Who is Courtney Love? Everything You Need to Know

Quick Facts

Also Known As: Courtney Michelle Love, Courtney Michelle Harrison

Age: 59 Years, 59 Year Old Females

Family:

Spouse/Ex-: James Moreland (m. 1989–1989), Kurt Cobain (m. 1992–1994)

father: Hank Harrison

mother: Linda Carroll

siblings: Benjamin Barraud, Daniel Menely, Jaimee Rodriguez, Joshua Barraud, Nicole Rodriguez

children: Frances Cobain

Born Country: United States

Actresses Musicians

Ancestry: Cuban American, British American

Notable Alumni: Portland State University

U.S. State: California

City: San Francisco, California

More Facts

education: Trinity College Dublin, Portland State University

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Childhood & Early Life

Courtney Love was born as Courtney Michelle Harrison on 9th July 1964 in San Francisco, California, US. Her father Hank Harrison was a publisher and a road manager. Her mother Linda Carroll was a therapist. They divorced when Courtney was only five, following which she was raised by her mother in a commune for several years.

She had a troubled life as a youth as her mother drifted from one relationship to another. After being caught while shoplifting, she had to spend some time in a reform school. She became a stripper at the age of 16.

Love also spent some time studying at the Portland University and later at the Trinity College. As a young lady, she travelled to various parts of the world, such as Japan, Ireland, and the UK. Over the course of her travels, she met musician Julian Cope. She moved in with him and also started appearing in his gigs.

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Career in Music

After Courtney Love broke up with Cope, she returned to the US and formed a punk trio ‘Sugar Baby Doll’ with two of her friends. However, she was kicked out of the group and she eventually joined a rock group named Later Love. She didn’t get along with them either.

She worked hard and improved her guitar skills prior to forming the band ‘Hole’ in 1989 with Eric Erlandson. The group gained attention with their singles such as ‘Dicknail’ and ‘Retard Girl’.

The band released their debut album ‘Pretty on the Inside’ in September 1991. The album was a commercial success and also earned positive reviews from critics. The album peaked at the 59th position on the UK Albums Chart. It included singles, such as ‘Teenage Whore’, ‘Babydoll’ and ‘Garbadge Man’. It was during this time that she met and married Kurt Cobain. However, he committed suicide just before the release of their second album.

Their second album ‘Live Through This’ was a terrific commercial success. It stood at the 13th position on the UK Albums Chart and at the 52th position on the US Billboard 200. It also earned critical acclaim and has been listed in the book ‘1001 Albums You Must Listen to Before You Die’. Their next album, ‘Celebrity Skin’, which was released in 1998, became the band’s most successful album.

Love also released a solo album named ‘America’s Sweetheart’ in 2004. The album was a commercial success and entered the charts in various countries. It was met with mixed reviews from critics.

She reunited with her band for a fourth and final studio album ‘Nobody’s Daughter’ which was released in 2010. It peaked at the 15th position on the US Billboard 200 and also entered the charts in various countries such as France, Greece, and Canada.

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Career in Acting

Courtney Love made her acting debut with a role in the short film ‘Club Vatican’ in 1984. She next played a supporting role in the biographical film ‘Sid and Nancy’ which was directed by Alex Cox. Though the film was a commercial failure, it received positive reviews from critics. She also appeared in another film by Alex Cox, which was a commercial failure.

Other films she appeared in include ‘Tapeheads’ (1988), ‘Basquiat’ (1996) and ‘The People vs. Larry Flynt’ (1996). Though almost all of her films have been commercial failures, she was quite appreciated for her role in ‘The People vs. Larry Flynt’ and earned several awards and nominations as well. Her filmography also includes movies, such as ‘Man on the Moon’ (1999), ‘Julie Johnson’ (2001), and ‘Trapped’ (2002).

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Other Works

Courtney Love co-created and co-authored three volumes of a manga ‘Princess Ai’. She also wrote a memoir titled ‘Dirty Blonde: The Diaries of Courtney Love’ in 2006.

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Major Works

‘The People vs. Larry Flynt’ can be regarded as one of the most important works in Courtney Love’s career. Directed by Milos Forman, the film was about the life of porn magazine publisher and editor Larry Flynt and his clash with religious institutions and the law. Though the film was not a commercial success, it was highly praised by the critics and was also nominated for two Oscars. It won several other awards as well.

‘Celebrity Skin,’ the third studio album of Courtney Love’s band ‘Hole’ was released in 1998. The album was a commercial success and also received positive reviews. Peaking at the 9th position on the US Billboard 200 and at the 11th position on the UK Albums Chart, the album also entered the charts in several other countries such as Australia, Canada, and Sweden.

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Awards & Achievements

Courtney Love won several awards for her role in ‘The People vs. Larry Flynt’ (1996). Her wins include the Boston Society of Film Critics Award for Best Supporting Actress, The New York Critics Circle Award for Best Supporting Actress, and ‘The Satellite Award for Best Actress’.

She won the LA Outfest Award for Best Actress for her role in the 2001 film ‘Julie Johnson’.

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Personal Life

Courtney Love married James Moreland in 1989; their marriage was annulled shortly after. Later, she dated Eric Erlandson and Billy Corgan.

She married Kurt Cobain in 1992. Their marriage was full of difficulties and Cobain eventually committed suicide in 1994. The couple had one daughter named Frances Bean Cobain.

Over the course of their short marriage, she and Cobain became known for their charitable activities, mostly towards victims of sexual abuse and in support of LGBT people.

She struggled with drug addiction for several years and got into legal troubles frequently. She is often regarded as one of the most controversial women in the history of rock.

Courtney Love Biography