Born in Queens, Harris began acting at an early age, beginning her 1985-1987 role on the New York City-lensed ABC daytime drama "One Life to Live" at age eight. As Sammie Garretson, Harris played something of a miracle child, extracted as an embryo from the womb of her tragically killed mother (Dorian Lopinto) and implanted in family friend Delilah (Shelly Burch) whom her father (Ken Meeker) subsequently married. Following the character's unorthodox beginnings was a somewhat turbulent childhood, which Harris handled well, winning the audience's sympathy with her skilled portrayal and expressive brown eyes.
As Jamie, the daughter of Laurie Strode (Jamie Lee Curtis), Harris battled her serial killer uncle in two installments of the "Halloween" horror series before landing supporting roles in the action features "Marked For Death" (1990) and "The Last Boy Scout" (1991). She played Christina Applegate's little sister in the clever comedy "Don't Tell Mom the Babysitter's Dead" in 1991, the same year she racked up credits in the TV-movie features "Don't Touch My Daughter" (NBC) and "The Killing Mind" (Lifetime). From 1992-1993, Harris had a lighter role, playing the neighbor of "Roseanne", the seemingly sweet reluctant best friend/fierce rival of Darlene (Sara Gilbert). Later, she would portray Roseanne's own daughter in the none-too-flattering 1994 Fox TV-movie presentation "Roseanne: An Authorized Biography", thereby killing any chances of her character's reemergence on the popular sitcom. Having appeared with a memorable supporting role in the hit children's adventure "Free Willy" (1993) raised Harris' profile somewhat, and the appealing performer kept up her consistent career with frequent guest spots on television, including appearances on the ABC series "Boy Meets World" and "The Commish" in 1994.
1996 saw the actress return to the big screen in the Sylvester Stallone disaster vehicle "Daylight". The following year, Harris appeared in a two-episode arc on "ER", and was later featured on the CBS dramas "Brooklyn South" and "Diagnosis Murder" (both 1998). 1998 marked her return to horror film with a supporting role as an irritating Goth girl in "Urban Legend", and that same year she turned up in similar garb on an episode of "Charmed" (The WB) playing a misguided and somewhat dangerous would-be witch named Aziza. In brighter fare, Harris lent her voice to the Nickelodeon animated series "The Wild Thornberrys" (1998-2000).
Though she routinely took on film projects, Harris' grown-up efforts went unseen by most as independents featuring the actress were often lost in the shuffle (e.g., "Totally Irresponsible", "Dizzyland"), released direct-to-video (2001's "Killer Bud") or premiered on cable outlets ("Goosed", aired on The Movie Channel in 2000 in lieu of a theatrical release). A role on the CBS comedy-drama "That's Life" proved more fortuitous as Harris' colorful collegiate Plum went from a recurring character -- protagonist Lydia DeLucca (Heather Paige Kent)'s quirky friend -- to a regular when she won the heart and the hand of Lydia's local cop brother Paulie (Kevin Dillon).
