Leelee Sobieski Biography

Liliane Rudabet Gloria Elsveta Sobieski was born in New York on June 10, 1983. She caught the attention of a casting agent who noticed her while he was scouting the cafeteria of a New York City private school. The man asked her to audition for a role in Interview with the Vampire: The Vampire Chronicles (1994). She ended up losing the role to Kirsten Dunst, but that didn't stop her. At age 13 she co-starred in the TV movie Reunion (1994) (TV) with Marlo Thomas and a year later starred in A Horse for Danny (1995) (TV). Although she had roles in many films, it was in 1998 that she hit the big time, starring opposite Elijah Wood in Deep Impact (1998). The film, which was one of the summer's biggest hits, garnered Leelee great reviews and brought her to the attention of many casting directors. Next up was Joan of Arc (1999) (TV), which she shot in the Czech Republic and for which she received an Emmy nomination. While working on Joan of Arc (1999) (TV), she was also shooting a film with Tom Cruise, Eyes Wide Shut (1999). The film, shot under strict secrecy by the notoriously reclusive Stanley Kubrick, had Leelee cast as a teenage nymphet who tempts Cruise's character. It didn't turn out to be quite the summer blockbuster expected but, again, Leelee got some good reviews. While shooting the film she developed a friendship with Stanley Kubrick and was heartbroken when he died soon after its completion.Leelee went on to star with other big names: Drew Barrymore in Never Been Kissed (1999); Diane Lane in The Glass House (2001) and Josh Hartnett & Chris Klein in Here on Earth (2000).