Claire
Danes
A native New Yorker,
Claire
Danes is the youngest of two children, brought up,
as she says, in a "very creative household." Her mother,
a painter and teacher, and her father, a computer consultant, met
in art school and have always encouraged their daughter's interests
in the arts. At the age of six Claire Danes began
studying modern dance, which she still continues to do. At nine,
she took an acting class at the Lee Strasberg Studio. In sixth and
seventh grades she attended the Professional Performing Arts School
in New York, a public school run by the city, where Claire
Danes gravitated again towards acting. In addition, she
credits her love of gymnastics, which she pursued for several years,
for teaching her discipline.
Claire's
acting career began with stage appearances off-off-Broadway, in
productions of "Happiness," "Punk Ballet," and
"Kids on Stage," in which she choreographed a solo dance
piece. Among her television credits are "Law and Order,"
in which she plays a young model who kills her agent; "No Room
For Opal," as Tyne Daly's daughter; and "The Coming Out
of Heidi Leiter," as a gay woman's sister. Claire Danes
made her film debut at the age of 11 in the role of a molested child
in "Dreams of Love," with Milos Forman as executive producer.
She also appeared in a short film, "Thirty," created for
fashion designer Geoffrey Beene; and in a film festival short, "The
Pesky Suitor," with Sully Boyar and in the production playing
the role of Beth in Columbia Pictures' "Little Women,"
with Winona Ryder and Susan Sarandon. Claire Danes
has just finished the film "Romeo and Juliet".
When she is not working,
Claire Danes likes spending time on her school
studies, especially the humanities and science. She tries to keep
up her interest in dance, and wants to continue with her new enthusiasm
for surfing while she's living in Los Angeles.
Claire Danes
and her family make their home in New York with a cat, Fifi-Champion.
