Larisa Oleynik

Larisa Romanovna Oleynik is an American actress. She is known for starring in the title role of the childrens television series The Secret World of Alex Mack during the mid1990s. She has also appeared in theatrical films, including The BabySitters Club andThings I Hate About You. During her period as a teen idol, she was described as one of Americas favorite 15yearolds, and the proverbial girl next door.

Oleynik was born in Santa Clara County, California. Her mother Lorraine is a former nurse, and her late father Roman Oleynik was an anesthesiologist. Her father was of Ukrainian, Russian, Czech and Slovak ancestry, and she was raised in the Christian Orthodox religion. Oleynik grew up in the San Francisco Bay Area. She attended Pinewood School in Los Altos, California. As her acting career flourished, she would divide her time between normal childhood experiences in Northern California and auditions in Los Angeles.

Source: Wikipedia