Laura Ramsey

Laura Ramsey survived the debacle of her screen debut - the faux spring break documentary "The Real Cancun" (2003) - and enjoyed consistent work in features and television, including an appearance on "Mad Men" (AMC, 2007-15), before earning her own starring role in the sci-fi comedy program "Hindsight" (VH1, 2015). Born Laura Jill Ramsey in Brandon, Wisconsin, Ramsey graduated from Laconia High School in Rosendale, Wisconsin before heading to Los Angeles at the age of 19 to try her hand at the acting business. While waiting tables at a restaurant on Sunset Boulevard, Ramsey was spotted by a casting agent, who recommended that she auditioned for a feature film "documentary" about American youth celebrating spring break in Cancun, Mexico. "The Real Mexico," which later proved to be largely scripted, was pilloried by critics for its crass exploitation of its subjects, but Ramsey emerged from the project unscathed and soon began booking roles in features and on television. Her initial projects were low budget or independent genre pictures - she appeared in a slew of horror pictures like "Cruel World" (2005), which spoofed the sort of reality content that provided her with a start, as well as "Venom" (2005)" and "The Covenant" (2006) - and contributed minor turns to studio films like "Lords of Dogtown" (2005), the comedy "She's the Man" (2006). Ramsey took a rare lead in the French-Canadian drama "Whatever Lola Wants" (2007), about a American who travels to Egypt to study belly dancing, but she soon returned to supporting appearances in features like "Shrink" (2009) and guest turns in episodic series like "Mad Men," in which she played a seductive young woman who attempts to bring Don Draper (Jon Hamm) into her decadent jet set world. Her experience with "Mad Men" producer Matthew Weiner led to a significant role in his debut as a feature film director with "Are You Here" (2014) opposite Owen Wilson, Amy Poehler and Zack Galifianakis, but the picture suffered from negative reviews and sank without a trace. The following year, Ramsey earned her most high-profile role to date, as the lead of the VH1 series "Hindsight," about a young woman who uses her newfound ability to travel through time to correct the mistakes of her past.