Julianne Moore biography

Synopsis

Early Life

Born Julie Anne Smith on December 3, 1960, in Fayetteville, North Carolina, actress Julianne Moore has received wide praise for tackling unusual and challenging characters. She had a transient childhood, moving from place to place because of her father's military service. Always changing schools, Moore found herself targeted by bullies who picked on her for her now famous traits. "When I was 7, these kids in the alley behind our house in Omaha called me 'Freckleface Strawberry.' I hated my freckles and I hated that name," she explained to Redbook.

After attending high school in Germany, Moore returned to the United States to study at Boston University. She graduated from the university's School of Performing Arts in 1983 and soon moved to New York City to break into the theater world.

From Television to Film

In 1985, Moore landed her first major television role: She played Frannie Hughes on the soap opera As the World Turns for several years, eventually taking on the dual role of her character's twin sister Sabrina. Moore won a Daytime Emmy Award for her work on the drama. In 1990, she made her film debut in Tales of the Darkside. Moore, however, gained more notice for her supporting role in The Hand That Rocks the Cradle (1992).

Her career seemed to pick up momentum around this time. In 1993, Moore appeared in four films of varied quality and success. She appeared in Madonna's dramatic dud Body of Evidence as well as the quirky romantic tale Benny & Joon with Johnny Depp and Mary Stuart Masterson. Moore also had a role in The Fugitive, a hit crime drama starring Harrison Ford, in 1993. That same year, she appeared in Robert Altman's Short Cuts, based on the stories of Raymond Carver.

Moore took on a classic theatrical work in 1994's Vanya on 42nd Street. Directed by Louis Malle, the film offers a different take on actors performing Anton Chekhov's play Uncle Vanya. Moore again demonstrated her dramatic talents in Todd Haynes's independent drama Safe (1995). She plays a woman battling unknown disease, possibly caused by environment factors.

Leading Actress

In 1997, Moore starred in Steven Spielberg's box office blockbuster The Lost World: Jurassic Park with Jeff Goldblum. She also picked up her first Academy Award nomination that same year for best supporting actress in Boogie Nights. In this Paul Thomas Anderson movie about adult films, Moore played a porn star named Amber Waves.

Moore continued to work with interesting filmmakers, appearing Ethan Coen and The Big Lebowski (1998). While not a box office hit, this offbeat comedy starring Jeff Bridges has become a cult classic.