In "Buffy the Vampire Slayer," Alyson Hannigan plays a shy wallflower who becomes Buffy's friend and confidante. In real life, Hannigan is a veteran actress who has been performing since the age of four. During the series' hiatus, she filmed the Paramount/MTV Films feature "Dead Man on Campus," starring Tom Everett Scott.
Born in 1974, this Washington D.C. native began her career at age 4 in Atlanta doing commercials, working steadily in national spots for companies like McDonald's, Six Flags Amusement Parks and Oreo cookies. When Hannigan was 11, she moved to Los Angeles in hopes of breaking into film and television.
Her breakthrough role came when she was cast as Dan Aykroyd's misunderstood daughter in the 1988 feature film "My Stepmother Is an Alien." This movie is also the first time she performed opposite fellow "Buffy" cast member Seth Green. She went on to guest star on a number of popular television shows, including "Picket Fences," "Roseanne" and "Touched by an Angel." She was a recurring guest star on the series "Almost Home", a reworked version of "The Torkelsons." In the show she played tomboy Sam, friends with the son of Mrs. Torkelsons boss. Alyson was a series regular on "Free Sprit" where she once again played opposite Seth Green. Alyson played thirteen-year-old Jessie Harper.
In her free time, the Washington, D.C. native and Dr. Seuss fan likes to surf the web, practice kick-boxing and spend time with her dogs and cats. She currently resides in Los Angeles.