Mandy Moore Biography

Mandy Moore (born Amanda Leigh Moore on April 10, 1984) is an American singer and actress. Moore grew up in Florida and came to fame as a teenager in 2000, after the release of her debut album So Real. Her subsequent albums, including the self-titled Mandy Moore and Coverage, established her as a well-known pop singer in the United States. Moore has branched out into a film career, starring in 2002's successful teen film A Walk to Remember and later appearing in the lead roles of less well-received movies also aimed at teenage audiences. Two of her latest films, American Dreamz and Saved!, were parodies in which Moore portrayed darker characters than in her previous roles.

Moore's private life, including her relationships with tennis player Andy Roddick and actors Wilmer Valderrama and Zach Braff, has been much-discussed in the media. She is scheduled to appear in several films during 2006 and 2007, and is completing work on another album.

Moore was born in Nashua, New Hampshire to Stacy (a former newspaper reporter) and Don Moore (a pilot for American Airlines). She has Irish and Cherokee heritage on her father's side; her maternal grandfather was Jewish and her English maternal grandmother was a professional dancer at the theater district in the West End of London, as well as a Wren during WWII; the two met and eloped to the United States after Moore's maternal grandfather, an American soldier, was stationed in London during WWII. Moore has two brothers, Scott and Kyle; she grew up in Seminole County, Florida, outside of Orlando, moving there shortly after her birth because of her father's job. She was raised in the Catholic religion (although she is no longer a practicing Catholic) and attended Bishop Moore Catholic High School and Lake Brantley High School in Altamonte Springs.

Moore's interest in singing grew after seeing the musical Oklahoma!; she was also encouraged to perform by her maternal grandmother, who was her inspiration. After she sang the national anthem at several athletic events, a FedEx employee spotted her and sent her demo to Epic Records, where she was subsequently signed to a record deal.

During the summer of 2000, Moore hosted a half-hour MTV talk show, The Mandy Moore Show, which resumed in the summer of 2001 under the title Mandy. Moore was also a Neutrogena spokesperson, appearing in commercials and print ads for the product. She has modelled for Coach handbags in Japan and was a spokesperson for the School and Youth Programs of The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.

Moore dated actor Wilmer Valderrama for eighteen months between 2000 and 2002; in 2006, Valderrama appeared on the Howard Stern Show and detailed that he and Moore were each other's "first loves", although he did not claim that their relationship was sexual, as was alleged by several media sources who had misquoted his exact comments. Moore later referred to Valderrama as a "good guy" and a "gentleman", although she has stated that his comments about their relationship were "utterly tacky". Moore began dating tennis star Andy Roddick in 2002; Roddick ended the relationship in March of 2004. Moore also dated Philippines-born singer/actor Billy Crawford for a "few months" when she was younger.

In 2004, Moore began dating Scrubs actor Zach Braff, whom she met at a fundraising event for the Democratic Party around November 2004. Referring to Braff, Moore said that she likes "good Jewish boy(s)... with a sense of humor". Both parties denied rumors that they are engaged. In early June 2006, tabloids reported unconfirmed rumors that Braff and Moore had ended their relationship; During the same period, the couple reportedly arranged a week-long trip to Israel together, scheduled for July 2006. In September of 2006, Braff confirmed that his relationship with Moore had ended.

Moore's favorite musicians are Elton John, Janet Jackson, Switchfoot and Bette Midler; Midler is also Moore's favorite actress, and her film Beaches was Moore's favorite film when she was a teenager. Moore also enjoys Annie Hall and Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, and has described herself as a "glass-half-full kind of person". She currently lives in her Hollywood Hills house with her brother, Kyle. Moore considers herself spiritual, and has said that she does not think of herself as distinctly Catholic nor Christian.

For full details including singles and chart positions, please see Mandy Moore's discography.

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