Samaire Armstrong
AGE 24
HOMETOWN Sedona, Ariz.
HER BREAKOUT MOMENT With a spunky performance as Seth's comic-geek dream girl, Anna, on The O.C., Armstrong turned what was supposed to be a one-episode lark into a show-stealing love triangle. Her tear-jerking goodbye episode (complete with Nada Surf's remake of OMD's ''If You Leave'') proved what a fan favorite she'd become. ''After that show aired, I was constantly being reminded about the look on my face,'' says Armstrong. ''Those tears were real.'' As a follow up, Armstrong landed on yet another watercooler series — HBO's Hollywood send-up, Entourage — as Emily, the sweet assistant to insufferable agent Ari Jacobs (Jeremy Piven).
LESSONS LEARNED FROM TOILING IN OBSCURITY ''I might not be a big-boobed, long-haired girl, but I stand out because of who I am.''
WELCOME (BACK) TO THE O.C.? Sorry, Anna fans. ''They really drove that triangle into the ground,'' says Armstrong. ''It was just a dead end for me.''
FIRST MAJOR PURCHASE ''I just bought a house — with a recording studio in it! My friends and I write pretty raunchy songs — nothing anyone should hear.'' Plus, ''My mom bought me a shredder. She told me to start shredding my mail.''
USELESS TRIVIA ''I like watermelon.''
WHAT'S NEXT Season 2 of Entourage this summer.
