How this Pressly became popular

Jaime Elizabeth Pressly's trek from Kinston to sitcom stardom -- and an Emmy nomination

1977 Born July 30 in Kinston, hometown of Maceo Parker, Dwight Clark and Jerry Stackhouse.

1980 Begins dance lessons from her mother, Brenda, and gymnastics with the Kinston/Lenoir Recreation Department.

1992 Appears on the June cover of Teen Magazine. That month, she moves to California with her newly separated mother. She becomes emancipated from her parents later that year at age 15, so she can travel unaccompanied to Japan for modeling work.

1997 In the altogether, she wins raves for "Poison Ivy: The New Seduction."

1998 Notches her first Playboy magazine pictorial. Plays a mean seductress in "Ringleader," the Jerry Springer mockumentary, and "Beth, Girlfriend #1" in the teen comedy "Can't Hardly Wait."

1999 Lands a role as an aspiring Broadway dancer in the WB series "Jack & Jill," which runs 39 episodes over two seasons. Appears in "Trash." Rides an elephant down Sunset Boulevard to Maxim magazine's one-year anniversary party.

2000 Makes a commercial for a Liz Claiborne fragrance, walking out of a diner with the guy wearing it. The cologne is called Lucky You. Co-hosts a Vegas Halloween party with Dennis Rodman and appears in the film "Poor White Trash."

2001 Blankets the movie screen with four features: "Not Another Teen Movie," "Ticker," "Joe Dirt" and "Tomcats."

2003 Launches J'aime, a lingerie/sleepwear line and later expands into other types of clothing.

2004 Appears on the cover -- and nude inside -- the February Playboy magazine. Appears as a biker in the movie "Torque."

2005 Debuts as Joy in "My Name Is Earl," NBC's breakout comedy hit. Produces and stars in the video flick "Death to the Supermodels."

2006 Earns an Emmy nomination for best supporting actress in a comedy series.