Ali Larter made national headlines when she modeled in the 1996 Esquire Magazine hoax as fictional it-girl “Allegra Coleman” in a fake article. After the article was released, countless talent agencies came knocking at her door, helping her become the accomplished actress she is today.

Starting as a model, fourteen-year-old Larter was approached to star in a commercial, and shortly after, she was represented by Ford Modeling Agency. Her modeling career was so successful, she dropped out of high school to attend photoshoots in Italy, Australia, and Japan. Since, she’s been on countless magazine covers, including Seventeen, Glamour, and Cosmopolitan. Additionally, she’s been featured in ads for Estee Lauder, and she’s currently signed to IMG Models.

Larter’s acting career came after her Esquire publicity. She debuted in Varsity Blues, which opened the doors for parts in the horror movies House on Haunted Hill and the Final Destination movies, earning her a Young Hollywood Award. After that, she appeared in box office hits. Some of her most famous roles to date are Brooke Windham in Legally Blonde and Lisa in Obsessed—the latter earned her an MTV Movie Award shared with Beyonce for “Best Fight.” Other notable films include A Lot Like Love, Marigold, and the Resident Evil films.

As for television, not only has she guest-starred on hit series like Chicago Hope, Dawson’s Creek, and Just Shoot Me!, but she’s held prominent roles in programs like Legends, Pitch, and The Rookie. But her largest and most critically-acclaimed role is Niki Sanders/Tracy Strauss in NBC’s popular show, Heroes. For this part, she was praised in the Chicago Tribune, won her first Gracie Allen Award, and received a few Teen Choice Award nominations.

Lastly, Larter penned her own cookbook, Kitchen Revelry: A Year of Festive Menus from My Home to Yours.