Natasha Henstridge Biography

Born: 15th of August, 1974	Height: 178 cm - 5' 10''	Eyes: Green
Divorced: Damian Chapa after 10 months	Beau: Darius Danesh
Children: Two Sons fathered by Liam Waite: Tristan River Waite and Asher Sky Waite
Tattoos: Intertwined male and female symbols on her tailbone, and a bearded lion wearing a crown on her right buttock
Born on August 15, 1974 in Springdale, Newfoundland Canada, Henstridge was raised in Ft. McMurry, Alberta. Her father Brian was a contractor and her mother Helen, a housewife. Henstridge was barely a teen when she entered and earned the first runner-up prize in the Casablanca Modeling Agency's worldwide "Look of the Year" contest. At age 14, with the reluctant blessing of her parents, Henstridge legally became emancipated from her parents and left home to pursue a modeling career in New York and Paris. At 15 she landed on the cover of French Cosmopolitan. Numerous other magazine covers soon followed and Henstridge went on to appear in television commercials for products including Old Spice, Oil of Olay and Lady Stetson. Like so many other models-turned-actresses before her, Henstridge grew tired of being just another pretty face and craved a more intellectually stimulating career. She left the runways of Paris for the lights of Hollywood and never looked back. At 21, Henstridge beat out hundreds of other doe-eyed hopefuls when she was cast in Species for MGM. The studio was so confident in Henstridge's star quality that even before the film's debut, they signed the green-eyed, statuesque beauty to a three-picture deal. Henstridge's parents, though thrilled with their daughter's success, were somewhat apprehensive about the nude scenes that the role required. "Can't you do Disney films?" they asked her at the time. But Henstridge, comfortable with her body from years of modeling, recognized this as a role that would get her noticed. Natasha has two sons. Tristan River Waite born in October of 1998, and Asher Sky Waite born in September of 2001. Their father is actor Liam Waite, who is the son of Ralph Waite. Ralph played John Walton, Sr. on the TV series The Waltons back in 1972-1981. The couple met when Henstridge was on a blind date with one of Waite's friends. They also did the movies Ghosts of Mars and Second Skin together. Natasha and Liam were together approximately 7 years, yet never legally married. Henstridge was briefly married once before however, to actor Damien Chapa in 1996 when the two eloped to Las Vegas after a six-month courtship. The impulsive union lasted 10 months after which Chapa sued her for spousal support. Five years later, Henstridge claims she holds no grudges, calls Chapa her friend and writes off the whole experience as being a little too young and "wild at heart." A reason not unlike the one she gives for her two tattoos; on her derriere a bearded lion wearing a crown (she's a Leo) and from her own design on her tailbone, a male and female symbol intertwined, both of which she says were "from when I was young and stupid." In 1995 Species took in over $100 million at the box office, making Henstridge a hot property, albeit only temporarily. She turned down both Independence Day and Men in Black, thinking "What is this shit?" while reading the screenplays and L.A. Confidential. In 1996 roles in Maximum Risk with Jean-Claude Van Damme brought her back into action, and Adrenalin: Fear the Rush which was not well known. In 1997, guest spots in television shows including Homeboys in Outer Space and The Outer Limits also went all but unnoticed. Rumors had Henstridge cast as a Bond girl in Tomorrow Never Dies but it never came to pass. Then in 1998 came Standoff, Bela Donna, Dog Park and Kill You Twice which also starred her ex-husband Damian Chapa, who directed and wrote the film as well. She would also have some TV guest spots on Saturday Night Live and play the voice of Ms. Ellen on South Park. Also in 1998, Henstridge also returned as an extraterrestrial in Species II playing Eve, a kinder, gentler alien cloned from Sil's offspring and used as bait to lure yet another errant alien wreaking havoc on earth. Much to Henstridge's disappointment, the sequel did not fare nearly as well as the original and she found herself tackling the Hollywood audition process all over again. In 1999, Natasha would only star in only one movie called Caracara were she plays a lonely ornithologist who's only friend is a rare breed of hawk. In 2000, It Had to be You, Jason and the Argonauts and A Better Way to Die kept Henstridge busy and bankrolled, but did little to raise her profile. Also in 2000 Henstridge appeared in the Ben Affleck/Gywneth Paltrow romantic comedy, Bounce. Her small but pivotal role as the woman for whom Affleck, in the hopes of having a fling, gives up his seat on an ill-fated flight to another passenger, further increased her momentum. The big hit in 2000, came the comedy The Whole Nine Yards, in which she played mob moll Cynthia Tudeski. Her turn as the estranged wife of a hit man (played by Bruce Willis) who manages to charm her way out of getting whacked and falls in love with Matthew Perry in the process, garnered critical praise and put Henstridge back on the short list for casting agents. In 2001, her biggest hit was John Carpenters Ghosts of Mars. Henstridge also completed other films including A Girl, Three Guys, and a Gun which was nothing more then a cameo appearance, Second Skin and Kevin of North. In 2002, she hosted some episodes of Mostly True Stories on TV. Her films included Riders and the TV movie Power and Beauty portraying Judith Exner, a woman who claims she had an affair with John F. Kennedy. The best part of 2003-2004 was Natasha having accepted the role of Cassie in the television series She Spies back in 2001. The series managed to last two seasons from 2002 to 2004. I personally would like to have seen it last longer! In 2004, Natasha reprised her role of Cynthia Tudeski in The Whole Ten Yards. Unfortunately the sequal did not live up to the standard set by The Whole Nine Yards. Also in 2004, once again Henstridge makes her final appearance in the Species trilogy. She plays a very small role in Species III that's barely worth mentioning. In 2005, Natasha plays the leading role in a TV movie made for Lifetime called Widow on the Hill playing Linda Dupree Cavanaugh which is based on on the true story of Donna Somerville, accused of murdering her husband, Hamilton Somerville. Also guest appearing from 2005 through 2006, Henstridge was in the TV series Commander in Chief as Jayne Murray playing Nathan Templetons (Donald Sutherland) Chief of Staff for 16 episodes. The show made it only one season, much to my disliking. In 2006 and 2007 she filmed the CTV original mini-series Would Be Kings in Hamilton, Ontario which was released in January 2008. In 2007 she guest starred on the TV show Shark, Season 1, Episode 20 called Fall from Grace. In 2008 she played Angela on a little known film called Let the Game Begin. Also in 2008, she stars in the upcoming expansion set to the video game Command and Conquer 3: Tiberium Wars, entitled Kane's Wrath. In 2008 Natasha plays Taylor Wethersby on the ABC TV show, Eli Stone. April 25, 2008 priemiered the movie Deception also starring Hugh Jackman and Ewan McGregor. Natasha plays a Wall Street Analyst on "The List". The movie plot is about an accountant that is introduced to a mysterious sex club known as The List by his lawyer friend. But in this new world, he soon becomes the prime suspect in a woman's disappearance and a multi-million dollar heist. In 2008, she has also been involved with the production in joining the cast of Dave Rodriguez's Anytown, an Indie drama that examines a racist high school attack and its aftermath. Henstridge will play a news anchor covering an attack on an Indian-American boy by two fellow students who videotape the crime. The event forces her to examine the media's post-September 11th role in fueling hate crimes committed by youth. In 2008, she was involved with the production of Should've Been Romeo from American Independant Pictures. Also 2008, Natasha will star in Impact - a TV two-parter featuring a dwarf star hitting the Moon, followed by the usual apocalyptic pandemonium down on Earth.