ELEGANT ERIN CARUFEL, KNOWN FOR HER CHAMELEON-LIKE CHARACTER PORTRAYAL, GRADUATED FROM USC'S SCHOOL OF DRAMATIC ARTS. SHE ALSO EARNED A DEGREE IN DRAMA FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF KENT, IN CANTERBURY, ENGLAND. AFTER UNIVERSITY, CARUFEL CONTINUED STUDYING ACTING AT THE BEVERLY HILLS PLAYHOUSE UNDER THE ESTEEMED MILTON KATSELAS. CARUFEL'S PASSION FOR THE ART PROPELLED HER FORWARD INTO A CAREER AS A PROFESSIONAL ACTRESS. SO COMMITTED TO HER CRAFT, IT WASN'T UNUSUAL TO FIND HER AT THE THEATRE REHEARSING AT 3 O'CLOCK IN THE MORNING. IN PREPARATION FOR HER ROLES, SHE THROWS HERSELF HEAD FIRST INTO RESEARCH, SEEKING OUT THE TYPE OF CHARACTER SHE IS ABOUT TO PORTRAY AND SHADOWING THEM FOR WEEKS IN ORDER TO OBTAIN AUTHENTICITY IN HER PERFORMANCE. BORN ERIN ROSE CARUFEL IN MODESTO, CALIFORNIA TO CATHERINE (A GROCERY STORE CHECKER) AND MICHAEL (A SALESMAN): SHE LIVED IN NORTHERN CALIFORNIA UNTIL THE AGE OF TWO WHEN HER FATHER GOT A JOB TRANSFER TO BEAVERTON, OREGON WHERE SHE AND HER YOUNGER BROTHER MICHAEL WERE RAISED. ERIN'S CHILDHOOD WAS FILLED WITH DANCING (SHE STARTED TAKING LESSONS WHEN SHE WAS ONLY THREE YEARS OLD), SINGING AND SPORTS. HER PARENTS FOSTERED HER LOVE OF THE ARTS THROUGHOUT HER CHILDHOOD AND INTO ADOLESCENCE. CARUFEL'S LOVE OF BEING ON-STAGE LED HER TO MUSICAL THEATRE, WHICH SHE BECAME INVOLVED WITH IN JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL. CARUFEL ALSO LOVED ATHLETICS GROWING UP: SHE PLAYED SOCCER, SOFTBALL AND SWIMMING ALL AT A COMPETITIVE LEVEL. IN HIGH SCHOOL, CARUFEL DISCOVERED AN AFFINITY FOR MARTIAL ARTS, STUDYING THE KOREAN TECHNIQUE OF TAE KWON DO AND EVENTUALLY EARNING HERSELF A BLACK BELT. SHE WENT ON TO WIN FOUR GOLD MEDALS IN THE U.S. OPEN AND THE GOLD CUP CHAMPIONSHIPS, BOTH FOR SPARRING AND FORMS. IN HER SENIOR YEAR IN HIGH SCHOOL, SHE BEGAN PLAYING ICE HOCKEY ON A WOMEN'S TEAM IN PORTLAND. CARUFEL KNEW AT A YOUNG AGE THAT SHE WANTED TO BE A PROFESSIONAL ACTRESS. UPON GRADUATION, SHE MOVED TO LOS ANGELES TO START HER FRESHMAN YEAR AT THE UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA TO STUDY THEATRE. WANTING TO CONTINUE WITH HOCKEY, AND SINCE THERE WAS NO FEMALE TEAM, SHE DECIDED TO TRY OUT FOR THE PAC-8 MEN'S TEAM. CARUFEL MADE THE CUT, THUS BECOMING THE FIRST FEMALE TO PLAY ON THE TEAM SINCE IT BEGAN BACK IN 1925. CARUFEL SPENT HER JUNIOR YEAR STUDYING ABROAD IN ENGLAND. IT WAS DURING THIS TIME WHEN SHE DOVE INTO THE STUDY OF THE CLASSICS, SUCH AS SHAKESPEARE AND GREEK AND ROMAN THEATRE, AS WELL AS MODERN DRAMA. WHILST SHE WAS AT THE UNIVERSITY OF KENT, CARUFEL JOINED THE KICKBOXING CLUB. SHE TRAVELED EUROPE COMPETING AND WENT UNDEFEATED IN ALL HER BOUTS. AFTER HER JUNIOR YEAR WAS COMPLETE, SHE LEFT ENGLAND AND RETURNED TO USC FOR HER SENIOR YEAR, GRADUATING WITH CUM LAUDE HONORS FROM THE SCHOOL OF THEATRE, NOW CALLED THE SCHOOL OF DRAMATIC ARTS. CARUFEL PRACTICES HER CRAFT IN FRONT OF THE CAMERA AS WELL AS ON-STAGE. SHE HAS WORKED WITH SUCH TALENTS AS CLINT EASTWOOD, DIANE LANE, MATTHEW MCCONAUGHEY, CHRIS PINE AND HILARY SWANK JUST TO NAME A FEW. PHILANTHROPY IS ANOTHER ASPECT OF WHAT DRIVES CARUFEL. SHE HAS DONATED HUNDREDS OF HOURS TO FEEDING THE HUNGRY, HELPING THE HOMELESS AND ALIGNING HERSELF WITH NON-PROFITS SUCH AS THE ALS ASSOCIATION AND THE ALISA ANN RUCH BURN FOUNDATION. CARUFEL ALSO WORKS WITH THE PHYSICALLY CHALLENGED COACHING GYMNASTICS FOR THE SPECIAL OLYMPICS. IN 2017, CARUFEL MARRIED ACTOR SCOTT CONNORS AND LAUNCHED HER PRODUCTION COMPANY IRISH ROSE ENTERTAINMENT, WHICH CREATES BOTH COMMERCIAL AND ARTHOUSE FILM AND TV. IN 2018, SHE GAVE BIRTH TO THEIR DAUGHTER AND NOW HAPPILY JUGGLES MOTHERHOOD AND AN ACTING CAREER.