Biography
Linara Washington was born in the small town of Beaufort, SC, to a beautiful Brazilian mother and an American father, the son of a preacher. Since her mother spoke no English at the time, Linara became fluent in Portuguese. She is now learning German and aims to master French, Italian, Japanese, and Hebrew.
Her stay in South Carolina was short, as the next sixteen years involved moving from one college town to another. She has lived in over 14 states and spent a brief period in Brazil as a baby. During a three-year residence in St. Paul, Minnesota, Linara attended The Blake School, where she began nurturing her passion for acting. While there, she frequently attended performances at the renowned Guthrie Theatre, located just a block from the school, and participated in the Dudley Riggs Improvisational Theater’s enrichment program for high school students. When Mighty Ducks 2 filmed at the local high school skating rink, Linara eagerly sought to be involved in the production. Although she was only an extra, the experience left a lasting impression and ignited her desire to pursue film.
An outstanding student in math and science, Linara initially chose to follow those fields instead of acting. As the eldest of three daughters, her parents likely would have disowned her if she hadn’t taken a more "practical" path and served as a role model for her siblings. She was accepted to the prestigious University of Chicago, where she began as a Pre-med Biology major. However, she soon found herself drawn to writing classes and theater productions on campus. In one academic year, she directed two shows and performed in five, stepping into a role just three days before opening after another actress unexpectedly quit. Her college mentors—poet Elizabeth Alexander and director/professor Curt Columbus—greatly influenced her artistic growth. As a result, she switched her major to English, used her MCAT funds to buy headshots, and waited until graduation day to inform her parents of her decision to pursue acting. Fortunately, they accepted her choice.
Linara’s bold decision proved successful. She has worked with several of Chicago’s most celebrated theaters, including Steppenwolf, Lookingglass, Northlight, and the Tony Award-winning Victory Gardens. She has appeared in over 30 commercials both nationally and internationally. A supporting role as Keisha, the charming and spirited receptionist in Barbershop 2, inspired her to move to Los Angeles. Since then, she has enjoyed recurring roles on "American Dreams" and "E.R." as well as guest appearances on shows like "Cold Case," "Close To Home," and "Without A Trace." Most recently, she worked alongside Will Ferrell, Maggie Gyllenhaal, and acclaimed director Marc Forster in the upcoming film "Stranger Than Fiction."
A perfectionist who loves to immerse herself in various activities, Linara enjoys dancing—especially samba—cooking, learning guitar (which replaced the violin she played for 14 years), painting, jewelry making, reading, and writing. She is currently developing two screenplays, including an adaptation of a stage play she wrote seven years ago about The Hottentot Venus.
