Date of Birth: April 12, 1979
Place of Birth: New York, NY, USA
Sign: Sun in Aries, Moon in Libra
Relations: Companion: Ben Lee (musician); Father: Chris (Computer Consultant); Mother: Carla (artist);Brother: Asa
Education: Completed high school diploma with tutor; has deferred enrollment to Yale
CLAIRE DANES EPITOMIZES the sexy innocence that made various women stars in the early and late 50’s. Her beauty combined with an innocence beyond description and of course, the great acting talent have made this young woman a star from childhood.
Even as a wife she played the innocent victim in Francis Ford Coppola's production of John Grisham's The Rainmaker with Matt Damon. Okay, she finally slummed it and played white trash in Oliver Stone’s U-Turn, but who saw it? Claire's pristine piety is safe.
But not for long.
In 1998, Claire stepped into The Mod Squad, filling some seriously big platform shoes left by Peggy Lipton, who created the slick, sexy role in the 1960s television series. Proving her versatility, she also held her own opposite Liam Neeson and Uma Thurman in the straight, no-big-Broadway-numbers version of Les Miserables. 1999 is allowing her to showcase her broad acting range even further; Danes' performance as one of two young women held in a foreign prison has some people whispering "Oscar." In the hands of a lesser actress, the role – and the film – would've been schlocky exploitation of young babes in prison. That Danes manages to make it a human drama despite her beauty is a true nod to her ability.
Movies:
2000 Flora Plum
2000 Monterey Pop
2000 Mornings with Dr. T
1998 Brokedown Palace
1998 Mod Squad
1998 Monterey Pop
1998 Polish Wedding
1998 Les Miserables
1997 The Rainmaker
1997 U-Turn
1996 Romeo and Juliet
1996 To Gillian on Her 37th Birthday
1996 I Love You, I Love You Not
1995 Home for the Holidays
1995 How to Make an American Quilt
1994 Little Women
TV:
1994 My So-Called Life
© 2000 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)
