Erica Durance Biography

The charming Erica Durance was born June 21, 1978 in Three Hills, Alberta, Canada. Her home town of 3,500 people, lying just north of Calgary, proved to be an exceptional place for her upbringing. While her father toiled away behind the wheel of a delivery truck and her mother worked in the local library, Erica became interested in music and drama, snagging a few roles in small theatre productions, despite the braces she wore on her teeth. But after high school, her ambitions became more serious. She relocated to Vancouver to pursue acting full-time.

At age 18, she married her then-boyfriend of a year and took the name Erica Parker, the name to which her early acting roles were credited. Though they were not numerous or important by Hollywood standards, they did help to prepare her for her larger roles that were to come. Sadly, in 1999 the couple separated after only three years of marriage.

Erica made what many consider to be her “real” foray into professional acting with her role in the 2002 thriller, The Untold, also known as Inexplicable (Canadian) and Sasquatch (USA). In the movie, Durance assumed the character of Tara Knowles, daughter of renowned billionaire Harlan Knowles. Even though the movie had a sizable budget (nearly three million dollars), it received little acclaim from critics and moviegoers. Thereafter, she continued to make more cinematic appearances, snagging a role in Devil Winds, a movie about tornadoes, and House of the Dead, an adaptation of the popular video game, in 2003.

In 2004, the 5’7”, hazel-eyed beauty began to broaden her career, appearing in the television series Andromeda and the show Tru Calling. She also began starring in one of her most popular roles to date, playing the sultry Lois Lane in the WB’s Superman series, Smallville. Due to the immense positive reaction from her fans, she became a staple of the show, appearing in thirteen of twenty-two episodes.

Though Erica had been through her share of tempestuous loves, she once again settled down, marring actor David Palffy on January 8, 2005 after dating him for nearly three years. The couple met during filming of Stargate SG-1, where Durance had appeared in a guest spot. They have since bought a house together and are living in Vancouver, where they both continue to work and enjoy each other’s company.

It is rumored that Erica has many potential upcoming gigs that will satisfy her fans’ desire to see her in more high-profile roles. For example, she is to star in a Lifetime Monday Night Movie where she is to play a bride who has a disastrous bachelorette party, a great departure from her previous roles. In addition to this movie, Durance has been named to several “hot” lists. She will grace the cover of the May 2006 issue of FHM, in which she is ranked number thirty-eight of the one hundred sexiest women in the world. She will also make an appearance in the 2007 Women of Sci-Fi calendar. Acting critics are also taking note of her recent performances, as she was nominated to the 32nd Annual Saturn Awards for her role as supporting actress in the Smallville television series.

Despite the attention Erica is receiving for these recent accolades, one of her most talked-about upcoming roles appears in the sequel to the 2004 blockbuster, The Butterfly Effect. The sequel, which is yet to be titled, casts Durance in the role of “Julie”, where she will assume, yet another, role as the beautiful and vulnerable supporting character. Fans of Durance should not miss this one, as it may prove to be her most important role yet.