Anna Faris’ connection to the Seattle area has evolved significantly since she moved to Los Angeles in the summer of 1999.

“When I was a kid, I couldn’t wait to leave,” the actor shared. “But now, my husband and I visit frequently. We go up a weird amount.”

Although born in Baltimore, Faris moved to Washington at age six when her Seattle-native parents decided to return. “My parents still live in Edmonds. I often stay in my childhood room,” she mentioned, noting that her childhood posters have now been replaced with her mother’s cookbooks.

After moving back to Washington, Faris’s parents signed her up for a community acting class, soccer, and pottery. The acting course launched Faris’s legendary career, which included appearances in the T.V. shows Mom, Overboard, The House Bunny, the Scary Movie series, and the last season of Friends. In My Spy: The Eternal City, Faris plays the lead role in the follow-up to the 2020 Amazon comedy My Spy.

She portrays Nancy Buck, the high school principal, who chaperones an Italian school trip with Dave Bautista’s character, J.J. Nancy has no idea that JJ is a CIA agent; shortly, he and his stepdaughter/protégé Sophie (Chloe Coleman) will have to stop their journey to foil a nuclear scheme aimed at the Vatican.

Faris found it easy to accept her role in “My Spy: The Eternal City.” “It was a dream job. I was really surprised to be asked and appreciated the inventive casting,” she said. She also enjoyed the benefit of not being the lead, allowing her time to explore South Africa and Italy, where the film was shot. “We actually got to shoot in the Vatican,” she revealed. “It was surreal. I did a scene where my character gets into a physical altercation, and after every take, I could hear thousands of people gasping.”

Faris’ talent was evident from a young age. At nine, she starred in the Arthur Miller play “Danger: Memory!” at Seattle Rep for three months. She went on to play Scout in “To Kill a Mockingbird” and appeared in productions like “Our Town,” “Rain,” “Heidi,” and “Life Under Water.”

However, during her time at the University of Washington, Faris began to have second thoughts about pursuing acting full-time. “I didn’t feel beautiful enough to ever consider that,” she admitted. She also wanted to write and even contemplated a marketing career. Despite her doubts, she continued to get occasional acting roles, including in the slasher movie “Lovers Lane,” filmed in Seattle in 1999. “I felt at a crossroads in my life while making that,” she recalled. “I decided to give myself a year in L.A.”

Shortly after moving to Los Angeles, Faris landed the role of Cindy Campbell in “Scary Movie.” Initially, she felt overwhelmed rather than excited. “It was a pivotal moment in my life. I think I got cast on a Friday in June 1999. I spent the weekend feeling dizzy and unsure of what it all meant. I knew nothing about the movie industry.”

Reflecting on her upbringing in Seattle during the 1990s, Faris believes it shaped her journey through Hollywood. “It was crucial. I was cynical and had a chip on my shoulder. I think that helped protect me. I felt more practical-minded than my beautiful, optimistic friends in L.A. I felt like I didn’t fit in.”

Often mistaken for Canadian in Los Angeles, Faris was described as polite and punctual, though she admits she’s less punctual now. “People would say, ‘Oh, you’re from Vancouver, right? You’re from Canada.’”

Faris now has pleasant memories of her Seattle roots, even though, at first, she was eager to leave. “I recall stomping about and writing for miles on Capitol Hill while wearing large boots and a Walkman without an umbrella. “Singles” had just been released, and it resonated deeply with me. I believed that since they would be able to relate to my pessimism and cynicism, I was destined to marry a British man and settle in London or England.”

When she visits Edmonds and Seattle, Faris is astounded by how much the cities and herself have changed. “I often remind my hubby that this isn’t the Seattle I grew up in! Chic restaurants and trendy wine bars have become commonplace. I’m really appreciative that I get to spend more time at home.”