Christine Taylor

'Christine Joan Taylor\' (born July 30, 1971) is an American actress. Born in Allentown, Pennsylvania, she began her career in 1989 as the perky Melody on the Nickelodeon Network children's television series Hey Dude. She continued on that show through 1991 while making various guest appearances on other programs. Her physical resemblance to the character of Marcia Brady, coupled with several successful comedic turns as a guest on shows like Ellen, led to her being cast in 1995 in the film spoof of the television show The Brady Bunch called, appropriately, The Brady Bunch Movie. Her performance garnered her a sequel, A Very Brady Sequel.

Television producers took note of her ability to capture a scene as a guest on television shows and cast her as the lead, in 1996, in the television show Party Girl. The show was a failure, filming six episodes and airing only three. Taylor continued to guest on shows like Friends and Seinfeld, and eventually won the best friend role in the Drew Barrymore/Adam Sandler film The Wedding Singer.

Several other small film roles later (including the independent film Desperate (but Not Serious) preceded her romance and eventual marriage to actor and writer Ben Stiller. She then appeared opposite him in his film Zoolander in 2001, and in 2002 she bore their first child, a daughter.

In short, Taylor is widely considered a gifted comedic actress whose success in performance has been varied but often heralded. It is likely that she will continue to collaborate with her husband on future projects.