In a quiet Atlanta living room, four-year-old Alyson Hannigan watched television commercials and decided she wanted to be part of them. Born on March 24, 1974, in Washington, D.C., she began appearing in advertisements for brands like Oreo and McDonald’s before moving to Los Angeles at age 11 to pursue acting.
After studying psychology at California State University, Northridge, she landed an early film role in My Stepmother Is an Alien. Her breakthrough came in 1997 when she was cast as Willow Rosenberg in Buffy the Vampire Slayer, a character who grew from a shy student into a powerful, memorable figure. She also became unforgettable as Michelle in the American Pie films. In 2005, Hannigan joined How I Met Your Mother as Lily Aldrin, winning audiences with her warmth and humor. Married to actor Alexis Denisof since 2003, she has raised two daughters while continuing to work in television and film.