Tala Marie was born Tala Marie McDonnough in Memphis, TN to a Filipino mother and an American father of Irish/Scot descent. Her mother, an elementary school teacher, named her after the Tagalog word meaning "star". Her father, an ordained Baptist minister and professor of psychology, met Tala's mother in the Philippines while on a missionary trip. Tala spent most of her childhood in Montana and Florida before leaving home at the age of 15 to intensively study ballet at The Kirov Academy of Ballet in Washington, D.C. and moving on to graduate from the Nutmeg Ballet division of The Nutmeg Conservatory for the Arts in Torrington, CT, while simultaneously graduating from Torrington High School. Tala started acting at the age of 8 in Montana, when she was cast in a traveling troupe that staged Hans Christian Andersen plays. She performed with the Colorado Ballet, and also danced in the "Sirens of T.I." show in Las Vegas, directed by Kenny Ortega, as well as in the "Matt Goss Live" show, produced and choreographed by The Pussycat Dolls creator Robin Antin. She also performed with Matt Goss in concerts at London's legendary Royal Albert Hall. Tala was a backup dancer for Katy Perry, when the singer appeared on American Idol: The Search for a Superstar (2002). Tala is currently working in film, television, and commercial projects, while studying Sanford Meisner acting technique at the Joanne Baron/D.W. Brown Studio in Santa Monica, CA and improv at UCB (Upright Citizens Brigade) in Los Angeles, CA. Show less «