Short Biography

Calista Kay Flockhart (born November 11, 1964) is an American actress, primarily on television. She is best known for playing the title character of Ally McBeal (1997–2002). She now plays Sally Field`s feuding daughter, Kitty Walker, on the ABC drama, Brothers & Sisters.

Calista Flockhart was born in Freeport, Illinois, the daughter of Kay, a teacher of English, and Ronald Flockhart, an executive for Kraft Foods. Calista has English, Irish and Italian ethnicity. She has one older brother, Gary. Her mother, Kay Calista, reversed her own first and middle names in naming her Calista Kay. Calista also had a great- grandmother named "Calista." (The name "Calista" is an Anglicized version of a Greek word which means "most beautiful." An alternate Anglicization or spelling of that Greek word is kallista. Despite having a name of Greek origin, Flockhart does not have any Greek ancestry.)

Because her father`s job required the family to move often, Flockhart was raised with her brother in Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota, New York, and New Jersey. As a child, she wrote a play called Toyland in which she performed to a small audience at a dinner party.

Flockhart attended Shawnee High School in Medford Township, New Jersey. Following her graduation in 1983, Flockhart attended the Mason Gross School of the Arts at Rutgers University in New Brunswick, New Jersey. While there, she attended a specialized and competitive class, lasting from 6:00 AM to 6:00 PM. In her sophomore year at Rutgers, Flockhart met aspiring actress Jane Krakowski, the best friend of her roommate. Later they would both work together on Ally McBeal.

Flockhart`s acting ability was recognized when William Esper (Mason Gross` theatre director and Flockhart`s acting teacher) made an exception to policy by allowing Flockhart to perform on the main stage. Though this venue is usually reserved for juniors and seniors, Harold Scott insisted that Flockhart perform there in his production of William Inge`s Picnic. Flockhart graduated with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in theatre in 1988 as one of only a few students who successfully completed the course. She was inducted into the Rutgers Hall of Distinguished Alumni on May 3, 2003.

After receiving her degree, Flockhart moved to New York City in 1989 where she remained until 1997, living with three other women in a two-bedroom apartment and working as a waitress and aerobics instructor while she simultaneously sought auditions.

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