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Mena Adrienne Suvari (born February 13, 1979) is an American actress, model, fashion designer and spokeswoman. She is best known for her supporting role in the Academy Award-winning film American Beauty (1999), as well as the successful comedy American Pie (1999) and its sequel American Pie 2 (2001). Best known as the object of Kevin Spacey's lust in 1999's celebrated "American Beauty", blonde, sleepy-eyed Mena Suvari would reach stardom with her film roles, but she got her start on television, acting in guest parts on "Boy Meets World" (ABC) and "Minor Adjustments" (UPN) before landing a recurring role as the daughter of a brash police sergeant on ABC's "High Incident" during the 1996-1997 season. More TV work followed, including 1997 appearances on "ER" and "Chicago Hope". That same year, the actress made her film debut with a small role in Gregg Araki's "Nowhere", the final installment in his Los Angeles-set teenage wasteland trilogy. She followed up with a supporting part in "Snide and Prejudice" (debuted at Cannes 1997), playing Geli, a young girl abused by her uncle Adolf in this odd take on the life of Hitler, set in a mental institution and played out through a schizophrenic man (Angus MacFadyen) who believes he is the notorious leader. Later that year Suvari was featured alongside Morgan Freeman and Ashley Judd in the mystery thriller "Kiss the Girls", adapted from James Patterson's best-selling novel. In 1998, she appeared in "The Slums of Beverly Hills" alongside Natasha Lyonne, who would go on to co-star with the actress in "Live Virgin" and "American Pie" (both 1999). Suvari was born in Newport, Rhode Island, the daughter of Candice, a Greek American nurse, and Ando Süvari, an Estonian-American psychiatrist. She has 3 older brothers, 1 of them in the United States Army. By the age of twelve, Suvari was modeling; she starred in a Rice-A-Roni commercial by the age of thirteen. Attended Providence High School, in Burbank, California, class of 1997. The family later relocated to Charleston, South Carolina, where her three older brothers lined up to attend The Citadel. Meanwhile, Mena was entertaining dreams of becoming an archaeologist, astronaut or doctor, when a modeling agency stopped by her all-girls school, Ashley Hall, to offer classes. By the time she started acting, she had been modeling for the New York-based Wilhelmina agency for five years. Suvari became a familiar face to audiences in 1999, with roles in several features. As the suicidal best friend of a girl with telekinetic powers, her early exit from "The Rage: Carrie 2" led to the titular hysteria that brought down a cruel high school in this forgettable revisiting of Brian De Palma's horror classic. (The film also featured Eddie Kaye Thomas, who would meet up with the actress in "American Pie".) Returning to television, she played the rebellious teenaged daughter of Rob Lowe's heroic NTSB investigator in the NBC disaster miniseries "Atomic Train". Suvari gained additional notice co-starring as Heather, a poised choir girl who wins the heart of amiable jock Oz (Chris Klein) in the summer hit "American Pie". She turned in a memorable performance in the sweetest storyline of this surprisingly pleasant teen sex romp. Touted as a latter-day "Fast Times at Ridgemont High", the admittedly enjoyable film fell somewhat short of that claim, though Suvari's performance revealed a unique screen presence reminiscent of a young Jennifer Jason Leigh. Her promise would continue to be met with a featured role in "American Beauty" as the teenage lust object of Kevin Spacey's regressing middle-aged character. With a look and demeanor that perfectly captured both childlike innocence and adult sensuality, the actress impressed audiences and critics alike as high school cheerleader and seemingly sophisticated seductress Angela, a role that would further prove her ability and seal her fame. Suvari made appearances in television shows such as Boy Meets World and ER at the age of fifteen and sixteen respectively. In 1999, she starred in the Oscar-winning American Beauty and the popular American Pie. Suvari was nominated for a BAFTA for Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role, for her role in American Beauty. She followed these movies with roles in such movies as Loser (2000), The Musketeer (2001), and Spun (2002). Suvari is the only actress to appear in three consecutive movies that start with the word "American": American Pie (1999), American Beauty (1999), American Virgin (2000). Suvari also became a recurring character in the fourth season of the critically acclaimed HBO serial Six Feet Under in 2004, as lesbian performance poet and artist, Edie. Suvari was nominated for a Blockbuster Entertainment Award for "Favorite Actress - Newcomer (Internet Only)" in 2000 for American Pie. Following the rousing success of "American Pie" and "American Beauty,” Suvari had become a hot Hollywood property. Her next role would be opposite "Pie" star Jason Biggs in "Loser" (2000), Amy Heckerling's college-set romantic comedy. Here she examined the attraction between older men and younger women with her role as Dora, an undergraduate with a persistent crush on her professor (Greg Kinnear). Dora bonds over common misery with the titular shy Midwesterner Paul (Biggs) in this charming New York University-set feature. Suvari next joined the ensemble of the black comedy "Sugar and Spice" (2001), playing one of a group of close-knit cheerleaders whose fierce loyalty in the face of adversity leads to some questionable and criminal behavior; and she returned for an abbreviated role in the sequel "American Pie 2" (2001). In 2003, Suvari forewent makeup and class when she portrayed a speed addict in the dark comedy "Spun," a film which also co-starred Jason Schwartzman, Mickey Rourke and Brittany Murphy. In 2004 she re-teamed with her "American Beauty" screenwriter Alan Ball on the fourth season of the hit HBO series he created, "Six Feet Under," playing a daring performance artist who strikes up a provocative relationship with series regular Claire Fisher (Lauren Ambrose). She then made an appearance as a flirtatious socialite who ruthlessly pursues the lone employee (Bryce Wilson) at a beauty salon in the Queen Latifah vehicle, “Beauty Shop” (2005), a spin-off of the popular “Barbershop” franchise. In 2006, Suvari performed the voice role of Aerith Gainsborough in the Square Enix/Disney video game Kingdom Hearts II and the English-language version of Square Enix's Final Fantasy VII Advent Children. She has lead roles in the remake of the zombie movie Day of the Dead as well as Stuart Gordon's controversial film Stuck. Suvari is a model for Lancôme cosmetics and print ads for Lancôme Paris Adaptîve. She has been featured in fashion magazines such as Vogue. Suvari has collaborated with Echo Design to launch a limited-edition three scarf collection. The project features her own nature-inspired photography, digitally screened on silk and silk chiffon as wearable art. The collection depicts trees in three stages of foliage from fall to winter; a portion of the proceeds from sales will go to the Natural Resources Defense Council. In June 2007, Suvari shaved her head for her lead role in the forthcoming movie adaptation of Ernest Hemingway's The Garden of Eden; photos appeared on the Internet rapidly. Her first name came from an Egyptian godmother. Suvari married German-born cinematographer Robert Brinkmann on March 4, 2000. Brinkmann is about eighteen years older than her. On April 24, 2005, Suvari filed for legal separation, citing irreconcilable differences; the divorce was finalized in May 2005. In the summer of 2005, she dated professional breakdancer Mike "Murda" Carrasco, a member of "Knuckle Head Zoo". They met in Braunschweig, Germany in October 2005. In 2007 Suvari began dating Italian-Canadian dancer, Simone Sestito. Suvari plays on the World Poker Tour in the Hollywood Home games for the Starlight Children's Foundation. She is also active in female empowerment issues. She is involved with several charities whose cause is breast cancer, the "End Violence Against Women" campaign, and tours high schools as a "Circle Of Friends" spokesperson, encouraging teenagers to quit smoking. |
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