Holly Marie Combs is an American actress who played Piper in Charmed, a popular American TV series about modern witches. Since the last season of this “witch's” serial project was released, Holly’s life has changed a lot, both personally and professionally.
But her most famous merit is considered to be the role of the wise, generous and cheerful Piper in "Charmed", because it was thanks to her that she became famous throughout the world.
Early years, the beginning
The actress was born in San Diego, in sunny California, on December 3, 1973. Everything was not very smooth in the family: her mother gave birth to her early, being a sixteen-year-old girl, and her father lived with them only a couple of years. The family fell apart, so plainly and not formed. As a result, the famous Piper from Enchanted with her real name Holly Marie Combs (given at birth) was brought up by her mother. And brought up, it must be said, with all the responsibility and inherent in many parents great hopes and ambitions. She correctly regarded the talents of little Holly and tried her best to make her a real star.
The first steps
Mom moved the talented daughter to New York when she was about 8 years old, and began to drive on television auditions. As a result, the young fashion model began to appear for promotional photos in magazines and appeared in commercials on TV.
The beginning of an acting career was laid. The enterprising mother did not fail - Holly was talented, hardworking, quickly got used to the images. She even went to a special school to study acting with the masters of her craft. After the advertising projects followed by television, which began the promotion of novice celebrities. Now Piper from "Charmed" in the photo is not at all like herself in childhood.
Becoming
A serious worker turned up playing Piper in “Charmed actress when she was a teenager. She was approved for a cameo role in the television series“ Glass Walls. ”Although not the first plan, there is already something to start from. Next, participation in the filming of“ Beloved’s Dance ” "There is no talk of a big role again, but the end of the 80s becomes a significant period when it seems that world fame is at hand. Indeed, then Holly plays the role of Jenny in the film" Born on the Fourth of July "by the famous director Oliver The main cast was Tom Cruise, Willem Dafoe and Kira Sedgwick.
Demanded and almost popular
Well, then everything went like clockwork, the projects were turned up by the talented and purposeful Holly magically by themselves. In the early 90's, she was noted in the mass of interesting films, among which are “Common People”, “Giggling Doctor”, “Reason to Believe" and others. At the same time, she starred in the series "Palisade" and "Relativity."
Admittedly, these film products are rated as fairly average. They had neither a high rating, nor tons of praise from film critics, nor worthy awards. These are often referred to as "feedthrough material." The following role saved the situation - Piper from "Charmed". It was she who allowed Holly not to remain in the category of stamped artists of the middle level forever.
The Enchanted Period
The first season of this popular and adored by teenage girls series was released in 1998. Holly Marie Combs approved for the role of Piper in “Charmed”, no matter in which series she appeared - it was a success. Her task was to appear to be a wise, judicious, but very sexy witch. It worked - the actress immediately gained fame, recognition and a crowd of fans. Initially, in the story, she was supposed to be an average sister, but after several seasons she took the place of an older one by means of personnel shifts .
In the status of "leader", she spent much more shooting time and began to look better on the screen. The thing is that now she had to look after not only the active and naughty heroine Alyssa Milano, but also the newly-acquired sister, played by Rose McGone. The latter was not only the youngest and most inexperienced, but until that moment had no idea what magic was.
Interesting Facts
By the way, she initially came to the casting in order to get the role of Prue's older sister (which was soon removed from the script), but in the end she was swapped with another actress. Holly is a participant in the project from beginning to end. Yes, yes, she constantly starred in the television story about modern witches for 8 seasons. Further - more: at some point she became its producer and worked for the benefit of the series in double volume. The fee, it must be said, was appropriate. It was the role of Piper from "Charmed" that brought Holly world fame and made her a favorite of the army of admiring fans, grateful to her for her beautiful and magical childhood.
Super abilities
According to the plot, the witches must have possessed some kind of ability. The Book of Sacraments, potions and rituals are also not bad, but in heroic fantasy worlds you cannot do without personal forces on guard of Good. In the first seasons, each sister had one gift, but then new ones appeared.
Piper was distinguished by her ability to “freeze” time. This first appeared at work when she did not have time to complete an important task. She spontaneously stopped time and quickly finished what she started, thereby saving herself from a loud failure or even dismissal. As time passed and the power of the Enchanted grew, so did their strength. Piper learned not only to stop people and objects, but also to blow them up.
Personal life in the series
On screen, the heroine of Holly at first was unlucky in love. Her first serious boyfriend turned out to be a deceiver, who arrived directly from the depths of hell to destroy the powerful trio of Enchanted. However, they were not at a loss and with the insolent, encroaching on holy family values, they dealt with the help of magic. After that, there were several more novels, but they did not mean anything.
All this continued until the girl met the love of her life - the Guardian named Leo. True, for happiness I had to tinker a lot with permission from the Council of Elders. Professionally, Piper first worked as a cook in a restaurant, where her magical ability first appeared. Then she wanted to have her own business and opened a nightclub, in which she not only worked, but also fought with representatives of the evil spirits who suddenly appeared.
Relationship with Leo
Perhaps the brightest couple in the series Charmed is Piper and Leo. According to the plot, Leo is the guardian angel of the sisters, constantly helping them in difficult situations. He has great wisdom and ability to heal. Once, feelings flare up between him and Piper, although somehow it doesn’t fit very well into the rules. For a long time they have to fight for their love and win the right to be together.
As a result, something beautiful and long-awaited happens in one of the series of the third season of “Charmed” - the wedding of Piper and Leo. She, by the way, unlike other sisters, has the only one more or less calm in her personal life. While the unlucky sisters fall in love with demons, bad guys or simply losers, our heroine does not waste time and, in parallel with her witchcraft craft, builds family happiness and gives birth to children.
Beloved in real life
If on the screen at Holly Marie Combs everything was magical in terms of love, then in real life it’s pretty typical. She was married twice and gave birth to three children. In the early 90s, she gave her hand and heart to a colleague in the workshop - actor Brian Travis Smith. He turned out to be a so-so actor, on whose account there were only a few minor roles in a pair of films and series. And with love for life they somehow did not work out, they were married from 1993 to 1997.
The second choice was an ordinary worker from the set of "Charmed" by the name of David W. Donoho. Everything turned out to be much more successful here. The lovers married in 2004, although long before that they were in a short-term relationship. David, too, was engaged in acting and appeared in several films of the 80s, among them - "The Night Beast" and "Communication through Miami".
Everything seemed perfect in a relationship with Piper’s second husband from Enchanted - in the photo they always looked happy, made three children. However, everything turned out to be not so smooth: in 2011, Holly personally filed for divorce. The reason is unclear, unless, of course, we take into account some of their "insoluble disagreements" that were indicated in the official paper.
Now the actress lives in Los Angeles. She is not only a caring mother, but also a big lover of our smaller brothers. Her house is full of pets, without which she cannot imagine her life.
Other significant roles
Although the role of the good witch remained the best in the career of Holly Marie Combs, she still has a couple of remarkable images on her account. In 1992, the American drama series "Fencers' Outpost" (alternative name - "Palisade") started. It was broadcast for about five years. The action takes place in a small town where every day something terribly interesting happens. One of the main lines is the tough political confrontation of several public figures. There Holly played the role of Kimberly Brock. Another interesting project is the television series Pretty Little Liars, in which the actress appeared as Ella Montgomery.