Chloë Stevens Sevigny (/ˈkloʊ.iː ˈsɛvəni/;born November 18, 1974) is an American actress, fashion designer, and former model. She gained a reputation for her eclectic fashion sense, and developed a broad career in the fashion industry in the mid-to-late 1990s for modeling and her intern work at New York's Sassy Magazine, which labeled her the new "It Girl" at the time and garnered her attention within the New York fashion scene. In 1994, her personal style attracted the attention of journalist Jay McInerney, who wrote a 7-page article about her for The New Yorker, in which he called a then 19-year-old Sevigny the "coolest girl in the world". Throughout her early film career, her fashion choices often overshadowed her acting career until her work in 1999's Boys Don't Cry brought her widespread acclaim. In 2000, she won the VH1 Vogue Fashion Award for best female celebrity style. The following year, Vogue Magazine called her a "fashion icon", helping to further accredit her image as one of the coolest women in the industry.Sevigny made her film debut with a leading role in the controversial film Kids (1995), written by Harmony Korine, which led to an Independent Spirit Award nomination for her performance. A long line of roles in generally well-received independent and often avant-garde films throughout the decade established Sevigny's reputation as an indie film queen. In 1999, Sevigny won eight acting awards and gained serious critical and commercial recognition for her first mainstream role in the critically lauded Boys Don't Cry, for which she also received Academy Award and Golden Globe nominations for Best Supporting Actress. Sevigny continued acting in mostly independent art house films, such as American Psycho (2000), Party Monster (2003), and Dogville (2003). Her role in the art house film The Brown Bunny (2003) caused significant controversy because of a scene in which she performs unsimulated fellatio. Her films since then have included Melinda and Melinda (2004), Manderlay (2005), Zodiac (2007), and My Son, My Son, What Have Ye Done? (2009). From 2006 to 2011, Sevigny played a leading role in the HBO television series Big Love, for which she received a Golden Globe for Best Supporting Actress in 2010. She then appeared in several television projects, including a lead role in Hit & Miss (2012), and recurring roles on American Horror Story: Asylum (2012–2013) and Portlandia. Sevigny has two Off-Broadway theatre credits, and has starred in several music videos. She has also designed several wardrobe collections, most recently with Manhattan's Opening Ceremony boutique.
Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actress in a Series, Miniseries, or Motion Picture Made for Television
Record Labels
X-Girl of Sonic Youth
Nominations
Golden Globe Awards (2000), Academy Awards (2000), Independent Spirit Awards (1996), Online Film Critics Society Awards, Critics' Choice Television Awards (2011)
Movies
“Gummo” (1997), "Kids" (1995), "Big Love", "Hit & Miss", “Black Dog, Red Dog” (2015), “Horror” (2015), “Antibirth” (2016), “Love and Friendship” (2016), “The Dinner” (2017) and “The Snowman” (2017)
I was very troubled, yes. Me and my brother both - we were troubled and troublemakers.
2
I think it's just a lot more pressure to make the scenes work when you're doing a film, because when you're doing a series you feel like, I have so many scenes, so many episodes, so if I don't get it exactly right this time, I have another scene later. You feel less pressure.
3
My first job was in sixth grade, sweeping the clay tennis courts at the yacht club near my house, which I was not a member of. Always had to pay my own rent. But I don't really have any concept of how money works. I don't know how much things cost. Like a BMW. Or a quart of milk. It's embarrassing.
4
In Hollywood, you can't say anything bad about anybody or everyone is going to attack you. It's like you always have to put on a happy face, be the phony baloney, and I'm so not that. I never was that; I'll never be that. That is part of the business that I don't like.
5
When I was younger, I was really anti-Hollywood. Now I'm more accepting of it because I'm less of a snob.
6
It's not what you spend but how you wear it that counts. The key is often to dress up inexpensive basics with accessories. Something like a beautiful designer bag or belt can make everything else look richer and more luxurious.
7
I was having a very difficult time in school. I was miserable. I was dissatisfied with the town we lived in.
[on her ambitions to act] I mean I'd gone to like summer theatre camp every year growing up and I had always aspired to be an actress. I was actually in some commercials when I was a kid. And then my mother pulled because she thought the world was a little too twisted and she wanted me to be a kid more. And so they hired a professional actress, Mia Kirshner and then two days before shooting they fired her and hired me, so that's someone else's misfortune.
10
As of late [2011], I am more of a homebody. I like having people over. You can smoke in the apartment. I'm just not into going out so much. The crowd is getting younger and younger.
11
I hate going to fashion shows. I find them boring.
12
I've never felt like I had very much to say. Maybe that'll come later in life.
13
I had an agent once who said that in an audition you have to make the women want to be you and the men want to fuck you. I said, I'm sorry, I can't just go into a room and, like, try to achieve that. That's not my motivation in life.
14
I'm ambitious, but I'm not ambitious enough to move to Los Angeles.
15
[on being cast in Kids (1995)] Harmony [Korine] just thought I was this sweet, cute girl and he liked my blonde hair.
16
I don't want to be a movie star or be famous; I just want to do a few good movies and maybe move some people.
17
I think it's sexy to be a little bit mysterious.
18
I had a great family life - I would never want it to look as if it reflected on them. I think I was very bored, and I did just love taking hallucinogens. But I often feel it's because I experimented when I was younger that I have no interest as an adult. I know a lot of adults who didn't, and it's much more dangerous when you start experimenting as an adult. [on drug experimentation as a teenager]
19
You hear about these actresses who avoid going to fashion shows lest they not be taken seriously. I don't like going because it's such a circus. It's always anticlimactic. But I'm not ashamed to admit it: Fashion is superficial, but I love it.
20
I knew people would not understand it. It's a shame people write so many things when they haven't seen it. When you see the film, it makes more sense. It's an art film. It should be playing in museums. It's like an Andy Warhol movie. [on the oral sex scene in The Brown Bunny (2003)]
21
I've always made films that are sort of avant-garde-y or whatever you call it.
22
I am most proud of my integrity and least proud of my cynicism.
Often took a train into New York City during the weekends to attend rave parties and hang out with Manhattan skateboarders. Sevigny would say to her parents she was staying in Greewich Village with friends, but would actually attend all-night raves and sleep in park-lands when they finished. It was there in New York City that a 19-year-old Sevigny met Harmony Korine and Larry Clark, who later cast her in Kids (1995).
11
Swept tennis courts of a country club in her home town while growing up for extra money.
12
On the cover of Gigolo Aunts' Ep "Full in Bloom", 1993.
13
Underwent dental surgery in December 2003 after falling in a pair of high-heeled boots and breaking four of her teeth.
14
Was offered a small part in I Shot Andy Warhol (1996) but turned it down.
15
Often sewed and made her own clothes while in high school.
16
Designed several men's, women's, and unisex clothing lines with Manhattan's Opening Ceremony boutique (2008-2009).
17
Is a fan of musician Morrissey and his former band, The Smiths; she attended a concert of his in fall 2007 dressed as Joan of Arc, who is featured in the lyrics of one of his songs.
$2 Million
