Biography
Date of Birth
30 December 1982, Purvis, Mississippi, USA
Birth Name
Lacey Nicole Chabert
Height
5' 2" (1.57 m)
Mini Biography
Lacey Nicole Chabert was born in Purvis, Mississippi, to Julie (Johnson) and Tony Chabert, a representative for an oil company. She is of Cajun (French), Italian, English, and Scottish ancestry. Chabert started in drama and music performances in and around her hometown in Mississippi from an early age, and was a finalist on Star Search (1983) in 1991. She gained her break in a cough syrup commercial, before successfully auditioning for the Broadway production of Les Miserables, where she played young Cosette for two years. Since then, she has been on a few television series, notably Party of Five (1994), a number of telemovies like Gypsy (1993), and her big-screen debut, Lost in Space (1998). Known for her natural acting skills and charming personality, her cotton candy voice has seen her record many advertising jingles, plus play parts in animated films and TV shows like Nickelodeon's The Wild Thornberrys (1998). A more than capable violinist, she enjoys various activities, especially shoe shopping, and she is particularly fond of Cajun cooking. As a result of her promising career, her family, including two sisters and a brother, have moved from Mississippi to California.
Trivia
Was among celebrities dishing out $250 meals in the fifth-annual Celebrity Server Dinner at the Palm Restaurant in L.A., with proceeds benefiting Victory over Violence. (October 11, 1998)
Was among celebrities dishing out meals in the third-annual Celebrity Server Dinner, with proceeds benefiting the Homeless Health Care Los Angeles. (October 1996)
Lacey's last name, which is French, is pronounced "shah-BEHR". Lacey's paternal grandfather was of half Cajun (ethnic group mainly living in the U.S. state of Louisiana, consisting of the descendants of Acadian exiles (French-speakers from Acadia in what are now the Maritimes)) and half Sicilian ancestry, and Lacey's paternal grandmother was of mostly Cajun and some English descent. Lacey's mother has English and Scottish ancestry, with very remote Italian roots (from the 1500s).
Has one brother (TJ) and two sisters (Wendy and Chrissy). Has a dog named Abu.
Played the role of Cosette in "Les Miserables" on Broadway (and occasionally, even Gavroche, a boy character) before taking the role of Claudia on Party of Five (1994).
Was originally selected to play the role of "Young Lily" in the movie Return to the Blue Lagoon (1991), but bailed out for unknown reasons.
As "an avid photographer" and "a strong supporter of programs that encourage teens to spend their time creatively and productively", judged and promoted Eastman Kodak Company's "The Yearbook Click", a national in-school photography contest for the 1999-2000 school year.
She was originally chosen to play "Chloe Steele" in Left Behind III: World at War (2005), but a scheduling conflict made that impossible. Janaya Stephens got the role instead.
The character she plays in Not Another Teen Movie (2001) is a spoof of the role her former Party of Five (1994) classmate, Jennifer Love Hewitt, played in Can't Hardly Wait (1998).
Was Miss Jr. Mississippi
Has 3 chihuahuas named Teacup, Teaspoon & Tealeaf.
Was childhood friends with rock star David Ham.
Named #56 on the Maxim magazine Hot 100 of 2005 list.
Was number 99 on vh1's The Greatest: 100 Greatest Kid Stars (2005)
Was the first and only choice considered to play "Gretchen Wieners" in Mean Girls (2004).
Ranked #32 on the Maxim magazine Hot 100 of 2007 list.
Ranked #90 on the Maxim magazine Hot 100 of 2008 list.
Was the original voice of Meg Griffin for the first 13 episodes of Family Guy (1999), before Mila Kunis took over the part. She was uncredited for the role.
Posed twice for racy men's magazine Maxim, first in early in 2007 at age 24 and later in late 2013 at age 31.
Ranked #45 on Maxim's "Hot 100" of 2014 list.
Gave birth to her 1st child at age 33, a daughter named Julia Mimi Bella Nehdar on September 1, 2016. Child's father is her husband, David Nehdar.
Her daughter Julia is named at least in part after her mom.
Was the first of the four main Mean Girls (2004) cast-members to get married and have a baby.
The date shown in the opening scene of Lost in Space (1998) is September 30, 2058; her 76th birthday.
Born on the same date as Kieran Culkin.
Quotes
I loved school. But when I started 'Party of Five' in the fifth grade, I was taken out of school and tutored on the set.
I always wanted to entertain. When I was little, I would sing in front of the mirror with a hairbrush or my sisters and I would make shows. I always wanted to be on TV.
The only way I can be there and really get into the character is if I'm her.
I like shopping, and I like to drive.
I don't want to be a 'teen star' because so many people don't ever grow out of that.
I need to decide whether to apply for college or delay it for a couple of years while I pursue some more acting projects. Right now I'm trying to sort things out, so I can make the right choices.
We did a remake of Lost in Space. Filmed it in London for four months.
Do what you're passionate about.
I like to take pictures of lots of things: people-such as my nephews, my dogs, and just interesting objects that I see. For instance, I might take a picture of flowers by the side of the road, an old sign or a fence.
When I was growing up I always wanted to be a waitress. My sister opened a restaurant in Mississippi, and I went down there and was a waitress for a few days. Let me tell you, I got it out of my system.
I had to have my first kiss in front of, like, a hundred people. I didn't know what to do. So my sisters told me to, like, practice on a pillow, you know? But it didn't kiss me back so I didn't know what to expect.
My family has always called me 'Lay Lay,' and my dad used to always call me 'Dynamite Termite' because I was really short and small and I hated to be still. I would never stop.
It's more fun if you can control things like lighting and make special effects in the darkroom.
