Calista Flockhart (born November 11, 1964) is an American actress born in Freeport, Illinois, but raised mostly in upstate New York. She attended Rutgers University in New Jersey.

After working on Broadway, and roles in the films Quiz Show and The Birdcage, she became known playing the title role on the television series Ally McBeal.

Her apparent loss of weight over the first few series of the show caused much media speculation that she might have suffered from anorexia nervosa and sometimes earned her harsh criticism for playing an 'incompetent' underfed waif, particularly considering the show's popularity with teenage girls ... (read more )