Laura Elena Herring Martínez, known professionally as Laura Harring, was born on March 3, 1964, in Los Mochis, Sinaloa, Mexico. Her father, Raymond Herring, was a developer and organic farmer of Austrian-German descent, and her mother, María Elena Martínez-Cairo, was a spiritual teacher, real estate investor, and philanthropist of Mexican descent. In 1971, her family moved to San Antonio, Texas. She was raised in the United States and spent some time in Switzerland for boarding school. In 1985, she became the first Hispanic woman to be crowned Miss USA.
Harring’s career began with beauty pageants. After winning Miss El Paso USA, she won the Miss Texas USA title and subsequently Miss USA 1985, representing the United States at the Miss Universe pageant that same year, where she placed in the top ten.
Harring pursued an acting career following her pageant success. She studied acting at the London Academy of Performing Arts. She initially secured roles in television series such as “Baywatch,” “Frasier,” and “Law & Order: Special Victims Unit.”
Harring’s breakthrough role came in David Lynch’s 2001 neo-noir mystery film, “Mulholland Drive,” where she played the dual roles of Rita and Camilla Rhodes. This performance garnered critical acclaim and brought her international recognition. She received the American Film Institute’s Nova Award for Most Promising Actress for her performance in “Mulholland Drive.”
Other notable film appearances include:
She has also appeared in television series such as “Gossip Girl”, “Law & Order: Criminal Intent”, and “NCIS