Detailed Biography

Michelle Lynn Monaghan is an American actress, known for her roles in Mission: Impossible III, Kiss Kiss Bang Bang, Gone Baby Gone, Made of Honor and Eagle Eye.

Early life

Monaghan was born in Winthrop, Iowa, the daughter of Sharon Monaghan , and Bob Monaghan . She has two older brothers, Bob and John and her family frequently fostered and adopted children. She graduated from East Buchanan High School, Class of 1994, where she was class president and acted in several plays. After graduation, she moved to Chicago to study journalism at Columbia College Chicago. While studying, she began modeling in the United States and in Milan, Singapore, Tokyo and Hong Kong, with one semester remaining in her journalism degree when she left for New York to pursue an acting career.

Career

Monaghan's first notable, though minor parts were in episodes of Young Americans , and Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, both in 2001. She made her big screen debut that year in the small role of "Henrietta" in the movie Perfume. This was followed by another small role in Unfaithful in 2002.

Monaghan got a big break in 2002 when she co-starred in the television series Boston Public in the role of Kimberly Woods. After guest-starring for a season, she returned to the silver screen, appeared in It Runs in the Family in 2003, Winter Solstice in 2004, and Kiss Kiss Bang Bang in 2005. She also had scenes deleted from both Constantine and Syriana. Her audition tape from Constantine, however, earned her an audition for Mission Impossible III and within 20 minutes she had the role of Julia, opposite Tom Cruise.

In 2007, she starred in the remake of The Heartbreak Kid, opposite Ben Stiller, as Miranda, the role originally played by Cybill Shepherd. She also starred in Gone Baby Gone receiving excellent notices for her performance as the female protagonist, Angie Gennaro, opposite Casey Affleck. In 2008, she appeared as "Hannah" alongside Patrick Dempsey in Made of Honor, and co-starred in Eagle Eye with Shia LaBeouf.

Personal life

Monaghan met Australian graphic artist Peter White at a party in 2000. They were married in August 2005 and live in New York. She gave birth to daughter Willow Katherine White on November 5, 2008.