Alessandra Torresani

Last updated
Alessandra Torresani
AlessandraTorresaniApr09.jpg
Torresani in April 2009
Born
Alessandra Olivia Toreson

(1987-05-29) May 29, 1987 (age 37)
OccupationActress
Years active1996–present
Spouse Sturgis Adams
ChildrenLady Francis Adams
Parents
  • James Sylvester Toreson (father)
  • Marcia Glow (mother)

Alessandra Olivia Toreson (born May 29, 1987), known professionally as Alessandra Torresani, is an American actress. She is known for playing Zoe Graystone in the science fiction television series Caprica and Claire in The Big Bang Theory .

Contents

Early life

Alessandra Olivia Toreson was born on May 29, 1987, in Palo Alto, California. [1] Coming from a wealthy family, she is the daughter of James Sylvester Toreson, overseer of a number of multimillion dollar technology startups at Freedom Motors Inc. and CEO of Toreson Industries, Inc, a company he founded in 1983, and wife Marcia Glow, managing director of Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage. [2] [3]

She began studying dancing and singing when she was two years old. At the age of 8, she landed a job doing interviews between cartoons on The WB Television Network. She holds a black belt in taekwondo. [4]

She has stated that she is "half-Jewish." [5]

Career

Torresani's television debut was at age nine when she hosted the "Kids' WB Club" for San Francisco's KBWB (Channel 20). She co-starred in the Disney Channel Original Movie Going to the Mat . Her other television credits include guest appearances on Even Stevens , JAG , ER , The War at Home , Malcolm In The Middle , Arrested Development , Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles , and CSI: Crime Scene Investigation among others. In May 2008, Torresani was cast as Zoe Graystone in Syfy's Caprica , [6] a prequel spin-off of Battlestar Galactica , which debuted in 2009.

In 2009, Rolling Stone announced that she was cast to play Lita Ford in The Runaways , a biopic about the all-girl punk band of the same name. [7] Variety later reported that it was Scout Taylor-Compton who would play Ford. [8] In 2010, Torresani was featured as a Girl of Maxim. [9]

In 2013, Torresani starred in the comedy web series Husbands , which first aired on September 13, 2011. [10]

In 2016, she appeared in five episodes of The Big Bang Theory , playing the role of bartender and aspiring screenwriter Claire.

Torresani lives with bipolar disorder and hosts EmotionAL Support with Alessandra Torresani, a mental health podcast. [11]

She is married to Sturgis Adams and has one daughter, Lady Francis Adams. [12]

Filmography

Film

YearTitleRoleNotes
1999 Lost and Found Park Girl
2000Mad SongAlex
2000Baby BedlamBecky
2010Annie Goes BoatingAnnieShort film
2012 Playback Brianna
2013 The Moment Emma
2016 Car Dogs Sheri
2018 Step Sisters AmberDirect-to-video film

Television

YearTitleRoleNotes
1997 KaBlam! n/aEpisode: "Brothers Tiki"
1998 ER KateEpisode: "Stuck on You"
1999 Working TiffanyEpisode: "The Prodigy"
1999My Last LoveEmma Movie
2000 Popular Emily/EmmaEpisode: "Baby, Don't Do It!"
2000 Even Stevens Mimi NagurskiEpisode: "Luscious Lou"
2003NewtonHolly PryorMovie
2001, 2003 Malcolm in the Middle Sara Coleman/KirstenEpisodes: "Malcolm's Girlfriend", "Thanksgiving"
2004 Going to the Mat Mary Beth RiceMovie
2004 JAG Susan SmithfieldEpisode: "Coming Home"
2004 Arrested Development Ann VealEpisode: "Let 'Em Eat Cake", character was portrayed by Mae Whitman in every other appearance
2004 Grounded for Life CarolynEpisode: "I'm Looking Through You"
2005 Love, Inc. HollyEpisode: "Major Dad"
2005 The War at Home AlisonEpisode: "The Bigger They Come"
2006Grand UnionMeaghan McBrideMovie
2007 Bones Teenaged Girl ElfEpisode: "The Santa in the Slush"
2008Happy CampersDylan DixonMovie
2008 Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles Jordan CowanEpisode: "The Turk"
2009 CSI: Crime Scene Investigation Bree LindaleEpisode: "Turn, Turn, Turn"
2009–10 Caprica Zoe GraystoneSeries regular (16 episodes)
2011 RuPaul's Drag Race Herself/Guest JudgeEpisode: "Queens in Space"
2011 Warehouse 13 Meagan ReeseEpisode: "Shadows"
2011–13 Husbands Haley8 episodes
2011 American Horror Story Stephanie BoggsEpisodes: "Halloween: Part 2", "Piggy Piggy"
2014 Two and a Half Men KathyEpisode: "Thirty-Eight, Sixty-Two, Thirty-Eight"
2015 The Fosters BrookeSeason 3. 3 episodes
2015 Workaholics CrystalEpisode: "Dorm Daze"
2016–17 The Big Bang Theory ClaireRecurring (season 9)
Guest (season 10)
2016 Lucifer NaomiEpisode: "Pops"
2020 Batwoman Duela Dent Episode: "Grinning from Ear to Ear"

References

  1. "Alessandra Torresani". TV Guide. Archived from the original on February 5, 2013. Retrieved April 9, 2025.
  2. Hart, Hugh (January 21, 2010). "Alessandra Torresani Gets Inside Caprica's Prime Cylon". Wired. Archived from the original on January 5, 2013.
  3. https://www.naijanews.com/buzz/people/alessandra-torresani-bio-family-life-movies-series/
  4. Goldman, Eric (January 28, 2010). "Caprica: Alessandra Torresani on Life as a Cylon", ign.com; accessed March 18, 2015.
  5. Miller, Bruce R. (January 22, 2010). "'Caprica' star is ready for her close-up". Sioux City Journal. Archived from the original on March 3, 2011. Retrieved January 27, 2023. That's a holdover from "90210," a series she didn't get. She was up for the role of Silver, "but I wasn't Jewish enough, even though I'm half-Jewish. What?
  6. "Alessandra Toressani also joins 'Caprica'". Zap2it. May 12, 2008. Archived from the original on May 31, 2014. Retrieved February 27, 2009.
  7. Kreps, Daniel (June 9, 2009). "Alessandra Torresani Cast As Lita Ford in "The Runaways" Biopic". Rolling Stone .
  8. Goldberg, Matt (June 24, 2009). "Will The Real Fake Lita Ford Please Stand Up?". Collider.
  9. "Sci-Fi has a new Red Hot Robot!". Maxim . February 8, 2010. Retrieved November 26, 2016.
  10. "Jane Espenson Talks 'Husbands'". The Bambola Factory. July 26, 2011.
  11. "EmotionAL Support with Alessandra Torresani on Apple Podcasts". Apple Podcasts. Retrieved 2021-07-02.
  12. https://people.com/parents/alessandra-torresani-husband-sturgis-adams-welcome-baby-girl/