General Hospital

Background:

Breaking into soap opera as troubled Alli Fowler in NBC's “Another World” (1998-1999), American actress Alicia Leigh Willis achieved famed and recognition thanks to her role of spirited and charming sister Courtney Matthews in the highly popular ABC soap “General Hospital” (2001-2005, 2006), where she took home two Daytime Emmy nominations for her performance. Willis had the title role in the telenovela “American Heiress” (2007) and recurring roles in the Aaron Spelling produced series “7th Heaven” (1996-2002) and in Showtime's drama, “The L Word” (2008-2009). On the big screen front, Willis is perhaps best known as Lady Customer in Nicolas Cage's vehicle “National Treasure: Book of Secrets” (2007). Other film credits include “Anywhere But Here” (1999), “How High” (2001) and “Raven” (2009). A promising soccer player in high school, Willis gave up a chance of a sports career to focus on acting.

Willis now lives in Los Angeles, California. She keeps four cats and a dog as her pets. Willis is the good friend of actress Taylor Stanley, her former costar on “Another World.” Among her favorite actors are Robert DeNiro and Angelina Jolie.

Soccer

Childhood and Family:

Alicia Leigh Willis was born on March 1, 1978, in Atlanta, Georgia, to David E. Willis (actor) and Leigh Willis. She has two sisters, Kimberly and Tiffany, and a brother, Ryan. She attended Laguna Beach High School.

A talented youth, Alicia began playing soccer at age 5, and went on to become an accomplished player in high school and at the club level. At her senior year at high school, she received many offers from Division 1 schools to play college soccer, but she decided to abandon the opportunity of a career in sports in favor for acting. In preparation, she trained at South Coast Repertory Theater and then at the D.W. Brown Studio under Joanne Baron. Once she graduated from high school, Alicia made the move to Los Angeles to pursue her dream.

Alicia, whose nicknames are Leesha and Lulu, is also a very good volleyball player. She loves yoga, snowboarding, and going to the gym. She is a fan of the legendary jazz musician Nina Simone.

American Heiress

Career:

Daughter of an actor, Alicia Leigh Willis was exposed to the show biz at a young age, which led to her first speaking role in a bank commercial along side her dad in the 1980s. Growing up, she became more interested in sports and did not rediscover her love for performing until her junior high school. Thanks to her volleyball skills, she was cast in a Frosted Flakes commercial and appeared continually on TV for three years. After this, she landed an agent and headed to Hollywood to become a professional actress.

Willis got her first big break when she won the recurring role of Corey Conway in the WB series “7th Heaven,” where her parents also acted in the show with her as her on-screen parents. She was on the Aaron Spelling produced drama/family series from 1996 to 2002.

After “7th Heaven,” Willis secured a string of guest spots in the TV shows like “Grace Under Fire,” “Something So Right,” “Maggie Winters” and “USA High” (all 1998), but she did not enter the daytime territory until she was cast as annoyed teen Alli Fowler in the NBC soap opera “Another World” in 1998. Unfortunately for her, the show was canceled within six months of her recruitment. In 1999, Willis made her first feature film appearance in “Lost & Found,” a comedy/romance starring David Spade and Ever Carradine and directed by Jeff Pollack. Later that same year, she had an uncredited part in the Wayne Wang-directed drama “Anywhere But Here,” starring Susan Sarandon and Natalie Portman.

Willis resumed her film career in 2001 when she landed a small part in the comedy “How High,” starring Method Man and Redman. Later that same year in December the actress enjoyed a big success when she began her famed role of Sonny's pleasing, sassy sister, Courtney Matthews, in the ABC long running daytime drama “General Hospital.” She went on to receive two Daytime Emmy nominations for Outstanding Younger Actress in a Drama Series (2003, 2004) before she left the show in December 2005. She would return to “General Hospital” for a two episode appearance in February 2006.

Following a guest appearance in “CSI: Miami” (2006), Willis headlined the telenovela “American Heiress,” playing Elizabeth Wakefield. Debuted on MyNetworkTV on March 13, 2007, the show was canceled after only 26 of 65 episodes aired due to poor ratings. Also in 2007, Willis gained boost with her small but memorable role of Lady Customer in the box office hit “National Treasure: Book of Secrets” (2007), an installment to the big hit “National Treasure” (2004). Nicolas Cage starred in both movies.

In 2008, Willis joined the cast of the Showtime drama “The L Word” in the recurring role of Cindi Annabelle Tucker. She left the show after a seven episode performance, and later reprised the role for the episode “ Long Night's Journey Into Day,” aired on January 18, 2009. She next guest starred in “Without a Trace” (2009), playing Robin, and portrayed Sandra in the horror/thriller movie “Raven” (2009), directed by Gregori J. Martin and starring Meadow Williams, Roland Kickinger and Steven Bauer.

Awards:
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