Laura Bell Bundy

Laura Bell Bundy
Bell Bundy in April 2010
Born	Laura Ashley Bell Bundy (1981-04-10) April 10, 1981 (age 35) Euclid, Ohio, U.S.
Other names	Laura Bell, Laura Bundy
Occupation	Actress, singer, dancer, songwriter
Years active	1993–present
Website	http://laurabellbundy.com

Laura Ashley Bell Bundy (born April 10, 1981) is an American actress and singer who has performed in a number of Broadway roles, her best known being the original Amber Von Tussle in Hairspray, the original Elle Woods in the musical version of Legally Blonde and Dr. Jordan Denby on television's Anger Management. She signed to Mercury Records Nashville and released her first country music single, "Giddy On Up," on February 20, 2010. The album's second single, "Drop on By," was released to country radio on August 9, 2010.

Bell Bundy was born in Euclid, Ohio, and raised in Lexington. Her mother, Lorna Bundy-Jones, manages a Victoria's Secret store and her father, Don Bundy, is an electrical engineer. Her parents divorced in 1997 when she was 16 years old; both have since remarried. She grew up dancing at Town and Village School of Dance in Paris, Kentucky. She made her stage debut in regional theatre when she was nine years old. She graduated from Lexington Catholic High School in 1999. She is the niece of Marcia Malone Bell, Miss Kentucky 1978 and 1979 Top Ten Miss America semifinalist. Bell Bundy was diagnosed with celiac disease when she was about 18 years old. In 1995 at the age of 14, Bell Bundy appeared in the film Jumanji, playing the role of Bonnie Hunt's character in 1969, Sarah Whittle.

Bell Bundy originated the role of Tina Denmark in the Off-Broadway musical Ruthless! The Musical. For this part, she was nominated for a 1993 Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Actress in a Musical. In 2002, at the age of 21, she made her Broadway debut in the musical Hairspray, originating the role of Amber Von Tussle. Bell Bundy was next a standby for both Kristin Chenoweth and Jennifer Laura Thompson in the role of Glinda in Wicked. She ended her run as the standby in August 2004. From 2007-2008, she starred on Broadway in Legally Blonde: The Musical where she originated the lead role of Reese Witherspoon's character Elle Woods, receiving her first Tony Award nomination for Best Leading Actress in a Musical. After leaving the show in July 2008, she was succeeded by Bailey Hanks, the winner of Legally Blonde: The Musical — The Search for Elle Woods. Credits outside of New York City include the national tour of The Sound of Music, Gypsy with Betty Buckley and Deborah Gibson at the Paper Mill Playhouse in Millburn, New Jersey and the Los Angeles production of Rock of Ages, in which she starred as Sherrie. Offstage, Bell Bundy has appeared in films including The Adventures of Huck Finn (1993), Life with Mikey (1993) and Jumanji (1995) as Young Sarah Whittle. She appeared in the 2006 film adaptation of Dreamgirls as a member of the fictitious pop group "Dave and the Sweethearts." Bell Bundy was also seen on the CBS soap opera Guiding Light as Marah Lewis for two years (October 14, 1999 – October 29, 2001), as well as in television shows such as Veronica Mars, Happy Hour, Modern Men, Cold Case and Strangers with Candy. She also appears in several short web videos as various comedic characters, such as Justice Goode and Shocantelle Brown. Bell Bundy released her debut country music album titled Longing For a Place Already Gone. After leaving Legally Blonde: The Musical on July 20, 2008, she moved back to Nashville to work on her second album, Achin' and Shakin'. On September 27, 2008, she headlined Anaheim, California's the Chance Theater with fellow Wicked alum Eden Espinosa and with "Spring Awakening" alum Lea Michele for the Broadway Chance Style Up Close and Personal concert. She guest-starred in the TV series Cold Case with Adam Pascal and Tracie Thoms in the episode "Willkommen." Bell Bundy was a judge at the Miss America 2009 pageant. Bell Bundy reprised the role of Elle Woods in the U.S. national tour of Legally Blonde: The Musical as a temporary replacement for the injured Becky Gulsvig. She began her brief run on January 13, 2009 and ended on February 22, 2009. She was to play Elle again during the Nashville engagement of the national tour from June 23–28, 2009. However, she fractured her arm during the June 27, 2009 performance, finished the show and was rushed to the hospital immediately after. Bell Bundy had a recurring role on the sixth season of CBS' How I Met Your Mother as Becky, Robin's co-anchor. Bell Bundy had a recurring role as Shelby on the The CW's Hart of Dixie. Bell Bundy is a spokesperson for Supercuts and appears in their Winter 2012 advertisement campaign. She starred as Dr. Jordan Denby on the FX sitcom Anger Management. In 2015, she starred in Becoming Santa (Lifetime) TV movie with Michael Gross and Meredith Baxter.