Kate French

Kate Lauren French (born September 23, 1984) is an American actress and model. She is perhaps best known for her role as Niki Stevens on The L Word. Early life Kate Lauren French was born in Flemington, New Jersey. Her mother, Joan Gocha, was a model with Ford modeling agency. Her father, William Robinson "Rob" French, was also a model. French spent her childhood years in South Kingstown, Rhode Island and Lambertville, New Jersey. Her family then moved to New York where they settled in Quogue on Long Island. Her mother later married fashion photographer Jim Reiher, who has represented the United States in aerobatics. French attended Westhampton Beach High School where she was a member of the track and field team. She has a younger brother, Scott, as well as a younger half-brother, Hunter, from her mother's remarriage. In 2009, French graduated from New York University's Tisch School of the Arts with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree majoring in Drama. French had previously studied at the University of California, Santa Barbara but dropped out to start an acting career. She is currently working on her first young-adult fiction novel. After dropping out of college, French lived in San Diego briefly before moving to Los Angeles to start her acting career. Career Following in her parents' footsteps, French pursued a career in modeling up until her senior year of high school but always had a passion for acting. She first appeared on the big screen in 2006 with a small cameo role in the film Accepted. French's first appearance on the small screen screen was in 2006, when French starred alongside Tatum O'Neal in the prime-time telenova soap opera Wicked Wicked Games. In 2007 she landed her breakout role when she joined the cast of The L Word playing closeted lesbian actress, and girlfriend of Jenny Schecter, Niki Stevens, appearing in seasons 5 and 6. French also had a role in the teen drama series South of Nowhere as Sasha Miller, a love interest of Aiden Dennison. French then appeared in two episodes of the teen drama Gossip Girl as Elle, a mysterious nanny. In 2010 French had a recurring role as Renee on One Tree Hill and later had a recurring guest role as Riley Westlake in the Hawaii-set teen drama Beyond The Break. In 2009 French played a supporting role in the independent horror film Sutures and then had a leading role in the independent romantic comedy Language of a Broken Heart, which was selected for the Hollywood Film Festival in 2011. Personal life On September 25, 2010, French married photographer Jon Johnson at her parents' estate in Quogue. She is sometimes featured in his work. They live in Los Angeles. In July 2012, French announced on Twitter that she was pregnant with their first child. On January 12, 2013, she gave birth to a son named Henry William Johnson.