Alyson Hannigan

Alyson Hannigan (born Allison Lee Hannigan on March 24, 1974) is an American actress. She played Willow Rosenberg on the television series Buffy the Vampire Slayer, flautist Michelle Flaherty in the American Pie film series, Julia Jones in Date Movie, and Lily Aldrin in the CBS sitcom How I Met Your Mother.

Biography

Early life

Hannigan was born in Washington, D.C. to Albert Hannigan, an Irish American truck driver, and Emilie Posner, a Jewish American real estate agent. Her parents divorced a year after her birth and she was raised mostly by her mother in Atlanta. Although Hannigan had appeared in an industrial film for "Active Parenting" as a baby, as well as starred in a commercial for the "Duncan Hines cookie mix" in 1978, it wasn't until she moved to Los Angeles, California in 1985 that she formally began her acting career. Living with her mother and attending North Hollywood High School, she successfully auditioned for agents while visiting her father in Santa Barbara.

Career

Hannigan's first major film role was in My Stepmother Is an Alien, a science fiction comedy released in 1988; one of her co-stars in the film was actor Seth Green, who would later join her in the regular cast of Buffy as her on-screen boyfriend. Throughout most of the early 1990s, she appeared in commercials and supporting roles on television shows, including Picket Fences, Roseanne and Touched by an Angel.

In 1997, Hannigan was cast to play Willow Rosenberg, Buffy's best friend, on the television series Buffy the Vampire Slayer. The show became a big success, and Hannigan gained recognition, subsequently appearing in several notable films aimed at teenage audiences, including American Pie, Boys and Girls, and American Wedding. By the time Buffy had ended in 2003, Hannigan was earning a $250,000 salary for each episode. During Buffy's seventh season, she also had a guest spot, portraying her role of Willow in a few episodes (including most notably "Orpheus") of the Buffy spin-off, Angel, but none after Buffy finished production.

In early 2004, Hannigan made her West End debut, starring in a stage adaptation of When Harry Met Sally... at the Theatre Royal Haymarket, opposite Luke Perry. In 2005, she returned to starring in a regular television series, appearing in the currently-running show, How I Met Your Mother, as Lily, and also playing a recurring guest role on Veronica Mars as Trina Echolls.

In February 2006, Date Movie, in which Hannigan stars as a character meant to be a parody on romantic comedy heroines, was released in theaters.

Personal life

Alyson Hannigan and Alexis Denisof

Hannigan owns a home in Sacramento, California. She married actor Alexis Denisof (who played Wesley Wyndam-Pryce in the Buffy franchise) on 11 October 2003. She had previously dated actor Steven Sutphen and Ginger Fish, a drummer for Marilyn Manson.

Hannigan has been incorrectly rumored to have created a sex tape; the person in the tape is not her, but rather adult film actress Luna Lane.

Hannigan has been said to be a natural redhead, which is incorrect. In interviews she has stated that her hair is actually auburn, and mostly brown in color. Her natural color can be seen in older films such as My Stepmother Is an Alien.

Selected filmography

Year Title Role Notes
2006 Date Movie Julia Jones
2003 American Wedding Michelle Flaherty-Levinstein
2001 American Pie 2 Michelle Flaherty
1999 American Pie Michelle Flaherty
1998 Dead Man on Campus lucy
1988 My Stepmother Is an Alien Jessie Mills

How to pick up a girl?

Sometimes picking up a girl may seem to be embarrassing, difficult and impossible especially if you are doing it for the first time. For most men it is not easy to approach a girl. So is it that hard to pick up a girl?











I think if you are confident, skillful, articulate, have sufficient courage, and are armed with the right techniques then it is not that difficult to approach or pick up a girl.











There are several things you need to take into consideration. Be positive:














Women do not like men who are pessimists and have a negative approach to life. Actually nobody like people like that. Hence, it is necessary to have a positive attitude and show it when it comes to picking up a girl.











Smile:




















"A smile increases your face value", and surprisingly it costs nothing. Therefore, especially while approaching any girl, smile constantly.











Utilize What You Have: Most men dwell on what they don't possess. They feel that they don't have the charm and seductive attraction some guys have. Sometimes they regret that they don't have a nice body.











But haven't you seen many men who are good looking but don't have any girl. Be confident and try to capitalize on the assets that you have! Make Her Laugh: Making your woman laugh will do the trick. Laughter attracts women easily and in less time. If you are successful in making her laugh a lot, you have already won the battle.











Don't Fear Rejection:



















Most men remain unsuccessful in the task of picking up a girl because they fear rejection. The fear of rejection is the main cause behind the failure. Take every rejection as the next step to success and learn from your mistakes.











Every time you get rejected, you are moving one level up, because once you become comfortable with girls saying no, your fear of rejection will be gone. So instead of getting hurt, be confident after every rejection. Remember, the guys who get rejected the most are the ones who leave with the most numbers!











Be A Good Listener: It always pays to be a good listener. Observe the things she is saying as well as your surroundings. Stop worrying about what to say next and focus your attention on listening.











During the conversation, always make a direct eye contact with her. Believe me she will give you leads about what she would like to talk about, in essence, telling you want to say next.











Increase A Women's Interest:


















If a woman is interested in carrying on a conversation with you or meeting with you, you have actually won half the battle.











You must concentrate on indulging in a conversation she would be interested in. Never fake it. Try to speak about a general topic, a situation or try to listen to her opinions on something really interesting.











Gain Respect: Remember that a woman would never like to sleep with a man she does not respect. It is necessary to gain respect by showing respect to a woman and making her realize that you genuinely like her company. Get Her Phone Number: Getting the phone number or contact details of a girl is important when it comes to picking her up. Now this is a difficult and time-consuming task. You must work hard in order to be successful in your goal.











Use Good Pick Up Lines:


















When picking up a girl, you can never go wrong with a great pick up line. The best way to start a conversation with a woman is to say "hi". This is the best opening line.











Now, once she responds, try to proceed further. For example, if you are at a music concert, a theater or a sports arena. You can continue the conversation by saying

































Now, if a woman is near you, you need to try out the famous 'goodbye introduction'. You can start with "Hi, I am just leaving. But before I do, I would like to introduce myself to the most wonderful woman around". And then see the result.











Perhaps it could become one of the best pick up lines. There are bright chances that she would show some interest (that otherwise was not possible) and you will get introduced to each other. Before leaving you can ask, "Nice talking to you. I'd like to talk to you again, is there a number I can reach you at?"











Believe me guys this always works and brings much better results. There is hardly any girl that would say "no", because you are giving her a chance and just asking her number to reach at. So use this technique to pick up any girl of your choice, and see the result.











Why? Because here her left-brain starts working and she would be under some hypnotic mode where she can't afford to say "no" because that will mean there is not a number that she can be reached at.











Moreover, it also makes you more original than every other idiot that asks for her number directly.












No doubt, the question how to pick up a girl seems to be difficult and it really is. However, you can simplify it by utilizing the powers you have, and following the tips and techniques mentioned above. All the best!

credited by Alexander Faust