Brette Taylor (center) in Laws of Attraction

Hyde Park native Brette Taylor, now a successful stage and commercial actress, plays Julianne Moore's legal client in Laws of Attraction, opening Friday. She shared her dossier with The Enquirer.

Born: Cincinnati, Hyde Park

Current residence: New York City

Also seen in: Films Town Diary, Knots, Brown Sugar; TV shows Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, All My Children, Spin City; new Barilla pasta commercial; numerous stage performances.

Named after: Lady Brett in Ernest Hemingway's The Sun Also Rises

Attended: Fairfield Elementary School, the School for Creative and Performing Arts, NYC High School of Performing Arts

College: Three years at University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music.

College mentor: "The person I remember who helped me most was Worth Gardner," former head of the CCM musical theater program.

Family still in Cincinnati: "So many I can't mention them all"; among them grandmother Ruth Watkins (of Sharonville), plus uncles, cousins, et al.

Most influential relative: "Col. Harry Watkins, my extraordinary grandfather, who just recently passed away." A career military man, "he was this tough officer who when he came home to the family was just a teddy bear inside. He was always making people laugh. He was a special, special man."

First job: Working at the theatrical and dance clothing store All That Jazz on Vine Street in Clifton. "I absolutely loved it! I worked there from age 12 to 14. The Hanes family (who owned the store) was like a family to me. ... I also worked at the Cincinnati Playhouse (in the Park). They had a special catering service before performances, and I worked at their main concession stand and sold the best chocolate chip cookies I've ever tasted."

Appearances at Playhouse in the Park: Romeo and Juliet; House of Bernarda Alba. "What fun! I would love to work there again!"

Best part of shooting "Laws of Attraction" in Ireland: "The cast, the crew, everybody was just lovely. And there was a lot of down time, so I got to walk all over Dublin."

Toughest part about attending New York premiere of "Laws of Attraction": "I spent an entire day shopping in New York City, fashion capital of the world, and I couldn't find a dress." Wore dressy shirt-and-skirt combo instead. "It was fine. Some people were there in jeans."

Margaret A. McGurk