemble casts that have earned Screen Actors Guild Awards nominations for Outstanding Performance by a Cast (Boogie Nights and Bobby).
Graham first starring role was in 1999 as Felicity Shagwell in Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me. She also appeared in the music video for Lenny Kravitz's cover of "American Woman" by The Guess Who. Also in 1999, she appeared in the hit comedy Bowfinger. Although Graham has taken roles in mainstream films, including Mary Kelly in the 2001 film From Hell, based on the story of Jack the Ripper, and Judy Robinson in 1998's film Lost In Space, she has also been cast in a number of independent films. Some of those films, like 2006's Bobby, have brought her critical praise. She also starred in the erotic thriller Killing Me Softly. Graham also played herself on one episode of the TV series Sex and the City. In 2003, she appeared in the comedy Anger Management. She was given special guest-star status on nine episodes of NBC-TV's Scrubs during its fourth season (2004–2005), and also appeared as George Michael Bluth's ethics teacher in an episode of Fox's television series, Arrested Development. In 2005, Graham became the spokeswoman and TV model for the Garnier brand of hair care products. Graham's print ad for Skyy vodka, which was photographed in 2003 (titled "#3, Entourage") is still appearing in national magazines today. In 2003, she also posed for a photoshoot by photographer Sam Jones, during which she was levitated several feet into the air by a magician, who later also sawed her in half. Also in 2003, Graham appeared on the cover of Time magazine for an article titled "The Science of Meditation". In 2001, Graham was named by People Magazine as one of the "50 Most Beautiful People". Graham voiced the character of Antonia Bayle in the online role-playing game EverQuest 2. Graham starred in the US ABC-TV comedy series Emily's Reasons Why Not, in 2006. However, ABC canceled the show after its first airing on January 9, 2006. Graham had posed for a Life Magazine cover story, printed weeks in advance of the assumed series schedule, referring to her as "TV's sexiest star" which appeared two weeks later in their January 27, 2006 issue. In 2009, she played the stripper Jade in The Hangover. The film was released to critical and box office success.