Anna Faris

Anna Faris (also credited as Anna Kay Faris) is an American screen actor born on November 29, 1976, in Baltimore, Maryland. She became a defining comedic presence of the 2000s, breaking through with fearless, deadpan timing and a knack for turning broad satire into character-driven laughs.

Her signature role is Cindy Campbell, the franchise lead in the Scary Movie series, a run that cemented her as a modern spoof icon. Faris also built a varied film résumé that moves between offbeat indie choices and studio hits, including May (as Polly), Lost in Translation (as Kelly), Brokeback Mountain (as Lashawn Malone), and Just Friends (as Samantha James).

On television, Faris appeared as Erica during the final season of NBC’s Friends, then took on long-form sitcom work as a co-lead on CBS’s Mom, playing Christy Plunkett for multiple seasons. She has also expanded her profile through voice performances in major animated franchises.

Beyond acting, Faris created and hosted the advice podcast Unqualified and later published a memoir with the same title, which reached The New York Times bestseller list—underscoring her appeal as both a comedian and a candid storyteller.