Actor

1972-02-07 · United States · Female

36 series in the catalog

Robyn Elaine Lively Johnson (born February 7, 1972) is an American actress. She is known for her roles in the 1989 films Teen Witch and The Karate Kid Part III, as well as the TV shows Doogie Howser, M.D., Twin Peaks, Savannah, and Saving Grace.

Early life

Robyn Elaine Lively was born on February 7, 1972, to talent manager Elaine Lively (née McAlpin) and her first husband Ronald Otis Lively. Her older siblings are Lori and Jason Lively.

Following her divorce from Ronald, Elaine married acting coach Ernie Lively (né Brown) in 1979. Robyn was later adopted by Ernie, who is the father of her younger half siblings, Eric and Blake Lively. Her mother, adoptive father, and all four siblings are or have been in the entertainment industry.

Career

Lively began her career as a child actress: at age six, she made her screen debut in the television movie Summer of My German Soldier in 1978. Throughout the 1980s, Lively appeared in several television shows including Silver Spoons, Punky Brewster and Starman. She appeared in the feature films Wildcats, The Karate Kid Part III, Teen Witch, and Not Quite Human.

After being cast as Jessica Andrews in The Karate Kid Part III in 1989, producers were forced to modify Lively's role of protagonist Daniel LaRusso's new love interest because she was only 16 at the time of filming and still a minor while Ralph Macchio was 27 (although his character Daniel is 17). This situation caused romantic scenes between Jessica and Daniel to be rewritten so that the pair only developed a close friendship. In 2022, Lively reprised her role as Jessica Andrews in the fifth season of Cobra Kai, where it is revealed that Daniel is married to her cousin, Amanda.

At age 19, Lively was nominated for a Daytime Emmy Award for her performance as an insecure teen in the 1991 ABC Afterschool Special episode "Less Than Perfect Daughter". In the 1990s, Lively had recurring roles on Twin Peaks, Doogie Howser, M.D., and Chicago Hope. In 1996, she appeared as Lane McKenzie, one of three lead characters in the short-lived WB drama Savannah.

In 2003, Lively played NCIS Special Agent Vivian Blackadder in the JAG episodes "Ice Queen" and "Meltdown" (the backdoor pilot for NCIS). Five years later, Lively appeared alongside Holly Hunter in an episode of Saving Grace and also had a role in Cold Case. In 2010, she appeared alongside Twin Peaks costars in the Dual Spires episode of Psych and starred in the TV series Gortimer Gibbon's Life on Normal Street for Amazon Studios as Gortimer Gibbon's mother, Claire.

In 2020, Lively starred in the thriller Through the Glass Darkly which premiered at the Frameline Film Festival on September 19, 2020. She appeared in the 2024 romantic drama film, It Ends with Us as Ms. Byland. The film starred and was produced by her sister, Blake.

Personal life

Lively married fellow actor Bart Johnson on September 25, 1999. They have three children: Baylen, Kate, and Wyatt Blake.

Film Reference: Robyn Lively