Alicia Witt facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Alicia Witt
Alicia Witt in 2014
Born	Alicia Roanne Witt (1975-08-21) August 21, 1975 (age 49) Worcester, Massachusetts, U.S.
Occupation	Actress musician
Years active	1984–present
Musical career
Genres	Alternative pop
Instruments	Vocals piano

Alicia Roanne Witt (born August 21, 1975) is an American actress and musician. She became known as a child actress after director David Lynch discovered her. He cast her in the movie Dune (1984) and the TV show Twin Peaks (1990).

Witt was a regular on the TV show Cybill (1995–1998) for four seasons. She played Zoe Woodbine, the main character's daughter. She also had important roles in movies like Fun (1994), Mr. Holland's Opus (1995), and the horror film Urban Legend (1998). She has appeared in many other films, including Vanilla Sky (2001) and Two Weeks Notice (2002).

Besides acting, Alicia Witt is a talented pianist, singer, and songwriter. She has starred in many Hallmark Christmas movies. In her 2020 Hallmark film, Christmas Tree Lane, she was also a producer and writer. She even contributed two original songs to the movie.

Early Life and Talents

Alicia Witt was born on August 21, 1975, in Worcester, Massachusetts. Her mother, Diane, was a reading teacher, and her father, Robert, was a science teacher and photographer. Alicia's mother held a Guinness World Record for the longest hair for several years! Alicia has a brother named Ian.

Alicia was a very bright child. She could talk by age two and read by age four. People often called her a child prodigy. When she was five, director David Lynch heard her recite Shakespeare on a TV show called That's Incredible! This is how he noticed her acting talent. Lynch started working with her in movies and TV when she was young. She earned her high-school diploma when she was only 14. From ages 10 to 14, Alicia took four piano lessons a week and competed in national contests.

Acting Career

Early Roles

David Lynch's discovery led to Alicia being cast in the movie Dune (1984). She played Alia, the sister of Paul Atreides. She was eight years old during filming. She worked with Lynch again in an episode of Twin Peaks. There, she played the younger sister of Donna, a character played by Lara Flynn Boyle.

Alicia also had small roles in movies like Liebestraum (1991) and Bodies, Rest & Motion (1993). In 1994, she got her first main role in the movie Fun. For her performance in Fun, she won a special award at the Sundance Film Festival. She then appeared in Four Rooms, playing Madonna's daughter in one part of the movie.

Becoming Well-Known

Alicia became known to more people when she played Zoey Woodbine in the TV show Cybill. She was on the show from 1995 to 1998. While on Cybill, she also acted in movies such as Mr. Holland's Opus and Citizen Ruth. After Cybill ended, Alicia took on main roles in films like the horror movie Urban Legend (1998).

In the early 2000s, Alicia starred in episodes of TV shows like Ally McBeal and The Sopranos. She also had a main role in the comedy Playing Mona Lisa and a part in Cecil B. Demented. She appeared in the movie Vanilla Sky (2001) and the romantic comedy Two Weeks Notice (2002).

Later Roles

From 2003 to 2004, Alicia lived in the United Kingdom. During this time, she played a role in the movie The Upside of Anger. She also traveled to South Africa to film Kingdom in Twilight, where she played Kriemhild. This film is also known as Dark Kingdom: The Dragon King.

Alicia filmed Last Holiday (2006) and the thriller 88 Minutes (2007). She also joined the cast of Law & Order: Criminal Intent for the 2007–2008 season. She played Detective Nola Falacci, who was a temporary partner for Detective Mike Logan. In 2010, she appeared in the film Peep World.

In 2012, Alicia played Elaine Clayton in Cowgirls 'n Angels. In 2013, she co-starred in the independent film Cold Turkey. She also performed an original song for the movie's end credits. Her acting in this film was highly praised. She appeared in several Christmas films in 2013 and 2014, including Tyler Perry's A Madea Christmas and A Very Merry Mix-Up.

In 2014, Alicia had a guest role on the TV series Kingdom. She also played Wendy Crowe in the fifth season of the FX series Justified. In April 2016, Alicia appeared in two episodes of The Walking Dead. She also returned to her role as Gersten Hayward in the 2017 Twin Peaks series. Witt filmed a guest role on season 12 of Supernatural. In 2019, she had a recurring role as Zelda on the seventh season of Orange Is the New Black.

More recently, Alicia appeared in the thriller Alice in 2022. In 2024, she starred in the horror film Longlegs, alongside Maika Monroe and Nicolas Cage.

Theater Work

In 2004, while living in the UK, Alicia starred in a play called The Shape of Things in London. In 2006, she returned to the London stage in Piano/Forte. In this play, she was praised for her role as Abigail, a pianist.

In 2014, Alicia performed with Amber Tamblyn in the play Reasons to Be Pretty in Los Angeles.

Music Career

Alicia Witt performing in 2012

Alicia Witt is not just an actress; she is also a professional singer-songwriter and pianist. She was considered a musical prodigy when she was young. In the 1990s, she played piano at the Beverly Wilshire Hotel restaurant.

Her piano skills were noted when she played a pianist in the 2006 play Piano/Forte.

In 2009, Alicia released her first music album, an extended play simply called Alicia Witt. She followed this with Live at Rockwood in 2012 and Revisionary History in 2015. The famous musician Ben Folds produced Revisionary History. In 2013, Witt and Folds performed a song they wrote together for the movie Cold Turkey. Critics have praised her music, comparing it to artists like Elton John and Fiona Apple.

In 2016, Alicia joined the cast of ABC's Nashville. She played Autumn Chase, an established country singer. She performed several songs during her time on the show.

In August 2018, Alicia released a five-song EP called 15,000 Days. This title refers to how long she had been alive when she recorded the album. She worked with producer Jacquire King on this project. Her album The Conduit was released in 2021.

In 2020, Alicia released two new Christmas songs, "Why Christmas" and "Christmas Will Never End." Her character sings these songs in her Hallmark Christmas movie, Christmas Tree Lane.

In August 2023, she released another six-song EP called Witness.

Other Appearances

In September 1990, Alicia competed on the game show Wheel of Fortune.

On June 14, 2004, Alicia modeled a very expensive hat for an auction house in London. The "Chapeau d'Amour" was designed by Louis Mariette and was valued at US$2.7 million because it was covered in diamonds.

In October 2021, Alicia Witt released a book titled Small Changes: A Rules-Free Guide to Add More Plant-Based Foods, Peace & Power to Your Life.

In 2023, Alicia competed on The Masked Singer as "Dandelion." She performed well, beating some other famous contestants.

Personal Life

Alicia Witt has shared that she battled breast cancer in 2021. She has been cancer-free since 2022 after receiving treatment.

Filmography

Film

Television

Stage Credits

Awards and Recognitions

Discography

• Revisionary History (2015)
• The Conduit (2021)
• I Think I'm Spending Christmas with You (2024)

See Also

In Spanish: Alicia Witt para niños