Mena Suvari facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Mena Suvari
Suvari in February 2016
Born	Mena Alexandra Suvari (1979-02-13) February 13, 1979 (age 46) Newport, Rhode Island, U.S.
Occupation	Actress producer fashion designer model
Years active	1995–present
Spouse(s)	Robert Brinkmann ​ ​ (m. 2000; div. 2005)​ Simone Sestito ​ ​ (m. 2010; div. 2012)​ Michael Hope ​ ​ (m. 2018)​
Children	1

Mena Alexandra Suvari (born February 13, 1979) is an American actress, producer, fashion designer, and model. She has won a Screen Actors Guild Award and was nominated for a Primetime Emmy Award.

Mena started her career as a model and appeared in several TV shows. She made her first movie in 1997. She became famous for playing Angela in the movie American Beauty (1999) and Heather in three of the American Pie movies (1999–2001, 2012). Some of her other main movie roles include Slums of Beverly Hills (1998), Loser (2000), and Sugar & Spice (2001).

On TV, Mena had main roles in the supernatural horror series South of Hell (2015) and the sitcom American Woman (2018). She was nominated for a Primetime Emmy Award for her role as Detective Thompson in the series RZR (2024). She also had recurring roles in Six Feet Under (2004) and Chicago Fire (2013). She played Elizabeth Short in American Horror Story: Murder House (2011) and American Horror Story: Apocalypse (2018).

Mena Suvari has also been a model for Lancôme cosmetics. She supports and works with the Starlight Children's Foundation and the African Medical and Research Foundation. She is married and has one child.

Early Life and First Steps

Mena Suvari was born in Newport, Rhode Island, on February 13, 1979. Her mother, Candice, was a nurse, and her father, Ando Ivar Süvari, was a psychiatrist. Her mother is from Greece, and her father was from Estonia. Mena has five brothers and one sister.

She started modeling when she was a preteen. Soon after, she appeared in a commercial for Rice-A-Roni. Her family later moved to Charleston, South Carolina. Mena thought about becoming an archaeologist, astronaut, or doctor. But a modeling agency visited her school, Ashley Hall, and offered classes. By the time she started acting, she had been modeling for five years. Mena moved to California and finished high school in 1997.

Becoming an Actress

Early TV and Movie Roles

Mena started acting in TV shows when she was 15 and 16 years old. She appeared in popular shows like Boy Meets World and ER. She also played a girl with HIV in an episode of Chicago Hope.

In 1997, she made her first movie, an independent drama called Nowhere. She also had a small part in the thriller Kiss the Girls, starring Morgan Freeman. Her next film was Slums of Beverly Hills, where she played a teenage neighbor. She met Natasha Lyonne on this set, and they later worked together in the American Pie movies.

Big Breakthrough Roles

Mena became very famous in 1999 with two successful movies: American Pie and American Beauty.

In American Pie, she played Heather, an innocent choir girl. The movie was a big hit, earning $235 million worldwide.

In American Beauty, Mena played Angela Hayes, a teenage girl who becomes the focus of a man's attention. The movie was highly praised and won the Academy Award for Best Picture. American Beauty made $356 million globally. Mena was even nominated for a BAFTA Award for her role.

Mena then worked with Jason Biggs again in the movie Loser (2000). She played the love interest of a smart, small-town man. They also appeared in the music video for the song "Teenage Dirtbag" by the band Wheatus.

In 2001, Mena continued to act in movies. She was in the adventure film The Musketeer and returned as Heather in American Pie 2. This sequel was also a big success, making $285 million worldwide. She also played a cheerleader in the crime comedy Sugar & Spice.

Independent Films and TV Shows

Mena appeared in many independent films in the 2000s. In Spun (2002), she played a girlfriend. She also starred with Colin Firth in the thriller Trauma (2004).

In 2004, Mena had a recurring role in the HBO series Six Feet Under. She played a performance artist named Edie. She and the cast were nominated for a Screen Actors Guild Award.

Mena Suvari in 2007

In 2006, Mena voiced the character Aerith Gainsborough for the video game Kingdom Hearts II and the movie Final Fantasy VII Advent Children. She also appeared in the drama Factory Girl (2006).

In 2007, Mena starred in the crime drama Brooklyn Rules and the psychological thriller Stuck. Critics liked her performance in Brooklyn Rules.

By the late 2000s, Mena continued to work on smaller films. In The Garden of Eden, she played a woman traveling across Europe. She even shaved her head for the role, which she said was "very liberating."

More TV and Recent Projects

In the 2010s, Mena appeared in TV shows like Psych (2010) and The Cape (2011). She also played the Black Dahlia in two episodes of American Horror Story: Murder House (2011).

Mena Suvari at the American Reunion (2012) premiere in Melbourne, Australia

Mena returned to the American Pie series in American Reunion (2012). She played Heather for the third time. The movie was a big hit, earning $235 million worldwide.

She continued to work in independent films like The Knot (2012) and Don't Blink (2014). In 2015, she starred as a demon-hunter in the TV series South of Hell.

Between 2016 and 2017, Mena made guest appearances in shows like Inside Amy Schumer and Justice League Action. In 2018, she had a main role in the sitcom American Woman, playing one of three women finding independence in the 1970s. She also returned to American Horror Story: Apocalypse as Elizabeth Short.

In 2024, Mena played Detective Thompson in the science fiction series RZR. For this role, she was nominated for her first Emmy Award. She also played Jane Wyman in the movie Reagan.

Helping Others

Mena Suvari has worked with the Natural Resources Defense Council. She designed a scarf line called ECHO to raise money for charity. She has also played poker to support the Starlight Children's Foundation.

She is very active in helping women and fighting breast cancer. She also speaks at high schools as a "Circle Of Friends" spokesperson. Mena is a long-time supporter of the African Medical and Research Foundation. She has visited Africa to help with projects that provide small incomes and clean water.

Mena Suvari at the American Reunion (2012) premiere in Melbourne, Australia

Her Life Today

Mena Suvari married cinematographer Robert Brinkmann in 2000. They divorced in 2005.

In 2007, she started dating concert promoter Simone Sestito. They got engaged in 2008 and married in Rome in 2010. They divorced in 2012.

In late 2017, Mena became a vegan. She now uses only cruelty-free and environmentally friendly products.

Mena married set decorator Michael Hope in October 2018. In October 2020, they announced they were expecting their first child. Their son was born in April 2021.

Selected Filmography

Selected Television Roles

Video Games

Awards and Nominations

See also

In Spanish: Mena Suvari para niños