Ariana Clarice Richards is a multifaceted American personality, exceling as a film and television actress, artist, and producer. Born on September 11, 1979, in Healdsburg, California, she is the elder sister of actress Bethany Richards.
Ariana's remarkable career spans from her early television commercial debut at the age of seven, where she played a ballerina, to her subsequent work in the industry. She has received numerous accolades, including the Young Actors Award for "Best Young Actress Starring in a TV Movie" in 1991 and 1992, for her outstanding performances in Switched at Birth and Locked Up: A Mother's Rage.
As an actress, Ariana has appeared in various feature films, including Angus, Grand Tour: Disaster in Time, Tremors, and Spaced Invaders. She has also made notable television appearances on Empty Nest, My Sister Sam, and The Golden Girls, and has starred in several tele-films, such as Broken Silence: A Moment of Truth Movie and The Princess Stallion.
Her iconic role as Lex Murphy in Steven Spielberg's 1993 blockbuster film Jurassic Park catapulted her into international stardom. During the film's production, Ariana merged her acting and artistic pursuits, creating a self-portrait with co-star Joseph Mazzello and a Brachiosaurus, which Spielberg later framed and displayed in his home.
After completing her BS degree in Drama and Art from Skidmore College, New York, Ariana became one of the most celebrated young portrait artists of her time. Her artistic style is influenced by the classical Old Masters and Impressionist artists, reflecting her family's long tradition of artistic expression. Ariana's genealogy can be traced back to the early Italian Renaissance, with Carlo Crivelli being a contemporary of Botticelli.
Ariana divides her time between her art studio locations in the United States, South America, and Western Europe, where she travels with her family.