Ellie Cornell, a talented actress and producer, was born in Glen Cove, Long Island, New York, USA. She graduated from Rollins College in Winter Park, Florida in 1986, and shortly after, made a small guest appearance in the TV series Thirtysomething in 1988.
That same year, Cornell played an assertive reporter in the Oscar-nominated comedy film Married to the Mob, showcasing her versatility as an actress. Her breakthrough role came when she auditioned for two horror films: A Nightmare on Elm Street 4: The Dream Master and Halloween 4: The Return of Michael Myers. She won the part of Rachel Carruthers, the foster sister of Jamie Lloyd, in Halloween 4, which went on to gross over three times its budget.
Cornell reprised her role as Rachel in the sequel, Halloween 5: The Revenge of Michael Myers, in 1989. She continued to appear in various TV shows, including ABC Afterschool Specials and Gabriel's Fire, as well as the made-for-television movie Chips, the War Dog. She was set to appear in the comedy film A League of Their Own, but had to drop out due to her pregnancy.
After an eight-year hiatus from the film industry, Cornell returned to executive produce and act in the films Free Enterprise and The Specials. She played tough cop Jordan Casper in the critically-panned video game-based zombie movie House of the Dead and its sequel, and appeared in five more horror films in 2005 and 2006.
In addition to her acting work, Cornell has also ventured into directing, attempting to direct the film Prank with Halloween 4 and 5 co-star Danielle Harris and horror actress Heather Langenkamp, although the project ultimately fell through. She has also been interviewed in the documentary Halloween: 25 Years of Terror.
Cornell is married and, along with her husband, founded the production company Mindfire Entertainment. The couple also owns a restaurant, Ship's Inn, in Massachusetts.
