Thora Birch
| Thora Birch | |
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 Birch in 2006 |
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| Born | March 11, 1982 , U.S. |
| Occupation | Actress |
| Years active | 1988–present |
Thora Birch (born March 11, 1982) is an American actress. She was a child actor in the 1990s, starring in movies such as All I Want for Christmas (1991), Hocus Pocus (1993), Now and Then (1995), and Alaska (1996). She came to prominence in 1999 after earned worldwide attention and praise for her performance in American Beauty. She then starred in the well received film Ghost World (2001), which earned her a Golden Globe nomination.
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Early life
Birch was born in Los Angeles, California, the eldest child of Jack Birch and Carol Connors. Her parents, who were her business managers from the start, are former adult film actors and both appeared in the pornographic film Deep Throat.[1] Birch is of German Jewish, Nordic, and Italian descent.[2] The family's original surname was "Biersch", coming from her German Jewish ancestors.[2] Her name Thora is derived from the name of the Norse God of thunder and lightning, Thor. She has a younger brother, Bolt.
From an early age, Birch's parents encouraged her to audition for commercials. She landed several parts, including advertisements for Quaker Oats and Vlasic Pickles. Her first acting job followed.
Career
Early career, 1988–1995
In 1988, she landed the role of Molly in the short-lived television series Day By Day. She was billed simply as "Thora". That same year she won a part in the movie Purple People Eater opposite Ned Beatty and Neil Patrick Harris. Her performance won her a Youth In Film Award. Birch played as 'tomboy' Billie Pike in the movie Paradise which also starred Don Johnson, Melanie Griffith, and Elijah Wood. To obtain the role, she had to compete with more than 4,000 other young hopefuls who auditioned for it. Birch received critical praise for her performance.
Birch's ability to portray herself as a young tomboy landed her several parts during the period of 1991–1995, including the role of Dani in Hocus Pocus (1993). She won leading roles in such films as All I Want for Christmas (1991) and Monkey Trouble (1994). She appeared in two Harrison Ford films, Patriot Games (1992) and its sequel, Clear and Present Danger (1994).
Birch's performance in the 1995 film Now and Then teamed her with Gaby Hoffmann, Christina Ricci, Demi Moore, Rosie O'Donnell, and Melanie Griffith.
Worldwide recognition, 1996–2001
In 1996, she landed a leading role in the adventure film, Alaska (1996). She played the role of Jessie Barnes, who has moved to Alaska with her father (played by Dirk Benedict) and brother after the death of her mother. Her father is a former airline pilot and upon moving to Alaska, he starts earning a living by delivering supplies to small towns in the Alaskan wilderness in his light aircraft. While making a delivery, his plane crashes into a mountainside. Concluding that not enough was being done to locate him, Jessie and her brother set out on a successful attempt to find him with the help of a baby polar bear.
After guest-starring appearances in the The Outer Limits, Promised Land, and Touched by an Angel, Birch took a break from acting. In 1999, she returned in the made-for-TV movie Night Ride Home and also took a small uncredited role in the Natalie Portman film Anywhere but Here. She was initially cast in the role of Tammy Metzler in the dark-comedy Election, but ended up leaving after only the third day of filming due to disagreements with director/writer Alexander Payne. Jessica Campbell was then given the role of Metzler.
Later in 1999, Birch won enormous critical praise playing the role of Jane Burnham in American Beauty and was nominated for a British Academy of Film and Television Arts award. The movie itself went on to win the Academy Award for Best Picture. As Birch was 16 at the time she made the film, and thus classified as a minor in the United States, her parents had to approve her brief topless scene in the movie. They and child labor representatives were on the set for the shooting of it.[3][4]
After leading roles in The Smokers (2000), Dungeons & Dragons (2000), and The Hole (2001), Birch landed the leading role in Ghost World, alongside Scarlett Johansson, Steve Buscemi, and Brad Renfro. She was nominated for a Golden Globe for her performance.
2002–present
Birch played as Liz Murray in the made-for-TV movie Homeless to Harvard: The Liz Murray Story (2003), for which she received a Emmy nomination, and she appeared as Karen in Silver City (2004). She starred in the films Dark Corners, in which she appeared in the lead role as a woman who wakes up one day as a different person and ends up being stalked by gruesome creatures, Train, in which her brother, Bolt Birch, has a small part. The movie entails a trip to Europe for a group of American college athletes who unknowingly board a train that is occupied by a brutal killer.
Birch has indicated that she aspires to become a director and has recently begun directing short video sketches for a sketch comedy troupe called The Doomed Planet. The sketches can be seen on her official website.
In 2009, she starred alongside the actress Brittany Murphy in the horror film Deadline and appeared in Winter of Frozen Dreams. In January 2010, Birch played Sidney Bloom in the Lifetime movie, The Pregnancy Pact.[5]
Personal life
In 2003, Birch started dating singer Fred Durst, but they broke up eventually. She is vegan.
Filmography
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1988 | Purple People Eater | Molly Johnson | Young Artist Award for Best Young Actress Under Nine Years of Age |
| 1991 | Paradise | Billie Pike | |
| 1991 | All I Want for Christmas | Hallie O'Fallon | Nominated—Young Artist Award for Best Young Leading Actress – Motion Picture |
| 1992 | Patriot Games | Sally Ryan | Nominated—Young Artist Award for Best Young Actress Under Ten – Motion Picture |
| 1992 | The Itsy Bitsy Spider | Little Girl (voice) | |
| 1993 | Hocus Pocus | Dani | |
| 1994 | Clear and Present Danger | Sally Ryan | |
| 1994 | Monkey Trouble | Eva | |
| 1995 | Now and Then | Teeny | |
| 1996 | Alaska | Jessie Barnes | Nominated—Young Artist Award for Best Young Leading Actress – Feature Film |
| 1999 | American Beauty | Jane Burnham | Online Film Critics Society Award for Best Cast San Diego Film Critics Society Award for Best Supporting Actress Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture Young Artist Award for Best Young Supporting Actress – Feature Film Young Hollywood Award for Best On-screen Chemistry shared with Wes Bentley Young Star Award for Best Young Actress in a Motion Picture Drama Nominated—BAFTA Award for Best Actress in a Supporting Role Nominated—Blockbuster Entertainment Award for Best Supporting Actress – Drama Nominated—Online Film Critics Society Award for Best Supporting Actress |
| 1999 | Anywhere but Here | Mary (uncredited) | |
| 2000 | The Smokers | Lincoln Roth | |
| 2000 | Dungeons & Dragons | Empress Savina | Nominated—Young Artist Award for Best Young Supporting Actress – Feature Film |
| 2001 | The Hole | Liz Dunn | |
| 2001 | Ghost World | Enid | Deauville Film Festival – Best Female Performance San Diego Film Critics Society Award for Best Actress Toronto Film Critics Association Award for Best Actress Nominated—Chicago Film Critics Association Award for Best Actress Nominated—Golden Globe Award for Best Actress – Motion Picture Musical or Comedy Nominated—MTV Movie Award for Best Dressed Nominated—MTV Movie Award for Best Line Nominated—Online Film Critics Society Award for Best Actress Nominated—Satellite Award for Best Actress – Motion Picture Musical or Comedy |
| 2004 | Silver City | Karen Cross | |
| 2004 | The Dot | Narrator (voice) | |
| 2005 | Slingshot | April | |
| 2006 | Dark Corners | Karen Clarke / Susan Hamilton | |
| 2008 | Train | Alex | |
| 2009 | Deadline | Lucy Woods | |
| 2009 | Winter of Frozen Dreams | Barbara Hoffman | |
| 2010 | The Story of Bonnie and Clyde | Blanche Barrow | In production |
| 2011 | The Flicker's Dance | Danielle | Pre-production |
| 2011 | Crossmaglen | Nulla McGarvey | Pre-production |
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1988– 1989 |
Day by Day | Molly | 21 episodes Nominated—Young Artist Award for Best Young Actress Ensemble – Comedy or Drama Series Nominated—Young Artist Award for Best Young Actress Under Nine Years of Age |
| 1989 | Doogie Howser, M.D. | Megan | Episode: "Vinnie Video Vici" |
| 1990 | Dark Avenger | Susie Donovan | TV movie |
| 1990 | Married People | Emily | Episode: "To Live and Drive in New York" |
| 1990– 1991 |
Parenthood | Taylor Buckman | 12 episodes Nominated—Young Artist Award for Best Young Supporting Actress – Television Series |
| 1991 | Amen | Brittany | Episode: "Nothing Says Lovin'..." |
| 1992 | The Secret World of Spying | Sally Ryan | TV movie |
| 1994 | Monty | Ann Sherman | Episode: "Here Comes the Son" |
| 1995 | Blackbird Hall | TV movie | |
| 1995 | The Outer Limits | Aggie Travers | Episode: "The Choice" |
| 1997 | Promised Land | Allison Rhodes | Episode: "Running Scared" |
| 1997 | Touched by an Angel | Erin | Episode: "The Pact" |
| 1999 | Night Ride Home | Clea Mahler | TV movie |
| 2002 | Night Visions | Susan Thornhill | Episode: "The Maze" |
| 2003 | Homeless to Harvard: The Liz Murray Story | Liz Murray | TV movie Nominated—Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Miniseries or a Movie |
| 2005 | My Life as a Teenage Robot | Vega (voice) | Episode: "Escape from Cluster Prime" |
| 2010 | The Pregnancy Pact | Sidney Bloom | TV movie |
References
- ↑ "Thora Birch". Actress of the Week. AskMen.com. http://www.askmen.com/women/actress_100/146_thora_birch.html. Retrieved 2006-07-15.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 "Getting her own thing going". The Sunday Times (South Africa). 2002-03-17. http://web.archive.org/web/20020526030557/http://www.sundaytimes.co.za/2002/03/17/arts/ane09.asp.
- ↑ The Answer Man, by Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times, 10/10/99, p.5.
- ↑ There's a reason for R rating, Deseret News, March 2, 2007.
- ↑ Hinckley, David (January 23th 2010). "Lifetime's 'Pregnancy Pact' treats surge in teen pregnancy with kid gloves". New York Daily News. http://www.nydailynews.com/entertainment/tv/2010/01/23/2010-01-23_lifetimes_pregnancy_pact_treats_surge_in_teen_pregnancy_with_kid_gloves.html.
External links
- Official website
- Thora Birch at the Internet Movie Database
- Thora Birch at Allmovie
- Thora Birch at TV.com