Lanei Chapman
Lanei Chapman | |
---|---|
Born |
Los Angeles, California, US | January 23, 1973
Occupation | Actress |
Years active | 1989–present |
Lanei Chapman (born January 23, 1973) is an American actress. She has appeared in a variety of television series and movies, including as the main cast character Lt. Vanessa Damphousse, in Space: Above and Beyond.
Career
Chapman first appeared on television at the age of 13 in a Kentucky Fried Chicken commercial.[1] She went on to appear in a number of films and television shows, including White Men Can't Jump, Seinfeld, The Wonder Years and China Beach.[2] She made her science fiction television in Star Trek: The Next Generation as Lt. Rager, a recurring character who appeared in such episodes as "Schisms" and "Galaxy's Child".[2][3]
She made her debut in the series Space: Above and Beyond during the pilot episode, playing main cast character Lt. Vanessa Damphousse.[1] While filming the pilot and the early part of the series, Chapman was on a leave of absence from a post-graduate film production programme at the University of Southern California.[2]
She initially auditioned with Randy Stone, senior vice-president of talent and casting at Twentieth Century Fox Television, and then two days later with David Nutter, the director of the pilot.[1] By her own admission, the character didn't have a great deal to do in that initial two-part episode, so much so that when she was required to audition, the lines she read were from a different character as they hadn't yet developed Damphousse. The writers took elements of Chapman's own experiences and backstory and wrote it into the new character's as they were developing her.[2] The series was cancelled after one season, despite an organised fan campaign to renew it.[4]
Personal life
Chapman is a graduate of Dartmouth College with a degree in Spanish.[2] She had originally chosen to major in Drama, but switched part-way through after discovering the extent of the foreign language programme at the college.[1] She also wrote a short play while there, called Home Run,[2] which she sent to actress Chip Fields to appear in and assist Chapman in directing. She is also a qualified teacher in California, and for a short time taught kindergarten until she chose to pursue acting full-time.[1]
Filmography
- Thief
- episode "In the Wind" (as Lanai Chapman) ...
- episode "No Direction Home" (as Lanai Chapman) ... as Sheronda Jones
- Dense (2004) ... as Yvette
- The Division
- episode "Wish You Were Here" (as Lanai Chapman) ... as Prosecutor
- episode "Beyond the Grave" (as Lanai Chapman) ... as District Attorney
- The District
- episode "Goodbye, Jenny" ... as Jenny McClure
- episode "Drug Money" ... Jenny McClure
- Judging Amy
- episode "The Frozen Zone" (as Lanai Chapman) ... as Winnie Van Exel
- episode "Between the Wanting and the Getting (as Lanai Chapman) ... as Winnie Van Exel
- episode "Everybody Falls Down" (as Lanai Chapman) ... as Winnie Van Exel
- Rat Race (2001) ...as Merrill Jennings
- C-16: FBI
- episode "My Brother's Keeper" ... as Angela Robinson
- episode "The Art of War" ... as Angela Robinson
- The Pretender
- episode "Under the Reds" ... as Julie Thorton
- Space: Above and Beyond ... as Lt. Vanessa Damphousse
- episode "...Tell Our Moms We Done Our Best" ... as Lt. Vanessa Damphousse
- episode "And If They Lay Us Down To Rest..." ... as Lt. Vanessa Damphousse
- episode "Sugar Dirt" ... as Lt. Vanessa Damphousse
- episode "Stardust" ... as Lt. Vanessa Damphousse
- episode "R&R ... as Lt. Vanessa Damphousse
- episode "Pearly" ... Lt. Vanessa Damphousse
- episode "Dear Earth" ... Lt. Vanessa Damphousse
- episode "Toy Soldiers" ... Lt. Vanessa Damphousse
- episode "The Angriest Angel" ... Lt. Vanessa Damphousse
- episode "Never No More" ... Lt. Vanessa Damphousse
- episode "Level of Necessity" ... Lt. Vanessa Damphousse
- episode "Who Monitors the Birds?" ... Lt. Vanessa Damphousse
- episode "The River of Stars" ... Lt. Vanessa Damphousse
- episode "Choice or Chance" ... Lt. Vanessa Damphousse
- episode "Hostile Visit" ... Lt. Vanessa Damphousse
- episode "The Enemy" ... Lt. Vanessa Damphousse
- episode "Eyes" ... Lt. Vanessa Damphousse
- episode "Ray Butts" ... Lt. Vanessa Damphousse
- episode "Mutiny" ... Lt. Vanessa Damphousse
- episode "Pilot" ... Lt. Vanessa Damphousse
- The Secrets of Lake Success ... as Melanie Jones
- Seinfeld
- episode "The Pilot, Part 2" ... as Sid Fields' Housekeeper
- episode "The Old Man" ... as Sid Fields' Housekeeper
- The Jacksons: An American Dream (1992) TV Mini Series... Played Katherine's Sister. Named is unknown.
- Star Trek: The Next Generation
- episode "Schisms" ... as Ensign Sariel Rager
- episode "Relics" ... as Ensign Sariel Rager
- episode "Night Terrors" ... as Ensign Sariel Rager
- episode "Galaxy's Child" ... as Ensign Sariel Rager
- Martin
- episode "Things I Do for Love" (voice) ... as Caller #1
- White Men Can't Jump (1992) ... as Lanei
- The Wonder Years
- episode "Kodachrome" ... as Miss Shaw
- The Importance of Being Earnest (1992) ... as Cecily
- China Beach
- episode "Souvenirs" ... as Glitter
- A Mother's Courage: The Mary Thomas Story (1989) ... Mary (16 years)
References
- 1 2 3 4 5 Eramo, Steve (June 15, 2011). "Sci-Fi Blast From The Past - Lanei Chapman (Space: Above And Beyond)". SciFiandTvTalk. Retrieved September 14, 2014.
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 Nazzard, Joe (February 1996). "Fighter Pilot". Starlog (223): 71–73.
- ↑ "Rager, Ensign". Star Trek.com. Retrieved September 14, 2014.
- ↑ Alexander, Jesse (August 25, 2009). "Why Space: Above And Beyond Blazed New Trails". io9. Retrieved September 14, 2014.