Charis Michelsen

Charis (pronounced Chær-us) Michelsen was raised in Boring, Oregon, a small town east of Portland.^[3] After graduating from Centennial High School in Gresham, she placed first in the 1993 Petite Modeling Pageant, representing the northwestern United States.^[4]

Michelsen subsequently relocated to New York City to study art at Parsons School of Design, where a photographer for Harper's Bazaar discovered her for modeling. While attending a rock concert, Michelsen was discovered by Liv Tyler's mother Bebe Buell, who became her manager.^[5]

In 1997, Michelsen was the voice for the co-starring role of Keri Boyer in I Married a Strange Person!, directed and animated by Bill Plympton.^[6][7]

Michelsen played the role of Debby in Lisa Cholodenko's 1998 independent drama film High Art, followed by supporting parts in Martin Scorsese's film Bringing Out the Dead (1999) and the independent drama Men in Scoring Position (also 1999).^[8] The following year, she had a supporting role in the comedy-drama film Wonder Boys (2000), directed by Curtis Hanson and starring Michael Douglas, Tobey Maguire, and Frances McDormand.

She subsequently starred in the independent films The Price of Air (2000)^[9] and Orphan (2001).^[10]

Michelsen played Mrs. Wyatt Cooper (Eric Dane's wife) on an episode of the ABC television drama Gideon's Crossing. She also starred with Peter Steele in his band Type O Negative's music video "My Girlfriend's Girlfriend," and with Liv Tyler in the music video "If" by Coyote Shivers.

She was married to actor and director Josh Evans from 2003 to 2011, and is the former daughter-in-law of the late movie producer Robert Evans and actress Ali MacGraw.