Tara Reid was one of Hollywood’s hottest young actresses even before scoring big with her breakout success in 1999’s “American Pie.” From there, however, a series of botched plastic surgeries combined with her party-girl reputation to derail a promising career. But in 2013, Tara found her career revived when she signed on to the low-budget Syfy movie “Sharknado.” The movie became a camp classic, with Tara having stayed scary-skinny throughout the six-part franchise. The controversial 42-year-old admits she’s gotten a “second chance” — and now it’s time to look back at her bizarre career as “The Last Sharknado: It’s About Time” has Tara saying goodbye to the series…
1 of 10
Photo credit: Getty Images
Tara began acting at age six and appeared in more than 100 commercials as a kid, including ones for Crayola, Milton Bradley and Jell-O. Then her career took off in 1998 with roles in five films, including the future cult classic "The Big Lebowski."
2 of 10
Photo credit: Mega
Tara was once engaged to MTV’s Carson Daly,
but they called it quits in 2001. Since then, Tara's stayed away from showbiz types — but has been romantically linked with hockey player Sergei Fedorov and professional surfer Koby Abberton.
3 of 10
Photo credit: Mega
After"American Pie," Tara went on to a string of critical and commercial flops, including "Josie and the Pussycats" and "National Lampoon’s Van Wilder." Her career really cratered with a turn as an ingenious anthropologist in the 2005 video-game adaptation "Alone in the Dark." Her work in 2003’s "My Boss’s Daughter" won her a Golden Raspberry Award for Worst Supporting Actress.
4 of 10
Photo credit: Mega
In 2004, Tara made more headlines while a star-studded birthday party for music mogul Sean Combs, where she appeared dazed while gladly smiling for the cameras — and unaware that she had completely exposed her right breast in a legendary wardrobe malfunction.
5 of 10
Photo credit: Mega
Tara then starred in the E! network reality series "Taradise" just as Hollywood buzz was peaking over her hard-partying ways. The show was canceled in 2006 after ten episodes.
6 of 10
Photo credit: Mega
7 of 10
Photo credit: Mega
Despite constantly making news with her shockingly skinny frame, Tara insists that she's constantly eating. The 5'5" actress, who's admitted to only weighing 95 pounds at times, insists she doesn’t have an eating disorder. “I am just thin,” she's explained.
8 of 10
Photo credit: Getty Images
Tara is also annoyed by her reputation for getting nipped and tucked — despite admitting that she regrets one bout of surgery that left her stomach “the most ripply, bulgy thing.” Still, complains Tara: “I don’t want to be a poster child for it. I’ve done a lot more stuff in my life than have plastic surgery.”
9 of 10
Photo credit: Getty Images
Despite complaining about being dismissed as an actress, Tara set herself up for an embarrassing reality-show scandal when she was kicked off of 2016’s “Marriage Boot Camp: Reality Stars 5” — after having to admit that she and actor Dean May lied about being a couple.
10 of 10
Photo credit: Mega
And even though Tara's embraced her partying reputation, she's still said that "it would be the ultimate dream for me to win an Academy Award, be in love, and have kids. Then I could say, 'Life is great! I have done everything I wanted.'"
Tara began acting at age six and appeared in more than 100 commercials as a kid, including ones for Crayola, Milton Bradley and Jell-O. Then her career took off in 1998 with roles in five films, including the future cult classic "The Big Lebowski."
Photo credit: Getty Images
Tara was once engaged to MTV’s Carson Daly,
but they called it quits in 2001. Since then, Tara's stayed away from showbiz types — but has been romantically linked with hockey player Sergei Fedorov and professional surfer Koby Abberton.
After"American Pie," Tara went on to a string of critical and commercial flops, including "Josie and the Pussycats" and "National Lampoon’s Van Wilder." Her career really cratered with a turn as an ingenious anthropologist in the 2005 video-game adaptation "Alone in the Dark." Her work in 2003’s "My Boss’s Daughter" won her a Golden Raspberry Award for Worst Supporting Actress.
In 2004, Tara made more headlines while a star-studded birthday party for music mogul Sean Combs, where she appeared dazed while gladly smiling for the cameras — and unaware that she had completely exposed her right breast in a legendary wardrobe malfunction.
Tara then starred in the E! network reality series "Taradise" just as Hollywood buzz was peaking over her hard-partying ways. The show was canceled in 2006 after ten episodes.
Despite constantly making news with her shockingly skinny frame, Tara insists that she's constantly eating. The 5'5" actress, who's admitted to only weighing 95 pounds at times, insists she doesn’t have an eating disorder. “I am just thin,” she's explained.
Tara is also annoyed by her reputation for getting nipped and tucked — despite admitting that she regrets one bout of surgery that left her stomach “the most ripply, bulgy thing.” Still, complains Tara: “I don’t want to be a poster child for it. I’ve done a lot more stuff in my life than have plastic surgery.”
Photo credit: Getty Images
Despite complaining about being dismissed as an actress, Tara set herself up for an embarrassing reality-show scandal when she was kicked off of 2016’s “Marriage Boot Camp: Reality Stars 5” — after having to admit that she and actor Dean May lied about being a couple.
Photo credit: Getty Images
And even though Tara's embraced her partying reputation, she's still said that "it would be the ultimate dream for me to win an Academy Award, be in love, and have kids. Then I could say, 'Life is great! I have done everything I wanted.'"