Alicia Silverstone was born on October
4, 1976 in San Francisco, California, United States. She attended
Crocker Middle School and then San Mateo High School. Whenever the
Silverstones had time during the summer, they went to England with
to visit relatives (mother --Didi-- was a airline stewardess so
they got discounts). Alicia's father, Monty, saw how beautiful Alicia
was and he started to take pictures, which started a modeling career
at the age of eight. Alicia got modeling jobs for YSL, Levis' Dockers,
and Marshall's. She also took some ballet classes and won 4th
place at a contest. Alicia said modeling was a easy way to make
money, but it wasn't what she wanted to do. Alicia wanted to act.
She took an intensive acting class at the age of twelve (sources
range from twelve to thirteen) from Judi O'Neill. While in Los Angeles
for a showcase, Carolyn Kessler saw her and became her agent and
later a good friend. She then moved to Los Angeles, where she attended
Beverly Hills High School for a short time (Alicia later received
her GDE).
Within a year of hiring Kessler, Alicia got a commercial for
Dominos Pizza. After the commercial Alicia got a guest spot on the
hit television show The Wonder Years. She then signed up
for The Crush. Alicia was legally emancipated at 15 in
order to work the long and crazy hours required by The Crush's
shooting schedule. "I didn't want her to get emancipated," says
Monty. "But her agent kept telling me if she wasn't emancipated,
she wouldn't get The Crush". Alicia won Best Villain and
Breakthrough Performance at the MTV Movie Awards for The Crush.
After doing The Crush Alicia made a couple movies for television:
Torch Song and Scattered Dreams.
Marty Callner, the director of the Aerosmith videos, saw Alicia
in The Crush and wanted her for the Aerosmith video, Cryin'.
Marty liked Alicia so much, he signed her for two more Aerosmith
videos: Crazy and Amazing. Between Cryin'
and Crazy Alicia shot another television movie The
Cool & The Crazy.
Wasting no time, Alicia went back to work in 1995, which ended
up to be very busy. She did Hideaway, Babysitter,
True Crime, Le Nouveau Monde, and the surprise
hit Clueless.
During the filming of True Crime, Alicia found a dog
that was hit by a car and was ill. Alicia took in the dog, Samson,
and now it's part of the family. Alicia is a avid animal rights
activist. She is involved with several animal rights groups such
as The Ark Trust (gives out the Genesis Awards), PETA (People For
The Ethical Treatment of Animals), and Last Chance for Animals.
Before Alicia got her start in the entertainment industry, she waitressed
for a time at a restaurant where she is remembered for her daily
feedings of all the birds and squirrels who hung out there.
Clueless was an unexpected hit, which catapulted
Alicia's career. Alicia won numerous awards for the movie Clueless.
After Clueless, Barry Josephon of Columbia Pictures signed
Alicia to a two picture deal for $7 million. Alicia took
less money so she could produce the films as well.
The first film on the Columbia Pictures deal was Excess
Baggage, which she produced with her First Kiss Production
Company. Excess Baggage was a success if you ask Alicia, but wasn't
a huge hit at the box office. She has also nabbed the role of Batgirl
in the fourth Batman movie, Batman And Robin. Batman
And Robin also wasn't as huge as some would hope, but did farely
well with the box office numbers.
1999 started out well for Alicia with Blast From The Past.
Most critics liked the film and called it Alicia come back movie.
Alicia has working on William Shakespeare's Love's Labours
Lost which will be a 1930's style musical. Alicia has been
taking singing lesson for the part. Kenneth Branagh wrote and will
direct the film. Carmen Ejogo, Natascha McElhone, Nathan Lane, Adrian
Lester, Matthew Lillard, Emily Mortimer, Alessandro Nivola and Timothy
Spall will also be in the film by Pathe Pictures, Intermedia Films,
and Miramax Films.
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