Sherilyn Fenn facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Sherilyn Fenn
Sherilyn Fenn in 2012
Born	Sheryl Ann Fenn (1965-02-01) February 1, 1965 (age 60) Detroit, Michigan, U.S.
Occupation	Actress
Years active	1984–present
Spouse(s)	Toulouse Holliday ​ ​ (m. 1994; div. 1997)​
Partner(s)	Johnny Depp (1985–1988) Dylan Stewart (2006–2013)
Children	2
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Sherilyn Fenn (born Sheryl Ann Fenn on February 1, 1965) is an American actress. She is best known for playing Audrey Horne in the TV show Twin Peaks (1990–1991, 2017). For this role, she was nominated for a Golden Globe Award and an Emmy Award.

She also appeared in movies like Wild at Heart (1990), Of Mice and Men (1992), and Boxing Helena (1993). On TV, she was in Rude Awakening (1998–2001), Shameless (2016), and Shining Vale (2022).

Early Life and Starting Out

Sherilyn Fenn was born in Detroit, Michigan, on February 1, 1965. She grew up in a family of musicians. Her mother, Arlene Quatro, played the keyboard, and her aunt is the famous singer Suzi Quatro. Her grandfather, Art Quatro, was a jazz musician. Her father, Leo Fenn, managed rock bands like Alice Cooper.

Sherilyn traveled a lot with her family. When she was 17, they moved to Los Angeles. Instead of starting a new school, she decided to try acting. She joined the Lee Strasberg Theatre Institute to learn more about acting.

Acting Career Highlights

Early Roles (1984–1989)

Sherilyn Fenn started her acting career in the mid-1980s. She appeared in several movies, including The Wild Life (1984) and the skater film Thrashin' (1986). She also acted in The Wraith (1986) and the horror movie Zombie High (1987).

In 1985, she was in the teen comedy Just One of the Guys. She also worked with actor Johnny Depp in a short film called Dummies. Sherilyn and Johnny dated for about three and a half years. Later, they appeared together in an episode of the TV show 21 Jump Street in 1987.

Becoming Famous with Twin Peaks (1990–1991)

Sherilyn Fenn became widely known when she was cast as Audrey Horne in the TV series Twin Peaks. The show ran from 1990 to 1991. Audrey was a popular character, known for her unique style and her interest in FBI Special Agent Dale Cooper.

After filming the pilot for Twin Peaks, Sherilyn had a small role in the movie Wild at Heart, directed by David Lynch. This film won a major award at the 1990 Cannes Film Festival. David Lynch, who directed both Twin Peaks and Wild at Heart, thought Sherilyn was a very interesting actress.

Sherilyn also played John Dillinger's girlfriend, Billie Frechette, in the TV movie Dillinger in 1991. After Twin Peaks, she wanted to try different kinds of roles. She turned down a spin-off show for her character Audrey Horne because she wanted to explore new acting challenges.

Big Roles After Twin Peaks (1992–1995)

After her success in Twin Peaks, Sherilyn Fenn was nominated for an Emmy Award and a Golden Globe Award. She appeared on the covers of popular magazines like Rolling Stone and People. In 1990 and 1991, she was named one of the "Most Beautiful Women in the World" by Us Magazine and People magazine.

In 1991, she starred in Diary of a Hitman, playing a young mother protecting her child. A big moment in her film career was playing a sad and lonely wife in Gary Sinise's movie Of Mice and Men (1992). This role showed a different side of her acting.

In 1993, she starred in the romantic comedy Three of Hearts. She also played the main role in Boxing Helena, directed by David Lynch's daughter, Jennifer Chambers Lynch. Sherilyn was proud of her work in this film.

She then played a secretary in the comedy Fatal Instinct. In 1995, she was in the TV movie Slave of Dreams, based on a Biblical story. She also appeared in an episode of Tales from the Crypt, where she acted alongside a computer-generated image of Humphrey Bogart.

After taking a short break, Sherilyn was chosen to play the famous actress Elizabeth Taylor in the 1995 TV movie Liz: The Elizabeth Taylor Story. Sherilyn worked hard to show the real person behind the famous legend.

TV Shows and Independent Films (1996–2001)

In the late 1990s, Sherilyn started working on more TV movies and independent films. She appeared in the romantic comedy Lovelife (1996) and Just Write (1997).

In 1997, she guest-starred in an episode of Friends as Ginger, Matt LeBlanc's ex-girlfriend. She also starred in the British drama Darkness Falls (1998).

From 1998 to 2001, Sherilyn played the main character, Billie Frank, in the TV sitcom Rude Awakening. Billie was an ex-soap opera actress trying to become a writer. Sherilyn enjoyed playing Billie because the character was honest and didn't care what others thought.

She also appeared in the film Cement (2000) and the family comedy Off Season (2001).

Later Career (2001–Present)

After Rude Awakening, Sherilyn Fenn continued to appear in many TV shows. In 2001, she was in an episode of The Outer Limits and Night Visions.

In 2002, she had a recurring role on Dawson's Creek as Alex Pearl. She was also cast as Harley Quinn in the TV show Birds of Prey but had to leave due to other commitments. She appeared in an episode of Law & Order: Special Victims Unit.

Sherilyn had a small role in the movie The United States of Leland (2003) with Ryan Gosling. She also appeared in Gilmore Girls in 2003 as Sasha. Later, she returned to Gilmore Girls in 2006 and 2007 as a different character, Anna Nardini.

She played Violet Montgomery in Boston Public (2003–2004) and was in an episode of NCIS in 2004. In 2005, she appeared in The 4400 and the final episode of Judging Amy.

In 2007, she played Lulu Hogg in the movie The Dukes of Hazzard: The Beginning. In 2010, she was in an episode of Psych that paid tribute to Twin Peaks, with many references to the show.

In 2016, she joined the cast of Shameless. In 2017, she returned to her famous role as Audrey Horne for the third season of Twin Peaks. She also appeared in S.W.A.T. from 2017 to 2021.

In 2016, Sherilyn wrote a children's book called No Man's Land. She was inspired to write it after her second son was diagnosed with autism. In 2022, she played Sarah Jane McCubbin in the drama Losing Addison.

Personal Life

Sherilyn Fenn dated singer Prince for a short time in 1985. She then dated actor Johnny Depp for a few years.

In 1993, she had a son named Myles with guitarist-songwriter Toulouse Holliday. They were married from 1994 to 1997. In 2007, Sherilyn had her second son, Christian, with Dylan Stewart.

Awards and Nominations

• 1990: Nominated for an Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series – Twin Peaks
• 1991: Nominated for a Golden Globe Award for Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in a Series, Mini-Series or Motion Picture Made for TV – Twin Peaks

Other Recognition

Sherilyn Fenn (right) with a fan dressed as Killer BOB in London, 2017

• Sherilyn Fenn has been on the cover of many magazines, including New York, Rolling Stone, and Entertainment Weekly.
• In 1990, Us Weekly named her one of the "10 Most Beautiful Women in the World".
• In 1991, People magazine chose her as one of the "50 Most Beautiful Women in the World".
• The singer and composer Screamin' Jay Hawkins wrote a song called "Sherilyn Fenn" in 1993, which was an ode to her.
• The Norwegian hard rock band Audrey Horne, formed in 2002, is named after her character in Twin Peaks.

Filmography

Film

Television

Music Video

• Bunbury – "Deseos de usar y tirar" (2020)

See also

In Spanish: Sherilyn Fenn para niños