Childhood & Early Life
Alexis Dziena was born on July 8, 1984, in New York. She was inclined toward performing arts since childhood. The support from her parents was quite crucial in the development of her interest in acting. By the time she was three years old, she had already started taking piano and cello lessons.
She loved playing music and also started exploring the world of acting in fifth grade. She finished her early schooling from ‘Saint Ann’s School’ and then enrolled at the ‘American Academy of Dramatic Arts,’ where she received professional training in acting.
Other than acting in plays, she also wrote several one-act plays for herself at the academy. Once out of the high school, she attended the reputed ‘New York University’ (NYU) for some time and honed her acting skills. During her stint at NYU, she did a few short films and became part of several ‘Off-Broadway’ productions.
By the time she was 18, she had already started receiving acting offers. . In one of her initial stints, she appeared in the music video for Joey Ramone’s song ‘What a Wonderful World,’ where she was seen alongside her then-boyfriend, actor Michael Pitt.
Her struggling phase did not last too long as she met a casting director, Lori Eastside, and that turned out to be a massive breakthrough for her. They became friends and Lori gradually understood Alexis’ potential rather well. One thing led to another and Alexis was offered a role in the film ‘Bringing Rain.’ It was one of the first films that Alexis signed, but before the film was released, she had already started appearing in TV shows and films.
Continue Reading Below
Career
In 2002, Alexis appeared in an episode of the series ‘Witchblade,’ titled ‘Parabolic.’ It was a small role. This further led her to make her film debut in 2003 with another small role in the independent film ‘Seasons of Youth.’ The same year, she further extended her filmography with four more films, namely, ‘Mimic 3: Sentinel,’ ‘Bringing Rain,’ ‘Rhinoceros Eyes,’ and ‘Wonderland.’
Her role in ‘Wonderland’ was deleted in the final edit of the film, but by then she had already made a name for herself as a young and talented performer. The year 2003 also brought her small TV roles in the crime dramas ‘Law & Order: Special Victims Unit’ and ‘Law & Order.’
In 2004, she appeared in a made-for-television film, ‘She’s Too Young.’ In the film, she played the leading role of a 14-year-old girl with an affinity for sex and drugs. In 2005, she appeared in a comedy ‘Strangers with Candy,’ which was a moderate critical and commercial success.
Her next film was ‘Stone Cold,’ a TV crime drama, featuring Alexis as a rape victim. This was a major supporting role. The film was positively received by both the critics and the audiences. The performances too were praised.
She continued her successful run in 2005 with the film ‘Broken Flowers,’ a French –American comedy drama, starring Bill Murray in the leading role. The film was a mega critical success and won a ‘Grand Prix’ at the ‘Cannes Film Festival.’ However, it failed to leave a mark at the box office.
She then went on playing one of the leading roles in the low-budget independent film ‘Pizza’ and ended her busy run in 2005 with the Anne Hathaway-starrer crime drama ‘Havoc.’
Her TV career too excelled in 2005. She made her first TV appearance in two episodes of the series ‘Joan of Arcadia’ followed by a major role in the science-fiction series ‘Invasion.’ ‘Invasion’ received immense critical acclaim and Alexis’ performance as ‘Kira Underlay’ was received well.
After a break in 2006, she made her big-screen comeback with the independent dark comedy ‘Sex and Breakfast.’ In the film, she starred opposite Macaulay Culkin and played the role of a sexually charged young woman with relationship issues. The same year, she featured in a one-episode role in the soap opera ‘One Life to Live.’
In 2008, she played one of the leading roles in the film ‘Fool’s Gold,’ starring Matthew McConaughey and Kate Hudson. To Alexis’ dismay, the film received poor critical and commercial response. The same year, she played another leading role in the romantic comedy–drama ‘Nick & Norah’s Infinite Playlist,’ in which she played the role of the unfaithful ex-girlfriend of the titular character, Nick.
In 2009, Alexis bagged a major recurring role in the successful comedy–drama series ‘Entourage.’ The series was about the daily lives of stars in Hollywood, and Alexis was one of the several Hollywood stars who formed its cast. It was also her very last TV role.
The same year, she appeared in a multi-starrer film, ‘Tenderness,’ and followed it up the next year with the film ‘When in Rome.’ In the latter, she played the lead character’s sister.
In 2012, she took a big risk when she starred in the surreal comedy–drama film ‘Wrong.’ It was an independent film that had its world premiere at the ‘Sundance Film Festival’ and was also an official selection at the ‘Toronto International Film Festival.’
Soon, her acting career came to an abrupt halt. Since ‘Wrong,’ she has only appeared in two independent films, namely, ‘Sister’ and ‘Without Ward.’
Personal Life
Alexis Dziena has been highly secretive about her romantic involvements. However, her fans were well aware of her relationship with actor Michael Pitt. She is said to have dated the actor-musician from 2002 to 2004. Following this, she became more determined to keep her private life away from the media and the general public.
Alexis has an older brother, Alex Dziena, who is a popular musician and DJ.
Among her professional and personal friends, she is known as ‘Wonder Girl,’ owing to her sincerity and hard work as an actor.
