Natascha McElhone

Natasha Abigail Taylor (born 14 December 1969) known professionally as Natascha McElhone (/nəˈtæʃəˈmækəlˌhoʊn/), is an English-Irish actress of stage, screen and television, best known for her roles in American films such as Ronin, The Truman Show and Solaris. In addition, she is well known for her role as Karen van der Beek on the Showtime series Californication. Currently, she stars in the role of First Lady Alex Kirkman in the ABC political drama Designated Survivor. 2Early life She was born Natasha Abigail Taylor in Walton-on-Thames, Surrey in 1969 to Noreen McElhone and Michael Taylor, both journalists. She took her mother's maiden name as her stage name. McElhone has a scriptwriter brother, Damon, who lives in Los Angeles, and two half-brothers, Alexander and Nicholas, who live in Stockholm. Her parents separated when she was two and her Irish mother moved the family to Brighton, and later married journalist and columnist Roy Greenslade. McElhone, who took lessons in Irish dancing from ages 6–12, was educated at St. Mary's Hall School for Girls, an independent boarding school in Brighton, Sussex. She graduated from the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art in 199