Ever Carradine '96

While at Lewis & Clark, Ever Carradine B.A. '96 studied anthropology, played volleyball, dabbled in painting, and skied Mount Hood. She also discovered that her real love was acting.

Given that she belongs to a stage and screen dynasty rivaling the Barrymores, perhaps it’s no surprise that Carradine would gravitate to theatre. Even so, the daughter of Robert Carradine and granddaughter of John Carradine (as well as niece of Keith and David and cousin of Martha Plimpton) hadn’t been certain about her future when she left high school.

“If you’re in the second or third generation of any family trade,” explains, “I think you’re going to explore and try to forge your own path. I did that by going away to college…it was important to me to figure it all out.”

The first in her family to attend college, Carradine decided on Lewis & Clark after considering several schools in the Northwest and on the East Coast. Many of her most vivid memories of the College revolve around the theatre department’s rehearsals and performances, in which she was deeply involved. She recalls of her first opening, in A Piece of My Heart, directed by Beth Harper: “It was a great night. That was when I decided to be an actress. I figured that if I could have as much fun as I did doing that play and make a living at it, I would be a very lucky girl.”

It wasn’t long before she switched her major to theatre.

Success came quickly for the talented Carradine. After graduation, she returned to Los Angeles and promptly landed guest parts on numerous television shows, including Diagnosis Murder, Tracey Takes On…, Once and Again, Will & Grace, Just Shoot Me, 3rd Rock from the Sun, CSI, The Sentinel, Grey's Anatomy, and House.

Carradine says she put to good use what she learned at Lewis & Clark. “I have since sort of developed my own way of doing it, but for many years I relied on the things I was taught in class and rehearsal to break down a script or character.”

In 1998 she earned her first recurring guest role, as Rosalie on Party of Five. Soon after, she appeared on eight episodes of Veronica’s Closet as Pepper. In 2003 Carradine was cast in a drama series called, interestingly enough, Lucky. There have been films, too: Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back, Life Without Dick, Bubble Boy, and starring roles in Dead and Breakfast and Constellation.

Her career continues to flourish. Currently, Carradine plays White House press secretary Kelly Ludlow on ABC’s Commander in Chief and stars in The Adventures of Beatle Boyin, a movie due to be released later this year.

(Posted May 2006)