Leelee Sobieski facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Leelee Sobieski
Sobieski in 2012
Born	Liliane Rudabet Gloria Elsveta Sobieski (1983-06-10) June 10, 1983 (age 42) New York City, U.S.
Other names	Leelee Kimmel
Occupation	Actress, artist
Years active	1994–present
Spouse(s)	Adam Kimmel ​ ​ (m. 2010)​
Children	2
Relatives	Martin Kimmel (father-in-law) Donald Aronow (grandfather-in-law)

Liliane Rudabet Gloria Elsveta "Leelee" Sobieski (born June 10, 1983) is an American artist and former actress. She became well-known as a teenager for her roles in movies like Deep Impact (1998) and Never Been Kissed (1999). She also appeared in Eyes Wide Shut (1999), Here on Earth (2000), and thrillers like Joy Ride (2001).

Leelee Sobieski was nominated for an Emmy and a Golden Globe Award for playing Joan of Arc in the TV movie Joan of Arc (1999). She received another Golden Globe nomination for her role in the miniseries Uprising (2001). Sobieski continued acting until 2012, when she decided to focus on her children and her art career.

Early Life and Family

Sobieski at the Metropolitan Opera in 2009

Leelee Sobieski was born in New York City on June 10, 1983. Her mother, Elizabeth Sobieski, is an American film producer and writer. Her father, Jean Sobieski, is a French painter and former actor. Leelee grew up in a family with different backgrounds, and she is proud of her "melting pot roots." She has a younger brother named Robert.

Her first name, Liliane, comes from her grandmother. One of her middle names, Elsveta, is from her mother's name, Elizabeth.

Leelee graduated from Trevor Day School in 2001. She later studied literature and fine art at Brown University, but she did not finish her degree there.

Acting Career Highlights

Leelee Sobieski was discovered by a talent scout in a school cafeteria in New York City. This led to her first audition for a movie role.

Early Roles and Big Break

In 1994, she played Anna Yates in the TV movie Reunion. She then had a main role in the 1995 TV film A Horse for Danny. Her first role in a major studio film was in 1997, playing the daughter of Martin Short's character in the comedy Jungle 2 Jungle.

Sobieski became famous in her mid-teens with the movie Deep Impact (1998). This film was a huge success, earning over $349 million worldwide. Her role in Deep Impact helped her get noticed by many casting directors. That same year, she also appeared in the film A Soldier's Daughter Never Cries. Critics praised her performance, and she was nominated for a Young Artist Award.

Working with Famous Directors

In 1999, Sobieski worked with the famous director Stanley Kubrick in his film Eyes Wide Shut. She remembered acting alongside Tom Cruise and said he was "very kind." She also felt that Kubrick, who passed away shortly after filming, had something "magic" about him.

Also in 1999, Sobieski had a supporting role in the teen comedy Never Been Kissed, starring Drew Barrymore. Her next big role was playing Joan of Arc in the TV movie Joan of Arc (1999). This performance earned her nominations for an Emmy and a Golden Globe. She was the youngest actress at the time to play Joan of Arc on screen.

Later Film and TV Work

In 2000, Sobieski played the main female role in the film Here on Earth with Josh Hartnett. She received a Teen Choice Award nomination for this role. She earned a second Golden Globe nomination for her part as Tosia Altman in the 2001 TV film Uprising.

In 2001, Sobieski starred in the thriller Joy Ride with Paul Walker. The movie received good reviews. That same year, she also starred in the thriller The Glass House. Her performance in the 2001 drama My First Mister was also praised by critics.

Sobieski took on a starring role in the independent film L'Idole (2002). She then starred with John Cusack in the drama Max. In 2005, she played Deianira in the TV miniseries Hercules.

Sobieski at the 2007 Toronto International Film Festival

She appeared in the experimental film Lying (2006) and the drama Heavens Fall. She also appeared in the horror film In a Dark Place and the remake of The Wicker Man (2006) with Nicolas Cage.

In 2007, the comedy film Walk All over Me premiered at the 2007 Toronto International Film Festival. Her next big movie was the thriller 88 Minutes (2008), co-starring Al Pacino. In 2008, Sobieski also appeared in the fantasy film In the Name of the King: A Dungeon Siege Tale. She reunited with her Joy Ride co-star Steve Zahn in the film Night Train.

In 2009, Sobieski had a small role in the crime drama Public Enemies. In 2010, she starred in Finding Bliss and made a guest appearance on the TV series Drop Dead Diva. She also played a main role in the drama thriller Acts of Violence.

Sobieski guest-starred on an episode of The Good Wife in 2011. From April to August 2012, she starred as Officer Jennifer "White House" Perry in the CBS drama series NYC 22. She also played the main role in the movie Branded, released in September 2012.

Leelee Sobieski officially retired from acting in 2012. She explained that she wanted to focus on her children.

Art Career

After retiring from acting, Leelee Sobieski began her art career using her married name, Leelee Kimmel. She creates abstract paintings and sculptures. She also works with virtual reality (VR) using Google Tilt Brush. Her art often features bright colors and textured shapes on large black or white backgrounds.

Her first solo art show, "Channels," opened in 2018 in Brooklyn. It received positive reviews, with Vogue magazine saying her work "warrants serious merit." She then had her first exhibit in the UK, called "Wormhole," in London. In this show, she presented large abstract paintings that explore ideas of creation and destruction.

Personal Life

Family and Relationships

In January 2009, Sobieski started dating fashion designer Adam John Kimmel. They got engaged in May 2009 and announced it in July 2009. Their daughter was born in December 2009, and their son was born in August 2014. They live in Red Hook, Brooklyn.

Leelee Sobieski speaks fluent French, which she learned from her French-born father.

Thoughts on Her Career

In a 2001 interview, Sobieski shared her thoughts on the types of movies she made. She said that films like Joy Ride are "fun, jump out of life films" and that she enjoyed making them. She also mentioned that some films, like Bulworth, can have a deeper message and help society.

In 2016, Sobieski confirmed that she no longer acts. She told Us Weekly that she stopped acting mainly because she wanted to focus on her children.

Filmography

Film

Television

See also

In Spanish: Leelee Sobieski para niños