Laura Nativo

From the moment Laura Nativo stepped onto the set of the kid's television show Romper Room (1972) at the age of 5, she knew that show business was her destiny. However, when several months later her mother passed away after a battle with cancer, she realized the road to Hollywood would be a long, if not impossible, journey. With her mother gone and her father at work, six-year-old Laura had no choice but to take on the roles of "mother, wife, older sister, daughter" of the family - raising herself, as well as her younger sister.

She lived an extremely sheltered life, growing up in Parsippany, New Jersey, where she attended Catholic School for 12 years. Her extensive yet necessary home responsibilities left her little time to maintain her straight A+ grades, much less to excel in traveling softball and soccer, win countless forensics competitions, cheer for the St. Christopher's basketball team and still pursue her dreams of becoming a movie star. Yet she somehow made time for her #1 passion, acting, in countless plays, musicals and indie films, attending intense performing arts summer camps and even touring with the professional children's theater group Kids On Tour. These 12 years of strict discipline and long, full days taught Laura that with determination and careful time management, anything was possible In reflection, these difficult years proved to be an invaluable foundation for this overachiever.

After graduating at the top of her eighth-grade class, Laura went on to Parsippany Hills High School, where she balanced intensive performing arts study (acting, singing, dancing, gymnastics, debate, public speaking) with a heavy academic course load, varsity cheerleading and softball, leadership positions in Student Council, Key Club, and Environmental Club, winning esteemed National DECA awards and dedicating precious hours to community service. Yet these accomplishments were not enough for this girl next door. Though a four-year National Honors Society member and "Who's Who Among American High Schools" student, Laura felt certain the academic track to Harvard was not for her.

She was first discovered by Woody Allen, who picked her at an open casting call in NYC to appear in his film, Celebrity (1998). Inspired by this achievement, at the age of 17 Laura packed her bags for California, intending to spend only the summer there studying film and TV at UCLA and The Media Workshops. But she fell in love with L.A., and after jokingly asking her dad if she could move to California (and him saying yes!), this straight-A student sacrificed a senior year filled with pep rallies and prom, and left her family and friends behind to pursue her Hollywood dreams. She graduated Beverly Hills High School in just three months through a special independent-study program for teens in entertainment--a program whose alumni include Angelina Jolie and Nicolas Cage--with a 4.0 GPA. Determined to earn her spot on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, Laura turned down full scholarships to numerous prestigious universities, and put her college "backup" plans on an indefinite hold. Only 17, this precocious young woman was confident that she wouldn't be needing a "backup".

Today, Laura Nativo is known as one of Hollywood's hottest up-and-coming young stars. When she's not on screen, she works behind the scenes as a producer for movies and music videos. Laura's natural talent, extraordinary focus, positive "I can" attitude and healthy drug-free lifestyle make her an ideal role for model young girls everywhere. At just 21, President of Inspire Entertainment, this Renaissance woman has already started her own production company, record label and magazine. In her "free time" she is spokesperson for Rock To Cure, a charity that she helped co-found, that uses the universal language of music to raise money and awareness for various organizations such as City of Hope, National Kidney Foundation, Cystic Fibrosis, and Drug-Free America. A self-described "prissy tomboy", Laura loves baseball, football, roller-blading, biking, tennis, rock climbing, water sports, and just about anything fun and athletic. She has been studying gymnastics and capoeira, the Brazilian martial art, for the past two years, to preparation for her upcoming film, "B.A.B.E. Force". An avid traveler, always seeking her next adventure, Laura maintains that "home is where my suitcase is!" A Jersey girl at heart, she is still super-close to her supportive father, Angelo (a scientist) and awesome younger sister, Lisa (a freshman at Rowan University), whom she visits as often as she can.