About
Jennifer Lynn Connelly was born on December 12, 1970 in Catskill Mountains, New York to parents Gerard and Eileen. Her father, a clothing manufacturer who worked in the garment industry, and mother, an antique dealer in Woodstock, raised Jennifer in Brooklyn Heights, Brooklyn, just across the Brooklyn Bridge from Manhattan. The family moved there when Jennifer was four years old. She completed her primary and secondary education at St. Ann’s School. When she was ten, family friends recognized her good looks and urged her parents to take her to a modeling audition. They went looking for a representation and found it in the prestigious Ford Agency. Her modeling career started shortly thereafter when she appeared in newspaper and magazine ads. Although she claimed she was tiny and mousy as a child, she managed to appear in popular teen mags like Seventeen. She then moved on to television commercials. And from there she landed a small role for a flashback sequence in the mobster film, “Once Upon a Time in America”, starring Robert De Niro. She travelled all over the world, particularly to Europe, because of her modeling stints. Her small film roles were interspersed with gigs doing music videos for then hit bands Duran Duran.
After a couple of low-budget horror films, she became a star in the fantasy movie “Labyrinth” opposite David Bowie. The movie was not a success but it gained a huge cult following. Connelly enjoyed shooting with pop star David Bowie. The young Jennifer was a bit of a pop star herself at that time, singing a song called “Monologue of Love” for the Japanese market. Bowie said she reminded him of the young Elizabeth Taylor. She then went on to film several obscure flicks, some of which emphasized her sexpot stereotype. At that young age, Jennifer already had a voluptuous body, and film makers are quick to utilize that asset. Jennifer caught the attention of the male audience base, particularly when she appears semi-clad in most of her films at that time. When asked about her onscreen nudity, she replied, “Those were formative experiences. I used to be shy and timid. I was a good kid and I wanted to be one, but it can lead to a reserve that can be hampering. It’s been a gradual unleashing.”
Gradual or not, Jennifer’s “unleashing” of her talents, and her body, continued in “The Rocketeer”. The movie was expected to be a big hit, but sadly did not live up to expectations as it came out the same time as “Terminator 2” and “Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves”. But the movie was still a good one, and Jennifer also got hooked in real life to Bill Campbell, her co-star in the movie. They remained an item for about five years, even becoming engaged at one point.
In the autumn of 1990, Jennifer enrolled at Yale, majoring in English. She wanted to stay anonymous, but a room mate had seen “Labyrinth” and spilled the beans on the actress. Determined to study, she remained for two years, working where possible, then transferred to Stanford University. There she studied drama, classical theatre, and improvisation under Howard Fine, Harold Guskin and the late, great Roy London. She did not work much during this period, concentrating instead on her studies. More movies followed, but not one became a turning point in her life.
On a rock-climbing trip in upstate New York, she met photographer David Dugan and her life changed at that point. The two began an active relationship, where they continued their outdoor activities in different locations such as the Grand Tetons of Wyoming and Mount Shasta in California. The relationship also produced baby son Kai. She claimed her son’s birth caused her to really take stock of her life and career.
“Requiem for a Dream” came along and Jennifer took on a controversial role, playing one of several people dragged down by heroin addiction. She threw herself completely into the role, showing true talent and dedication to her craft as she and co-star Jared Leto went on trips to New York’s lower East Side, where they observed real-life junkies going on with their drug addiction. A very controversial scene in the movie shows Jennifer involved in a naked lesbian floorshow, complete with sex toys, before a roomful of businessmen. Director Darren Aronofsky refused to change the scene, insisting that he had to show how low you can go in the throes of drug addiction. The scene earned the film an NC-17 rating. Jennifer got rewarded for her part in Requiem when she received an Independent Spirit nomination.
2001’s “A Beautiful Mind” turned Jennifer into the star she deserved to be for a long time already. She won an Oscar as Best Supporting Actress for her role in this hit film opposite another Oscar-winning actor, Russell Crowe. Another life changing event happened to her during her times with the crew of “A Beautiful Mind”. She met Paul Bettany, whom she later married, on the set of this movie. The two are still together and has a son, Stellan, born from the relationship.
Jennifer Connelly is easily one of the most beautiful celebrities in the world. She is a vegan, speaks fluent Italian and French and has an interest in mathematics and software. Beautiful and intelligent, Jennifer is a complete package. She can claim that she is also one of the best actresses of her time, having an Oscar award and a Golden Globe award under her belt as proofs of her talent. Lovely to watch in the big screen, this actress still has a great future ahead of her, despite being a veteran of 20 or more films already.
