Ariana Clarice Richards is an American actress and professional painter.
Background
Richards was born in Healdsburg, California, the daughter of Darielle (née Garrison), a public relations representative and film producer, and Gary Richards. Her maternal grandmother, who was of Italian ancestry, was a descendant of Renaissance painter Carlo Crivelli. Richards is a descendant of boxer John L. Sullivan.
Education
She graduated from Skidmore College in 2001, earning a degree in Fine and Drama, with distinction.
Career
She is best known for her roles as a child actress such as Carol Wetherby in Prancer, Mindy Sterngood in Tremors, and Lex Murphy in the blockbuster film Jurassic Park. Richards made her acting debut in 1987"s Into the Homeland, a made-for-cable release that starred Powers Boothe. Her most notable appearance was as Lex Murphy in the first Jurassic Park film.
She reprised the role very briefly in the sequel The Lost World: Jurassic Park.
She also appeared as Mindy Sterngood in the first Tremors film and reprised her role in the second sequel Tremors 3: Back to Perfection, which went straight to video. She has been featured in other films such as Angus, where she played a high school cheerleader.
She also appeared on television episodes of The Golden Girls, Empty Nest and Boy Meets World. In addition to acting in movies, Richards appeared in the 1998 music video "Brick" by Ben Folds Five, portraying a high school student having an abortion.
She appeared in the September 2006 issue of the British movie magazine Empire discussing a possible return to acting.
Richards starred in the 2013 film Battledogs, shot in Buffalo, New New York In February 2014, Richards was voted #98 on Video Hits One"s 100 Greatest Child Stars. Richards has become a successful artist.
Her paintings, usually of landscapes and figures, tend to be in the style of the impressionists.
She currently resides in Salem, Oregon, and is apprenticing under a professional painter.