Christina Ricci

Christina Ricci (born February 12, 1980) is an American actress. Ricci received initial recognition and praise for her performances as a child-star in films such as The Addams Family (1991), its sequel Addams Family Values (1993), as Wednesday Addams, and in Casper (1995). Ricci made a transition into more adult-oriented roles with The Ice Storm (1997), followed by an acclaimed performance in The Opposite of Sex (1998), for which she received a Golden Globe nomination for Best Actress. She continued her success with well-received performances in Sleepy Hollow (1999) and Monster (2003).
Ricci has recently appeared in the films Black Snake Moan (2007), Penelope, Speed Racer (2008), New York, I Love You (2009) and After.Life (2009) opposite Liam Neeson.Early life
Ricci was born in Santa Monica, California, the fourth and youngest child of Sarah (née Murdoch), a former Ford Model and real estate agent, and Ralph Ricci, a lawyer and psychiatrist.Regarding her ancestry, Ricci has stated that "the Italian blood has been bred out of me. There's an Italian four or five generations back who married an Irish woman and they all had sons. So they married more Irish women, there were more sons, and more Irish women. Now I'm basically Scots-Irish."

The family moved to Montclair, New Jersey, where she grew up attending Edgemont Elementary School, Glenfield Middle School, and Montclair High School as well as the Morristown-Beard School.After one year she left the high school for the Professional Children's School in New York City.Her siblings are Rafael (born 1971), Dante (born 1974), and Pia (born 1976).

Career
Early work (1990–1997)
A critic for the Bergen Record discovered Ricci at age eight in a school play (The Twelve Days of Christmas) at Edgemont School in Montclair, New Jersey. The critic's son was originally cast in the role, but Ricci got him to hit her and told on him; he lost the role to her as part of his punishment.After this, she became involved in the movie business. She did several commercials starting at the age of six, until she finally got her big screen debut in Mermaids in 1990 as Cher's younger daughter. The young actress made enough of an impression to land more work; later she appeared in the video of the film's soundtrack "The Shoop Shoop Song". The following year, she starred as the morbidly precocious Wednesday Addams in the film adaptation of The Addams Family. The role would help to establish Ricci as an actress known for playing dark, unconventional characters – she went on to play Wednesday again in the film's 1993 sequel, Addams Family Values, which became another box office draw, and more screen time was provided for Ricci's performance as Wednesday. After this, her popularity increased dramatically, and she became in high demand by the mid-1990s. Her next project, Casper, received mixed critical reviews, but was a major success at the box office, being the year's seventh highest grossing film. After Casper, she starred in Now and Then, a coming-of-age film about four 12-year-old girls and their friendship during the 1970s to the 1990s. Now and Then was another box office success, and received favorable comparisons to Stand by Me, being called "the female version" of the film, and Ricci was becoming a top box office draw. She also starred in a handful of other films with teenage roles such as Golddiggers: The Secret of Bear Mountain and That Darn Cat.

Career Breakthrough (1998–2005)
In 1997, Ricci began to appear in more adult roles, beginning with her role as the troubled, sexually curious Wendy Hood in Ang Lee's critically acclaimed The Ice Storm. Ricci subsequently appeared in films like the independent hit Buffalo '66 (in which she played Vincent Gallo's unwitting abductee-turned-girlfriend), John Waters' Pecker, and Don Roos' The Opposite of Sex (as the acid-tongued, manipulative Dede). For her performance as Dede, Ricci won acclaim and was nominated for a Golden Globe and attained the unofficial title of the Sundance Film Festival's 1998 "It" Girl.Although she missed out on an Academy Award nomination, Entertainment Weekly honored her well-received performance as one of the "Worst Oscar Snubs Ever".

Later films included Sleepy Hollow (alongside Johnny Depp), and Prozac Nation (which featured her first on-screen nude scene). She starred opposite Charlize Theron in the film Monster. During Theron's acceptance speech at the Golden Globes, she acknowledged Ricci, calling her the "unsung hero" of the film.Ricci had to turn down the role of Ronna in Go because of scheduling conflicts; the role eventually went to Sarah Polley. Ricci was turned down four times for the role of Dolores Haze in Lolita, and the role eventually went to Dominique Swain. Ricci was originally slated to play the lead in Ghost World (2001), but by the time it was filmed she was too old for the part and had moved on to other projects. Thora Birch (Ricci's co-star in Now And Then) took over the role. Ricci also turned down a role in Loser. Ricci made a cameo appearance on Beck's successful album

Guero, providing vocals on "Hell Yes".
In February 2006, Ricci made a guest appearance as a paramedic in the ABC drama Grey's Anatomy, for which she was nominated for an Emmy award. She was a guest star for seven episodes in the last season of Ally McBeal in 2002 as Debbie 'Liza' Bump, a lawyer who works at Cage & Fish and marries Richard Fish in the last episode. It was initially hoped that Ricci and several other noted guest star appearances would boost Ally McBeal's then declining ratings.

On December 4, 1999, she appeared as the guest host on Saturday Night Live. She performed parodies of Britney Spears and the Olsen Twins. During one of her skits, she accidentally punched actress Ana Gasteyer in the face. The skit was a parody of the Sally Jessy Raphael show, in which she played a 13-year-old runaway who sleeps with dogs, and required her to fake-punch Gasteyer, but accidentally ended up really hitting Gasteyer in the eye. Although Ricci initially reacted by putting her hands over her mouth in surprise, she quickly fell back into character.

International success (2006–present)
In 2006, Ricci stated that she feels that at 5 ft 1 in (155 cm) she is "too short" to ever be an A-list actress, saying she tends "to look really small on camera".She has also said that she believes that she does not have much control over her career, specifying that she still has to audition for film parts.Her 2007 film, Black Snake Moan received mixed reviews, with rottentomatoes.com tallying an overall score of 66 percent.On the television program Ebert & Roeper, filmmaker Kevin Smith, filling in for Roger Ebert, described the film as the best of the year thus far and called it Ricci's best performance. Richard Roeper also gave the film a "thumb up" rating. The film earned $4 million, putting it in eighth place for the highest earnings in its opening weekend. For her role in Black Snake Moan, Ricci was required to lose several pounds and wore a forty-pound (18 kg) chain during filming.Apart from having to lose weight, Ricci ate only food items without any nutritional value to achieve her unhealthy appearance.Ricci has starred in Penelope, alongside Reese Witherspoon, a modern day fairytale, and in 2008, she played the female lead in The Wachowski Brothers' feature film adaptation of Speed Racer. She also signed on for three episodes of TNT's crime drama Saving Grace, during its second season.Ricci played a young detective who temporarily partners with Grace, played by Holly Hunter.

Ricci's latest film, the psychological thriller After.Life, with Liam Neeson and Justin Long, had a limited release on April 9, 2010.
Personal life
Ricci owns her own production company, Blaspheme Films, responsible for Prozac Nation and Pumpkin. She is on the national board of VOX-Voices for Planned Parenthood. She will also be appearing in national ads for emergency contraception.She supported John Kerry's presidential bid in 2004.Ricci maintains a close friendship with former child star and actress Gaby Hoffmann, with whom she starred in Now and Then and 200 Cigarettes. She is also a friend of Black Snake Moan co-star Samuel L. Jackson.

After making the top of PETA's worst-dressed listand receiving a letter from the animal rights group, Ricci decided to give up wearing fur.Ricci also owns two dogs (The Sheriff Steve Goldburg and Buzz Goldicci).

In 2004, Ricci appeared as the first model in the Spring/Summer 2005 Louis Vuitton show, and also appeared in advertisements for the popular French fashion house that year.

In April 2007, Ricci became the national spokesperson for RAINN, the Rape, Abuse and Incest National Network for the United States, which assists victims of these crimes and promotes programs that help prevent them from occurring. She cited some of her research in Black Snake Moan role as educational on the importance of the issues that RAINN deals with.

She has cited Pulp Fiction, Lord of the Rings, Gangs of New York, and My Own Private Idaho as her favorite films. She drives a Porsche Boxster. Her favorite musicians are the Red Hot Chili Peppers, Tom Petty, The Ramones, R.E.M., The White Stripes, Weezer, and Pixies.

Ricci also has many tattoos: a lion on her right shoulder blade (a reference to The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, a favorite novel of hers as a child), a fairy on the inside of her right wrist, praying hands on her left hip (this tattoo was originally a bat), the name "Jack" on her right thigh for a dead pet, a sparrow on her right breast, and a mermaid on her left ankle. She also had the words "Move or Bleed" on the left side of her ribcage before having them removed, citing that it was an aggressive mistake. She also had a bouquet of sweetpeas on her lower back removed after learning that this was becoming a trend known as "the tramp stamp" tattoo.

She was briefly engaged to fellow actor and comedian Owen Benjamin.

Ricci has stated that she has battled against anorexia, self-harm and depression while growing up.

Filmography
Film
Year Film Role Notes
1990 Mermaids Kate Flax Young Artist Award for Best Young Actress in a Supporting Role – Motion Picture
1991 The Hard Way Bonnie
The Addams Family Wednesday Addams Nominated – Young Artist Award for Best Young Actress – Motion Picture
1993 The Cemetery Club Jessica
Addams Family Values Wednesday Addams
1995 Casper Kathleen 'Kat' Harvey Nominated – Young Artist Award for Best Young Actress – Feature Film or Video
Now and Then Young Roberta Martin Nominated – Young Artist Award for Best Cast – Feature film or Video
Golddiggers: The Secret of Bear Mountain Beth Easton
1996 Bastard Out of Carolina Dee Dee
The Last of the High Kings Erin Also known as Summer Fling
1997 Little Red Riding Hood Little Red Riding Hood Short film
That Darn Cat Patti Randall Nominated – Kids' Choice Award for Favorite Movie Actress
Nominated – Young Artist Award for Best Young Actress – Feature Film or Video
The Ice Storm Wendy Hood Nominated – Chlotrudis Award for Best Supporting Actress
Nominated – Young Artist Award for Best Young Actress – Feature Film or Video
1998 Souvenir Young Orlando (voice)
Buffalo '66 Layla Florida Film Critics Circle Award for Best Supporting Actress also for The Opposite of Sex and Pecker
Seattle International Film Festival – Golden Space Needle Award – Best Actress also for The Opposite of Sex
Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas Lucy
The Opposite of Sex Dede Truitt Florida Film Critics Circle Award for Best Supporting Actress also for Buffalo '66 and Pecker
National Board of Review Award for Best Supporting Actress
Satellite Award for Best Actress – Motion Picture Musical or Comedy
Seattle International Film Festival – Golden Space Needle Award – Best Actress also for Buffalo '66
Nominated – American Comedy Award for Funniest Actress in a Motion Picture
Nominated – Chlotrudis Award for Best Actress
Nominated – Golden Globe Award for Best Actress – Motion Picture Musical or Comedy
Nominated – Independent Spirit Award for Best Female Lead
Small Soldiers Gwendy Doll (voice)
Pecker Shelley Florida Film Critics Circle Award for Best Supporting Actress also for The Opposite of Sex and Buffalo '66
Desert Blue Ely Jackson
I Woke Up Early the Day I Died Teenage Hooker
1999 200 Cigarettes Val
No Vacancy Lillian
Sleepy Hollow Katrina Van Tassel Blockbuster Entertainment Award for Favorite Actress
Nominated – Teen Choice Award for Choice Actress
Nominated – Young Artist Award for Best Young Actress – Feature Film or Video
2000 Bless the Child Cheri Post Blockbuster Entertainment Award for Favorite Supporting Actress
The Man Who Cried Suzie Character born "Fegele Abramovich"
2001 All Over the Guy Rayna Wyckoff
Prozac Nation Elizabeth Wurtzel
2002 The Gathering Cassie Grant
The Laramie Project Romaine Patterson
Pumpkin Carolyn McDuffy Nominated – Teen Choice Award for Choice Actress
Miranda Miranda (Alice)
2003 Anything Else Amanda
Monster Selby Nominated – MTV Movie Award for Best Kiss shared with Charlize Theron
I Love Your Work Shana
2005 Cursed Ellie
2006 Black Snake Moan Rae Premiere at the Butt-Numb-A-Thon on December 9, 2006; wide release on March 2, 2007
Home of the Brave Sarah Schivino
2007 Penelope Penelope Wilhern
2008 Speed Racer Trixie Fontaine Nominated – Teen Choice Award for Choice Actress
New York, I Love You Camille
2009 After.Life Anna Taylor
All's Faire in Love Kate
2010 Born to Be a Star Becca
"Alpha and Omega (film)" Lilly (voice)
2011 Bel Ami Clotilde Post-Production

Television series
Year Series Role Notes
1990 H.E.L.P. Olivia 1 episode
1996 The Simpsons Erin 1 episode
voice
2002 Ally McBeal Liza Bump 7 episodes
Malcolm in the Middle Kelly 1 episode
2005 Joey Mary Teresa 1 episode
2006 Grey's Anatomy Hannah Davies 2 episodes

Nominated – Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actress – Drama Series

2009 Saving Grace Offcr. Abby Charles 3 episodes