Leelee Sobieski
Encyclopedia
Liliane Rudabet Gloria Elsveta Sobieski (born June 10, 1982 or 1983), known professionally as Leelee Sobieski, is an American actress. Sobieski achieved recognition in her mid-teens for her performance in the 1998 film Deep Impact
. She received an Emmy nomination for the 1999 TV movie Joan of Arc, and two Golden Globe nominations for Joan of Arc and the 2001 TV movie Uprising
.
. Her parents are Elizabeth Sobieski (née Salomon), an American film producer and screenwriter who also works as Sobieski's manager, and Jean Sobieski, a French
painter and former actor. Sobieski has a younger brother, Robert.
Sobieski's first name, "Liliane", was the name of her paternal grandmother. One of her middle names, "Elsveta", is derived from "Elżbieta", which is the Polish
equivalent of "Elizabeth". Her father is of Polish
and Swiss ancestry. Her maternal grandfather, United States Navy
captain Robert Salomon, was Jewish
, and Sobieski grew up in a "pan-religious" family; she has said that she is "proud of [her] Jewish roots". She attended Trevor Day School and studied literature and fine art at Brown University
.
(1994), which she eventually lost out to Kirsten Dunst
. She portrayed the character of Anna Yates in the 1994 TV movie Reunion, which starred Marlo Thomas
. Next, she played a lead role in A Horse for Danny, a made-for-television film which was released in 1995. Later, she had a major role in the comedy feature film Jungle 2 Jungle
, with Tim Allen
. In the film, she played the daughter of Martin Short
's character.
She rose to fame in her mid-teens with her appearance in the movie Deep Impact
(1998). The film was a major financial success, grossing over $349 million worldwide on a $75 million production budget. Deep Impact brought her to the attention of many casting directors. That same year Sobieski appeared in the Merchant Ivory film A Soldier's Daughter Never Cries
. Sobieski's performance received praise from the critics; Emanuel Levy of Variety wrote that "the graceful Sobieski registers strongly as a potential star, combining physical charm with technical skill." The film also garnered her a Young Artist Award
nomination, as well as a nomination by the Chicago Film Critics Association
.
In 1999, she was cast as a supporting role in the teen comedy feature Never Been Kissed
, which was starring Drew Barrymore
. Sobieski also played a modern Lolita
in Stanley Kubrick
's Eyes Wide Shut
. The film opened to generally positive reviews, but it generated several censorship controversies due to the explicit nature of its sex scenes. Recalling acting alongside Tom Cruise
, she said he was "very kind and considerate with me," and says her most vivid recollection of Stanley Kubrick was that he "genuinely seemed to hold something magic". The title role in the TV movie Joan of Arc (1999) earned her an Emmy nomination and a Golden Globe nomination, and she became the youngest actress ever to portray Joan of Arc
in a movie. She received a second nomination for a Golden Globe for her portrayal of Tosia Altman
in the 2001 TV movie Uprising
. In 2000, Sobieski was a part of the cast of the film Here on Earth
, for which she received a Teen Choice Award nomination.
In 2001, Sobieski played the lead role in the road horror film Joy Ride with Paul Walker
and Steve Zahn
. The film received several favorable reviews. Garth Franklin of Dark Horizons stated that Sobieski "does a better job than usual". That same year, she was cast in the thriller The Glass House
, in which she appeared alongside Diane Lane
. The film was panned by critics, and had a disappointing weekend $5,738,448 gross with little promotion. My First Mister
, a low-budget drama, was also released in 2001. Sobieski's performance in the film was praised by critics, with Pete Croatto of Filmcritic.com writing that "As for Sobieski, who I've always liked, she does another fine job. This time it's with a shaky character – the troubled Goth chick", and "Sobieski finds her character's human touch and runs with it."
Sobieski landed a starring role in the independent film L'Idole (2002), which opened at the Toronto International Film Festival
. She then starred alongside John Cusack
in the drama feature Max
. She portrayed the character of Cecile in the miniseries Les Liaisons dangereuses (2003) with Catherine Deneuve
and Rupert Everett
, an adaptation of Laclos's classic novel
of sexual intrigue made use of her fluency in French. She portrayed the role of Daneira in Hercules
, a television miniseries which was premiered on May 15, 2005.
In May 2006, the experimental-indie film Lying
, in which Sobieski starred alongside Chloë Sevigny
and Jena Malone
, was released. The film premiered at the 2006 Cannes Film Festival
and had a limited release in the United States in 2008. She starred in the American drama Heavens Fall
as one of the young women that accuse nine black youths of rape in the segregated South. That same year, she appeared in the horror films In a Dark Place
and The Wicker Man
, a movie starring Nicolas Cage
, which was a remake of the 1973 film of the same title. It was not well received by critics with the New York Times stating that the movie "is neither haunting nor amusing; just boring."
The independent comedy film Walk All Over Me
, starring Sobieski, had a range of screening dates at several film festivals – starting with the 2007 Toronto International Film Festival
. The film is about a woman who becomes a dominatrix. Her next film in wide release, the thriller 88 Minutes
co-starring Al Pacino
and Alicia Witt
, opened on April 18, 2008 in the United States, having already been released in various other countries in 2007. The film suffered critically and was a minor success at the box office, garnering over $32 million worldwide.
In January 2008, she alongside Jason Statham
released In the Name of the King: A Dungeon Siege Tale
, a fantasy film inspired by the Dungeon Siege
video game series. For her performances in both 88 Minutes and A Dungeon Siege Tale, she received a Razzie Award nomination for Worst Supporting Actress
. Sobieski then starred in the direct-to-video
film Night Train
, with her Joy Ride co-star Steve Zahn. In the film, she played the role of Chloe, a potentially lethal med student. Night Train is about three strangers that meet aboard a Polar Express-like train on one fateful night.
In 2009, she had a small role in the biographical crime drama Public Enemies, and starred with Denise Richards
and Jamie Kennedy
in the 2010 film Finding Bliss
, a romantic comedy about a straight-laced aspiring filmmaker who is forced to go to work for a producer of adult films. Finding Bliss was released on June 4 in New York City and June 11 in Los Angeles. She guest appeared in the television series Drop Dead Diva
episode "A Mother's Secret". Sobieski also played a lead role in the drama thriller Acts of Violence. The film tells the story of a man who is on a mission on killing the men who raped his wife. Filming of the movie began and finished in Los Angeles, California
. The film was released between April and May 2010.
Sobieski has landed the role of Abby Gibbons in a project entitled The Mad Cow, which is set to be released in late 2010. She also joined the cast of a comedy-drama entitled The Last Film Festival
, co-starring Dennis Hopper
, Jacqueline Bisset
, and Chris Kattan
. Filming took place in New York City.
It was announced that Sobieski would guest-star, in a The Good Wife episode, which did air in January 2011, in which she appeared as the girlfriend of one of Lockhart-Gardner-Bond’s most influential clients. In the show, Sobieski's character is accused of using prescription stimulants.
Sobieski will star in CBS' drama The 2-2.Harnick, Chris. "CBS Orders Robert De Niro-Produced Cop Drama 'The 2-2,' 'Unforgettable' and 'How to be a Gentleman'". AOL TV
. May 16, 2011
In January 2009, Sobieski began dating her future husband, fashion designer Adam Kimmel. The couple announced their engagement on July 17, 2009. On December 15, 2009, Sobieski gave birth to a baby girl, Louisanna Ray Kimmel, in a New York City hospital. The couple were married in Italy on August 31, 2010.
During an interview, Sobieski spoke about her views on having happiness and a positive attitude: "I think that happiness is a very strange thing. And we really feel that we have a right to this happiness. But I feel like it's constantly fluctuating, and that you can make yourself happy. I think it's an outlook. Having a positive attitude probably sounds like a corny thing to say, but a positive attitude really helps, and respecting your job really helps, and having the support of your family and friends really helps."
Sobieski, in a 2001 interview with IGN
, spoke about her thoughts on if the movies she was doing were escapist or that they had a message for society: "Joy Ride isn't a film you would make a statement with. It's a fun, jump out of life film. That's great. I love those films. Those films are great in times like these too. You can make a point with a film and help society or not. Take a film like Bulworth
, a fantastic film. There are certain films like that that can appeal to everybody and have a message in it and that's really great."
Deep Impact (film)
Deep Impact is a 1998 science-fiction disaster-drama film released by Paramount Pictures and DreamWorks in the United States on May 8, 1998. The film was directed by Mimi Leder and stars Robert Duvall, Elijah Wood, Téa Leoni, and Morgan Freeman...
. She received an Emmy nomination for the 1999 TV movie Joan of Arc, and two Golden Globe nominations for Joan of Arc and the 2001 TV movie Uprising
Uprising (film)
Uprising is a 2001 war/drama television movie about the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising. The film was directed by Jon Avnet and written by Avnet and Paul Brickman...
.
Early life
Sobieski was born in New York CityNew York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
. Her parents are Elizabeth Sobieski (née Salomon), an American film producer and screenwriter who also works as Sobieski's manager, and Jean Sobieski, a French
French people
The French are a nation that share a common French culture and speak the French language as a mother tongue. Historically, the French population are descended from peoples of Celtic, Latin and Germanic origin, and are today a mixture of several ethnic groups...
painter and former actor. Sobieski has a younger brother, Robert.
Sobieski's first name, "Liliane", was the name of her paternal grandmother. One of her middle names, "Elsveta", is derived from "Elżbieta", which is the Polish
Polish language
Polish is a language of the Lechitic subgroup of West Slavic languages, used throughout Poland and by Polish minorities in other countries...
equivalent of "Elizabeth". Her father is of Polish
Poles
thumb|right|180px|The state flag of [[Poland]] as used by Polish government and diplomatic authoritiesThe Polish people, or Poles , are a nation indigenous to Poland. They are united by the Polish language, which belongs to the historical Lechitic subgroup of West Slavic languages of Central Europe...
and Swiss ancestry. Her maternal grandfather, United States Navy
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
captain Robert Salomon, was Jewish
Jews
The Jews , also known as the Jewish people, are a nation and ethnoreligious group originating in the Israelites or Hebrews of the Ancient Near East. The Jewish ethnicity, nationality, and religion are strongly interrelated, as Judaism is the traditional faith of the Jewish nation...
, and Sobieski grew up in a "pan-religious" family; she has said that she is "proud of [her] Jewish roots". She attended Trevor Day School and studied literature and fine art at Brown University
Brown University
Brown University is a private, Ivy League university located in Providence, Rhode Island, United States. Founded in 1764 prior to American independence from the British Empire as the College in the English Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations early in the reign of King George III ,...
.
Career
Sobieski was spotted by a talent scout who noticed her while he was scouting the cafeteria of a New York City private school. After that encounter, she became a candidate for the role of Claudia in Interview with the VampireInterview with the Vampire
Interview with the Vampire is a vampire novel by Anne Rice written in 1973 and published in 1976. It was the first novel to feature the enigmatic vampire Lestat, and was followed by several sequels, collectively known as The Vampire Chronicles...
(1994), which she eventually lost out to Kirsten Dunst
Kirsten Dunst
Kirsten Caroline Dunst is an American actress, singer and model. She made her film debut in Oedipus Wrecks, a short film directed by Woody Allen for the anthology New York Stories...
. She portrayed the character of Anna Yates in the 1994 TV movie Reunion, which starred Marlo Thomas
Marlo Thomas
Margaret Julia “Marlo” Thomas is an American actress, producer, and social activist known for her starring role on the TV series That Girl . She also serves as National Outreach Director for St. Jude Children's Research Hospital...
. Next, she played a lead role in A Horse for Danny, a made-for-television film which was released in 1995. Later, she had a major role in the comedy feature film Jungle 2 Jungle
Jungle 2 Jungle
Jungle 2 Jungle is a 1997 comedy feature film starring Tim Allen, Martin Short and Sam Huntington. It is an American remake of the 1994 French film Un indien dans la ville . Jungle 2 Jungles plot follows the original film fairly closely...
, with Tim Allen
Tim Allen
Tim Allen is an American comedian, actor, voice-over artist, and entertainer, known for his role in the sitcom Home Improvement...
. In the film, she played the daughter of Martin Short
Martin Short
Martin Hayter Short, CM is a Canadian actor, comedian, writer, singer and producer. He is best-known for his comedy work, particularly on the TV programs SCTV and Saturday Night Live...
's character.
She rose to fame in her mid-teens with her appearance in the movie Deep Impact
Deep Impact (film)
Deep Impact is a 1998 science-fiction disaster-drama film released by Paramount Pictures and DreamWorks in the United States on May 8, 1998. The film was directed by Mimi Leder and stars Robert Duvall, Elijah Wood, Téa Leoni, and Morgan Freeman...
(1998). The film was a major financial success, grossing over $349 million worldwide on a $75 million production budget. Deep Impact brought her to the attention of many casting directors. That same year Sobieski appeared in the Merchant Ivory film A Soldier's Daughter Never Cries
A Soldier's Daughter Never Cries (film)
A Soldier's Daughter Never Cries is a French/U.S. film directed by James Ivory and written by James Ivory & Ruth Prawer Jhabvala. It stars Leelee Sobieski, Jesse Bradford, Kris Kristofferson, Barbara Hershey and Virginie Ledoyen...
. Sobieski's performance received praise from the critics; Emanuel Levy of Variety wrote that "the graceful Sobieski registers strongly as a potential star, combining physical charm with technical skill." The film also garnered her a Young Artist Award
Young Artist Award
The Young Artist Award is an accolade bestowed by the Young Artist Foundation, a non-profit organization founded in 1978 to recognize and award excellence of youth performers, and to provide scholarships for young artists who may be physically and/or financially challenged.The Young Artist...
nomination, as well as a nomination by the Chicago Film Critics Association
Chicago Film Critics Association
The Chicago Film Critics Association is an American film critic association.-Members:Current members include:*Sarah Knight Adamson*Zbigniew Banas*Shelley Cameron*Dave Canfield*Vittorio Carli*Erik Childress*Camerin Courtney*Bonnie DeShong...
.
In 1999, she was cast as a supporting role in the teen comedy feature Never Been Kissed
Never Been Kissed
Never Been Kissed is a 1999 comedy film directed by Raja Gosnell and starring Drew Barrymore, David Arquette, Michael Vartan, Molly Shannon, Leelee Sobieski, John C. Reilly, Jessica Alba, Marley Shelton, James Franco , Giuseppe Andrews, Jeremy Jordan and Garry Marshall...
, which was starring Drew Barrymore
Drew Barrymore
Drew Blyth Barrymore is an American actress, film director, screenwriter, producer and model. She is a member of the Barrymore family of American actors and granddaughter of John Barrymore. She first appeared in an advertisement when she was 11 months old. Barrymore made her film debut in Altered...
. Sobieski also played a modern Lolita
Lolita
Lolita is a novel by Vladimir Nabokov, first written in English and published in 1955 in Paris and 1958 in New York, and later translated by the author into Russian...
in Stanley Kubrick
Stanley Kubrick
Stanley Kubrick was an American film director, writer, producer, and photographer who lived in England during most of the last four decades of his career...
's Eyes Wide Shut
Eyes Wide Shut
Eyes Wide Shut is a 1999 drama film based upon Arthur Schnitzler's 1926 novella Traumnovelle . The film was directed, produced and co-written by Stanley Kubrick, and was his last film. The story, set in and around New York City, follows the sexually-charged adventures of Dr...
. The film opened to generally positive reviews, but it generated several censorship controversies due to the explicit nature of its sex scenes. Recalling acting alongside Tom Cruise
Tom Cruise
Thomas Cruise Mapother IV , better known as Tom Cruise, is an American film actor and producer. He has been nominated for three Academy Awards and he has won three Golden Globe Awards....
, she said he was "very kind and considerate with me," and says her most vivid recollection of Stanley Kubrick was that he "genuinely seemed to hold something magic". The title role in the TV movie Joan of Arc (1999) earned her an Emmy nomination and a Golden Globe nomination, and she became the youngest actress ever to portray Joan of Arc
Joan of Arc
Saint Joan of Arc, nicknamed "The Maid of Orléans" , is a national heroine of France and a Roman Catholic saint. A peasant girl born in eastern France who claimed divine guidance, she led the French army to several important victories during the Hundred Years' War, which paved the way for the...
in a movie. She received a second nomination for a Golden Globe for her portrayal of Tosia Altman
Tosia Altman
Tova Altman worked with Mordechai Anielewicz as a member of the ŻOB during the Warsaw ghetto uprising.She initially worked as a courier, making contact with Jewish resistance groups outside of the ghetto and providing them with updates on resistance clashes, as well as providing educational...
in the 2001 TV movie Uprising
Uprising (film)
Uprising is a 2001 war/drama television movie about the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising. The film was directed by Jon Avnet and written by Avnet and Paul Brickman...
. In 2000, Sobieski was a part of the cast of the film Here on Earth
Here on Earth (film)
Here on Earth is a 2000 romantic drama film directed by Mark Piznarski with a screenplay by Michael Seitzman. It stars Chris Klein, Leelee Sobieski, and Josh Hartnett...
, for which she received a Teen Choice Award nomination.
In 2001, Sobieski played the lead role in the road horror film Joy Ride with Paul Walker
Paul Walker
Paul William Walker IV is an American actor. He became well known in 1999 after his role in the hit film Varsity Blues. He is also known for starring in the surprise summer hit The Fast and the Furious. His other films include Joy Ride, Running Scared, Into the Blue and Eight Below...
and Steve Zahn
Steve Zahn
-Early life:Zahn was born in Marshall, Minnesota, the son of Zelda, who worked for the YMCA, and Carleton E. Zahn, a retired Missouri Synod Lutheran pastor. Zahn spent part of his childhood in Mankato, Minnesota, attending Kennedy Elementary School...
. The film received several favorable reviews. Garth Franklin of Dark Horizons stated that Sobieski "does a better job than usual". That same year, she was cast in the thriller The Glass House
The Glass House (film)
The Glass House is a 2001 film directed by Daniel Sackheim and written by Wesley Strick.-Plot:Sixteen-year-old Ruby and eleven-year-old Rhett lose their parents in a car accident...
, in which she appeared alongside Diane Lane
Diane Lane
Diane Lane is an American film actress.Born and raised in New York City, Lane made her screen debut at the age of 13 in George Roy Hill's 1979 film A Little Romance, starring opposite Sir Laurence Olivier. Soon after, she was featured on the cover of Time magazine...
. The film was panned by critics, and had a disappointing weekend $5,738,448 gross with little promotion. My First Mister
My First Mister
My First Mister is a 2001 film written by Jill Franklyn, and directed by actress Christine Lahti. The film is the story of an alienated goth teen who forms an unlikely friendship with a lonely men's clothing store owner...
, a low-budget drama, was also released in 2001. Sobieski's performance in the film was praised by critics, with Pete Croatto of Filmcritic.com writing that "As for Sobieski, who I've always liked, she does another fine job. This time it's with a shaky character – the troubled Goth chick", and "Sobieski finds her character's human touch and runs with it."
Sobieski landed a starring role in the independent film L'Idole (2002), which opened at the Toronto International Film Festival
Toronto International Film Festival
The Toronto International Film Festival is a publicly-attended film festival held each September in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. In 2010, 339 films from 59 countries were screened at 32 screens in downtown Toronto venues...
. She then starred alongside John Cusack
John Cusack
John Paul Cusack is an American film actor and screenwriter. He has appeared in more than 50 films, including The Journey of Natty Gann, Say Anything..., Grosse Point Blank, The Thin Red Line, Stand by Me, Con Air, Being John Malkovich, High Fidelity, Serendipity, Runaway Jury, The Ice Harvest,...
in the drama feature Max
Max (film)
Max is a 2002 British/Hungarian/Canadian fictional drama film, that depicts a friendship between a Jewish art dealer, Max Rothman, and a young Austrian painter, Adolf Hitler...
. She portrayed the character of Cecile in the miniseries Les Liaisons dangereuses (2003) with Catherine Deneuve
Catherine Deneuve
Catherine Deneuve is a French actress. She gained recognition for her portrayal of aloof and mysterious beauties in films such as Repulsion and Belle de jour . Deneuve was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Actress in 1993 for her performance in Indochine; she also won César Awards for that...
and Rupert Everett
Rupert Everett
Rupert James Hector Everett is an English actor. He first came to public attention in 1981, when he was cast in Julian Mitchell's play and subsequent film Another Country as an openly gay student at an English public school, set in the 1930s...
, an adaptation of Laclos's classic novel
Les Liaisons dangereuses
Les Liaisons dangereuses is a French epistolary novel by Choderlos de Laclos, first published in four volumes by Durand Neveu from March 23, 1782....
of sexual intrigue made use of her fluency in French. She portrayed the role of Daneira in Hercules
Hercules (TV miniseries)
Hercules is a 2005 RHI Entertainment television miniseries, chronicling the life of the legendary Greek hero, Heracles, called Hercules in this series...
, a television miniseries which was premiered on May 15, 2005.
In May 2006, the experimental-indie film Lying
Lying (film)
Lying is a 2006 American independent experimental film starring Chloë Sevigny and Jena Malone, LeeLee Sobieski, as well as Henry Gummer. It was directed by video artist M. Blash. It premiered at the 2006 Cannes Film Festival Directors Fortnight and had a limited US release in 2008, with a DVD...
, in which Sobieski starred alongside Chloë Sevigny
Chloë Sevigny
Chloë Stevens Sevigny is an American film actress, fashion designer and former model. Sevigny gained reputation for her eclectic fashion sense and developed a broad career in the fashion industry in the mid 1990s, both for modeling and for her work at New York's Sassy magazine, which labeled her...
and Jena Malone
Jena Malone
Jena Malone is an American actress and musician who has appeared on television, in films, and on Broadway. She made her movie debut with the film Bastard Out of Carolina , and has appeared in films including Contact , Stepmom , Donnie Darko , Saved! , Into the Wild , and Sucker Punch .Malone is...
, was released. The film premiered at the 2006 Cannes Film Festival
Cannes Film Festival
The Cannes International Film Festival , is an annual film festival held in Cannes, France, which previews new films of all genres including documentaries from around the world. Founded in 1946, it is among the world's most prestigious and publicized film festivals...
and had a limited release in the United States in 2008. She starred in the American drama Heavens Fall
Heavens Fall
- Plot :In the film, two young white women accuse nine black youths of rape in the segregated South. Timothy Hutton stars as criminal defense attorney Samuel Leibowitz....
as one of the young women that accuse nine black youths of rape in the segregated South. That same year, she appeared in the horror films In a Dark Place
In a Dark Place
In a Dark Place is a 2006 horror/thriller film version of Henry James' 1898 novella The Turn of the Screw.-Plot summary:Anna Veigh is an art teacher that seems to get too involved in her students private lives. She is called into the headmaster's office and chastised for attempting to be an "art...
and The Wicker Man
The Wicker Man (2006 film)
The Wicker Man is a 2006 American remake of the 1973 British film of the same title. It was written and directed by Neil LaBute, based on a screenplay by Anthony Shaffer, and stars Nicolas Cage and Ellen Burstyn....
, a movie starring Nicolas Cage
Nicolas Cage
Nicolas Cage is an American actor, producer and director, having appeared in over 60 films including Raising Arizona , The Rock , Face/Off , Gone in 60 Seconds , Adaptation , National Treasure , Ghost Rider , Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans , and...
, which was a remake of the 1973 film of the same title. It was not well received by critics with the New York Times stating that the movie "is neither haunting nor amusing; just boring."
Walk All Over Me
Walk All Over Me is a Canadian film released in 2007 written by Robert Cuffley and Jason Long. The film stars Leelee Sobieski as "Alberta", a small town girl who assumes the false identity of her former babysitter and current dominatrix roommate "Celene", played by Tricia Helfer. Lothaire Bluteau,...
, starring Sobieski, had a range of screening dates at several film festivals – starting with the 2007 Toronto International Film Festival
2007 Toronto International Film Festival
The 2007 Toronto International Film Festival was a 32nd annual film festival held in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It ran from September 6, 2007 to September 15, 2007. The lineup consisted of 349 films from 55 countries, selected from 4156 submissions...
. The film is about a woman who becomes a dominatrix. Her next film in wide release, the thriller 88 Minutes
88 Minutes
88 Minutes is a 2007 American thriller film directed by Jon Avnet starring Al Pacino, Benjamin McKenzie, Alicia Witt, Leelee Sobieski, Deborah Kara Unger, Amy Brenneman, and Neal McDonough. Filming began in the Vancouver area on October 8, 2005 and wrapped in December 2005...
co-starring Al Pacino
Al Pacino
Alfredo James "Al" Pacino is an American film and stage actor and director. He is famous for playing mobsters, including Michael Corleone in The Godfather trilogy, Tony Montana in Scarface, Alphonse "Big Boy" Caprice in Dick Tracy and Carlito Brigante in Carlito's Way, though he has also appeared...
and Alicia Witt
Alicia Witt
Alicia Roanne Witt is an American film, stage, television actress and singer.-Early life:Witt was born in Worcester, Massachusetts. Her mother, Diane , is a junior high school reading teacher, and her father, Robert Witt, is a science teacher and photographer. She has a brother, Ian...
, opened on April 18, 2008 in the United States, having already been released in various other countries in 2007. The film suffered critically and was a minor success at the box office, garnering over $32 million worldwide.
In January 2008, she alongside Jason Statham
Jason Statham
Jason Statham born 12 September1967) is an English actor and former diver, known for his roles in the Guy Ritchie crime films Revolver, Snatch and Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels...
released In the Name of the King: A Dungeon Siege Tale
In the Name of the King: A Dungeon Siege Tale
In the Name of the King: A Dungeon Siege Tale is a 2006 fantasy action film directed by Uwe Boll, inspired by the Dungeon Siege video game series. It was produced by Brightlight Pictures and distributed by Freestyle Releasing and Vivendi Entertainment in the United States and Canada. 20th Century...
, a fantasy film inspired by the Dungeon Siege
Dungeon Siege
Dungeon Siege is a computer role-playing game developed by Gas Powered Games and published by Microsoft Game Studios. Chris Taylor showed Dungeon Siege years in production for the first time at E3 2000...
video game series. For her performances in both 88 Minutes and A Dungeon Siege Tale, she received a Razzie Award nomination for Worst Supporting Actress
Razzie Award for Worst Supporting Actress
The Razzie Award for Worst Supporting Actress is an award presented at the annual Golden Raspberry Awards to the worst supporting actress of the previous year...
. Sobieski then starred in the direct-to-video
Direct-to-video
Direct-to-video is a term used to describe a film that has been released to the public on home video formats without being released in film theaters or broadcast on television...
film Night Train
Night Train (2009 film)
Night Train is a 2009 action/thriller film produced by Rifkin-Eberts Productions and stars Leelee Sobieski, Steve Zahn, Matthias Schweighöfer and Danny Glover...
, with her Joy Ride co-star Steve Zahn. In the film, she played the role of Chloe, a potentially lethal med student. Night Train is about three strangers that meet aboard a Polar Express-like train on one fateful night.
In 2009, she had a small role in the biographical crime drama Public Enemies, and starred with Denise Richards
Denise Richards
Denise Lee Richards is an American actress and former fashion model of Croatian and Welsh descent. She has appeared in films including Starship Troopers, Wild Things, and The World Is Not Enough...
and Jamie Kennedy
Jamie Kennedy
James Harvey "Jamie" Kennedy is an American comedian, rapper, and actor.-Early life:Kennedy, the youngest of six children, was born in Upper Darby Township, a suburb of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. His family is of Irish descent and he was raised Roman Catholic. He attended and graduated from...
in the 2010 film Finding Bliss
Finding Bliss
Finding Bliss is a 2009 romantic comedy film written and directed by filmmaker Julie Davis . Finding Bliss explores the adult film industry through the eyes of an idealistic 24 year-old film school grad, Jody Balaban .-Plot:After a long humbling year temping as a traffic cop on a studio lot, Jody...
, a romantic comedy about a straight-laced aspiring filmmaker who is forced to go to work for a producer of adult films. Finding Bliss was released on June 4 in New York City and June 11 in Los Angeles. She guest appeared in the television series Drop Dead Diva
Drop Dead Diva
Drop Dead Diva is an American legal comedy-drama/fantasy television series that debuted on Lifetime on July 12, 2009. The hour-long series, which was created by Josh Berman, is produced by Sony Pictures Television...
episode "A Mother's Secret". Sobieski also played a lead role in the drama thriller Acts of Violence. The film tells the story of a man who is on a mission on killing the men who raped his wife. Filming of the movie began and finished in Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles , with a population at the 2010 United States Census of 3,792,621, is the most populous city in California, USA and the second most populous in the United States, after New York City. It has an area of , and is located in Southern California...
. The film was released between April and May 2010.
Sobieski has landed the role of Abby Gibbons in a project entitled The Mad Cow, which is set to be released in late 2010. She also joined the cast of a comedy-drama entitled The Last Film Festival
The Last Film Festival
The Last Film Festival is an upcoming American comedy film starring the late Dennis Hopper, Chris Kattan and Jacqueline Bisset. It is written and directed by Linda Yellen. Yellen hosted a special screening of the film on 15 September in New York City...
, co-starring Dennis Hopper
Dennis Hopper
Dennis Lee Hopper was an American actor, filmmaker and artist. As a young man, Hopper became interested in acting and eventually became a student of the Actors' Studio. He made his first television appearance in 1954 and appeared in two films featuring James Dean, Rebel Without a Cause and Giant...
, Jacqueline Bisset
Jacqueline Bisset
Jacqueline Bisset is an English actress. She has been nominated for four Golden Globe Awards and an Emmy Award. She is known for her roles in the films Bullitt , Airport , The Deep , Class , and the TV series Nip/Tuck in 2006...
, and Chris Kattan
Chris Kattan
Christopher Lee "Chris" Kattan is an American actor/comedian, best known for his work on Saturday Night Live.-Early life:Kattan was born in Sherman Oaks, California. His father, Kip King, was an actor and voice actor who appeared on the series Reno 911! as Larrie Plum. His mother, Hajnalka E....
. Filming took place in New York City.
It was announced that Sobieski would guest-star, in a The Good Wife episode, which did air in January 2011, in which she appeared as the girlfriend of one of Lockhart-Gardner-Bond’s most influential clients. In the show, Sobieski's character is accused of using prescription stimulants.
Sobieski will star in CBS' drama The 2-2.Harnick, Chris. "CBS Orders Robert De Niro-Produced Cop Drama 'The 2-2,' 'Unforgettable' and 'How to be a Gentleman'". AOL TV
AOL TV
AOL TV was the name of both a thin client which uses a television for display , and the online service that supports it, both of which were launched in June 2000 to compete with WebTV....
. May 16, 2011
Personal life
Sobieski speaks fluent French, which she learned from her father, who currently lives in France.In January 2009, Sobieski began dating her future husband, fashion designer Adam Kimmel. The couple announced their engagement on July 17, 2009. On December 15, 2009, Sobieski gave birth to a baby girl, Louisanna Ray Kimmel, in a New York City hospital. The couple were married in Italy on August 31, 2010.
During an interview, Sobieski spoke about her views on having happiness and a positive attitude: "I think that happiness is a very strange thing. And we really feel that we have a right to this happiness. But I feel like it's constantly fluctuating, and that you can make yourself happy. I think it's an outlook. Having a positive attitude probably sounds like a corny thing to say, but a positive attitude really helps, and respecting your job really helps, and having the support of your family and friends really helps."
Sobieski, in a 2001 interview with IGN
IGN
IGN is an entertainment website that focuses on video games, films, music and other media. IGN's main website comprises several specialty sites or "channels", each occupying a subdomain and covering a specific area of entertainment...
, spoke about her thoughts on if the movies she was doing were escapist or that they had a message for society: "Joy Ride isn't a film you would make a statement with. It's a fun, jump out of life film. That's great. I love those films. Those films are great in times like these too. You can make a point with a film and help society or not. Take a film like Bulworth
Bulworth
Bulworth is a 1998 American film co-written, co-produced and directed by the film's star, Warren Beatty. It was loosely based on the life of Beatty's friend, Tennessee political figure John Jay Hooker. It co-stars Halle Berry, Oliver Platt, Don Cheadle, Paul Sorvino, Jack Warden, and Isaiah...
, a fantastic film. There are certain films like that that can appeal to everybody and have a message in it and that's really great."
Filmography
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1995 | Danny Bara | ||
| 1997 | Jungle 2 Jungle Jungle 2 Jungle Jungle 2 Jungle is a 1997 comedy feature film starring Tim Allen, Martin Short and Sam Huntington. It is an American remake of the 1994 French film Un indien dans la ville . Jungle 2 Jungles plot follows the original film fairly closely... |
Karen | |
| 1998 | Deep Impact Deep Impact (film) Deep Impact is a 1998 science-fiction disaster-drama film released by Paramount Pictures and DreamWorks in the United States on May 8, 1998. The film was directed by Mimi Leder and stars Robert Duvall, Elijah Wood, Téa Leoni, and Morgan Freeman... |
Sarah Hotchner | |
| 1998 | Charlotte Anne "Channe" Willis | Nominated—Chicago Film Critics Association Award for Most Promising Newcomer Chicago Film Critics Association The Chicago Film Critics Association is an American film critic association.-Members:Current members include:*Sarah Knight Adamson*Zbigniew Banas*Shelley Cameron*Dave Canfield*Vittorio Carli*Erik Childress*Camerin Courtney*Bonnie DeShong... Nominated—Young Artist Award for Best Leading Young Actress – Feature Film Young Artist Award The Young Artist Award is an accolade bestowed by the Young Artist Foundation, a non-profit organization founded in 1978 to recognize and award excellence of youth performers, and to provide scholarships for young artists who may be physically and/or financially challenged.The Young Artist... |
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| 1999 | Never Been Kissed Never Been Kissed Never Been Kissed is a 1999 comedy film directed by Raja Gosnell and starring Drew Barrymore, David Arquette, Michael Vartan, Molly Shannon, Leelee Sobieski, John C. Reilly, Jessica Alba, Marley Shelton, James Franco , Giuseppe Andrews, Jeremy Jordan and Garry Marshall... |
Aldys Martin | |
| 1999 | Eyes Wide Shut Eyes Wide Shut Eyes Wide Shut is a 1999 drama film based upon Arthur Schnitzler's 1926 novella Traumnovelle . The film was directed, produced and co-written by Stanley Kubrick, and was his last film. The story, set in and around New York City, follows the sexually-charged adventures of Dr... |
Milich's Daughter | |
| 2000 | Here on Earth | Samantha "Sam" Cavanaugh | Nominated—Teen Choice Award for Choice Breakout Performance |
| 2001 | My First Mister My First Mister My First Mister is a 2001 film written by Jill Franklyn, and directed by actress Christine Lahti. The film is the story of an alienated goth teen who forms an unlikely friendship with a lonely men's clothing store owner... |
Jennifer | |
| 2001 | Joy Ride | Venna Wilcox | |
| 2001 | Ruby Baker | ||
| 2002 | The Idol | Sarah Silver | |
| 2005 | Max Max (film) Max is a 2002 British/Hungarian/Canadian fictional drama film, that depicts a friendship between a Jewish art dealer, Max Rothman, and a young Austrian painter, Adolf Hitler... |
Liselore von Peltz | |
| 2006 | Lying Lying (film) Lying is a 2006 American independent experimental film starring Chloë Sevigny and Jena Malone, LeeLee Sobieski, as well as Henry Gummer. It was directed by video artist M. Blash. It premiered at the 2006 Cannes Film Festival Directors Fortnight and had a limited US release in 2008, with a DVD... |
Sarah | |
| 2006 | Heavens Fall Heavens Fall - Plot :In the film, two young white women accuse nine black youths of rape in the segregated South. Timothy Hutton stars as criminal defense attorney Samuel Leibowitz.... |
Victoria Price | |
| 2006 | In a Dark Place In a Dark Place In a Dark Place is a 2006 horror/thriller film version of Henry James' 1898 novella The Turn of the Screw.-Plot summary:Anna Veigh is an art teacher that seems to get too involved in her students private lives. She is called into the headmaster's office and chastised for attempting to be an "art... |
Anna Veigh | |
| 2006 | Sister Honey | ||
| 2006 | Lolita Lolita Lolita is a novel by Vladimir Nabokov, first written in English and published in 1955 in Paris and 1958 in New York, and later translated by the author into Russian... |
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| 2007 | Walk All Over Me Walk All Over Me Walk All Over Me is a Canadian film released in 2007 written by Robert Cuffley and Jason Long. The film stars Leelee Sobieski as "Alberta", a small town girl who assumes the false identity of her former babysitter and current dominatrix roommate "Celene", played by Tricia Helfer. Lothaire Bluteau,... |
Alberta | |
| 2007 | In the Name of the King: A Dungeon Siege Tale In the Name of the King: A Dungeon Siege Tale In the Name of the King: A Dungeon Siege Tale is a 2006 fantasy action film directed by Uwe Boll, inspired by the Dungeon Siege video game series. It was produced by Brightlight Pictures and distributed by Freestyle Releasing and Vivendi Entertainment in the United States and Canada. 20th Century... |
Muriella | |
| 2008 | 88 Minutes 88 Minutes 88 Minutes is a 2007 American thriller film directed by Jon Avnet starring Al Pacino, Benjamin McKenzie, Alicia Witt, Leelee Sobieski, Deborah Kara Unger, Amy Brenneman, and Neal McDonough. Filming began in the Vancouver area on October 8, 2005 and wrapped in December 2005... |
Lauren Douglas | |
| 2008 | Acts of Violence | Olivia Flyn | |
| 2009 | Finding Bliss Finding Bliss Finding Bliss is a 2009 romantic comedy film written and directed by filmmaker Julie Davis . Finding Bliss explores the adult film industry through the eyes of an idealistic 24 year-old film school grad, Jody Balaban .-Plot:After a long humbling year temping as a traffic cop on a studio lot, Jody... |
Jody Balaban | |
| 2009 | Night Train Night Train (2009 film) Night Train is a 2009 action/thriller film produced by Rifkin-Eberts Productions and stars Leelee Sobieski, Steve Zahn, Matthias Schweighöfer and Danny Glover... |
Chloe | |
| 2009 | Public Enemies | Polly Hamilton | |
| 2010 | Abby Gibbons | ||
| 2010 | Stalker |
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1999 | Joan of Arc | Joan of Arc Joan of Arc Saint Joan of Arc, nicknamed "The Maid of Orléans" , is a national heroine of France and a Roman Catholic saint. A peasant girl born in eastern France who claimed divine guidance, she led the French army to several important victories during the Hundred Years' War, which paved the way for the... |
Nominated—Emmy Award for Best Lead Actress in a Miniseries or Movie Nominated—Golden Globe Award for Best Actress – Miniseries or Television Film Nominated—Satellite Award for Best Actress – Miniseries or Television Film |
| 2001 | Uprising Uprising (film) Uprising is a 2001 war/drama television movie about the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising. The film was directed by Jon Avnet and written by Avnet and Paul Brickman... |
Tosia Altman Tosia Altman Tova Altman worked with Mordechai Anielewicz as a member of the ŻOB during the Warsaw ghetto uprising.She initially worked as a courier, making contact with Jewish resistance groups outside of the ghetto and providing them with updates on resistance clashes, as well as providing educational... |
Nominated—Golden Globe Award for Best Actress – Miniseries or Television Film |
| 2003 | Les Liaisons dangereuses | Cécile de Volanges | TV miniseries |
| 2005 | Hercules Hercules (TV miniseries) Hercules is a 2005 RHI Entertainment television miniseries, chronicling the life of the legendary Greek hero, Heracles, called Hercules in this series... |
Deianeira | TV miniseries |
| 2010 | Drop Dead Diva Drop Dead Diva Drop Dead Diva is an American legal comedy-drama/fantasy television series that debuted on Lifetime on July 12, 2009. The hour-long series, which was created by Josh Berman, is produced by Sony Pictures Television... |
Samantha "Sam" Colby | Episode: "A Mother's Secret" |
| 2011 | The Good Wife | Alexis Symanski | Episode: "Breaking Up" |
External links
- Leelee Sobieski at Rotten TomatoesRotten TomatoesRotten Tomatoes is a website devoted to reviews, information, and news of films—widely known as a film review aggregator. Its name derives from the cliché of audiences throwing tomatoes and other vegetables at a poor stage performance...