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Thora Birch is both an actress and a producer. Born on March 11, 1982, in Los Angeles, her parents gave her the name Thora after the Norse God. Her parents were not strangers to the entertainment industry having starred in several adult films. Although the couple submitted Thora's photograph to casting agents, both were rather hesitant about her entering the movie business. The decision to let her pursue an acting career has paid off nicely, considering she is well-known for her talents both in front of the camera and behind it.

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Getting Her Start

Birch made her first appearance in a Quaker Oats commercial when she was only four years old. In addition to her Quaker Oats debut, she also appeared in commercials for Vlassic Pickles and California Raisins. Her first film, Purple People Eater (1988) earned her a Young Artist Award. During this time period, she appeared in two television series, Doogie Howser, M.D. And Day By Day. In the early 1990s, she appeared in Paradise, All I Want for Christmas, and Patriot Games with Harrison Ford. During her movie career, she has been privileged to work with many of the biggest names in Hollywood. They include Bill Paxton, Don Johnson, Johnny Knoxville, Elijah Wood, Melanie Griffith, and Ethan Embrey.

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Ghosts and Magic

In 1993, Birch got the role of a lifetime in Hocus Pocus. Not only did she get to appear in what would eventually become a cult classic, she also got to work with the famous Bette Midler, Sarah Jessica Parker, and Kathy Najimy. She also appeared in Monkey Trouble and Clear and Present Danger where she again played Harrison Ford's daughter. She auditioned and won a role in the movie, Now and Then. Her co-stars for this production were none other than Christina Ricci, Gaby Hoffmann, and Demi Moore. It was through the movies during this time period, that Birch began to be recognized as an up and coming star. 

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Toward the end of the 1990s, she appeared in shows like Promised Land, Touched by an Angel, and Anywhere but Here. In 1999, she got a role in American Beauty alongside Kevin Spacey. After the success of American Beauty, Birch went on to appear in other films such as The Smokers and The Hollywood Reporter. In 2001, she appeared in another spooky movie, Ghost World. Over the next few years, Birch appeared in several other films, most notably Homeless to Harvest: The Liz Murray Story in 2003 and Dark Corners in 2006. During this time, she also took on roles in music videos. The first was for We Are All Made of Stars (Moby) and Eat You Alive (Limp Bizkit).

The Walking Dead

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From 2010 to the present, Birch has continued to appear in several more movies including The Etruscan Smile, Above Suspicion, Colony, and The Competition. In 2019, she began to appear in a recurring role in The Walking Dead as Gamma/Mary. Her most recent movie appearance was with Danny Glover in The Last Black Man in San Francisco. Along with her recurring role on The Walking Dead, Birch continues to pursue a variety of projects.

Awards and Achievements

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Over the span of her lengthy career, Birch has been nominated for many different awards in numerous categories. A few of her wins include The Young Artist Award for Purple People Eater, Paradise, and Hocus Pocus. For her role in American Beauty, Birch walked away with an OFCS Award, Young Hollywood Award, Young Artist Award, and a Young Star Award. In 2007, Birch won the Nellie Tayloe Ross Award as well as an award from the Boston Film Festival for The Etruscan Smile.

She is currently married to Michael Adler and lives in Los Angeles, California.