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Elisabeth Shue Profile |
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Birth Date: October 6, 1963
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Birth Place: Wilmington, Delaware, USA
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Birth Name: Elisabeth Judson Shue
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Height: 5'2"
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Biography |
Elisabeth Shue may look like the typical, wholesome girl
next door, but after her heartfelt portrayal of supportive
prostitute Sera in Mike Figgis' Leaving Las Vegas, Elisabeth
broke out of the typecast roles she was accustomed to
playing.
Born on the 6th of October 1963, in Wilmington, Delaware,
Elisabeth was the middle child, between older brother Will
and younger brother Andrew. Surrounded by males, she was
more interested in kicking soccer balls than playing with
dolls. Tomboy Elisabeth finally transformed her passion for
sports to gymnastics lessons.
When her mother, a bank executive, and her father, a
real-estate developer and former attorney, divorced when she
was only in the fourth grade, Elisabeth and her brothers had
time and space to delve into smoking drugs, drinking and
doing some major partying.
The innocent looking girl had everyone fooled, since she was
really not as angelic as she seemed. Thanks to her wholesome
appearance, she saw and learned that she could get away with
anything.
While studying at Wellesely College after graduating high
school, she found that the all-girl, strict environment was
a refreshing change for the former party animal, and she was
finally able to concentrate on her studies.
In search of another source of income while still in high
school, Elisabeth followed in the footsteps of her friend
who was earning money by doing commercials. In her first
commercial -- which was for a Florida theme park -- she did
cartwheels and flips, her gymnastics skills making her a
natch for the part.
By the time she transferred to Harvard (making her the
fourth generation in her family to study there), Elisabeth
had already appeared in more than 50 commercials, including
Burger King, Hellmann's mayonnaise and DeBeers diamonds.
In addition to the TV ads, Elisabeth also landed a role in
the television series Call to Glory, and co-starred with
Ralph Macchio in the 1984 hit The Karate Kid.
A semester short of graduating, Elisabeth focused on acting,
with roles in Adventures in Babysitting, Cocktail,
co-starring Tom Cruise, Back to the Future 2 and 3,
Soapdish, and The Marrying Man.
While her bother Andrew had become a star on the primetime
soap Melrose Place, Elisabeth wasn't yet given the chance to
show her talent in the roles she had played at the start of
her career.
This all changed when director Mike Figgis had Elisabeth in
mind (she auditioned for a role in a movie he was to make
that never panned out) to play the role of the goodhearted
prostitute in his independent film, Leaving Las Vegas.
The film that brought both Elisabeth Shue and Nicolas Cage
to the ranks of A-list actors, also made Elisabeth an Oscar
and Golden Globe nominee for Best Actress, as well as a
recipient for an Independent Spirit Award, a Los Angeles
Film Critics Association Award and a National Society of
Film Critics Award.
Although Elisabeth's star shot up after her role in Leaving
Las Vegas, she only appeared in five more films, including,
The Saint, Deconstructing Harry, Palmetto, Cousin Bette, and
Molly.
She may not have been on the screen, but Shue was busy with
other projects: she married television director David
Guggenheim, gave birth to son Miles William in 1997, and
returned to Harvard to complete her degree in political
science. |
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Other
Information |
Son, Miles William, with Davis Guggenheim, was born. [11
November 1997]
Sister of Andrew Shue.
Got started in commercials as "The Burger King Girl"
Was an accomplished high school gymnast with aspirations to
the state finals.
Majored in Government at Wellesley College; transferred to
Harvard University in 1985; planned to become an attorney.
Graduated from Harvard University 8 June 2000, with a degree
in Government. Shue was one semester short of earning her
degree, when she dropped out to pursue her career 15 years
ago. She returned to Harvard this spring.
Daughter, Stella Street, was born weighing 6 lb, 7 oz. [19
March 2001]
Named her son after her late brother, William, who died at
the family's summer home on Block Island, Rhode Island (off
Long Island) when the tire swing he was on broke and he fell
onto a broken tree branch. He was impaled and died while his
siblings looked on helplessly.
Auditioned for the Sherilyn Fenn role in Of Mice and Men
(1992).
Daughter-in-law of Charles Guggenheim and Marion Guggenheim.
Sister-in-law of Jonathan Guggenheim and Grace Guggenheim.
Confirms she and husband are expecting their third child
together. [January 13, 2006]
She has played 2 characters that have the last name McKay.
Linda McKay in Hollow Man (2000) and Molly McKay in Molly
(1999).
She and her husband are expecting their third baby in August
2006.
Was cast as the female lead in the Jim Carrey movie "The
Number 23" (2006), but had to drop out just weeks before
shooting due to her pregnancy. Shue was replaced by Virgina
Madsen.
Daughter, Agnes Charles Guggenheim, born on Father's Day, 18
June 2006. |
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