AnnaLynne McCord was born in born in Atlanta, Georgia on July 16, 1987. Her father was a Pastor and AnnaLynne was home schooled. Upon graduation at the age of 15, AnnaLynne joined the Wilhelmina Modeling Agency and appeared in magazine ads for Estee Lauder and also briefly modeled for Seventeen magazine. Anna's acting career did not begin until much later with her first major role coming in 2007 when she played Loren Wakefield in American Heiress.
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During that same year,AnnaLynne became famous for her work on the television show Nip/Tuck when she landed the recurring role of Eden Lord and has been quoted as saying "it was fun to play the bad girl." In 2008 AnnLynne was cast in the series 90210 where she played another anti-heroine. It was for this role, where AnnaLynne played the character Naomi Clark, that she was nominated for a Teen Choice Award and for which she received the Hollywood Life Young Hollywood Superstar of Tomorrow award in 2009.
Opposite to the roles she plays, in real life AnnLynne "is a strong believer...in giving back". She is a known philanthropist, having worked to assist victims of Hurricane Katrina and also to fight human-trafficking and sexualized violence. AnnaLynne has recently admitted to being raped as a young teen in her own home by a friend.
AnnaLynne described the attack when she appeared on stage at the University of Oxford: "“I was the statistic, 80 per cent of the time that’s what it is, someone you know. He made me a statistic. He made me weak." She goes on to say; "That was the worst rape I could have ever experienced. I was so disconnected to my body." AnnaLynne's personal story seems to eerily parallel that of her 90210 character, Naomi Clark, who is raped by one of her teachers.
AnnaLynne McCord has been working with the Somaly Mam Foundation to give sex slave victims a voice because, as she recalls from her own experience, "For 10 years I thought it was my fault. I didn’t fight back," and she wants others to know "You have a voice. Don’t put yourself in a box,don't let...society silence you."
Last Modified: Mar 8, 2020
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