Charisma Carpenter

Charisma Carpenter, born on July 23, 1970, is an American actor. Cordelia Chase was one of the characters in Buffy the Vampire Slayer's fantasy drama series (1997-1999) and the spin-off series Angel (1999-04). She also played Kyra in Charmed (2004) and as Kendall Casablanca's character in Veronica Mars (2005-2006), Rebecca Sewell in The Lying Game (2012-2013) as well as Lacy in The Expendables film series (2010-2012). Carpenter was born in Las Vegas (Nevada), the daughter of Christine Carpenter and the bird sanctuary's worker, as well as Don Carpenter, an entrepreneur. Carpenter has Spanish, French, and German origin (from her maternal grandfather). Carpenter attended Bishop Gorman High school in Las Vegas. She was also a member of a music and dance group that was a part of the Las Vegas Valley. Carpenter relocated with her family to Rosario Beach in Baja California, Mexico, at age fifteen. She went to Bonita Vista High School and Chula Vista School of the Creative and Performing Arts. Carpenter has traveled throughout Europe following her graduation. After returning to San Diego, she worked as a video store clerk as well as an aerobics teacher and in property management. She also was a cheerleader for San Diego Chargers football in 1991. In 1992, she moved to Los Angeles.While swimming in San Diego in 1991, she and two male acquaintances were attacked by Henry Hubbard Jr., the former San Diego police officer and serial rapist, who tried to subdue them at gunpoint. In the midst of the struggle she and her two friends along with Hubbard were shot, causing Hubbard to flee the scene. Both survived the attack. Hubbard was arrested, found guilty, and sentenced to 56 years in prison for a string of robberies and rapes. Carpenter brought Hubbard's police-issue flashlight from the beach, which he'd left at the scene and the flashlight became a key piece of evidence used against him.