Alyson Renae "Aly" Michalka (/mɪˈʃɑːkə/; born March 25, 1989) is an American actress and recording artist. Michalka gained fame for playing the role of Keely Teslow in the Disney Channel original series Phil of the Future. She is also known for her roles as Marti Perkins in the CW television drama Hellcats, Taylor Callum in the Disney Channel Original Movie Cow Belles, and Rhiannon Abernathy in the Golden Globe-nominated teen film Easy A. She is also known as one half of the musical duo 78violet (formerly Aly & AJ) with her sister AJ Michalka. Aly has modeled for OP (Ocean Pacific) and Penumbra. She has also done fashion shoots for Maxim, OK! and Zooey.
Michalka was born in Torrance, California. She grew up in Seattle, Washington and Southern California, with younger her sister, Amanda "AJ". Her father, Mark, owns a contracting company, and her mother, Carrie, is a musician and performed with the Christian "JC Band". She has Polish, German, English, Scottish, Welsh and Irish ancestry.
Michalka made her acting debut as Keely Teslow on the Disney Channel Original Series, Phil of the Future. She has also starred in the Disney Channel Original Movies Now You See It..., and Cow Belles, in which she appears opposite her sister. She had a leading role in the Walden Media film Bandslam, released in August 2009. She also played a role in the movie The Roommate. In 2004, Michalka was cast in the role of Keely Teslow on the Disney Channel's Phil of the Future. The series premiered on June 18, 2004. In August 2006, Disney Channel ended the series after two seasons. Michalka also appeared in two Disney movies, Cow Belles and Now You See It.... Michalka made a guest appearance on CSI: NY, and in 2006, starred in an unsold Disney Channel pilot Haversham Hall which was not picked up. In 2007, Michalka starred alongside her sister AJ in the MTV television film Super Sweet 16: The Movie based on the MTV original series My Super Sweet 16. She played the role of the villainous popular mean girl Taylor Tiara. In 2009, she appeared in the Summit Entertainment musical comedy film Bandslam about a group of misfits who form a rock band.
In April 2010, The CW announced Michalka was cast in the main role of Marti Perkins on the cheerleading drama series Hellcats. The show premiered to September 8, 2010 to 3 million viewers. Despite a successful premiere, ratings failed to remain high with the series finale reaching a low 1.19 million viewers. In May 2011, The CW announced the show was not renewed for a second season. In 2010 and 2011 respectively, Michalka had major supporting roles in films Easy A and The Roommate. Michalka appeared in the independent drama film Crazy Kind of Love alongside Eva Longoria, Virginia Madsen and Amanda Crew. The film was released in July 2013.
In 2013, Michalka began a multi-episode role on the sitcom Two and a Half Men as Brooke, the love interest of Amber Tamblyn's character, Jenny Harper (who is the lesbian, illegitimate daughter of Charlie Sheen's past character of Charlie Harper and niece to current character Alan Harper played by Jon Cryer).
In 2015, she was cast in The CW television series, iZombie, in a recurring role. In early May 2015, it was revealed that the previously untitled drama film she shot with sister, Amanda "AJ", was called Weepah Way for Now. The film was written and directed by her husband, Stephen Ringer, and shot in Laurel Canyon, California in July 2014. Michalka participated in the casting and production process in addition to acting in the film. It is scheduled to premiere at the Los Angeles Film Festival on June 16, 2015.
Michalka and her sister comprise the musical duo 78violet, and released their first album, Into the Rush, on August 16, 2005. In September 2006, they brought out a holiday album covering 9 tracks, along with two originals, titled Acoustic Hearts of Winter. In July 2007, their third album, Insomniatic, hit stores, featuring the American top 20 hit single, "Potential Breakup Song". The two were to release a fourth album in early 2010, but it was canceled after they left their label. They released a new single entitled "Hothouse" on July 8, 2013, with a new album expected to follow.
Michalka has played the piano since she was five and started playing the guitar at the age of 13. She started acting when she was five years old, mostly in church play productions. In 2012, Michalka began dating independent film producer, Stephen Ringer, whom she met on the set of her film, Sequoia. The couple became engaged at Big Sur, California, in July 2014. They married in a small ceremony in Portofino, Italy in early June 2015. She was raised a Christian and continues to practice.
