Danneel Ackles

Danneel Ackles
Ackles in 2018
Born
Elta Danneel Graul

(1979-03-18) March 18, 1979 (age 45)
Other namesDanneel Harris
Danneel Graul
OccupationActress
Years active1999–present
Spouse
(m. 2010)
Children3

Danneel Ackles (née Elta Danneel Graul;[2] March 18, 1979[3]), credited professionally before 2012 as Danneel Harris, is an American actress. She played the role of Shannon McBain on the American daytime soap opera One Life to Live and Rachel Gatina on the WB/CW television drama series One Tree Hill.

Early life

Elta Danneel Graul was born in Lafayette, Louisiana,[2] and raised in nearby Eunice, a small town in St. Landry Parish. Her father Edward E. Graul Jr. is a practicing ophthalmologist and her mother Deborah Graul works as an interior designer. She was named after her great-grandmother. Her first name is Elta, but she goes by her middle name, Danneel, professionally. The name "Danneel" was inspired by Danneel Street in New Orleans.[4] She moved to Los Angeles to pursue a modeling career.[2]

Career

Before she landed her first acting role, Harris worked as a model with such companies as Big Sexy Hair and Juicy Jeans. She first appeared in a television commercial. In 2003, Harris landed her first role on the ABC soap opera television series One Life to Live as Shannon McBain, a student attending the fictional Llanview University. Harris relocated to New York for the role,[2] and left the series in December 2004. Harris has since gone on to appear in shows such as JAG, Charmed, CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, What I Like About You, NCIS, and Joey.[3] Harris's first film role was in the short film The Plight of Clownana.[citation needed]

In 2005, Harris began a major recurring role in the third season of The WB/CW television drama series One Tree Hill. Harris portrayed the role of Rachel Gatina, a bad girl who creates havoc for the residents of Tree Hill and returned to her role as a series regular for the show's fourth season. However, in season five Harris only reprises the role of Rachel in two episodes due to the seasons format change. In June 2009, Harris was confirmed to reprise the role of Rachel in the series seventh season over the course of seven episodes.[5] Harris was in-talks to return for the series eighth season, but, due to scheduling conflicts, these plans never materialized.[6]

In January 2007, Harris was the female lead in the New Line Cinema Comedy film Harold & Kumar Escape from Guantanamo Bay, the sequel to the 2004 film Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle. Filming took place in Shreveport, Louisiana, that same month.[7] The film was released in April 2008 to mostly negative reviews (with aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes giving it an average of 53%), despite the film grossing over $43,439,123 worldwide. Harris reprised the role of Vanessa Fanning in the third and final installment of the trilogy, A Very Harold & Kumar 3D Christmas, which was released in November 2011. In both 2009 and 2010, Harris had small supporting roles in the films Fired Up! and The Back-up Plan.

Harris in 2011

In May 2009, Harris was cast in the Screen Gems Thriller film The Roommate.[8] The film, also starring Leighton Meester and Cam Gigandet, centers on a college freshman whose roommate has a violent obsession with her. Harris portrays Irene Crew, a high-profile fashion designer. The film was shot on location at the University of Southern California in Los Angeles, and suffered numerous push-backs for unknown reasons.[9] The film was eventually released in February 2011 to a $15.6 million opening weekend despite negative reviews from critics and went on to gross over $40 million worldwide.[10]

In September 2009, Harris appeared in the sitcom television series pilot Friends with Benefits, which was picked up by NBC.[11] It was originally set to air as a midseason replacement during the 2010–11 television season, but was delayed until August 2011.[12][13] Harris took on the role of Sara Maxwell, a doctor desperate to find the right guy. The series premiered to a low 2.34 million viewers[14] and to mixed reviews from critics. The series was not renewed.

In June 2012, Harris, now going by the professional name Danneel Ackles, was brought in for a recurring role in the second season of the TV Land series Retired at 35.[15] In December 2017 it was announced that Ackles had been cast in the recurring role of Sister Jo in thirteenth season of The CW television series Supernatural.[16] She appeared in a Lifetime television film, The Christmas Contract (2018), alongside former One Tree Hill co-stars Hilarie Burton, Robert Buckley, Tyler Hilton and Antwon Tanner.[17][18] More recently, Jensen and Danneel Ackles formed Chaos Machine Productions with a deal at Warner Bros. Television.[19]

Personal life

Harris became engaged to Jensen Ackles in November 2009[20] and the couple married on May 15, 2010, in Dallas, Texas.[1][21] It was announced on January 7, 2013, that the couple were expecting their first child together.[22] Their daughter was born in May 2013.[23] On August 10, 2016, the couple announced that they were expecting twins together, later in the year.[24] Their twins, a son and a daughter, were born in December 2016.[25]

Filmography

Film

Year Title Role Notes
2004 The Plight of Clownana Dildo Man's Fan Short film; as Danneel Graul
2005 Rule Number One April Short film
2007 Ten Inch Hero Platisha 'Tish' Madison
2008 Harold & Kumar Escape from Guantanamo Bay Vanessa Fanning
2008 Harold & Kumar Go to Amsterdam Vanessa Fanning Short film
2008 Extreme Movie Melissa
2009 Still Waiting... Sherry Direct-to-video
2009 Fired Up! Bianca
2010 The Back-up Plan Olivia
2011 The Roommate Irene Crew
2011 A Very Harold & Kumar 3D Christmas Vanessa Fanning
2012 Mardi Gras: Spring Break Erica
2014 TSA America: Suspicious Bulges Christine Short film

Television

Year Title Role Notes
1999–2004 One Life to Live Shannon McBain Contract role; 68 episodes
2004 What I Like About You Kate 4 episodes (season 2)
2004 Joey London / Katie Harper 3 episodes
2005 Charmed New Paige Matthews Episode: "Something Wicca This Way Goes"
2005 JAG Cammie Cresswell Episodes: "Straits of Malacca", "Death at the Mosque"
2005–2010 One Tree Hill Rachel Gatina Recurring role (seasons 3, 5, 7); main role (season 4); 52 episodes
2007 CSI: Crime Scene Investigation Shasta McCloud Episode: "A La Cart"
2008 Free Radio Danneel Harris Episode: "Lance Gets a Bodyguard"
2008 How I Met Your Mother Nora Zinman Episode: "Shelter Island"
2009 NCIS Jessica Shore Episode: "Love & War"
2009 Trust Me Jessica Episode: "All Hell the Victors"
2009 CSI: Miami Abby Dawson Episode: "Sink or Swim"
2011 Friends with Benefits Sara Maxwell Main role
2012 Retired at 35 Jenn Harris 3 episodes (season 2)
2012 Naughty or Nice Jill Rhodes Television film
2013 How to Live with Your Parents... Olivia Episodes: "How to Fix Up Your Ex", "How to Live with Your Parents for the Rest of Your Life"
2014 Baby Boot Camp Julia Television film
2018–2020 Supernatural Sister Jo / Anael Recurring role (seasons 1315); 5 episodes[16]
2018 The Christmas Contract Naomi Television film[17][18]

References

  1. ^ a b "Jensen Ackles and Danneel Harris Wedding". Celebrity Bride Guide. May 15, 2010. Archived from the original on July 30, 2013. Retrieved July 29, 2013.
  2. ^ a b c d "Danneel Ackles – Biography". TVGuide.com. Retrieved December 2, 2017.
  3. ^ a b "Danneel Harris". Hollywood.com. Archived from the original on December 3, 2017. Retrieved December 2, 2017.
  4. ^ funkyfunkyjoe (February 4, 2018). Jensen and Danneel Ackles Uncut Interview at Family Business Beer Company. Retrieved July 3, 2024 – via YouTube.
  5. ^ "One Tree Hill: Danneel Harris' Return Confirmed". Buddytv.com. June 29, 2009. Archived from the original on December 25, 2014. Retrieved October 1, 2012.
  6. ^ Adalian, Josef (February 24, 2011). "NBC Pretty Much Cancels Three Shows Before They Premiere". New York Magazine – Vulture. Retrieved December 2, 2017.
  7. ^ "11 Board Harold & Kumar 2". ComingSoon.net. January 31, 2007. Archived from the original on February 2, 2007. Retrieved October 1, 2012.
  8. ^ "Danneel Harris Is the Latest Roommate | Horror Movie, DVD, & Book Reviews, News, Interviews at Dread Central". Dread Central. June 1, 2009. Retrieved October 1, 2012.
  9. ^ "Search: the roommate". Onlocationvacations.com. Archived from the original on July 31, 2018. Retrieved October 1, 2012.
  10. ^ "The Roommate (2011)". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved October 1, 2012.
  11. ^ "NBC Picks Up Friends with Benefits". MovieWeb. February 17, 2010. Archived from the original on May 20, 2013. Retrieved October 1, 2012.
  12. ^ Ausiello, Michael (May 14, 2010). "Breaking: NBC picks up four new series". Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on May 17, 2010. Retrieved June 7, 2010.
  13. ^ "NBC Unveils 2010–11 Primetime Schedule Accented by Five New Comedies, Seven New Dramas and New Alternative Program" (Press release). NBC. May 16, 2010. Retrieved December 2, 2017 – via The Futon Critic.
  14. ^ "Friday Final Broadcast Ratings for August 5, 2011 – No Adults 18–49 Adjustments for Originals – Ratings". TV by the Numbers. Archived from the original on August 17, 2011. Retrieved October 1, 2012.
  15. ^ "First look: 'One Tree Hill' star Danneel Ackles on 'Retired at 35' Season 2". Zap2it. June 22, 2012. Archived from the original on June 24, 2012. Retrieved October 1, 2012.
  16. ^ a b Turchiano, Danielle (December 1, 2017). "'Supernatural' Casts Danneel Ackles in Recurring Role (EXCLUSIVE)". Variety. Retrieved December 2, 2017.
  17. ^ a b Petski, Nellie; Andreeva, Denise (June 13, 2018). "'One Tree Hill' Alums To Star In Lifetime Holiday Movie 'The Christmas Contract'". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved August 23, 2018.
  18. ^ a b "Lifetime Just Announced Its Newest Christmas Movie, and You're Going to Love the Cast". Country Living. June 13, 2018. Retrieved August 23, 2018.
  19. ^ Turchiano, Danielle (October 8, 2020). "Jensen Ackles and Danneel Ackles Ink Overall Deal at Warner Bros. Television Group". Variety. Retrieved October 9, 2020.
  20. ^ Abrams, Natalie (November 9, 2009). "Jensen Ackles and Danneel Harris Are Engaged". TV Guide. Retrieved January 11, 2010.
  21. ^ Oh, Eunice (May 16, 2010). "CW Stars Jensen Ackles and Danneel Harris Tie the Knot". People Magazine. Archived from the original on May 18, 2010. Retrieved May 16, 2010.
  22. ^ "Baby on the Way for Jensen Ackles". People. January 7, 2013. Retrieved December 2, 2015.
  23. ^ Johnson, Zach (June 7, 2013). "Jensen Ackles and Danneel Harris Welcome Daughter Justice Jay "JJ" Ackles". Us Weekly. Retrieved June 7, 2013.
  24. ^ "Twins on the Way for Jensen and Danneel Harris Ackles: A Boy and a Girl!". People. August 10, 2016.
  25. ^ Drysdale, Jennifer (December 3, 2016). "'Supernatural' Star Jensen Ackles and Wife Danneel Harris Welcome Twins -- Find Out Their Unique Names!". ET Online. Retrieved December 2, 2017.