Denise Faye on AllMovie

A comely and multidisciplined actress who thrived on the transcendent experience of overcoming incredible odds, Broadway singer/dancer- turned-film starlet Denise Faye has appeared in such films as Mighty Aphrodite (1995) and Donnie Brasco (1997) since the mid-'90s, though it wasn't until her turn as a local temptress in American Pie 2 that she truly caught the eye of filmgoers. Despite that role being based almost solely on sex appeal, a glimpse beneath the surface offered a look at a true talent who just happened to have beauty on her side. Born in New York City and aspiring to be a Broadway dancer since her earliest days, Faye's father was a doctor and her mother a psychiatric social worker, giving her a grounded look at life well before she opted for a career in showbusiness. Following her parents' divorce when she was 13, Faye's interests in human behavior eventually lead her to pursue a double major in Psychology and Urban Studies at Columbia University. Despite her dedication to her studies, the lure of Broadway proved too tempting and the aspiring actress abandoned her education to be in her first New York show. It wasn't long before the bright lights of Broadway were shining on Faye and all of her fantasies were coming true. Taking the stage opposite such luminaries as Nathan Lane in Guys and Dolls, Faye continued to appear on-stage in Chicago, Swinging on a Star, A Madhouse in Goa, Filumena, and The Winters Tale. After making her film debut in Donnie Brasco the lure of the screen proved as irresistible as the lure of the stage, and frequent film and television roles were soon to follow. Parlaying her stage experience to the screen, Faye would both appear in and take on the role of associate choreographer for the eagerly anticipated feature-film adaptation of the long-running Broadway hit Chicago.