Juliette Lewis is recognized as one of Hollywood's most talented and versatile actors of her generation. She first stunned audiences and critics alike with her Oscar-nominated performance as 'Danielle Bowden' in Cape Fear (1991). To date, she has worked with some of the most revered directors in the industry -- 'Martin Scorsese' (qv), 'Woody Allen' (qv), 'Lasse Hallström' (qv), 'Oliver Stone (I)' (qv), and 'Garry Marshall' (qv). She most recently received an Emmy nomination for her performance in My Louisiana Sky (2001) (TV). Whether lending dramatic authenticity or a natural comedic flair, Lewis graces her roles with remarkable range and an original and captivating style. Lewis recently co-starred opposite 'Jennifer Lopez (I)' (qv) in the thriller Enough (2002) directed by 'Michael Apted' (qv). Lewis played the best friend of an abused woman (Lopez) who must reclaim her life from her dangerous husband. The part appealed to her because she got to play "sweet, vibrant, regular gal," she offers. The poignant drama Hysterical Blindness (2002) (TV) debuted on August 25, 2002 on HBO, in which Lewis stared with 'Uma Thurman' (qv) and 'Gena Rowlands' (qv). Set in the 1980s, the story follows two single, working-class New Jersey women (Lewis and Thurman) on a bittersweet quest for love and meaning. Based on the play by 'Laura Cahill' (qv), the film is directed by acclaimed filmmaker 'Mira Nair' (qv) ( Monsoon Wedding) and executive produced by Thurman. "Hysterical Blindness" was the centerpiece premiere at the 2002 Sundance Film Festival. "I've never seen this female perspective told before with such a true voice," says Lewis, who plays a single mother in "Hysterical Blindness". "It's raw, heartbreakingly honest and real." Lewis went blond for her role in the DreamWorks comedy Old School (2003) . She co-starred opposite 'Luke Wilson (I)' (qv), 'Vince Vaughn' (qv), and 'Will Ferrell' (qv) in this story of disenchanted men who try to recapture their college days by starting a fraternity. "The script was a laugh-out-loud page-turner," says Lewis, who plays Wilson's seemingly innocent girlfriend. "If I was going to be in a rip-roaring boy's comedy, I knew I didn't want to play straight man. I love doing comedy and doing characters, and I made this one a pampered California girl. My scenes with Luke Wilson are very situational -- and that's where the comedy lies. I'm naturally kind of ridiculous. I don't take myself or others too seriously." "Old School" was released in 2003. Lewis is currently filming the feature, Blueberry (2004), based on the French comic book adventures of Western hero "Mike Blueberry". She stars alongside 'Michael Madsen (I)' (qv) and French film star 'Vincent Cassel' (qv) in this project directed by 'Jan Kounen' (qv) ( Doberman). For her role as a rancher's daughter, Lewis is on horseback for much of the film. "I used to ride years ago, but I can only hope the fearlessness I had when I was 11 still lives," she says. The production is shooting on location in Mexico, Spain, France and England. Lewis recently received an Emmy nomination for her performance in Showtime's My Louisiana Sky (2001) (TV), a coming-of-age drama set in rural Louisiana in the early 1950s. Lewis plays "Dorie Kay", an urbanized working woman who tries to help her 12-year-old niece come to terms with the girl's developmentally challenged parents. Based on the 'Kimberly Willis Holt' (qv) novel, the acclaimed film was directed by 'Adam Arkin' (qv), who won an Emmy for Outstanding Directing, and produced by 'Anthony Edwards (I)' (qv). One of Lewis' most challenging roles to date was "Carla Tate", a mentally challenged woman on a journey of independence and self discovery in 'Garry Marshall' (qv)'s Other Sister, The (1999). "I wanted to capture her honesty so people could relate to her," says Lewis, who starred with her longtime friend 'Giovanni Ribisi' (qv), as well as 'Diane Keaton' (qv) and 'Tom Skerritt' (qv). "I was playing a character who was full of life and determination, and it really had an effect on me. I connected very deeply to "Carla" and her feelings." Other recent projects include the colorful European comedy release of Room to Rent (2000) in which Lewis sings and dances as a 'Marilyn Monroe' (qv) impersonator; the crime thriller Way of the Gun, The (2000), starring 'Benicio Del Toro' (qv) and 'Ryan Phillippe' (qv); and Picture Claire (2001), a "mockumentary" about the making of a big-budget film, with 'Gina Gershon' (qv). Lewis was born in Hollywood to Glenis Batley, a graphic designer, and actor 'Geoffrey Lewis (I)' (qv), a regular in Clint Eastwood films. By the age of 6, she knew she wanted to be a performer and found inspiration in musicals like Fame (1980) and Grease (1978). At 12, Lewis landed her first leading role in the Showtime miniseries Home Fires (1987) (TV). After appearing in the sitcoms "The Wonder Years" and "I Married Dora", she went on to star with 'Chevy Chase' (qv) in National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation (1989) and with 'Jennifer Jason Leigh' (qv) in the drama Crooked Hearts (1991). At 16, Lewis starred in the critically acclaimed telefilm Too Young to Die? (1990) (TV), based on the true story of Amanda Sue Bradley, a sexually abused runaway who was the first minor to receive the death sentence. Lewis' performance caught the attention of 'Martin Scorsese' (qv), who cast her in the thriller Cape Fear (1991). Her powerful scenes with 'Robert De Niro' (qv) captured the quiet complexities of adolescence and earned her an Oscar nomination and Golden Globe nomination for Best Supporting Actress. Her auditorium scene with De Niro goes down in movie-making history as one of cinema's classic scenes. Lewis next worked with 'Woody Allen' (qv) in Husbands and Wives (1992), playing a self-assured college coed who has a penchant for older men, particularly her married professor. She went on to star in the bittersweet love story That Night (1992), with 'C. Thomas Howell' (qv). In 1993, Lewis starred as "Adele Corners", a dysfunctional innocent on a cross-country journey with her psycho-killer boyfriend ('Brad Pitt' (qv)) in Kalifornia (1993). She also played a waitress from Queens opposite 'Gary Oldman' (qv) in Romeo Is Bleeding (1993) and a wise and worldly young drifter in What's Eating Gilbert Grape (1993) with 'Johnny Depp' (qv) and 'Leonardo DiCaprio' (qv). In 1994, Lewis starred alongside 'Woody Harrelson' (qv) in Natural Born Killers (1994), 'Oliver Stone (I)' (qv)'s controversial media satire about two mass murderers who become legendary folk heroes. Lewis' other credits include the Nora Ephron comedy Mixed Nuts (1994) with 'Steve Martin (I)' (qv) and 'Adam Sandler (I)' (qv); the sci-fi actioner "Strange Days," with 'Ralph Fiennes' (qv) and 'Angela Bassett' (qv); and 'Quentin Tarantino' (qv)'s vampire tale From Dusk Till Dawn (1996), with 'George Clooney' (qv). In 1996, Lewis appeared as 'Shirley MacLaine' (qv)'s granddaughter in Evening Star, The (1996). She went on to star in the independent film Some Girl (1998), with 'Michael Rapaport (I)' (qv) and 'Giovanni Ribisi' (qv), and the thriller 4th Floor, The (1999) with 'William Hurt (I)' (qv). Lewis has been married since 1999 to professional skateboarder 'Steve Berra' .
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