Wife, mom, singer, songwriter, actress, and philanthropist Chynna Phillips was born to musicians John and Michelle Phillips of famed 60's group The Mamas and The Papas.
Chynna began her acting career in John Hughes' teen-sensation Some Kind of Wonderful. She followed up with roles in Caddyshack II, Say Anything, and also played the character Roxanne Pulitzer in the 1989 TV biopic Roxanne: The Prize Pulitzer. During this time, Chynna, along with childhood friends Carnie & Wendy Wilson, formed the trio Wilson Phillips. In 1990, the group released their self-titled debut album which went on to sell ten million copies worldwide, went multi-platinum, and had three number one singles. In 1992, Billboard declared them the best selling female group of all time, breaking the record previously held by Motown's The Supremes. Wilson Phillips was nominated for 5 Grammy Awards, an American Music Award, and won a Billboard Music Award (for songs "Hold On" and "Release Me", which were also written by Phillips).
Taking a break from the group, Chynna went on to release a successful solo album entitled Naked & Sacred in 1995, while also filming and starring in the lead role of the television remake of famed-Broadway musical Bye Bye Birdie. This was a big year for Chynna, as she also married husband and fellow actor William Baldwin. Phillips then took time off to focus on her greatest role - Mom. Over the next five years, she and Billy welcomed three children to the family, and Chynna reclaimed herself and become a Christian. In 2004, she reunited with Wilson Phillips and released their third album, California, which payed homage to west-coast musicians from the 1960's and 1970's. By 2009, Chynna was ready to show a new side of herself and teamed up with singer/songwriter Vaughan Penn to form the Christian pop duo Chynna & Vaughan, releasing an album entitled One Reason. Relying heavily on her family and faith, Phillips spent the next year reconnecting with herself and refocusing on her future. "Balancing family and career is complex. Like so many, I had a lot of anxiety dealing with those complexities, and I felt I needed to just take some time to really look within and regroup so that I could move forward." Shortly thereafter, Wilson Phillips also released their first Christmas album, Christmas In Harmony, in October 2010. In 2011, Chynna announced that she and Wilson Phillips would be reuniting again for an album of original music to celebrate their 20 years. With the group being featured in the blockbuster comedy film Bridesmaids, their music has crossed over to a new generation of fans and they're facing a warm welcome as the world anticipates their return.
2011 promises to be a banner year for Chynna. Several years earlier, she began working with the charity Los Angelitos Orphanage in Tijuana, Mexico. The charity is devoted to helping the many children who are being displaced by the constant violence in the city and to creating a warm and loving environment for the kids. "Working with Los Angelitos Orphanage has been a very emotional experience for me. Seeing children in pain or suffering is not easy. The truth is I use to be very intimidated by doing this kind of work because I didn't know how I could actually make a difference. But now I know that every little effort on my part (or anyone's part) can make BIG changes in the world. I have already fulfilled my first goal and that is to DO SOMETHING," she says. And "doing something" to Chynna means going all out with her heart and her soul. Whether it's building a career of music, television and film, doing her part to make the world a better place, or focusing on her family, you can bet that Chynna will always give it her all. "Balancing family and work is a full time job. I have every organizational APP on my iPhone to help me stay on track...and when all else fails, I just remember to take it day by day and pray in all situations."