Jennifer Connelly facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Jennifer Connelly
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Connelly in 2010
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| Born |
Jennifer Lynn Connelly
December 12, 1970 Cairo, New York, U.S.
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| Education | |
| Occupation | Actress |
| Years active | 1982–present |
| Spouse(s) | |
| Children | 3 |
Jennifer Lynn Connelly (born December 12, 1970) is an American actress. She started her career as a child model. Her first movie role was in the 1984 film Once Upon a Time in America.
After modeling, she focused on acting. She starred in many films, including the fantasy movie Labyrinth (1986) and the superhero film The Rocketeer (1991). Critics praised her work in the science fiction film Dark City (1998). She also received acclaim for her role in the drama Requiem for a Dream (2000).
In 2001, Connelly won an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress. She won the award for playing Alicia Nash in the movie A Beautiful Mind. Her other famous movies include Hulk (2003), Blood Diamond (2006), and Top Gun: Maverick (2022). She has also starred in TV shows like Snowpiercer and Dark Matter.
Besides acting, Connelly supports human rights. In 2005, she became an Ambassador for Amnesty International. She has also modeled for famous brands like Balenciaga, Louis Vuitton, and Revlon. Many magazines have called her one of the most beautiful women in the world.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Jennifer Connelly was born on December 12, 1970, in Cairo, New York. Her mother, Ilene, was an antique dealer, and her father, Gerard, made clothing. She grew up in Brooklyn Heights, New York, and went to Saint Ann's School.
When she was young, her family moved to Woodstock, New York, because her father had asthma and needed cleaner air. They moved back to Brooklyn a few years later.
After high school, Connelly studied English at Yale University. She later transferred to Stanford University to study drama. Her parents encouraged her to continue acting, so she left college to focus on her film career.
Acting Career
How She Got Started
When Connelly was ten, a friend of her father suggested she try modeling. Her parents sent her photo to the Ford Modeling Agency, and they signed her. She appeared in print ads and TV commercials. She was on the cover of Seventeen magazine several times.
Her mother took her to acting auditions, and she was cast in the movie Once Upon a Time in America. She played the younger version of a character who was an aspiring dancer. Even with no ballet training, she impressed the director and got the part.
Her first leading role was in the 1985 horror film Phenomena. She played a girl at a Swiss school who could communicate with insects.
Becoming a Star
In 1986, Connelly became widely known for playing Sarah in the fantasy film Labyrinth. In the movie, she goes on a quest to save her baby brother from a world of goblins, ruled by a king played by David Bowie. The movie is now a cult classic.
She then starred in the romantic comedy Career Opportunities (1991). That same year, she played Jenny Blake in the Disney movie The Rocketeer.
In the late 1990s, she appeared in several films. She played a college student in Higher Learning (1995) and was in the drama Inventing the Abbotts (1997). Her performance in the science fiction movie Dark City (1998) was highly praised by critics.
Worldwide Recognition and Oscar Win
The 2000s were a major turning point in Connelly's career. She gave a powerful performance in the drama Requiem for a Dream (2000), playing a character facing serious personal challenges. Critics praised her for showing the character's difficult journey.
Her biggest success came in 2001 with the movie A Beautiful Mind. She played Alicia Nash, the wife of the brilliant mathematician John Nash, who was played by Russell Crowe. For this role, Connelly won an Academy Award, a Golden Globe Award, and a BAFTA for Best Supporting Actress.
After her Oscar win, she starred in the superhero movie Hulk (2003) as scientist Betty Ross. She also appeared in the drama House of Sand and Fog (2003), where her performance as a woman who loses her home was called "powerful and graceful."
Continued Success in Film and TV
After a short break, Connelly returned in the thriller Dark Water (2005). She then co-starred in the drama Little Children (2006) and the action film Blood Diamond (2006) with Leonardo DiCaprio.
In 2009, she played Emma Darwin, the wife of Charles Darwin, in the movie Creation. Her real-life husband, Paul Bettany, played Charles Darwin. She also voiced the character "7" in the animated movie 9.
More recently, she starred with Russell Crowe again in the biblical film Noah (2014). She played Penny Benjamin in the blockbuster hit Top Gun: Maverick (2022). She has also had major roles in television, including the science fiction series Snowpiercer and Dark Matter.
Personal Life and Charity Work
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While filming The Rocketeer, Connelly dated her co-star Billy Campbell. They were together for five years. She has a son, born in 1997, from a later relationship.
In 2003, she married actor Paul Bettany. They met while working on the movie A Beautiful Mind. They have a son, born in 2003, and a daughter, born in 2011. The family lives in Brooklyn Heights.
Connelly is also dedicated to helping others. In 2005, she was named an Amnesty International Ambassador for Human Rights Education. She has worked with the organization Charity: Water to help bring clean water to people around the world. In 2012, she became an ambassador for the Save the Children fund, which helps protect the rights of children.
Images for kids
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Connelly in 2019
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Connelly at the 2012 Cannes Film Festival
See also
In Spanish: Jennifer Connelly para niños
