Biography for
Julia Stiles More at IMDb Pro »

Date of Birth

28 March 1981, New York, New York, USA

Birth Name

Julia O'Hara Stiles

Height

5' 8" (1.73 m)

Mini Biography

Already critically acclaimed for a number of youthful film roles, it's just a matter of time before fresh-faced blonde Julia Stiles reaches the height of heights as a new tier of adult talent starts hitting the screen. Born Julia O'Hara Stiles on March 28, 1981, in New York City, she is of Irish, Italian and English stock. The outgoing daughter of an elementary school teacher (father) and a Greenwich Village artist (mother), she is the eldest of three children. Encouraged to take modern dance lessons at an early age, she was introduced to Shakespeare and theater as well. At age 11, she made her debut as a child actress with the experimental off-Broadway La MaMa Theatre. Her passion grew and by the next year was performing professionally and working in commercials. A bright, precocious student, she was seriously considered for the child vampire role of Claudia in Interview with the Vampire: The Vampire Chronicles (1994) but lost out in the end to Kirsten Dunst. She continued training at New York's Professional Children's School and, at 15, made her cinematic bow with I Love You, I Love You Not (1996) with Claire Danes. Next featured as the daughter of Harrison Ford in The Devil's Own (1997), her breakout role came on TV with the hard-hitting mini-movie "Before Women Had Wings" (1997), which was produced by Oprah Winfrey and dealt with child abuse. As Ellie Christianson in Wicked (1998), Julia demonstrated a more evil side to her budding versatility. Her wish to play Shakespeare was granted threefold with her participation in 10 Things I Hate About You (1999), which was based on the Bard's "The Taming of The Shrew" and won her the Chicago Film Critics Award as the volatile teen Kat; an updated version of _Hamlet (2000/I)_ which paired her Ophelia with Ethan Hawke; and another updated version of "Othello" entitled O (2001), which had her high school character of Desi (Desdemona) involved in a mixed romantic relationship with African-American Mekhi Phifer. The violent-edged film was made in 1998 but not released until three years later due to the tragic Colorado student shootings at Columbine High School. In addition, Julia later portrayed Viola off-Broadway in a Shakespeare-in-the-Park production of "Twelfth Night" in 2002. She temporarily interrupted her career after deciding to enroll at Columbia University in 2000, majoring in English. Moving into mainstream roles by the millennium, she co-starred with the popular Matt Damon in The Bourne Identity (2002) and its sequel, appeared opposite Julia Roberts in Mona Lisa Smile (2003) and won offbeat notice in the title role of _Carolina (2003)_ with Shirley MacLaine and Randy Quaid as an eccentric actress wannabe who capriciously takes off to Hollywood to pursue her dream. Most recently she returned from Iceland where she filmed A Little Trip to Heaven (2005). Unable to find that one role to put her over the top, this lovely actress continues to engage movie audiences with a potent range of characters in the meantime.

IMDb Mini Biography By: Gary Brumburgh / gr-home@pacbell.net

Trivia

Graduated from Columbia University with a degree in English (2005).

chosen as one of Teen People Magazine's "21 Hottest Stars Under 21" [1999]

Has been in three remakes of Shakespeare plays: 10 Things I Hate About You (1999) (The Taming of The Shrew), O (2001) (Othello), and Hamlet (2000) (Hamlet).

In 1999, Julia graduated from New York's Professional Children's School, which prepares students for careers in the arts.

During her hiatus from Save the Last Dance (2001), she signed up with Habitat for Humanity International, an organization that builds homes for the needy.

Voted one of People Magazine's 50 Most Beautiful People. [2001]

Is a college classmate of Anna Paquin.

One of Teen People Magazine's "25 Hottest Stars under 25" [2002]

Julia Stiles began her career at the La Mama Theater and the Kitchen Theater in New York.

Won the 2001 Teens Choice Drama Award for her role in Save the Last Dance (2001).

No longer a vegan and when Conan O'Brien asked her what the first bite of a hamburger was like she responded, "The word orgasm comes to mind." (December 2003).

Has dated the Prince of Denmark in two movies, Hamlet (2000) and The Prince & Me (2004).

Is of Irish (paternal side) and English and Italian (maternal side) descent. Her parents are John O'Hara and Judith Stiles.

Is a die-hard New York Mets fan.

After a 39-minute rain delay and dressed with a Mets cap, Julia Stiles threw out the opening pitch at Shea Stadium during the Memorial Day game of the New York Mets vs. Arizona Diamondbacks on May 29, 2006.

Considered for the role of Susan Storm/Invisible Girl in Fantastic Four (2005).

She and Liev Schreiber played siblings in Hamlet (2000). The pair later played husband and wife in The Omen (2006).

In "10 Things I Hate About You" her character, Kat, was reading the book, "The Bell Jar", in a scene. She starred in the movie version of "The Bell Jar" 9 years later.

Dyed her hair blond for Mona Lisa Smiles (2003).

Personal Quotes

"I've walked into my dressing room and had a desk full of fake boobs that the producers have put there. That's pretty blatant." (On the pressure to "fill out" her movie roles.)

"I am a big fan of horror movies but I had never thought that I had wanted to act in one because I don't think that actors get to do much in them. They're usually just reacting."

I was gonna throw the first pitch at a Mets game, but there was a rain delay. So I'm waiting for it to stop, and the team's manager, Willie Randolph comes by. Now he's already intimidating to begin with. But he comes over to me and says, "If you screw this up, they will boo you." And I said "Thanks."

Salary

A Guy Thing (2003)

$4,000,000

Where Are They Now

(April 2004) Starring in the two-person David Mamet play "Oleanna" live on stage at the Garrick Theatre in London, England.

(August 2004) Is currently in Iceland while filming A Little Trip to Heaven.

(July 2007) Attends world premiere of The Bourne Ultimatum (2007) alongside fellow cast Matt Damon and Joan Allen.

(June 2006) Attends world premiere for The Omen (2006) along with director John Moore and fellow cast Liev Schreiber and Seamus Davey Fitzpatrick.

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