Early Life

Though coming from an academic background, she had to witness the trauma of the divorce of her parents when she was just nine years of age. This brought her very close to her siblings, one of whom, Andrew is also an actor.

She was a good student during school. During college, she had to work in television commercial to supplement her studies. She withdrew from her final semester in Harvard University in 1988 to pursue acting career. She had a traumatic childhood. Even during her college period, she had to face trauma of a different kind. A swimming accident left William, her older brother dead in 1988. She resumed her studies at Harvard in 1997 and completed her BA in political science.

Career

She had her share of the camera right since her college days. She acted in television commercials to fund her education. She did advertisements for Burger King, DeBeers diamonds etc.

Her first feature film was “The Karate Kid.” She also essayed the role of a teenage daughter of a military family in the series “Call to Glory.” The period prior to the first half of the 1990s was not so significant in her career. She usually did the good-girl-next-door type characters.

The year 1995 saw her come out the mould. She played a prostitute in the 1995 film, “Leaving Las Vegas” with Nicolas Cage. She won an Oscar nomination for this role. This nomination increased her net worth no end. She won a nomination for the BAFTA, Golden Globe, and the SAG Award. She won the “Best Actress Award” at the “Independent Spirit Awards,” the “Los Angeles Film Critics Association Awards,” and the “National Society of Film Critics Awards.”

Her film graph started rising after this spate of awards and nominations. She got to work with big names such as Woody Allen, Demi Moore, and Robert De Niro.

Her role behind the camera

Along with two of her brothers, she produced the film, “Gracie.” She played the role of the only girl in an all boys soccer team. They have conceived this film as a story of their late brother William.

Her Television Forays

She joined the CSI: Crime Science Investigation and portrayed the role of Julie Finlay. This has been one of her most memorable roles in her television career. 

Personal Life

She is married to film director Davis Guggenheim. She has two daughters and one son. True to her bond with her brothers, she has named her son Miles William in honor of her elder brother William.

Trivia

She has another name, Lisa.

Unlike other filmy marriages, hers is a long lasting one. She is married since 1994 and the union is still going strong after twenty-one years.