Alicia Witt

Alicia Witt

Active - 1984 - 2022  |   Born - Aug 21, 1975 in Worcester, Massachusetts, United States  |   Genres - Drama, Crime, Thriller

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Biography by AllMovie

Since making her film debut in 1984's Dune, Alicia Witt has matured into one of the more steadily employed young actresses in Hollywood. With a resumé that includes both film and television work, the flame-haired Witt has become known for her roles in projects as varied as the TV sitcom Cybill and 1998's teen horror flick Urban Legends.

Born August 21, 1975, in Worcester, MA, Witt displayed a remarkable precocity from an early age. Talking by age two and reading by the age of four, she made her film debut in Dune at the age of nine and earned her high school GED when she was 14. Her next role of any import was on David Lynch's TV series Twin Peaks (1990) and was later followed by a secondary role in 1993's Bodies, Rest & Motion, co-starring Bridget Fonda, Phoebe Cates, Eric Stoltz, and Tim Roth. In 1994, Witt earned Sundance credibility with her turn as a murderous teen in Fun and the following year was introduced to a wider audience with her role as Cybill Shepard's daughter on Cybill. A variety of roles followed in films ranging from the desultory (1995's Four Rooms) to the delightful (Alexander Payne's 1996 satire Citizen Ruth). 1996 also saw Witt in one of her more recognizable roles, as one of Richard Dreyfuss' struggling band students in Mr. Holland's Opus. Her recognition was further heightened with her appearance in 1998's Urban Legends, in which she co-starred with a number of other nascently twinkling stars, including Jared Leto, Joshua Jackson, and Rebecca Gayheart. She had a memorable part in John Waters scathing satire Cecil B. Demented, and went on to appear in Vanilla Sky, Two Weeks Notice, The Uspide of Anger, the Al Pacino thriller 88 Minutes, Peep World, and Cowgirls 'n Angels.

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Factsheet

  • Learned to read at 9 months and appeared on That's Incredible! at the age of 4 to recite Shakespeare.
  • Played classical piano by the age of 7 and won several piano competitions.
  • Made her film debut in David Lynch's Dune; was later featured in Lynch's Twin Peaks and Hotel Room
  • Earned her high-school equivalency degree at the age of 14.
  • Played piano at the Regency Beverly Wilshire Hotel as a teen to make money during the early stages of her career.
  • Modeled the Chapeau d'Amour, a couture hat valued at $2.7 million, at Christie's in London.
  • Released her debut self-titled EP in 2009.
  • Is a PETA supporter.