Laura Diane Leighton (born July 24, 1968) is an American actress. She
played Sydney Andrews on the television series Melrose Place
(1993â€"1997) and its remake (2009â€"2010), and Ashley Marin on
Freeform's series Pretty Little Liars (2010â€"2017).In the early
1990s, Leighton's first on-screen jobs were in a commercial for Pizza
Hut and Dep Hair Gel before taking her first major acting role as
Sydney Andrews in the prime time soap opera Melrose Place. The part
was originally intended for only two episodes in season 1, but was
eventually developed into a full-time role for the subsequent seasons
2 to 5 (1993â€"97). During the show's run, Leighton appeared on
numerous magazine covers (including Entertainment Weekly and Rolling
Stone and People). Leighton left the show at the end of the fifth
season in 1997, which saw her character Sydney being struck and
seemingly killed by a car, only moments after her wedding to Craig
Field played by David Charvet.During breaks while filming Melrose
Place, Leighton starred in the made-for-television films, In the Name
of Love: A Texas Tragedy for FOX as Laurette Wilder, a woman from a
poor background who falls for a rich man to the disgust of his
grandparents, and The Other Woman for CBS as Carolyn Bryan, a newly
married model who finds herself making friends with her husband's
dying ex-wife. She also hosted an episode of Saturday Night Live in
1995 with musical guest Rancid.After leaving Melrose Place in 1997 at
the end of her contract, Leighton accepted a six-episode role on
Beverly Hills, 90210. Aaron Spelling created the role of aspiring
actress Sophie Burns for her, and she reportedly received a six-figure
salary per episode. In 1999, she appeared in the independent short
film Angels, Baby! directed by Jeff Fisher along with the Paul
Lazarus-directed romantic comedy Seven Girlfriends opposite Tim Daly,
and the thriller The Clean and Narrow opposite Jack Noseworthy which
was released direct to video in early 2000.
played Sydney Andrews on the television series Melrose Place
(1993â€"1997) and its remake (2009â€"2010), and Ashley Marin on
Freeform's series Pretty Little Liars (2010â€"2017).In the early
1990s, Leighton's first on-screen jobs were in a commercial for Pizza
Hut and Dep Hair Gel before taking her first major acting role as
Sydney Andrews in the prime time soap opera Melrose Place. The part
was originally intended for only two episodes in season 1, but was
eventually developed into a full-time role for the subsequent seasons
2 to 5 (1993â€"97). During the show's run, Leighton appeared on
numerous magazine covers (including Entertainment Weekly and Rolling
Stone and People). Leighton left the show at the end of the fifth
season in 1997, which saw her character Sydney being struck and
seemingly killed by a car, only moments after her wedding to Craig
Field played by David Charvet.During breaks while filming Melrose
Place, Leighton starred in the made-for-television films, In the Name
of Love: A Texas Tragedy for FOX as Laurette Wilder, a woman from a
poor background who falls for a rich man to the disgust of his
grandparents, and The Other Woman for CBS as Carolyn Bryan, a newly
married model who finds herself making friends with her husband's
dying ex-wife. She also hosted an episode of Saturday Night Live in
1995 with musical guest Rancid.After leaving Melrose Place in 1997 at
the end of her contract, Leighton accepted a six-episode role on
Beverly Hills, 90210. Aaron Spelling created the role of aspiring
actress Sophie Burns for her, and she reportedly received a six-figure
salary per episode. In 1999, she appeared in the independent short
film Angels, Baby! directed by Jeff Fisher along with the Paul
Lazarus-directed romantic comedy Seven Girlfriends opposite Tim Daly,
and the thriller The Clean and Narrow opposite Jack Noseworthy which
was released direct to video in early 2000.
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