24

Background:

“The only advice is ... if it's a good script, do it. Follow the writing.” Leslie Hope

Screen Actors Guild Award-nominated Canadian actress Leslie Hope has appeared in Canadian and American films and television series since entering showbiz in 1981. She is probably best remembered as the long-suffering wife Teri Bauer on the first season of the Fox groundbreaking drama “24” (2001-2002), from which she took home her SAG nomination. She has had recurring roles in TV series like “Knots Landing” (1985-1986), “The District” (2001), “Commander In Chief” (2005-2006), “Everwood” (2006), and played regulars on “Line of Fire” (2003-2004) and more recently, “Runaway” (2006). The multi-faceted performer also has acted in a number of TV films and features movies, among them “Love Streams” (1984), “Talk Radio” (1988), “Ask Me Again” (1989), “True Confections” (1991), “The Conspiracy of Fear” (1996), “Water Damage” (1999), “Bruiser” (2000), “Stolen Miracle” (2001), “The Incredible Mrs. Ritchie” (2003), “An Unexpected Love” (2003), “Don't Cry Now” (2007) and “Never Back Down” (2008). Hope is also known as the co-founder of The Wilton Project, the Los Angeles based theater company formed in 1990.

Hope and her ex-husband, Jamie Angell (together from 1994 to 1996), have one son together. In her leisure time, the blue-eyed actress enjoys visiting exotic places around the world. Some places she has traveled include Laos, Peru, Turkey, China and Cuba. In 2005, she went to Cambodia to shoot “What I See When I Close My Eyes,” a documentary film for Friends International.

Army Brat

Childhood and Family:

Leslie Ann Hope was born on May 6, 1965, in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada. As a result of her father's career in military, she and her family often moved. After two years studying at St. Michael's University School at Victoria, British Columbia, her family relocated to Italy, but the 15-year-old girl chose to stay at boarding school to complete her pre-university training. An inspiring lawyer, she later decided to rebel and pursued an acting career instead.

The 5'9” beauty was married to Jamie Angell from 1994 to 1996. The marriage produced one son.

Runaway

Career:

A native of Nova Scotia, Canada, Leslie Hope began her professional acting career while still a student at St. Michaels University School. Her school was used for a filming location and she ended up landing a small part in “Ups & Downs” (1981), a little-seen Canadian comedy helmed by Paul Almond. Two years after graduating, she teamed up with the New York-born director/actor John Cassavetes for “Love Streams” (1984), a drama film based on a play by Ted Allen. There, she portrayed Joanie, a role the famed director created for her, and costarred with such American noted actors as Gena Rowlands and Seymour Cassel.

With the hope of getting more work, Hope headed to Los Angeles in the mid-1980s and then got a part in the short-lived prime time soap opera “Berrenger's” (1985), playing Cammie Springer, and played Linda Martin in the popular CBS drama series “Knots Landing,” a recurring role she had from 1985 yo 1986. She made her TV film debut in a supporting part as Shoshana in the HBO fast-paced thriller “Sword of Gideon” (1986), starring Steven Bauer and Michael York. Still in that same year, she resurfaced on the big screen film playing Allison, the daughter of affluent real estate developer Richard Tate (played by Joshua Bryant), in Paul Leder's “The Education of Allison Tate” (1986).

Hope remained busy throughout the decade by having roles in such projects as the TV film “Tales from the Hollywood Hills: Golden Land” (1988) and “Ask Me Again” (1989), the films “It Takes Two” (1988, costarred with George Newbern), David Stevens' “Kansas” (1988, opposite Matt Dillon and Andrew McCarthy) and the Oliver Stone-directed “Talk Radio” (1988, with Eric Bogosian and Ellen Greene) as well as the excellent miniseries “War and Rememberance” (1988), in which she memorably portrayed Madeline Henry. Among her costars in the series were Robert Mitchum, Jane Seymour, Sharon Stone and Michael Woods. By this period, the young performer made a name for herself as a gifted and versatile actress.

In 1990, Hope and partner Charles Stratton established their own theater company called The Wilton Project, which aimed to generate new plays and set burgeoning playwrights in the Los Angeles area. During the company 10-year run, she also found time directing, producing and acting in a number of productions, including “Slide,” “Ghost Stories” and the award-winning “Therese Raquin.”

Hope kept on her screen presence by appearing in such projects as the buddy comedy “Men at Work” (1990), which was penned and directed by and starring Emilio Estevez, John Bradshaw's “The Big Slice” (1991, with Casey Siemaszko), the independent film “The Dance Goes On” (1992, reunited with Canadian director Paul Almond), the Drew Barrymore vehicle “Doppelganger” (1993), “Sweet Killing” (1993), “Paris, France” (1993, starred as Lucy) and “Fun” (1994). Additional film credits include “Rowing Through” (1996), Bram Stoker's “Shadowbuilder” (1998), “Summer of the Monkeys” (1998), “Water Damage” (1999, opposite Daniel Baldwin) and “The Life Before This” (1999, starred Catherine O'Hara, Joe Pantoliano and Sarah Polley). Meanwhile, on the small screen, she starred in TV films like 1991's “True Confections,” 1993's “Caught in the Act,” 1996's “The Conspiracy of Fear” and 1998's “This Matter of Marriage,” and guest starred in such TV series as “Party of Five” (1994), “Early Edition” (1996), “Star Trek: Deep Space Nine” (1998) and “Chicago Hope” (1998, 1999).

Entering the new millennium, the industrious performer rejoined Daniel Baldwin for the crime film “Double Frame,” teamed up with Jason Flemyng and Peter Stormare in the George A. Romero thriller/horror “Bruiser,” supported Dennis Hopper in “The Spreading Ground” and played Ann R. Key in the miniseries “RoboCop: Prime Directives” (all 2000). She also appeared as Dr. Amanda Kubiak in an episode of “Judging Amy” and as weatherman in an episode of “The Outer Limits” (both also 2000). She then played the recurring role of Special Agent Grace Curry in “The District” (2001), starred as a ascertained police officer in the drama made-for-TV film “Stolen Miracle” (2001) and had a supporting role in the box office dud “Dragonfly” (2002), which starred Kevin Costner, Joe Morton and Kathy Bates.

However, Hope did not achieve big success until 2001, when she was cast in the regular role of Teri Bauer on the Fox drama series “24.” Playing the ill-fated wife of secret service agent Jack Bauer (played by Kiefer Sutherland), she won the heart of both critics and audience alike and jointly nabbed a 2003 Screen Actors Guild nomination for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series. Her character was killed off in the show's first final season in 2002, a decision that stirred a media debate and fan shout.

Returning to series TV after “24,” Hope starred as FBI agent Lisa Cohen in the short-lived crime/drama “Line of Fire” (2003-2004), which marked the first TV drama created by filmamker Rod Lurie. Although the show was a favorite among critics, it failed to meet an audience and was finally canceled after 13 episodes. In between her TV series gigs, Hope appeared in the TV films “The Incredible Mrs. Ritchie” (2003, reunited with Gena Rowlands), the Lesbian-themed “An Unexpected Love” (2003) and the miniseries “Human Cargo” (2004).

In 2005, Hope landed a recurring role on the well-liked TV series “Commander In Chief,” playing the sturdy security advisor Melanie Blackston, and then took on another recurring part in the drama series “Everwood” (2006), this time playing a Feminist Theory professor named Laurie Fields. In the fall of 2006, she starred as Lily Rader on the CW new drama series “Runaway,” but it has been canceled now. Among her costars in the show were Dustin Milligan, Nathan Gamble and Donnie Wahlberg, who played her on-screen husband, Paul.

Hope was directed by Jason Priestley in the drama/thriller telepic “Don't Cry Now” (2007), played Michelle Winegate in the action miniseries “Everest” (2007), whose stars also include Priestley, guested as Denise Partney in an episode of “CSI: Miami” (2007), and acted in the made-for-TV film “The Apostles” (2008). She played the supporting role of Margot Tyler on the sport-themed film “Never Back Down” (2008), starring Sean Faris and Amber Heard and directed by Jeff Wadlow.

The 43-year-old actress is currently filming the TV film “Jesse Stone: Thin Ice” (2008), starring Tom Selleck in the title role. In the fifth sequel, she plays Sidney Greenstreet.

Awards:
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