Kristen Bell

Guide Note

Kristen Bell built a strong following as the title character on The CW show Veronica Mars, in which she played a witty, whip-smart teenage private investigator who attended high school by day and investigated the murder of her best friend (and other mysteries) by night. By the time the show was canceled in 2007, Bell had already begun her film career, starring in the horror film Pulse with Christina Milian, and soon after landing the titular character in the Judd Apatow production, Forgetting Sarah Marshall. But Bell was not finished with television; in 2007, she signed on to play Elle Bishop in the hit NBC series Heroes. Some of her other TV credits include Gossip Girl, Deadwood, and American Dreams.

Bell grew up in Michigan and is a fan of the Detroit Red Wings. She became a vegetarian at a young age and has been active among animal protection organizations. She studied musical theater at NYU, which led to a few stints on Broadway before she broke into television.

Fast Facts

1. Born: July 18, 1980
2. Birthplace: Huntington Woods, Michigan
3. Full name: Kristen Anne Bell
4. Parents: Tom and Lori Bell
5. Attended Tisch School of the Arts at NYU
6. "Flora Anderson" on Deadwood
7. 2006: One of PETA's World's Sexiest Vegetarians