A petite, pretty actress, Taryn Manning alternately appears as a blonde and a brunette and possesses both a tough girl air and a childlike vulnerability that has helped her win some interesting roles early in her career. An Arizona native who relocated to Southern California at age 12, Manning spent her early years filled with competitive karate, roller-skating and dance. The multitalented teen was also a talented singer and attended the Orange County High School of the Arts. Making her breakthrough in 1999, Manning was featured in the film drama "Speedway Junky" and landed a recurring role on the Fox drama series "Get Real", which suffered an early cancellation. Guest shots on "The Practice" (ABC) and "Ryan Caulfield: Year One" (Fox) rounded out the year for the up and comer. Continuing to work in television, the actress appeared in the Fox TV-movie "Kiss Tomorrow Goodbye" (2000) and 2001 episodes of "NYPD Blue" (ABC) and "Boston Public", the latter a role tailor-made for her and BoomK.A.T., her musical collaboration with brother Kellin.
In 2001, Manning had a high-profile role in the teen romance "crazy/beautiful", stealing scenes from talented co-stars Kirsten Dunst and Jay Hernandez with her energetic and charming performance as a party girl. One of the few highlights of the film (which was driven by an uninspired middle-of-the-road soundtrack) was Manning's moment in the sun, ditching school and singing the appropriate "Bein' Bad", a song co-written by the actress and her brother.
Much of Manning's career has revolved around music, from a cameo as a groupie in the 1999 ABC movie "Come On, Get Happy: The Partridge Family Story" to supporting roles opposite Britney Spears and Eminem in their feature debuts (2002's "Crossroads" and "8 Mile", respectively). 2002 also saw the actress take on a role alongside such luminaries as Michelle Pfeiffer, Robin Wright Penn and Renee Zellweger in "White Oleander," Peter Kominsky's feature adaptation of Janet Fitch's bestseller.
Manning was center stage, alongside co-star Vincent Kartheiser, in the indie drama "Dandelion" (2004), as a pair of star-crossed small town lovers. Along with supporting roles in the minor films "Lucky 13" (2004) and "Debating Robert Lee" (2004), Manning had notable appearances in A-list productions as well: she appeared briefly in Anthony Minghella's acclaimed Civil War melodrama "Cold Mountain" (2003) as part of a family of would-be seductresses, and had an amusing reappearing role in the Ashton Kutcher, Amanda Peet romantic comedy "A Lot Life Love" (2005) as Kutcher's annoying sister who makes the most out of the line "You're a dick, Oliver." In "Hustle & Flow" (2005), she delivered her most appealing performance yet when she played a tough-as-nails hooker whose pimp (Terrance Howard) decides to become a rap star. The movie won the Audience Award for Best Dramatic Feature at the 2005 Sundance Film Festival and emerged with enough buzz to make one swoon.