Natasha Henstridge was born on August 15, 1974 in Springdale, Newfoundland, Canada and raised in Fort McMurray, Alberta, Canada. Henstridge was barely a teen when she entered and earned the first runner-up prize in the Casablanca Modeling Agency's worldwide "Look of the Year" contest. At age 14, with the reluctant blessing of her parents, Henstridge left home to pursue a modeling career in New York and Paris. She landed her first cover on French Cosmopolitan when she was only 15 and has since graced the covers of many international fashion magazines. She also appeared in commercials for such products as Lady Stetson, Oil of Olay and Old Spice.
Like so many other model-turned-actresses before her, Henstridge grew tired of being just another pretty face and craved a more intellectually stimulating career. She left the runways of Paris for the lights of Hollywood and never looked back. At 21, Henstridge beat out hundreds of other doe-eyed hopefuls when she was cast in “Species” for MGM. “Species” took in over $100 million at the box office, making Henstridge a hot property.
In 1998, Henstridge returned as an extraterrestrial in “Species II.” While the “Species” films were physically demanding, it was not enough of a role to consider Natasha a burgeoning actress. But more roles began to follow her feature film debut. She was cast in “Maximum Risk” with Jean-Claude Van Damme, “Adrenaline: Fear The Rush,” and appeared in an episode of “Homeboys in Outer Space.”
Then came the comedy hit “The Whole Nine Yards,” in which she played mob moll Cynthia Tudeski. She played the estranged wife of a hit man, played by Bruce Willis, who manages to charm her way out of potentially dangerous situations. Matthew Perry plays her love interest in the film, and she garnered critical praise for her charismatic portrayal of the character.
In 2000 Henstridge appeared in the Ben Affleck romantic film, “Bounce.” Her small but pivotal role as the woman for whom Affleck, in the hopes of having a fling, gives up his seat on an ill-fated flight to another passenger, further increased her momentum. In 2001, she accepted the role of Cassie in the television series “She Spies.” The series lasted two seasons and is currently finding success in syndication.
She is known for her work on the ABC series “Commander & Chief,” opposite Geena Davis and Donald Sutherland. Henstridge also starred opposite Jonny Lee Miller on the ABC hit series “Eli Stone.” She played attorney Taylor Wethersby, Miller’s fiancée, who stays by his side through the ups and downs of his outrageous visions. Most recently, Natasha starred on the CW series “Secret Circle” produced by Kevin Williamson about six teenage witches in a small Washington town who form an infamous coven. Based on the book series by acclaimed author L.J. Smith (“Vampire Diaries”), the series also featured Britt Robertson, Thomas Dekker and Gale Harold amongst its impressive cast.