The super-talented Juliette Lewis has had a relatively successful career as an actress and a singer. With an acting career of over 20 years, Lewis is known to different generations of film and television audiences in several ways. In the early 1990s, she gained an “It girl” status, especially among arthouse and independent film audiences.
For a newer generation of television audiences, Juliette Lewis is probably mostly known for her role on Showtime’s thriller drama series Yellowjackets. Even with her recent roles, Juliette has always been known for playing unconventional characters and having the propensity to star in film and television projects with dark themes. Here’s more on Juliette Lewis’ career and life as a Hollywood icon.
Juliette Lewis’ Father Was Actor Geoffrey Lewis
Juliette Lewis was born to the late film and television actor Geoffrey Lewis and his first wife, Glenis Duggan. The actress was born in Los Angeles, California, on June 21, 1973. Geoffrey Lewis was quite popular with television and film audiences of the 70s and 80s. He was also a frequent collaborator of actor-director Clint Eastwood. Geoffrey Lewis died from a heart attack on April 7, 2015, at age 79. Before his death, Geoffrey Lewis was married three times and was reported to have nine to ten children. This gives actress Juliette Lewis at least seven half-siblings and a step-sister.
She Was Legally Emancipated From Her Parents At Age 14
Born in Los Angeles to an actor father, Juliette Lewis was quickly influenced to want a career as a professional actor. Although her parents divorced when she was two, she joggled between both parents’ houses and sometimes lived with actress Karen Black. For Lewis, Karen Black was more than a family friend; she considered her a mentor. Unsurprisingly, Juliette Lewis’ first screen role appearance was uncredited in Clint Eastwood’s 1980 Western comedy-drama Bronco Billy. Juliette was a week shy of her seventh birthday when the movie was released.
In 1987, in the year she turned 14, she made her professional film debut in the TV movie Home Fires. Cast as Mary, Lewis’ performance attracted several positive critical reviews. Wanting to do more with her career, Juliette Lewis chose to legally emancipate herself from her parents. This gave her more control over the roles she could play. She has clarified several times that her emancipation wasn’t in any way a form of rebellion but to allow herself to take on more roles as a minor and have controlling rights.
Her legal emancipation came with its glories and problems. At 15, Lewis bought a Mazda for $6,000 but chose to drive it without a license. She drove a car without a license until she was 21 after she was arrested without one for not stopping at a stop sign. Lewis also dropped out of college at 15, choosing to focus on her acting career. At 16, she was arrested for underage drinking after entering a bad u lawfully.
Juliette Lewis’ Breakout Role Was In Cape Fear
When Martin Scorsese was casting for the remake of the 1962 movie Cape Fear, Juliette Lewis auditioned for the role of Bowden’s teenage daughter, Danielle Bowden. Lewis reportedly beat 500 girls to land the role. With the cast led by Robert De Niro, Nick Nolte, and Jessica Lange, Juliette Lewis delivered a memorable performance that brought her accolades. Juliette Lewis received her first Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actress for her performance in Cape Fear. Similarly, she was nominated for Best Supporting Actress – Motion Picture at the Golden Globe Awards. Cape Fear was also a commercial success, grossing $182.3 million on a $35 million budget.
Juliette Lewis Dated Brad Pitt For Four Years
Juliette Lewis and Brad Pitt began dating after meeting on the set of the TV movie Too Young to Die? (1990). In the movie, Lewis and Pitt played the lead characters, Amanda Sue Bradley and Billy Canton, respectively. However, Lewis was 16 at the time, and Pitt was 26. The couple co-starred alongside each other in the 1993 road thriller movie Kalifornia. Juliette Lewis and Brad Pitt lived together while they dated. However, the couple split in 1993.
Juliette Lewis’ Musical Career
Besides appearing in music videos for other artists such as Melissa Etheridge, HIM, Thirty Seconds to Mars, and Har Mar Superstar, Juliette Lewis also has a blossoming musical career. Taking a break from acting, Lewis formed the musical band Juliette and the Licks. The band released …Like a Bolt of Lightning as an EP in 2004. Juliette and the Licks released their debut studio album, You’re Speaking My Language, in 2005.
They dropped their second album, Four on the Floor, in 2006. Besides the band’s success, Juliette Lewis also had a successful solo career. In 2009, Lewis released her debut full-length studio album, Terra Incognita. Her next solo release was an EP, Future Deep, in 2017. If you enjoyed reading about Juliette Lewis, read about her Yellowjackets co-star, Christina Ricci.
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