Biography And Filmography:

An experienced model and actress, Minka Kelly was born June 24, 1980, to a Las Vegas showgirl mother and a rock guitarist father, who played on Aerosmith's 1982 album. She was first seen on the short lived television series "Cracking Up" (2004), and then in a guest appearance on the Nickelodeon family comedy series "Drake & Josh" (2004), starring Drake Bell, Josh Peck and Miranda Cosgrove. That experience lead to appearances on the musical drama "American Dreams" with Will Estes and Brittany Snow, before landing a three episode deal on the WB sitcom, “What I Like About You” (2002) starring Amanda Bynes, the story about a girl Holly, whose father is transferred to Japan and Holly is sent to live with her big sister in New York City, and turns her life upside-down.
 

Minka had been discovered, and producers quickly cast her in the small role of River in the low-budget thriller "Devil's Highway" (2005), where while traveling through the cursed Old Highway 13 in New Mexico, passengers on a bus to Las Vegas are attacked by an evil fiend that possesses and destroys their bodies. She then landed a supporting role in the Robert Mann directed horror film "The Pumpkin Karver" (2006), a feature film based on a true story about a young man who is stabbed to death on the evening of October 31, 2003. 

Kelly was then hired and cast in a small role for the dramatic, and bizarre "State's Evidence", where a group of teenage boys agree to commit suicide together, but when the final hours of their lives become destructive, the leader who had the original idea of mass suicide now wants to live. The film did not do well at the box-office or with critics, but it showed that she was a capable young actress with the ability to show a complete range of emotion. 

The following year, she was cast in the role of Miss Ross in the high-profile action thriller "The Kingdom" (2007), starring Jamie Foxx, Jennifer Garner and Jason Bateman, about a team of U.S. government agents who are sent to investigate the bombing of an American facility in the Middle East. This was her first exposure alongside such a talented cast, and she was able to hold her own, even though she was frequently up-staged by more powerful celebrities. "The Kingdom" went on the be nominated for a Screen Actors Guild Award and World Stunt Award.
 

Clearly, her big break came in the form of Lyla Garrity, her character on the smash hit NBC television series "Friday Night Lights" (2006-), set in the small town of Dillon, Texas, where one night really matters - Friday Night. The series tells the story of Eric Taylor (Kyle Chandler), who has recently been hired as the head football coach for the Dillon High School Panthers, the town's pride and joy. "Friday Night Lights" details the stress that the town gives the high school players to win, and the hope that the team gives to a small town, and how football team has its low points, its high points, and how the players come together as a team on their way to victory. "Friday Night Lights" went on to score an Emmy Award, an American Cinema Award and Image Award.

Minka wrapped her year in a supporting role for the comedy "500 Days Of Summer" (2008), starring Joseph Gordon-Levitt, an off-beat romantic comedy about a woman who doesn't believe true love exists, and the young man (Gordon-Levitt) who falls for her.

Watch Minka Kelly In "Friday Night Lights" Interview

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