After a childhood of performing musical theater in Palm Springs, CA, Alison Lohman turned down a scholarship to N.Y.U. in favor of an acting career in Hollywood. She landed her film debut in the thriller The Thirteenth Floor at the age of 20 and soon was offered a role on the WB family drama Safe Harbor. Along with appearances in a couple of independent film releases, she continued working in television on the Fox prime-time soap opera Pasadena. However, her role as Michelle Pfeiffer's daughter, Astrid, in 2002's White Oleander marked her first big break. After its release, she gained a starring role as the daughter of Nicolas Cage's character in Ridley Scott's 2003 thriller Matchstick Men.
