Charisma Lee Carpenter was born on July 23, 1970, in Las Vegas, Nevada, to Don and Christine Carpenter. Her mother worked in a bird sanctuary, while her father was a salesman. She is of French, German, and Spanish descent. Inspired by their fondness for the Avon perfume "Charisma," her parents chose the same name for their daughter.

Carpenter's first job was at a video rental store. She later attended the Chula Vista School of the Creative and Performing Arts in San Diego, California, where her passion for performance began to take shape.

Early Career and Discovery

After moving to Los Angeles, Carpenter supported herself by working as a waitress in several restaurants. Her career path changed when she was discovered by a commercial agent. This led to her first television role in an episode of Baywatch in 1994. She soon landed a recurring role in the Aaron Spelling-produced series, Malibu Shores.

Breakthrough with Buffy the Vampire Slayer

Carpenter rose to prominence through her role as Cordelia Chase on the cult hit series Buffy the Vampire Slayer and its spin-off, Angel. Her performance earned her widespread recognition across the television industry. She later made guest appearances in various popular television series such as CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, Veronica Mars, Supernatural, Burn Notice, and Greek. In addition, she starred in several made-for-TV movies, including House of Bones and A Trusted Man.