Biography

Born December 12, 1970, in the Catskill Mountains of New York State, Jennifer is an accomplished star actress. Jennifer grew up in Brooklyn Heights, except for the four years her family spent in Woodstock, New York. Her father, Gerard Connelly, is a clothing manufacturer, and her mother, Eileen Connelly, is a massage therapist and former antiques dealer.

She attended Saint Ann's school in Brooklyn, enrolled at Yale, then transferred two years later to Stanford. Her academic studies included interests in Quantum Physics and philosophy. Jennifer is trained in classical theater and improvisation, having studied with the late drama coach Roy London and with Howard Fine and Harold Guskin. She speaks fluent Italian, French and is semi fluent in Japanese.

When Jennifer was 10, a family friend who was an advertising executive suggested that her parents take her to a modeling audition. She began doing modeling work through the Ford Agency, appearing in magazine ads for Seventeen magazine and soon moved on to TV commercials. She also appeared in a Miller Beer commercial.

A casting director saw Jennifer and introduced her to Sergio Leone, who was seeking a young girl to dance in his gangster epic "Once Upon a Time in America". Jennifer got the part, and this was her first movie appearance, and the big break that launched her career.

Jennifer enjoys physical activities such as swimming, gymnastics, bike riding, and roller skating. She is very much the outdoors person, being into camping, hiking and walking.

What attracts many people to Jennifer, is not so much the kind of characters or roles she plays but her alluring style1 and charm which connects her to the audience. Jennifer seems able to bring this talent into all her roles. Being one of the most attractive women ever to grace the screen also helps considerably!

Jennifer states, "I'm still working and I have a lot to do, I have a lot I want to accomplish, that's just in terms of the integrity of my work, and not about how people perceive me or if I'm famous, I'm happy where I am". Jennifer has matured into one of the most versatile actresses on the screen.

Filmography

House of Sand and Fog (2003) .... Kathy
Hulk, The (2003) .... Betty Ross
2002 MTV Movie Awards (2002) (TV) .... Herself
74th Annual Academy Awards, The (2002) (TV) .... Herself
8th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards (2002) (TV) .... Presenter
Inside: A Beautiful Mind (2002) (TV) .... Herself
Orange British Academy Film Awards, The (2002) (TV) .... Herself
Beautiful Mind, A (2001) .... Alicia Lopez Harrison de Larde-Nash
"$treet, The" (2000) TV Series .... Catherine Miller (2000)
VH1/Vogue Fashion Awards (2000) (TV) .... Herself
Pollock (2000) .... Ruth Klingman
Requiem for a Dream (2000) .... Marion Silver
... aka Delusion Over Addiction (2000)
Waking the Dead (2000/I) .... Sarah Williams

Dark City (1998) .... Emma Murdoch/Anna
Inventing the Abbotts (1997) .... Eleanor Abbott
Far Harbor (1996) .... Ellie
Mulholland Falls (1996) .... Allison Pond
Higher Learning (1995) .... Taryn
Of Love and Shadows (1994) .... Irene
... aka De amor y de sombras (1995) (Argentina) (Spain)
Heart of Justice, The (1992) (TV) .... Emma Burgess
Rocketeer: Excitement in the Air (1991) (TV) .... Herself
Rocketeer, The (1991) .... Jenny Blake
Career Opportunities (1991) .... Josie McClellan
... aka One Wild Night (1991)
Hot Spot, The (1990/I) .... Gloria Harper

Étoile (1988) .... Claire Hamilton/Natalie Horvath
... aka Ballet (1988)
Some Girls (1988) .... Gabriella 'Gabby' D'Arc
... aka Sisters (1988)
Inside the Labyrinth (1986) .... Herself
Labyrinth (1986) .... Sarah
Mondo dell'orrore di Dario Argento, Il (1985) .... Herself/Jennifer Corvino
... aka Dario Argento's World of Horror (1985)
Valley, The (1985) (V) .... Jennifer Corvino/Herself
Seven Minutes in Heaven (1985) .... Natalie Becker
Phenomena (1985) .... Jennifer Corvino
... aka Creepers (1985) (USA: US version)
Once Upon a Time in America (1984) .... Young Deborah
... aka C'era una volta in America (1984) (Italy)