Larisa Oleynik

Larisa Romanovna Oleynik (; born June 7, 1981) is an American actress. Oleynik began her career as a child actor, first appearing onstage as young Cosette in a national touring production of Les Misérables (1989–1991). She was subsequently cast as the titular character in the Nickelodeon series The Secret World of Alex Mack, which aired from 1994 to 1998. She also began a film career, starring in an ensemble cast as Dawn Schafer in the film adaptation The Baby-Sitters Club, and in a lead role in the teen comedy 10 Things I Hate About You (1999).

Oleynik subsequently had a supporting role in the comedy 100 Girls (2000), after which she starred opposite Nastassja Kinski and Scarlett Johansson in the period film An American Rhapsody (2001), and the independent drama Bringing Rain (2003). She later had supporting roles in Atlas Shrugged: Part II (2011) and the horror film Jessabelle (2014). From 2010 to 2015, she had a recurring role as Cynthia Cosgrove on the AMC series Mad Men, and a voice role as Icy on the Nickelodeon revival of Winx Club (2011–2014).

Early life and education Larisa Romanovna Oleynik was born in Santa Clara, California, to Lorraine and Roy Oleynik. She was raised in the Eastern Orthodox tradition in the San Francisco suburb of Los Gatos. She graduated from the Pinewood School in Los Altos, California, in 1999. As her acting career flourished, she would "divide her time between normal childhood experiences in Northern California and auditions in Los Angeles." enrolling at Sarah Lawrence College in Yonkers, New York, which she later described as "the best decision I’ve made".

Career 1989–2002 Oleynik began acting in a San Francisco production of Les Misérables in 1989 after seeing an audition ad in a newspaper when she was eight years old. After appearing in the musical, she was referred to an agent by a Les Misérables co-star, Rider Strong, and began to take formal acting lessons. becoming quite a favorite among the child and teen audiences and turning Oleynik into a teen idol. During the show's heyday, children who met Oleynik (and were too young to understand special effects) would often ask her to "morph" for them. Rather than try to explain things, she would quickly glance around, then tell them, "Not here – everybody would see!". Oleynik reprised the role in an All That sketch, although the name was changed to "Alex Sax". Also during her time on The Secret World of Alex Mack, she played Dawn Schafer, one of the lead characters in the 1995 feature film The Baby-Sitters Club (1995), opposite Rachael Leigh Cook and Schuyler Fisk, and appeared in several episodes of Boy Meets World as Dana Pruitt, the girlfriend to Rider Strong's Shawn Hunter. She also wrote an advice column for Tiger Beat magazine, and was involved in Nickelodeon's The Big Help charity, Hands Across Communication, Surfrider Foundation and the Starlight Children's Foundation.

After The Secret World of Alex Mack ended its run, Oleynik had a starring role in the film 10 Things I Hate About You as Bianca. The film was released in April 1999, and did fairly well at the box office, grossing a total of $38 million domestically. From 1998 to 2000, Oleynik appeared in twenty-one episodes of the NBC series 3rd Rock from the Sun as Alissa Strudwick. During 2000, she also appeared in two independent films: 100 Girls (opposite Emmanuelle Chriqui, Katherine Heigl and Jonathan Tucker) and A Time for Dancing (opposite Shiri Appleby); neither film received a theatrical release in the United States.

Oleynik had a supporting role in the independent drama film An American Rhapsody (2001), opposite Nastassja Kinski and Scarlett Johansson, which follows a young woman whose parents are forced to leave her behind in Communist Hungary while they flee to the United States.

2003–present Oleynik had a supporting part in Bringing Rain (2003), a low-budget teen drama starring Adrian Grenier and Paz de la Huerta, which premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival. In 2005, she appeared as a guest star on the series Malcolm in the Middle as Reese's lesbian army buddy who develops a crush on his mother. Oleynik was cast in a supporting role in the series Pepper Dennis, which began airing on The WB in April 2006, but was not picked up by The WB's successor The CW. The same year, she starred in the independent drama Pope Dreams.

In March 2008, Oleynik guest-starred in episode 13 of Aliens in America. In 2009, she provided audio commentary for the 10 Things I Hate About You 10th Anniversary Edition Blu-ray. In March 2011, Oleynik started appearing in a recurring role on Hawaii Five-0 as CIA analyst Jenna Kaye, until her character was later killed off. She was subsequently cast in the Ayn Rand adaptation Atlas Shrugged: Part II (2012), as Cherryl Brooks, a store clerk who becomes acquainted with the protagonist, Dagny Taggart (portrayed by Samantha Mathis). Oleynik also guest-starred as Ken Cosgrove's girlfriend (and later wife) Cynthia Baxter in several episodes on the AMC television series Mad Men.

In 2016, Oleynik starred in the one-woman show I Loved, I Lost, I Made Spaghetti at the Hangar Theatre in Ithaca, New York. Beginning in 2017, Oleynik starred in the Off-Broadway musical comedy Baghdaddy. In 2020, Oleynik starred in the Netflix family comedy series The Healing Powers of Dude. In 2023, it was announced that Oleynik was cast as Sylvia in the Nickelodeon comedy Erin & Aaron.

In 2026, Oleynik is set to perform in POTUS: Or, Behind Every Great Dumbass Are Seven Women at the Santa Fe Playhouse.

Personal life Oleynik resides in Venice, California. She said that her first kiss was with Rider Strong when she was an actress on Boy Meets World. She also says that he was her "first major crush."

In January 2013, she was granted a restraining order against a stalker, Josh Hathaway, who was so obsessed with her that he changed his last name to "Oleynik".

Filmography Film

Television Year Title Role Notes 1993 Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman Susie Episode: "Heroes" River of Rage: The Taking of Maggie Keene Gail Keene TV film 1994–98 The Secret World of Alex Mack Alex Mack Lead role (78 episodes) 1995 All That Alex Sax Episode: "Larisa Oleynik/Da Brat"; sketch: "The Secret World of Alex Sax" 1996 The Adventures of Pete & Pete Nurse Episode: "Dance Fever" 1996–98 Boy Meets World Dana Pruitt 3 episodes 1997 The Mystery Files of Shelby Woo Gator World Employee Episode: "The Alligator Mystery"; uncredited 1998–2000 3rd Rock from the Sun Alissa Strudwick Recurring role (21 episodes) 2005 Malcolm in the Middle Abby Tucker Episode: "Army Buddy" 2006 Katie Sullivan Katie Sullivan Unsold TV pilot; lead role Pepper Dennis Brianna 2 episodes 2008 Aliens in America Zoe Episode: "Community Theater" 2009 Without a Trace Liza Miller Episode: "Voir Dire" Psych Willow Gimbley/ Shawn Spencers Gal Episode: "Let's Get Hairy" 2010 Backyard Wedding Renee TV film 2010–15 Mad Men Cynthia Cosgrove Recurring role (5 episodes) 2011–12 Winx Club: Enchantix Icy / Various Voice role (28 episodes) 2011–14 Hawaii Five-0 Jenna Kaye Recurring role (7 episodes) 2012 Mike & Molly Allison Episode: "The Dress" Fairly Legal Officer Glacki Episode: "What They Seem" 2012–13 Winx Club: Beyond Believix Icy / Various Voice role (24 episodes) 2012–14 Pretty Little Liars Maggie Cutler Recurring role (7 episodes) Winx Club Icy / Various Voice role (52 episodes) 2013 Remember Sunday Lauren TV film Ghost Ghirls Megan Episode: "Will You Scary Me?" American Dad! Super hot girl Voice role; episode: "Steve and Snot's Test-Tubular Adventure" 2014 Robot Chicken Alex Mack / Marcie / Classmate Voice role; episode: "Rebel Appliance" Stolen from the Womb Diane King TV film Extant Phillips Episode: "Ascension" The Michaels Katherine BixbyTV film 2015 Wish Upon a Christmas Amelia 2016 Law & Order: Special Victims Unit Lizzie Bauer Episode: "Assaulting Reality" 2018–19 Half Life Patty Lead role (4 episodes) 2019 Janice Gunter, Ghost Hunter Leesa Episode: "Psychic Development Class" 2019–20 Trinkets Shawn Recurring role (6 episodes) 2020 The Healing Powers of Dude Karen Ferris Main role (8 episodes) 2023 Erin & Aaron Sylvia Main role (13 episodes)

Stage credits Year Title Role Notes 1989–91 Les Misérables Young Cosette / Young Eponine Second national touring production 2019 Miss Lilly Gets Boned Miss Lilly Rogue Machine Theatre

Explanatory notes