Lea Katherine Thompson was born on May 31, 1961, in Rochester, Minnesota, as the youngest of five children to Barbara and Cliff Thompson. Her family lived in the Starlight motel, where all the kids shared a room. When Lea's father got a job in Minneapolis, the family moved there.
Lea's parents divorced when she was six, and her mother decided to maintain the family. This was a challenging task, as her mother was an alcohol addict at the time. When she quit drinking, she took a job playing the piano and singing in a bar to support Lea and her siblings. Lea's mother remarried when Lea was seven.
Lea developed a passion for dance at a young age, particularly ballet. She practiced for three to four hours a day and performed in numerous ballets, including "The Nutcracker." She won scholarships to the American Ballet Theatre and the San Francisco Ballet.
After being rejected by Mikhail Baryshnikov, who told her she was "a beautiful dancer... but too stocky," Lea decided to pursue acting. She began working as a waitress and appeared in several commercials. Her first role was in the movie "Jaws 3-D" (1983),where she met her fiancé and acting coach, Dennis Quaid.
Lea's breakthrough role came in the "Back to the Future" trilogy (1985-1990),which became a huge success. She won the Young Artist Award for Best Young Actress for her role in "Some Kind of Wonderful" (1987).
Lea married film and television director Howard Deutch in 1989 and had two daughters, Madelyn and Zoey. She continued to act in films and television shows, including "Dancing with the Stars" (2005),where she placed sixth.
Lea has been involved in various charitable organizations, including breast cancer, mental health, and Alzheimer's charities. She is currently writing her first book of essays and is a strong advocate for women's rights and empowerment.
