Alexa Havins | |
---|---|
Born | Alexa Carole Havins November 16, 1980 Artesia, New Mexico, U.S. |
Other names | Alexa Havins Bruening [1] |
Occupation | Actress |
Years active | 2003–present |
Known for | Performance in American soap opera television |
Spouse | |
Children | 4 |
Alexa Carole Havins (born November 16, 1980) is an American actress. She first came to prominence in 2003, when she became the originating actress in the role of Babe Carey Chandler on the soap opera All My Children . Her role as the flawed but good Babe Carey earned her a Daytime Emmy Award nomination in 2005 and recognition as being half of one of the show's most popular soap opera pairings.
Havins has made guest appearances in a number of television shows, as well as a number of independent films. In 2011, she joined the main cast for Torchwood's fourth series, Torchwood: Miracle Day , airing on BBC Worldwide and US premium television network Starz. [2]
Alexa Havins was born in Artesia, New Mexico, on November 16, 1980. As a child and adolescent, she was raised in Chandler, Arizona, later attending Chandler High School. [3] Coincidentally, her mother often called her Babe. Her childhood nickname was the "Ice Maiden" because she was "deathly shy". [4]
Havins was first introduced to entertainment at age three when she discovered dancing. [5] At the age of five, she was already performing professionally with a jazz ensemble. However, it was not until she was discovered by renowned acting coach Jean Fowler, who encouraged her move to New York City, that she began to turn her talent into a professional career. [6] There, she attended the prestigious Circle in the Square Theatre School, where her love for acting would develop. While in Los Angeles, California, Havins met and studied closely under the legendary acting coach Brian Reise. The two have remained close friends, and he continues to be a mentor to her to this day. [5]
Before her role as Babe Carey Chandler on All My Children , Havins was a professional dancer. [3] She changed her focus to acting, carrying a principle with her: "Always hold on to your morals and values because this business can be very deceiving. I turned down a lot of things because there was nudity required," she said. [3]
During her time on the series, Havins earned a Daytime Emmy nomination for Outstanding Younger Actress in a Drama Series [3] and a Soap Opera Digest Award for Outstanding Younger Lead Actress. [7] In a baby switch storyline set into motion by two shows, All My Children and One Life to Live , she portrayed the character on One Life to Live as well. [3]
Other acting compliments include her character's romantic pairing with Jacob Young's JR Chandler, often cited for their romantic chemistry. "The on-screen chemistry she shares with Emmy-winning co-star Jacob Young is simply sizzling and truly magnetizing," stated soap opera site Soapcentral . [8] The two actors' dynamic as the pair made their characters well known in the top ten couples lists for one of today's most popular soap opera couples. [9]
While still on contract with All My Children, Havins appeared in films Joe Killionaire, [3] the 2004 horror-comedy by writer-director Sean Morton, Tracy Michele Tabb's 26-minute 2005 romantic comedy First Kiss, [3] Travis Betz's 2006 horror Joshua, [3] and Ash Christian's original off-beat 2006 comedy feature Fat Girls. [3]
In addition, Havins guest-starred in a June 2006 episode of FX's critically praised series Rescue Me , [3] as well as guest-starred on the pilot episode of On and Off, though this series was never aired. [3]
On stage, Havins received credit in a production of Tennessee Williams' The Glass Menagerie , [3] where she portrayed Laura, the painfully shy girl who has a troubled relationship with her aging mother. She also portrayed the lead role of 12-year-old tomboy Frankie Addams, in the stage version of Carson McCullers' 1946 novel The Member of the Wedding . [3] Another project for Havins was the film Brooklyn Rules , a mob drama by Michael Corrente set in 1985 Brooklyn, which had a limited release on May 18, 2007, starring Alec Baldwin, Freddie Prinze, Jr., Mena Suvari and Scott Caan. [3] Havins was later busy with filming in Keith Schwebel's low-budget indie flick titled Desert Fox. [3]
On September 4, 2007, it was confirmed by Soap Opera Digest that Havins would be leaving All My Children and that actress Amanda Baker would be taking over the role. [10] Havins departed the show on October 8, 2007, to pursue other acting ventures.
In 2008, Havins appeared in the film 27 Dresses , starring Katherine Heigl of Grey's Anatomy fame. Havins portrayed a bride. She also appeared in the film Old Dogs. [11]
In 2011, Havins joined John Barrowman, Eve Myles and Mekhi Phifer as part of the main cast for Torchwood's fourth series, Torchwood: Miracle Day , airing on BBC Worldwide and US premium television network Starz. [2] She portrays character Esther Drummond, "an innocent, in a world of assassins, liars and zealots". She also filmed guest spots on CSI: NY and Grey's Anatomy . In July 2011 it was confirmed that Havins would return for several episodes of All My Children to be broadcast later in the year. [12]
In September 2024, it was reported Havins had joined the cast of General Hospital in the role of Lulu Spencer. [13] She made her episodic debut on November 19 of the same year. [14] [15] [16] [17] [18]
Havins is good friends with her former on-screen mother Bobbie Eakes. Since June 5, 2005, Havins has been married to her former All My Children co-star Justin Bruening. Bruening, who portrayed Jamie Martin, proposed to Havins following the taping of a scene where the character of Jamie proposes to Babe. [19] After husband Bruening left All My Children, Havins exited as well shortly after and the couple moved to Los Angeles. [11] Together, they have four children: three daughters and one son. [1]
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
2004 | Joe Killionaire | Interviewed Fan | |
2004 | Bank Brothers | Store owner | Video |
2005 | First Kiss | Samantha | Short film |
2006 | Joshua | Trish Unger | |
2006 | Fat Girls | Tina | |
2007 | Brooklyn Rules | Blonde | |
2008 | 27 Dresses | Boat Bride | |
2008 | Hancock | Hot Fan | |
2009 | How to Seduce Difficult Women | Maureen | |
2009 | Old Dogs | Hot Waitress 2 | |
2009 | Desert Fox | Daisy | |
2010 | When in Rome | Lacy | |
2011 | Serving Justice | Jill Daniels | Short film |
2013 | Proxy | Melanie Michaels | |
2018 | Professor Marston and the Wonder Women | Molly Stewart | |
2018 | Killer Vacation | Lindsey Harrison |
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
2003 | Secret Lives | Georgia Durante | Episode: "Mafia Model" |
2003 | Reno 911! | Gothic Kid | Episode: "Halloween" |
2003–2005 | One Life to Live | Babe Carey | Recurring role |
2003–2007, 2011 | All My Children | Babe Carey | Series regular (2003–2007) Guest star (2011) |
2006 | Rescue Me | Talker | Episode: "Discovery" |
2008–2009 | Turbo Dates | Sarah | Main role (8 episodes) |
2009 | Cold Case | Joannie Pogue (1967) | Episode: "The Brush Man" |
2009 | Law & Order: Criminal Intent | Elaine Beuliss | Episode: "In Treatment" |
2009 | CSI: Miami | Kim Hewitt | Episode: "Dude, Where's My Groom?" |
2011 | CSI: NY | Jessica Thompson | Episode: "Party Down" |
2011 | Grey's Anatomy | Danielle | Episode: "P.Y.T. (Pretty Young Thing)" |
2011 | Torchwood | Esther Drummond | Main role (10 episodes) |
2012 | Castle | Elle Daniels | Episode: "Probable Cause" |
2015 | Constantine | Linda | Episode: "Angels and Ministers of Grace" |
2015 | The Astronaut Wives Club | Pat White | Episode: "In the Blind" |
2019 | Barry | Kate | Episode: "Past = Present x Future Over Yesterday" |
2023 | Sweet Magnolias | Vicky | Episode: "Angels and Ministers of Grace" |
2024 | General Hospital | Lulu Spencer | Series regular |
Year | Award | Category | Title | Result | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
2005 | Daytime Emmy Awards | Outstanding Younger Actress in a Drama Series | All My Children | Nominated | [4] |
2005 | Soap Opera Digest Awards | Outstanding Younger Leading Actress | All My Children | Won | [7] |
All My Children is an American television soap opera that aired on ABC from January 5, 1970, to September 23, 2011, and on The Online Network (TOLN) from April 29 to September 2, 2013, via Hulu, Hulu Plus, and iTunes.
One Life to Live is an American soap opera broadcast on the ABC television network for more than 43 years, from July 15, 1968, to January 13, 2012, and then on the internet as a web series on Hulu and iTunes via Prospect Park from April 29 to August 19, 2013. Created by Agnes Nixon, the series was the first daytime drama to primarily feature ethnically and socioeconomically diverse characters and consistently emphasize social issues. One Life to Live was expanded from 30 minutes to 45 minutes on July 26, 1976, and then to an hour on January 16, 1978.
Marcy Lynn Walker, also known as Marcy Smith, is an American youth minister and former actress known for her television appearances on daytime soap operas. Her most famous roles are those of Liza Colby on All My Children, which she played from 1981 to 1984 and 1995 to 2005, and as Eden Capwell on Santa Barbara from 1984 to 1991.
Jacob Wayne Young is an American actor and producer. He is a five-time Daytime Emmy Award nominee, winning once in 2002 for his role as Lucky Spencer in the soap opera General Hospital (2000–2003). He is best known for his roles as Rick Forrester in the soap opera The Bold and the Beautiful and JR Chandler in the soap opera All My Children (2003–2011).
Rebecca Budig is an American actress and television presenter. Her career began in 1993, and in 1995, she was cast in the role of Michelle Bauer on the CBS soap opera Guiding Light. In 1999, she was cast as Greenlee Smythe on the ABC soap opera All My Children; she held the role off-and-on until the network series finale in 2011. In 2015, she was cast in the role of Hayden Barnes on General Hospital. In 2019, Budig was cast on L.A.'s Finest, as Carlene Hart, a drug-trafficking soccer mom. In August 2024, Budig began playing the contract role of Dr. Taylor Hayes on the CBS soap The Bold and the Beautiful.
Julia Barr is an American actress. Barr is most famous for her role on the soap opera All My Children, playing the character of Brooke English. She played the role from 1976 to 1981 and from 1982 to December 20, 2006, with other special and short appearances.
Vincent Michael Irizarry is an American actor. He was nominated for a Daytime Emmy Award in 1985 and 2002, and won in 2009.
Eden Sonja Jane Riegel is an American actress. She portrayed Bianca Montgomery in the daytime drama All My Children, and propelled the character into a gay icon, as well as a popular figure within the medium. Nominated previously on multiple occasions, she received a Daytime Emmy Award for the role in 2005.
Elizabeth Hendrickson is an American actress. Her big break came when she was cast as character Frankie Stone on the daytime drama All My Children. Her equally popular role of Maggie Stone, the character's identical twin, launched the character into iconic status as one half of supercouple Bianca Montgomery and Maggie Stone.
Arabella "Babe" Carey is a fictional character from the American daytime drama All My Children. She was originally portrayed by actress Alexa Havins, from October 13, 2003, to October 8, 2007, and then by actress Amanda Baker from October 8, 2007, to October 31, 2008. Havins crossed over as character sporadically on One Life to Live from November 24, 2003 to February 2005. The character was killed off on the October 23, 2008 episode of the show, after suffering injuries during a series of tornadoes, although she reappeared briefly on June 2 and 29, 2009, as a ghost. In September 2011, Babe (Havins) briefly returned to Pine Valley as an apparition appearing to JR.
Justin Bruening is an American actor and former fashion model. He was discovered at a McDonald's in Escondido, California, and within a week, he was shooting photos with Bruce Weber. In 2003, his acting career began when he was cast in the role of Jamie Martin on the daytime drama All My Children, earning him a Soap Opera Digest Award in 2005 for the portrayal. In 2007, Bruening was cast as Mike Traceur, the son of character Michael Knight, a new take on the original Knight Rider series. In 2011, he was cast as Tyler Berrett, a recurring role on the series Ringer starring Sarah Michelle Gellar and in 2013, he joined Ravenswood. He also played paramedic Matthew Taylor on the medical drama Grey's Anatomy in 2013 and 2018. Since 2020, he has been a part of the main cast of the series Sweet Magnolias.
Adam "JR" Chandler Jr. is a fictional character from the ABC and The Online Network daytime drama All My Children. He was portrayed by Jacob Young from 2003 to 2011, prior to Ryan Bittle taking over the role in 2013. Bittle was cast as the new JR on Prospect Park's continuation of All My Children.
Bianca Montgomery is a fictional character from the American daytime drama All My Children. Until Eden Riegel assumed the role, portraying the character from July 2000 to January 2010, the character was portrayed solely by child actresses: Lacey Chabert, Nathalie Paulding, Gina Gallagher, Caroline Wilde and Jessica Leigh Falborn. When Riegel decided to permanently exit the role, plans to recast were confirmed; in June 2010, Christina Bennett Lind replaced Riegel, and remained on the series through the original television finale episode, which aired September 23, 2011. In February 2013, it was announced that Riegel would be reprising her role as Bianca in a guest-arc on Prospect Park's continuation of All My Children.
Maggie Stone is a fictional character from the American daytime drama All My Children. She was portrayed by actress Elizabeth Hendrickson, who also portrayed Maggie's identical twin sister Frankie Stone. The character came to Pine Valley in 2002 after Frankie's death, and befriended Bianca Montgomery whilst investigating her sister's murder. The series portrayed Bianca as having fallen in love with Maggie, with Maggie initially maintaining that she is only interested in men. The series featured her dating several men, taking a few of them to bed, sometimes out of confusion and other times out of a clear attempt to dispel her growing romantic attraction to Bianca. The two eventually become girlfriends, though heartbreak follows.
Joshua "Josh" Madden is a fictional character from the American daytime drama, All My Children. He first came to Pine Valley on June 17, 2005, and was originally portrayed by actor Scott Kinworthy until September 15, 2005. Following Kinworthy's departure, he was portrayed by actor Colin Egglesfield from September 2005 until January 2009.
Lulu Spencer is a fictional character from General Hospital, an American soap opera on the ABC network, portrayed by Alexa Havins Bruening. Previously, Lulu was portrayed by child actress, Tessa Allen from 2004 to 2005. The role was most notably portrayed by Julie Marie Berman from 2005 to 2013. Emme Rylan stepped into the role in 2013 and exited in 2020. Havins Bruening assumed the role in 2024.
Colby Chandler is a fictional character from the original ABC Daytime soap opera All My Children. Born on-screen in 1999, the character was rapidly aged in 2006. The role has been recast several times, but most recently the role was portrayed by Natalie Hall from 2009 until the show's cancellation in 2011. When the show was relaunched as a web series to air on The Online Network owned and operated by production company, Prospect Park, Brooke Newton stepped into the role of Colby.
JR Chandler and Babe Carey are fictional characters of the JR and Babe or Jabe couple from the American daytime drama All My Children. JR Chandler was portrayed by Jacob Young. Babe Carey was portrayed by actress Alexa Havins, and then by Amanda Baker. Written as volatile and yet loving, the up-and-down romance tells of a young star-crossed couple who met one captivating night at the end of a fog-covered dock and from there are faced with much interference, significantly but unintentionally caused by each other, in their struggle for true happiness.
Amanda Baker is an American actress. She is best known for portraying Jolene Crowell on General Hospital: Night Shift in 2007 and Babe Carey Chandler on All My Children from 2007 to 2008. Baker reappeared on June 4 and 29, 2009 as a ghost on All My Children as Babe Chandler.
In an interview published in the latest issue of TV Guide Magazine , on newsstands this week, the magazine reveals that fans will finally get to see Havins beginning with the Monday, November 18 episode.