Chyler Leigh

Chyler Leigh
Leigh in 2011
Born Chyler Leigh Potts
(1982-04-10) April 10, 1982
Charlotte, North Carolina, U.S.
Residence Los Angeles, California, U.S.[1]
Occupation
  • Actress
  • singer
  • model
Years active 1996–present
Spouse(s)
Nathan West (m. 2002)
Children 3
Awards Young Hollywood Awards[2]
Musical career
Also known as WestLeigh (with Nathan West)
Instruments Vocals
Associated acts

Chyler Leigh West (pronounced /ˈkaɪlər/ KY-lər; born Potts; April 10, 1982), known professionally as Chyler Leigh, is an American actress, singer and model. She is known for portraying Janey Briggs in the comedy film Not Another Teen Movie (2001), Lexie Grey in the ABC medical drama series Grey's Anatomy (2007–2012), and Alex Danvers in the DC Comics superhero series Supergirl (2015–present).

Early life

Leigh was born in Charlotte, North Carolina. She is the daughter of Yvonne Norton and Robert Potts.[3][4] Leigh was raised in Virginia Beach, Virginia, where her parents ran a weight-loss business.[5] However, when Leigh was eight, the business went bankrupt and at the age of twelve, following the break-up of her parents' marriage, Leigh moved with her mother and brother, future Power Rangers in Space actor Christopher Khayman Lee, to Miami where her mother remarried her first husband. Following her parents' divorce, Leigh was estranged from her father for many years, but they have since reconciled.[5]

While in eighth grade, she started modelling. She soon began acting by appearing in local television commercials and a syndicated teen news show called Hall Pass. In 1999, Leigh and her mother relocated to Los Angeles in order for Leigh to develop a career in acting. At age 16, Leigh took and passed the California High School Proficiency Exam.[6]

Drug addiction and recovery

At age 16, Leigh met her future husband, 20-year-old Nathan West, when they both attended auditions for the pilot of an unsuccessful WB series titled Saving Graces.[7] They began a relationship, and Leigh left home to move in with West. Leigh described them as being "broken", both having had troubled family lives and difficult upbringings.[5] This led to abuse of drugs such as cocaine, which quickly escalated into addiction. The catalysts for change eventually came in 2001, when Leigh, in the throes of addiction and barely eating, was told by the director of Not Another Teen Movie that she looked unhealthily thin.[5] Around that time, she and West also attended a Christian church service, at the invitation of a friend, which helped them break free of their addiction. Clean and sober in 2002, they were wed in Alaska surrounded by their closest family and friends.[5]

Career

Chyler Leigh in 2006

Leigh started acting at an early age and debuted in the film world at age 15 in 1997's Kickboxing Academy. She started hosting in local TV shows and modeling; in 2001, Leigh nabbed the lead role in the box-office success Not Another Teen Movie as Janey Briggs. She also appeared in Marilyn Manson's music video "Tainted Love", a song which appeared in the film. She was ranked #65 on the Maxim Hot 100 Women of 2002.[8] In 2002, Leigh was cast in two short-lived TV series: Girls Club, in which she played lawyer Sarah Mickle, and That '80s Show, in which she played punk rocker June Tuesday. She then became a series regular on the ABC legal drama The Practice, but was let go at the end of the season due to budget cuts. Following that, she joined the cast of Reunion in September 2005.

In ABC's medical drama Grey's Anatomy, Leigh first appeared as a woman in Joe's bar who was noticed by Derek Shepherd during the final two episodes of the third season, and her character is later revealed to be Lexie Grey, the younger half-sister of the titular character.[9] Leigh was made an official series regular for season four and remained so until the eighth-season finale, as Leigh chose to depart from the show after five years to spend more time with her family.[10]

Leigh also makes music with her husband Nathan West (East of Eli), under the name "WestLeigh". They have performed covers and originals songs. In 2015, for their thirteenth anniversary they wrote "Love Lit The Sky".[11][12] On Valentine's Day 2017, they released the single "Nowhere". Leigh has taken part in several of her husband's tours.[13][14][15][16]

On June 18, 2017, a single "Spirit of Samba" of Laurent Voulzy was released featuring Leigh, Nina Miranda, Luisa Maita and Eloisia; in France has reached its maximum with the 99@th position of the Syndicat National de l'Édition Phonographique (SNEP).[17][18]

In October 2015, Leigh began starring in a lead role in the CBS/CW DC Comics television show Supergirl as Alexandra "Alex" Danvers, the elder adoptive sister of the titular character and a scientist and government agent at the DEO.

Personal life

On July 20, 2002, Leigh married fellow actor Nathan West in Alaska. The couple worked together in 2000 on the television series 7th Heaven, playing Mary Camden's (Jessica Biel) troubled friends Frankie and Johnnie. Leigh and West have three children – a son and two daughters (born December 2003, September 2006,[19] and May 2009[20]).

Leigh has said that she and her husband have a pact in which the person who guesses the baby's sex correctly gets to choose the name. When pregnant with their first child, she guessed she was having a boy so she chose the first name and Nathan gave him his middle name. For their second child, Nathan correctly guessed it was a girl, so he named her. Their third child, also a girl, was guessed correctly by West, and he again chose the name.[21][22]

Leigh is a Christian and credits her faith and a "really awesome church" with giving her and her husband "a reason to live".[1][23] She also supports The Thirst Project, a non-profit organization in America which aims to bring safe drinking water to communities around the world.[24]

Leigh and her family live in Los Angeles.[1]

Filmography

Television and film roles
Year Title Role Notes
1996 Hall Pass Herself Co-Host
1997 Kinetic City Super Crew N/A Radio series
1997 Kickboxing Academy Cindy Film
1999 Saving Graces Grace Smith Unsold television pilot (The WB)
1999 Safe Harbor Jamie Martin Main role
2000 M.Y.O.B. N/A Episode: "Bad Seed"
2000 7th Heaven Frankie 3 episodes
2000 Wilder Days Rip Unsold television pilot (ABC)
2001 Not Another Teen Movie Janey Briggs Film
2002 That '80s Show June Tuesday Main role
2002 Girls Club Sarah Mickle Main role
2003 The Practice Claire Wyatt Main role (season 7)
2004 North Shore Kate Spangler Episode: "My Boyfriend's Back"
2005 Rocky Point Cassie Unsold television pilot (The WB)
2005–2006 Reunion Carla Main role
2007–2012 Grey's Anatomy Dr. Lexie Grey Guest role (season 3); main role (seasons 4–8)
2010 The 19th Wife Queenie Alton Television film
2012 Private Practice Dr. Lexie Grey Episode: "You Break My Heart"
2012 Brake Molly Reins Film
2013 Window Wonderland Sloan Van Doren Television film
2014 Taxi Brooklyn Detective Caitlyn 'Cat' Sullivan Main role, 12 episodes
2015–present Supergirl Alex Danvers Main role
2017 Arrow Alex Danvers Episode: "Crisis on Earth-X"
2017 The Flash Alex Danvers Episode: "Crisis on Earth-X"
2017 Legends of Tomorrow Alex Danvers Episode: "Crisis on Earth-X"

Music videos

Year Title Artist Ref
2001 "Tainted Love" Marilyn Manson [25]

Soundtrack performances

Year Song(s) Other notes
2008 "Like a Virgin"
2011 "Breathe (2 AM)"
"Wait"
"Running on Sunshine"
"Grace"
"How to Save a Life"

Music performances

Year Song(s) Other notes
2015 "Love Lit The Sky" With Nathan West (East of Eli)
2017 "Nowhere"
"Spirit of Samba" Laurent Voulzy feat. Chyler Leigh, Nina Miranda, Luisa Maita and Eloisia

Producer

Year Title Notes Ref
2012 Brake Co-producer [26]

Awards and nominations

Year Award Category Work Result Ref
2000 Young Artist Awards Best Performance in a TV Series - Young Ensemble Safe Harbor (shared with cast) Nominated [27]
2002 Young Hollywood Awards Exciting New Face-Female Herself Won [2]
2008 Screen Actors Guild Awards Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series Grey's Anatomy (shared with cast) Nominated [28]

References

  1. 1 2 3 Marsi, Steve. "Addiction to Fulfillment: An Interview With Chyler Leigh". TV Addiction. Retrieved May 28, 2015.
  2. 1 2 "Movieline's 4th Annual Young Hollywood Awards". Retrieved March 25, 2017.
  3. ↑ "Chyler Leigh Biography". TVGuide.com. Retrieved May 30, 2014.
  4. ↑ "Virginian-Pilot Archives".
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 Ingrassia, Lisa. "Grey's Anatomy Star: At Long Last, Love". Retrieved May 17, 2012.
  6. ↑ Preview Grey's Anatomy's newest intern, Chyler Leigh – Celebrity and Entertainment News | TVGuide.com Archived May 30, 2008, at the Wayback Machine.
  7. ↑ Marsi, Steve. "Addiction to Fulfillment: An Interview With Chyler Leigh". Retrieved May 17, 2012.
  8. ↑ "2002 Hot 100 List".
  9. ↑ Ingrassia, Lisa (June 10, 2007). "Grey's Anatomy Welcomes New Cast Member – Grey's Anatomy, Chyler Leigh". People.com. Retrieved May 30, 2014.
  10. ↑ 'GREY'S' CREATOR DEFENDS FINALE DEATH Archived May 22, 2012, at the Wayback Machine.
  11. ↑ "WestLeigh: "Love Lit The Sky"".
  12. ↑ "Modern Machine - Photos from Modern Machine's post | Facebook".
  13. ↑ "Nowhere by East of Eli featuring Chyler Leigh".
  14. ↑ "Nowhere (feat. Chyler Leigh) - Single".
  15. ↑ "East Of Eli featuring Chyler Leigh - Live March 18th - Los Angeles".
  16. ↑ "Chyler Leigh and Nathan West release delightful new song for Valentine's Day".
  17. ↑ "Le Top de la semaine : Top Singles Téléchargés – SNEP (Week 37, 2017)" (in French). Syndicat National de l'Édition Phonographique. Retrieved September 19, 2017.
  18. ↑ "Spirit of Samba".
  19. ↑ Ingrassia, Lisa. "Grey's Anatomy Cast 'Happy to Be Back' – Grey's Anatomy, Chyler Leigh". People. Retrieved May 30, 2014.
  20. ↑ Ingrassia, Lisa (May 7, 2009). "Grey's Anatomy's Chyler Leigh Welcomes a Baby Girl". People. Retrieved May 30, 2014.
  21. ↑ Suzanne Goin's Chopped Chicken Salad (December 29, 2008). "Grey's Anatomy's Chyler Leigh Expecting Baby No. 3 – Babies, Chyler Leigh". People. Retrieved May 30, 2014.
  22. ↑ "Grey's Anatomy Star Naming Baby Aniston". US Magazine. February 7, 2009. Archived from the original on February 8, 2009.
  23. ↑ Ingrassia, Lisa. "Grey's Anatomy Star: At Long Last, Love". People. Retrieved May 28, 2015.
  24. ↑ Bialas, Michael (June 27, 2011). "Playing Doctor: A House Call From Chyler Leigh of Grey's Anatomy". Huffington Post. Retrieved June 3, 2012.
  25. ↑ "Musical Montage: Marilyn Manson "Tainted Love"".
  26. ↑ "Brake".
  27. ↑ "21st Annual Young Artist Awards". Archived from the original on July 19, 2012. Retrieved August 16, 2017.
  28. ↑ "14th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards". Retrieved August 16, 2017.
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