Sometimes a sense of humor is sexier than pure appearance, and if that’s the case, Téa Leoni is one of the sexiest women in Hollywood. Born in 1966 in New York City, Téa (pronounced TAY-ah) was brought up on a diet of private schools and professional parents, and followed that same track into college where she studied anthropology. After graduating, Téa traveled the Eastern hemisphere and worked in numerous positions, including modeling and as a crew hand on a commercial sailboat. These travels eventually perked her interest in acting, and after winning a role on an 80’s spin-off version of “Charlie’s Angels,” she continued to steal small parts in big-budget movies like “A League of Their Own” and “Wyatt Earp.”
Her first big role, as the damsel-in-distress, in the action-comedy “Bad Boys” launched her in to the limelight and helped her land a starring role in the ABC sitcom “The Naked Truth.” The short-lived series was, well, short-lived, and three seasons on the air, the show was axed and Téa was left to find more work. More roles in small films helped to keep her face in the news, but her biggest job to date didn’t come from acting at all, but rather as the newly wed wife of “X-Files” star David Duchovny. Téa took some major time off at the end of the 90’s to take care of her first child, but following the new millennium, the still-young actress got back to work in films like “Jurassic Park III,” “The Family Man,” and “Spanglish.” Téa remains to be one of the funnier comedic actresses in the industry.
Iconic Character – Alicia on “Flying Blind”
For many fans, Téa’s role as Alicia on “Flying Blind” will always be a favorite. We highlihgted this character in our “TV Girlfriends” feature in the “Totally Out Of Our League” catagory. Here’s what we said about the character:
“She was the living embodiment of every desire, subconscious or otherwise, we ever had about a woman. Alicia – time, and her limited presence on the interwebs, have lost Alicia’s last name, assuming she ever had one – was the kind of creation that the Devil would come up with if he suspected someone could be persuaded into selling his soul. She wore strapless, skin-tight combos of leather and lace, had a profound grasp of her sexuality, and was drop, dead, gorgeous. (Yes, her hair looked like a hurricane, but it served as a fitting metaphor for her force-of-nature personality.) Best of all, she liked to date nerds, meaning we mere mortals had a shot with her, too. Of course, we didn’t have a shot with her, but hey, a guy can dream.”
Téa on the Screen
After debuting alongside Will Smith and Martin Lawrence in the action-comedy film “Bad Boys,” she was rewarded with her own TV show, “The Naked Truth.” Though the series didn’t last long, Téa became an instant hit with the men. Following a brief break from the big screen, Téa returned with roles in “Deep Impact” and “Jurassic Park III,” before disappearing and remerging again after the millennium in the Adam Sandler drama “Spanglish” and the Jim Carrey “Fun with Dick and Jane.”
“Tower Heist” (2011)
This movie really sucks, but Téa looks amazing as usual and does a fine job opposite Eddie Murphy and Ben Stiller.
Téa Says
On golf:
“I have a fast swing and I can outdrive a lot of the men I play with. Of course, I only play with people from retirement communities. I can hit it 200 yards. I’ve seen 230.”
On her childhood:
“I was one of the most brilliant liars as a child.”
On showing her goods:
“I don’t do T&A very well because I haven’t got much of either.”