Her screen debut came in the 1999 film Varsity Blues, followed by the horror films House on Haunted Hill and Final Destination. Major supporting roles in the comedy Legally Blonde and the romantic comedy A Lot Like Love led her to lead roles as the titular character in the Bollywood film Marigold and in the 2009 thriller Obsessed. Larter achieved wider fame after her portrayal of video game heroine Claire Redfield in the successful films, Resident Evil: Extinction and Resident Evil: Afterlife.
Larter frequently appears in "Hot" lists compiled by Maxim, FHM and Stuff as well as People magazine's "Best Dressed List" in 2007. After a three year relationship, Larter married actor Hayes MacArthur in a small ceremony in Maine in August 2009. The couple have a son, born December 2010.
Larter was born in Cherry Hill, New Jersey. She has an older sister named Kirsten, who is a teacher. She is the daughter of Margaret, a realtor, and Danforth Larter, a trucking executive. They have since moved to Allentown, Pennsylvania. She attended Carusi Middle School and later graduated from Cherry Hill High School West.
Larter began her modelling career at the age of 14 when a modelling scout discovered her on the street. She was asked to star in a Phillies commercial and later signed a modeling contract with the prestigious Ford Modeling Agency in New York. Larter subsequently skipped her senior year to model in Japan, Australia and Italy. At seventeen, Larter settled temporarily in Japan. Later, in 1995, she accompanied her boyfriend in his move to Los Angeles, California.
While modelling in Italy, Larter met fellow model and aspiring actress Amy Smart. According to Larter, the two "became instant friends." A modelling job later took Larter to L.A., whilst there, she decided to take acting classes with Smart. The two then moved into an apartment together. In November 1996, Larter portrayed fictional model Allegra Coleman in an Esquire magazine hoax. When speaking about the cover and her subsequent fame, Larter said, "When the door opens for you in Hollywood, you need to run with it. You know?"
Larter landed her first professional roles in 1997 when she appeared in several television programs. She appeared in an episode of the Brooke Shields television series Suddenly Susan, and the short-lived series Chicago Sons. These roles were followed by a number of other appearances on Dawson's Creek, Chicago Hope, and Just Shoot Me!
In 1999, Larter began her film career with an appearance in Varsity Blues, which re-united her with Dawson's Creek star Van Der Beek and close friend Amy Smart. Smart had persuaded Larter to audition for the movie. In the film she played Darcy Sears, a love interest for one of the main characters. Varsity Blues drew a domestic box office gross of $53 million. That year she made appearances in the teen comedies Giving It Up and Drive Me Crazy. Larter also starred in the horror remake House on Haunted Hill. Made for around $20 million, the movie was panned by critics, but grossed $15 million on its opening weekend and went on to earn over $40 million.
In 2000, Larter starred as one of the main characters, Clear Rivers, in the teen horror film Final Destination. Also starring Devon Sawa and Kerr Smith, the movie's premise followed several teenagers who survive a plane crash only to find that death is killing them off one by one. Final Destination made $112 million by the end of its theatrical run.The following year, she appeared in the comedy Legally Blonde with Reese Witherspoon. She played Brooke Taylor Windham, a widow accused of her husband's murder. The film earned the top spot with $20 million in its opening weekend and ended up grossing $141 million worldwide. With $96 million of it total gross deriving from domestic markets, Legally Blonde is Larter's highest grossing film domestically.
Larter next appeared as Zerelda Mimms in the western comedy American Outlaws.Directed by Les Mayfield and co-starring Colin Farrell and Scott Caan, the movie was poorly received by critics and at the box office making $13 million at the end of its theatrical run. She also starred in Kevin Smith's Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back. That year, Larter appeared on the cover of Maxim magazine and performed in the stage play The Vagina Monologues in New York City.
Larter promoting Heroes at Comic Con 2006
In Spring 2002, Larter moved from Los Angeles to New York. "I was too young and impressionable to handle the pressures of L.A." Larter recalled in an interview, "I'm a woman now. I am no longer the little girl who could be easily influenced."
Her first project there was to reprise her role as Clear Rivers in the sequel to Final Destination entitled Final Destination 2. In an interview with IGN, Larter explained her return to the franchise: "When New Line asked me to come back, I thought it was great. They showed me the script and let me have some input, and it was really terrific." The film opened at number 2 with $16 million to mixed critical reception. A year later, Larter served as an associate producer of and starred in the thriller Three Way. In 2005, Larter appeared in the independent political thriller, Confess, and had a role in the romantic comedy A Lot Like Love alongside Amanda Peet and Ashton Kutcher. keep reading..
