Olivia Wilde

Olivia Wilde (born Olivia Jane Cockburn, 3.10.1984)

Olivia Wilde is an American actress and model. She started acting in the early 2000s and has worked in film and television, including roles in The O.C. and The Black Donnellys. She is perhaps best known for her role in the US TV drama House, as well as starring as Ouorra in Tron: Legacy.

Olivia Wilde: Childhood

Olivia Wilde was born in New York City. Her mother, Leslie Cockburn, is a journalist and a producer of 60 Minutes. Her father was born in London and is also a journalist, as are his brothers Alexander and Patrick Cockburn. Olivia's sister, Chloe Cockburn, is an attorney.

Wilde wanted to be an actress from a very young age. She attended Georgetown Day School, as well as Phillips Academy in Andover, Massachusetts, where she graduated in 2002. She then attended the Gaiety School of Acting in Ireland for some time. Wilde herself has cited Sigourney Weaver, Meryl Streep and Frances McDormand as her acting inspirations.

Olivia Wilde: Acting Career

Before taking on her prominent role in The O.C., Olivia Wilde appeared in The Girl Next Door with Emile Hirsch and Elisha Cuthbert. She also landed a role in the Justin Timberlake film Alpha Dog, which also featured Bruce Willis and Sharon Stone. In 2006, she appeared in Turistas with Josh Duhamel and Beau Garrett. Later that year, she won the US Comedy Arts Festival Best Actress award for her role in Bickford Shmeckler's Cool Ideas.

Olivia Wilde originally auditioned for the role of Marissa Cooper in The O.C. but ended up playing Alex Kelly. Other actors in the series include Mischa Barton, Tate Donovan and Kelly Rowan. She narrowly missed out on playing Vesper Lynd in Casino Royale, when the role went to Eva Green.

Wilde was part of an ensemble cast in the NBC drama The Black Donnellys. Other cast members included Jonathan Tucker and Thomas Guiry. In autumn 2007, she joined the cast of House, a medical drama on the Fox network. The series also stars Hugh Laurie and Lisa Edelstein.

In 2009, Olivia Wilde appeared in the comedy Year One with Jack Black and Michael Cera.

In late 2010, she then played the role of Quorra in the Disney film Tron: Legacy, which also starred Jeff Bridges and Michael Sheen.

Olivia Wilde: Personal Life

Olivia married the Italian-American documentary maker Tao Ruspoli in 2003, when she was 19 years old. They announced their separation in February 2011.