Lauren Ambrose
Lauren Ambrose, born Lauren Anne D'Ambruoso on November 16, 1978, in New Haven, Connecticut, is an accomplished actress and singer known for her impactful performances in both television and theater. Initially trained for a career in opera, she shifted her focus to acting, leading her to New York City in the early 1990s, where she participated in Off-Broadway productions and began to gain recognition through small television roles. Ambrose gained significant acclaim for her portrayal of Claire Fisher on HBO’s dark comedy series *Six Feet Under*, which aired from 2001 to 2005 and earned her two Emmy nominations.
Throughout her career, Ambrose has showcased her versatility, appearing in various films such as *Can't Hardly Wait*, *Swimming*, and *Where the Wild Things Are*, while also maintaining a strong presence on stage, including notable roles in Broadway productions like *Awake and Sing!* and *My Fair Lady*. Her work has garnered critical praise, exemplifying her talent and dedication to the performing arts. Outside of her professional life, she is married to photographer Sam Handel and is a mother of two. Ambrose continues to be recognized for her contributions to film, television, and theater, reflecting a rich and diverse career in the entertainment industry.
Subject Terms
Lauren Ambrose
Actor
- Born: February 20, 1978
- Birthplace: New Haven, Connecticut
Contribution: Lauren Ambrose is an Emmy-nominated American actor best known for her role as Claire Fisher on the HBO drama series Six Feet Under (2001–5).
Background
Lauren Ambrose was born Lauren Anne D’Ambruoso on November 16, 1978, in New Haven, Connecticut, to Frank D’Ambruoso, a caterer, and Anne Wachtel, an interior design consultant. Ambrose attended private schools, where she studied music, theater, and dance, all subjects that influenced her decision to pursue a career in opera.
During the summers, Ambrose trained her voice for the rigorous practice of opera singing at the Boston University Tanglewood Institute. She also practiced by singing at weddings and funerals. As she trained to become an opera singer, however, she became intrigued by acting and decided to pursue a new path.
Career
In the early 1990s, Ambrose moved to New York City, where she appeared in Off-Broadway plays and received a few small television roles, including several stints on Law & Order. She landed her first film role when she was cast as student Vicky Rayburn in the 1997 Frank Oz comedy In & Out. The following year, she again appeared on Law & Order, this time as a mentally challenged rape victim.
In 1998 Ambrose starred in the romantic comedy Can’t Hardly Wait, in which she plays the love interest of rapper hopeful Kenny (Seth Green). The following year, she had a recurring role in five episodes of Fox’s teen drama Party of Five. In 2000 she starred in the independent features Swimming and Psycho Beach Party, the latter of which is an adaptation of Charles Busch’s Off-Broadway play.
Ambrose broke into serious television when she was cast as Claire Fisher in HBO’s dark comedy Six Feet Under, which aired from 2001 to 2005. In this series, she worked alongside major talents such as Frances Conroy and Michael C. Hall. Ambrose’s Claire is an independent and moody aspiring artist, the youngest child in a dysfunctional family that owns and operates its own funeral home. Ambrose’s performance over the show’s five-season run garnered her significant national attention and widespread critical acclaim. In both 2002 and 2003, she was nominated for an Emmy Award for outstanding supporting actress in a drama series.
Six Feet Under propelled Ambrose to stardom, and when the show ended in 2005, she returned to New York. She followed this with a 2006 Broadway production of Clifford Odets’sAwake and Sing! (1935) in which she played Hennie Berger, a pregnant teenager during the Depression. She and the rest of the play’s cast won a Drama Desk Award for outstanding ensemble performance. Also in 2006, Ambrose starred alongside actor Paul Rudd in the film Diggers.
Ambrose’s high-profile appearance in Awake and Sing! helped her land roles in various mainstream films alongside seasoned big-name actors. In 2007 she starred with Frank Langella in the independent drama Starting Out in the Evening. In the film, she plays a graduate student who tries to convince a has-been novelist (Langella) to come out of retirement. During this time, the actor also returned to the stage for Off-Broadway productions of Romeo and Juliet and Hamlet.
In 2008 Ambrose costarred with Parker Posey in the Fox comedy The Return of Jezebel James, but the show received poor ratings and was cancelled after a few episodes. The next year, the actor had roles in the television movies A Dog Year and Loving Leah, the latter of which earned her a 2009 Satellite Award nomination. She also returned to Broadway for a revival of Eugene Ionesco’s 1962 play Exit the King and voiced the character KW in the Spike Jonze film Where the Wild Things Are, based on Maurice Sendak’s popular 1963 children’s book.
After a few small film roles, Ambrose returned to television in 2011 for Torchwood: Miracle Day, the fourth season of the Doctor Who spinoff Torchwood. The following year, she appeared in the comedy Wanderlust and planned to return to Broadway for a revival of Funny Girl, but the play was canceled in late 2011 when four investors withdrew funding. Ambrose then continued working in episodic television, starring in the 2012 miniseries Coma and making guest appearances on Robot Chicken (2013) and Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (2013).
Sticking with television, she took part in USA network's thriller miniseries Dig in 2015 before appearing in the made-for-television movies Broad Squad (2015), The Interestings (2016), and Monsters of God (2017). For three episodes between 2016 and 2018, she appeared as Agent Einstein in the revived version of The X-Files on Fox. In 2018, in another return to Broadway, she portrayed Eliza Doolittle in a production of the musical My Fair Lady. Though she left the production in October, her performance earned her a Tony Award nomination for Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Musical.
Impact
While Ambrose first wanted to become an opera singer, she soon transitioned into acting. Her excellence in theater allowed her to rise through the ranks of television to star in the dark comedy series Six Feet Under, which earned her wide critical recognition and praise. Throughout her on-screen success, Ambrose has found the time to return to her roots on the stage, delivering acclaimed performances and proving her talent and versatility as an actor.
Personal Life
Ambrose married photographer Sam Handel in September 2001. The couple have a son and a daughter.
Principal Works
Television
Six Feet Under, 2001–5
The Return of Jezebel James, 2008
Torchwood: Miracle Day, 2011
Coma, 2012
Dig, 2015
Film
Can’t Hardly Wait, 1998
Swimming, 2000
Psycho Beach Party, 2000
Diggers, 2006
Starting Out in the Evening, 2007
A Dog Year, 2009
Where the Wild Things Are, 2009
Sleepwalk with Me, 2012
Wanderlust, 2012
Theater
Awake and Sing!, 2006
Romeo and Juliet, 2007
Hamlet, 2008
Exit the King, 2009
My Fair Lady, 2018
Bibliography
Ambrose, Lauren. “Lauren Ambrose Stays Mum on Funny Girl, but Compares Herself to Carrot Top and Talks Torchwood.” Interview by Gwynne Watkins. Vulture. New York Media, 5 Aug. 2011. Web. 16 Aug. 2013.
Ambrose, Lauren. “Scene Stealer.” Interview by Lori Leibovich. Salon. Salon Media, 10 Aug. 2005. Web. 16 Aug. 2013.
Ambrose, Lauren. “Sleepwalk with Me Star Lauren Ambrose on Saying Goodbye to Six Feet Under and Why She Took on A&E Medical Thriller Coma.” Interview by Nigel M. Smith. Indiewire. SnagFilms, 28 Aug. 2012. Web. 16 Aug. 2013.
Stanley, T. L. “Lauren Ambrose Is Fully Engaged in Coma on A&E.” Los Angeles Times. Los Angeles Times, 25 Aug. 2012. Web. 16 Aug. 2013.
Yuan, Jada. “The Virgin Mother.” New York Magazine. New York Media, 31 May 2007. Web. 16 Aug. 2013.