Particularly through her work on popular shows like Mad Men, Community, BoJack Horseman, and now GLOW, Alison Brie has consistently proven herself to be one of the most dependable talents in recent years. The actress can be funny and serious on a dime, and she has movie star looks but she can also seem accessible, down-to-earth, and relatable in a way that feels sincere and believable. There are several other projects in addition to the shows listed above where Brie has proven her talents, including last month's Netflix original, Horse Girl, but it's apparent that Brie is a great young talent and she'll likely continue proving her talents in many other projects to come. If you consider yourself a fan of the actress' work — as well you should — here are some fun, interesting facts about Alison Brie that you should know! Meanwhile, we'll continue to follow Brie's career with interest.
Alison Brie Used To Be A Clown At Birthday Parties
Everyone has to start somewhere. When you're a hungry actor looking to make a living for your art, you often have to be crafty in your efforts. When it comes to Alison Brie, she took an unusual path during her early days. Specifically, Brie performed as a clown for birthday parties. Hey, it's a living!
As Brie explained in a 2017 video with Marie Claire, she spent a summer attending children's birthday parties as a clown, as well as a few other characters like Snow White (which she considered her best), Cinderella, and a Powderpuff Girl (which she considered her worst). Ultimately, Brie admits she quit the profession because it got "too stressful." Eventually, while she was entertaining a bunch of young children, the job itself wasn't quite a laugh riot, as you can likely imagine. Although it's been a few years since her clown days, Alison Brie still knows a few tricks of the trade, including balloon animals.
Alison Brie Studied Acting In Scotland
In addition to her education at California Institute of the Arts, Alison Brie went overseas in order to study her craft. Specifically, Brie went to the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama in Glasgow, Scotland in order to learn her craft. In an interview with Daily Record to promote GLOW, Brie did recount her years as a study abroad in Scotland, claiming that the lessons she learned were very valuable and her classes were constantly "exciting."
Alison Brie Was A Nudist In College
Through liberal arts, one can free themselves in a variety of different ways. College campuses are areas in which many young people have broadened their horizons over the years. When it comes to Alison Brie's experiences at California Institute of the Arts back in the early '00s, the future professional actress felt liberated to shed her clothes and reveal herself — often in an effort to amuse her friends. As she explained during an appearance on Conan back in 2012, at the time of her education, clothing was optimal in every place except the cafeteria. Therefore, Brie took this opportunity to be nude for comedic purposes.
Brie admits to occasionally jogging around the liberal-minded campus in only her tennis shoes to exercise her right to be nude — in more ways than one, evidently — or hanging from a tree in the nude to get a laugh out of her roommate. Suffice to say, Brie used to be a bit of a nudist.
One Of Alison Brie's First TV Roles Was On Hannah Montana
Before starring in shows like Community, BoJack Horseman, and GLOW, Alison Brie got her start on a little TV show you might've heard of, Disney Channel's Hannah Montana. That's right, the actress appeared in a guest star role during the show's 2006 episode, "It's My Party And I'll Lie If I Want To," as Nina, a hairdresser caught in a feud between Rico (Moises Arias) and Jackson (Jason Earles). The one-episode role in this popular show came a mere year before Alison Brie starred in Mad Men as Trudy Campbell. This brief role was one of the future celebrity's first major television appearances.
Alison Brie Is Married To Dave Franco
After being introduced to one another through mutual friends in 2011, sparks have flown between Alison Brie and Dave Franco. It didn't take long for their relationship to get serious, and the couple was engaged in 2015. The marriage came a couple years later in 2017, and they remain together to this day. Since their marriage, Franco and Brie have also worked together as well, having both appeared in 2017's The Little Hours and The Disaster Artist.
Alison Brie Got Her First Writing Credit With Netflix's Horse Girl
Now that Alison Brie has proven herself several times as a performer, the film/TV actress is starting to branch out into other filmmaking professions. Most recently, Brie produced and co-wrote the Netflix psychological drama, Horse Girl, with director Jeff Baena (Life After Beth, The Little Hours). The character study follows mild-mannered Sarah (Brie), an introverted young woman who works in a small-town craft store who suddenly finds her sanity tested shortly after her most recent birthday. The 2020 movie, which features one of Brie's strongest performances to date, serves as the actress' first writing credit, and hopefully not her last. She showcases a talent for crafting characters and intriguing plot developments, notably as a first-time writer.
Alison Brie Made Her Directorial Debut In GLOW's Third Season
In addition to expanding her horizons as a producer and screenwriter with this year's Horse Girl, Alison Brie also jumped into the director's chair for the first time recently with an episode from GLOW's third season. Specifically, the seventh episode, entitled "Hollywood Homecoming." While this episode remains her only directing credit to date, it suggests that the actress is looking to possibly make the jump into directing more in the future. Certainly, with her recent screenwriting credit from Horse Girl, the well-established actress is showcasing an eagerness to make a presence behind the camera.
These are only a few of the interesting details surrounding Alison Brie's life and career. Let us know what you think of Alison Brie in the comments!
