Michelle Monaghan has been a hard-working young actress for nearly a decade, and lately it's been paying off with a number of leading roles. In movies as diverse as “Mission: Impossible 3,” the Farrelly brothers' comedy remake, “The Heartbreak Kid,” and the hard-edged thriller, “Gone Baby Gone,” the willowy small-town brunette with the killer smile is definitely playing in the big time now.
Born in 1976 and raised in Winthrop, Iowa (population 700), Michelle started acting in school plays, but it took a conversation with her mother before she ever considered doing the job professionally. Nevertheless, when time for college came around, Michelle majored in journalism, taking modeling jobs to pay her way. Those jobs took her to London, Milan, Singapore and Hong Kong. Michelle began to take the show business life a bit more seriously.
By 2000, Michelle was getting her share of television work, appearing in two episodes of the short-lived “Young Americans” and one episode of "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit,” not to mention a series of ads for deodorant and feminine hygiene products. There was no place to go but up. Soon, a supporting role in the little-seen fashion industry drama, “Perfume,” was followed by a part in a more successful film: 2002's “Unfaithful” with Diane Lane and Richard Gere. That was followed by an eight-episode run on “Boston Public” and more supporting roles in films like “Constantine” and “The Bourne Supremacy” – though most of that work remained on the proverbial cutting room floor. (Reportedly, a role in “Syriana” was entirely removed from the finished film.)
Despite that, 2005 was actually a great year for Michelle. Michelle finally got her first starring role as the love interest in Shane Black's meta-thriller-comedy, “Kiss Kiss Bang Bang” starring Val Kilmer as a gay private eye and Robert Downey, Jr. as a thief-turned-actor. Michelle was appealing, even if the film proved a bit much for audiences to swallow. 2005 was also the year she married her boyfriend of five years, graphic designer Peter White. And the work kept coming. Michelle was featured in the highly acclaimed “North Country” and the highly gossip-worthy “Mr. & Mrs. Smith.” And then came the part of Ethan Hunt's one true love in “Mission: Impossible 3” and her 2007 roles opposite Ben Stiller and Casey Affleck. With several more films to come, it looks like Michelle's status as one of Hollywood's go-to leading ladies is rock solid.
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