Today we offer a closer acquaintance with the American theater and film actress, Jennifer Tilly, nominee for an Oscar. For most domestic viewers, she is known for her roles in such films as âBride of Chuckyâ, âLiar, Liarâ, âCommunicationâ, âUnluckyâ, âRestless Witnessâ, âChainâ and others.
Actress Biography
The future Hollywood celebrity was born on September 16, 1958 in Harbor City - a suburb of American Los Angeles. Her father - Harry Chen - was an American of Chinese descent and made a living by selling cars, and her mother - Patricia Tilly - was a theater actress, she had Indian and Irish roots. The Jennifer family was large: she had three more brothers and sisters. Interestingly, one of them - Meg Tilly - also became a real Hollywood star and was nominated for several prestigious film awards. When Jennifer was five years old, her parents divorced, and her mother took all four children to Canada, where they lived with their grandmother.
A few years later, Patricia married John Ward, the father of five children and a former hippie. Large newlyweds decided with their whole family to move to the island of Texada, whose main occupation was logging. However, John Ward absolutely did not plan to engage in physical labor, considering himself a writer. As a result, a large family could barely make ends meet. The main entertainment of little Jennifer was improvised performances, which she regularly and with great pleasure arranged for both her siblings and stepbrothers and sisters. We can say that it was then that her artistic talent first made itself felt.
The beginning of a theatrical career
When young Jennifer was in high school, her mother decided to divorce John Wardon. As a result, the family moved to the big city of Victoria. Here Jennifer literally plunged into the theatrical life. The girl was determined to become an actress. Thanks to her talent and efforts, at the end of the eighties she began to perform on the stage of the Los Angeles Theater Center, where she played in such plays as âThis Boyâs Lifeâ and âTartuffeâ. She also took part in Broadway productions of Vanity and One Shoe Off.
Jennifer Tilly: filmography, the first steps in a film career
The debut of the actress on the big screen was the participation in the film directed by David Baird "Southerners". Jennifer was so convincing even against the background of stars such as Faye Dunaway and James Earl Jones, that many film critics agreed on the great talent of young Tilly. In 1982, the actress starred in yet another tape called "Hello." Then followed a series of minor roles in television series, among which are the âMoonlight Detective Agencyâ and âBlues Hill Streetâ. A few years later, in 1988, Jennifer reappears on the big screen in the films âRewindâ, âHe is my girlâ and âJohnny, be good.â Then followed a small but vivid role of Tilly in such films as âLips for Rentâ and âFamous Baker Brothersâ.
In 1992, Jennifer starred in the movie "Made in America", where Whoopi Goldberg played the main character. Despite the fact that the picture was not very successful, thanks to it, Tilly significantly increased fans, among whom were such celebrities as Quentin Tarantino. Two years later, the actress was nominated for the prestigious Academy Award for his roles in Woody Allen in The Bullets Over Broadway and Roger Donaldson's Escape.
Career continuation
In 1996, the next success of the actress was the role in the film of the Wachowski brothers under the name "Communication". Jennifer Tilly in it played a girl named Violet, and her partners on the set were Joe Pantoliano and Gina Gershon. This was followed by the participation of the actress in such films as âHome Arrestâ, âAmerican Trampsâ, âFreaks of Loveâ, âLiar, Liarâ, âUnluckyâ, âShotâ and âThe Godmotherâ.
Tilly gained particular fame after starring in a 1998 horror film called "The Chucky Bride," which tells the story of a killer doll. The picture was a great success, and Jennifer perfectly played her heroine named Tiffany. As a result, in 2004 it was decided to remove the continuation of the film. The new horror movie is called "The Progeny of Chucky."
2000s
Films with Jennifer Tilly continued to be actively released and with the beginning of the new millennium. So, in 2000, she starred in two fairly strong films: The Chain and Dancing in the Blue Iguana. The following year, the actress shone in the films âLove on the Runâ, âDeath in Hollywoodâ, âSister Maryâ and âDirtâ will explain everything.
In 2003, Jennifer played in the company of Audrey Tatu and Justin Thera one of the main roles in the comedy melodrama "Happy End" directed by Amos Kollek. Over the next five years, Tillyâs work will be in such films as âHouse with jokesâ, âJericho Pensionâ, âYoung Fatherâ, âSaint Ralphâ, âLove on the Sideâ, âCountry of Tidesâ, âSex and Violenceâ, âBeyond Practice,â âDedication to Sarah.â
2008 for Jennifer was marked by brilliant work in the paintings âThe Watchmanâ, âMade in Romaniaâ, âHotel Babylonâ. In the same year, the actress starred in the comedy "Players" directed by Jill Gates. The film tells the story of a young man who just recently began to learn the basics of poker, and today he is already participating in a professional tournament. Jennifer's partners in the filming of this project were Burt Reynolds, Shannon Elizabeth and Bret Harrison.
In 2013, the next part of the movie about the killer doll named Chucky directed and screenwriter Don Mancini âCurse of Chuckyâ was released. Jennifer Tilly in it appeared in the familiar role of Tiffany.
Jennifer Tilly: personal life
The actress does not really like publicity when it comes to her relationship with men. Very little information can be found about Jennifer's personal life. We only know that in 1984 she married Sam Simon, one of the producers and screenwriters of the popular animated series "The Simpsons". However, in 1991, the couple divorced.
Tilly is also known to be a professional poker player. So, in 2005, at one of the championships, she even won the main prize.