A staple on edgy independent films early in her career, CLEA
DuVALL has emerged as one of the most sought-after young actresses
in Hollywood, effectively delivering heartfelt performances in a
career that boasts a solid list of starring and supporting roles
in both mainstream and independent features.
After making her feature film debut in the little-seen 1996 film
"Little Witches," DuVall appeared in small, walk-in parts in such
films as "Niagra, Niagra," "The Alarmist," the graduation night
comedy "Can't Hardly Wait" and "Girl." Her first major role was
in Kip Koenig's independent feature "How To Make the Cruelest
Month," which was in competition at the 1998 Sundance Film
Festival. She won acclaim for her spirited comic performance as a
young woman desperate to fall in love and determined to quit
smoking who reaches a crossroads in her life that coincides with
the new year. Later that same year, she managed to stand out
among the crowd of young actors who gained seemingly overnight
fame during the late '90s with her starring role as the brainy
loner 'Stokely' in Dimension Films' "The Faculty," which garnered
DuVall nominations for a Blockbuster and Teen Choice Award for
Breakout Performance.
In 1999, DuVall appeared in a cameo in "She's All That" to support
her friend Rachael Leigh Cook's first leading movie role, and had
substantial roles in two high profile films: She played Georgina
Tuskin, a pathological liar in Columbia Pictures' acclaimed
"Girl, Interrupted," co-starring Winona Ryder and Academy Award®
winners Whoopi Goldberg and Angelina Jolie; and appeared as Nan,
Charlize Theron's supportive younger sister in the disappointing
"The
Astronaut's Wife," which also starred Johnny Depp. In
addition, she took a small part as a nurse in "Slipping Down
Life" --- "just for the chance to work with Lili Taylor."
DuVall had a cameo appearance in Heather Graham's first solo
starrer, "Committed" and appeared in starring roles in two
independent features: "Wildflowers" and the comedy "But I'm A
Cheerleader" for director Jamie Babit, who first directed her in
the short film "Sleeping Beauties." She starred in the dark comedy
"See Jane Run," in which she plays Jane and was seen as a
rookie cop in the critical and box-office disappointment "John
Carpenter's Ghosts of Mars." DuVall had major parts in the
independent films "The Slaughter Rule," the Emmy Award-nominated
all-star ensemble "The Laramie Project" and "13 Conversations
About One Thing," (in which she played the central character among
an ensemble cast including Matthew McConaughey) all of which
debuted at the 2002 Sundance Film Festival. She was recently seen
as one of the lead characters alongside John Cusack in the hit
thriller "Identity," which reunited her with "Girl, Interrupted"
director James Mangold. The film enjoyed the number one spot for
a while before it was eclipsed by the blockbuster "X-Men 2."
DuVall then had a supporting role in the acclaimed drama "21
Grams" with Naomi Watts and Sean Penn before an uncredited
appearance in the film "Fathers and Sons" in 2004. She played a key
role alongside Sarah Michelle Gellar in the American remake of the
Japanese cult hit "The Grudge" as a young married woman afflicted
with a malevolent virus that drives one into a powerful rage
before killing them and spreading to another victim. Recently,
she starred in the 2006 films "Champions" and "Two Weeks," and the
2007 movies "Itty Bitty Titty Committe," "Zodiac," "Ten Inch Hero"
and "Anamorph."
For television, DuVall appeared in Showtime's "The Defenders"
and guest-starred on "Dangerous Minds" and "ER." She portrayed
'Invisible Girl,' a villainous character in an episode of the
cult series "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" and had a recurring role
as mental hospital-refugee Wanda Ricketts in the high school
series "Popular." DuVall's 2001 television project was
Cinemax's "How to Make a Monster," a film about hackers in which
she had the lead role. She guest starred on "The Fugitive" and
starred in the acclaimed HBO series "Carnivalé" which premiered
in 2003. DuVall played Linda Kasabian in the TV movie "Helter
Skelter," (2004) a new take on the Manson Family Murders. Her
most recent television appearances include a guest role on "CSI:
Crime Scene Investigation" in 2005 and a semi-regular spot on
the critical hit "Heroes" from 2006 to 2007.
Born on September 25, 1977 in California, Clea Helen D' etienne
DuVall graduated from the Los Angeles High School for the Arts
in 1997 and was quickly cast in Sundance Film Lab's production of
"Wildflowers," in the lead role opposite James Gandolfini.
She currently resides in Los Angeles.
![[Clea DuVall]](clea.jpg)