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Jennifer Connelly Profile |
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Birth Date: December 12, 1970
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Birth Place: Catskill Mountain, New York, USA
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Birth Name: Jennifer Lynn Connelly
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Height: 5'8"
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Biography |
Jennifer Connelly was born December 12, 1970, in Catskill
Mountains, New York, to parents Gerard, a clothing
manufacturer, and Eileen, an antique dealer.
Although she claims she was tiny and mousy as a child, she
was certainly pretty enough to appear in magazines such as
Seventeen at the age of 10, after a friend of her father's
recommended that she model.
Signed with Ford models, Jennifer did her share of print and
television before appearing in front of cameras as an
actress. While a student at St. Ann's School, she landed a
role as a young Elisabeth McGovern for a flashback sequence
in the mobster film, Once Upon a Time in America, starring
Robert De Niro.
With only an appearance on the television show, Tales of the
Unexpected on her acting resume, she was soon on her way,
but her next outings, Creepers (aka Phenomena and Seven
Minutes in Heaven) weren't the answers to her breaking
through.
What did help her find her way out of obscurity was the lead
role opposite David Bowie in Jim Henson and George Lucas'
1986 film, Labyrinth. Her role placed her into the
spotlight, so much so that she is even recognized by
children today.
By the time she had graduated high school, Jennifer had
appeared in a video for Roy Orbison's "I Drove All Night"
with Jason Priestly; appeared in television commercials in
Japan; and even released a single in Japan entitled,
"Monologue of Love," in which she sings in Japanese (her
agent claimed that she was semi-fluent in the language).
But Jennifer's career choice left her in a maze of
disappointment after disappointment, with roles in 1990's
The Hot Spot and Career Opportunities. The latter did not
live up to its name, as it was not much more than another
film credit.
Balancing work and school, Jennifer attended Yale and then
transferred to Stanford, but decided to make acting her
number one priority when she was cast in the lead of
Disney's The Rocketeer. The movie not only skyrocketed
Jennifer to new heights, but it also led to a long-term
romance with her co-star, Billy Campbell.
In 1995, Jennifer was cast as a lesbian in Higher Learning,
co-starring Tyra Banks, and the following year she appeared
in Mulholland Falls and starred in Far Harbor.
The green-eyed beauty then had a streak, with 1997's
Inventing the Abbotts, as Liv Tyler's sister, and less
commercial films like Dark City, Waking the Dead, the
critically-acclaimed Requiem for a Dream, in a convincing
turn as a heroine addict, and Pollock.
Jennifer tried her hand at television, with a starring role
in the poorly rated The $treet, and although it was
canceled, Jennifer became a star with her supporting role in
A Beautiful Mind, opposite Russell Crowe. She is also busy
raising her son, Kai (the fruit of her relationship with
photographer Dave Dougan), as a single mother.
Her acting talents were finally recognized as she was
nominated for a Best Supporting Female Independent Spirit
Award for her role in Requiem for a Dream. Jennifer finally
received her much-deserved recognition with Best Supporting
Actress trophies at the 2002 Golden Globe and Oscar award
shows.
Jennifer will next appear in the Ang Lee directed film
adaptation, The Hulk. |
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Other
Information |
Son, Kai Dugan, born. Father is photographer David Dugan.
[July 1997]
Cut a single in Japan, which she sang in phonetic Japanese.
She says her agent made up the idea that she is semi-fluent
in the language.
Speaks fluent Italian and French.
Was named one of the 50 Most Beautiful People by People
Magazine in 2002.
The character "Veronica" in Heathers (1989) was originally
written with her in mind, but she turned the role down.
Daughter-in-law of actor Thane Bettany.
1st child with husband Paul Bettany, a son named Stellan,
born 5 August 2003.
Measurements: 34C/D-22-34 (Source: Celebrity Sleuth
magazine)
Her father is of Irish and Norwegian heritage and her mother
is of Russian and Polish descent.
Two sons: Kai Dugan and Stellan Bettany
Named her son Stellan after Swedish actor Stellan Skarsgård.
In three of her movies - Dark City (1998), Requiem for a
Dream (2000), and House of Sand and Fog (2003) - she appears
standing at the end of a pier in a striking image. All three
directors created the shots for different reasons, and they
are not an homage or reference to each other, just an
unlikely coincidence.
She was nearly cast as Diane Court in Cameron Crowe's Say
Anything... (1989). Ione Skye got the part instead.
Enrolled at Yale as an English major, then transferred two
years later to Stanford
Has said she used to use the online username "ecksor", which
is a phonetic spelling of XOR (Exclusive OR) - a tribute to
her cousin Jerry who is a computer security expert.
Ranked #14 in Celebrity Sleuth's "25 Sexiest Women of 1993".
Ranked #53 in Stuff's "103 Sexiest Women"(2003)
Ranked #74 in FHM-USA's "100 Sexiest Women"(2002)
Ranked #85 in Askmen's "Most Desirable Woman"(2002)
Ranked as #88 in FHM's "100 Sexiest Women in the World 2005"
special supplement. (2005)
Is a vegan. |
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