Calista Kay Flockhart was born on November 11, 1964, in Freeport, Illinois, to Kay (Honohan),a school teacher, and Ronald Flockhart, who worked for Kraft Foods Inc. Her ancestry is a rich blend of Irish, Scottish, German, and English heritage, and she was named after her great-grandmother.
Flockhart pursued her passion for acting at Rutgers University in New Jersey, where she studied the craft. Following her college education, she worked in regional theatre in Cleveland, Louisville, Chicago, and Houston, earning a modest stipend of $400 for eight weeks of work. Her big break came in 1994 when she landed her first Broadway role as "Laura" in Tennessee Williams' iconic play "The Glass Menagerie", which earned her the Theater World and Clarence Darwent Awards.
Flockhart's impressive theatre resume also includes an all-star production of Anton Chekhov's "The Three Sisters", where she played the captivating role of "Natasha". Prior to her breakout role in the hit TV series "Ally McBeal" (1997),she had limited experience in television, having appeared in a 1992 episode of the HBO series "Lifestories: Families in Crisis". Her film credits include the remake of "The Birdcage" (1996),where she played the fiancée of Robin Williams's son, and "Telling Lies in America" (1997),in which she was the object of Brad Renfro's obsession.
Throughout her career, Flockhart has established herself as a talented and versatile actress, with an impressive stage and theater repertoire. She has worked in numerous off-Broadway productions, including "The Loop", "All for One", "Sophistry", "Wrong Turn at Lungfish", "Beside Herself", and "Bovver Boys". Her non-NYC productions include "The Three Sisters" in Chicago, and "Our Town" and "Death Takes a Holiday" at the prestigious Williamstown Theater Festival.
