Julianne Moore biography

Synopsis

Julianne Moore was born in Fayetteville, North Carolina, on December 3, 1960. She became known for her role on the soap opera As The World Turns. Her feature films include The Hand That Rocks the Cradle, The Fugitive, The Hours and Children of Men. She has twice been nominated for an Academy Award for best actress, for performances in Boogie Nights and Far From Heaven.

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.

Moore revisited one of film's scariest movies that same year, appearing in a remake of Alfred Hitchcock's Psycho. She also took over the role of FBI agent Clarice Starling in Ridley Scott's Hannibal (2001). Jodie Foster had originated the part in The Silence of the Lambs (1991).

In 2002, Moore earned great acclaim for two compelling roles: In Far From Heaven, she plays a 1950s stay-at-home mother whose picture-perfect life unexpectedly shatters. Dennis Quaid plays her husband, who struggles with his sexuality. In The Hours, Moore portrays another 1950s housewife. This time around, her character contemplates freeing herself from her suburban shackles.

Recent Projects

One of the most well-regarded actresses of her generation, Moore has continued to tackle a diverse mix of interesting roles. She and Annette Bening starred as a lesbian couple in the 2010 independent dramatic comedy The Kids Are All Right. The couple meets the sperm donor (Mark Ruffalo) who fathered their two children in this critically acclaimed film. On the small screen, Moore had a recurring role as Alec Baldwin's former high school friend on the hit sitcom 30 Rock around this time.

In 2012, Moore gave another compelling performance on the small screen. She earned raves from critics for her spot-on portrayal of former vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin in the television movie Game Change. The real-life role gave Moore her first Emmy Award win. That same year, Moore appeared in two dramatic films: What Maisie Knew and Being Flynn.

Moore was also cast in the remake of Carrie (2013), with Chloë Grace Moretz in the title role. Based on the best-selling novel by Stephen King, Carrie tells the story of a tormented teen who gets her revenge. Moore plays Carrie's mother in the film.

In addition to acting, Moore has found great success as a children's book author. She drew from her own experiences to write Freckleface Strawberry, which was published in 2007. In 2009, Moore released a follow-up story, Freckleface Strawberry and the Dodgeball Bully.

Personal Life

Moore is married to director Bart Freundlich. The pair met while working together on Freundlich's 1997 film, The Myth of Fingerprints. They live together in New York City with their two children, Caleb and Liv. Moore was previously married to actor John Gould Rubin.