Real Name : Mena Alexandra Suvari
Birth : 13 February 1979, Newport, Rhode Island, USA
Height : 5' 4"
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Mena Alexandra Suvari was born on 13 February 1979, in Newport, Rhode Island. Her father was Ando Suvari, a psychiatrist; and her mother Candice, a nurse. Mena's first name comes from her British Aunt named after the Mena Hotel (at the base of the pyramids in Egypt); her last name is Estonian. Mena has 3 older brothers. Mena started modeling at age 12, and her acting career began when she did a Rice-a-Roni commercial at age 13. She was also a Wilhelmina model for a few years. Mena attended middle school at the Ashley Hall all-girls school in Charleston, South Carolina, and graduated from Providence High School in Burbank, California. Mena was a natural for movies: she is petite (5' 4"), has blue eyes, and her natural hair color is blonde. Mena's breakout role was as a choir girl in the teen comedy _American Pie (1999)_ (qv). This was followed by her great performance in _American Beauty (1999)_ (qv), which she won a SAG award for outstanding performance by a cast, and a BAFTA award nomination. Mena married 'Robert Brinkmann (I)' (qv), a cinematographer, on March 4, 2000. Mena's hobbies include: jewelry making, photography, mountain biking, and hiking. Her fans look forward to her new movies, in what promises to be a long and successful career. Smart, stylish, and probably older than you think, Mena Suvari is poised to become one of the busiest leading ladies of Generation Y. The petite actress inched her way into film, only to rocket into the spotlight with back-to-back performances in _American Pie (1999)_ (qv) and _American Beauty (1999)_ (qv). Now, with scripts pouring in and gossipmongers nipping at her heels, there's no going back to life as the girl next door. Born in Newport, Rhode Island, and named after an Egyptian godmother, Suvari spent her early years in an old stone mansion that she insists was haunted. The family later relocated to Charleston, South Carolina, where her three older brothers lined up to attend the Citadel (a military college). Mena, meanwhile, was entertaining dreams of becoming an archaeologist, astronaut or doctor. Her interests took a turn for the... less cerebral, however, when a modeling agency stopped by her all-girls school to offer classes. At age 12, after receiving a few pointers on her runway strut, Suvari attended a modeling convention and was snapped up by the New York-based Wilhelmina agency. She commuted up and down the East Coast for two years before her parents, Candice (a nurse) and Ando (a retired psychiatrist), decided to move their budding starlet to California. When she reached L.A., Suvari started in on TV work almost immediately--commercials at first, followed by guest appearances on _"Boy Meets World" (1993)_ (qv), _"ER" (1994)_ (qv) and _"Chicago Hope" (1994)_ (qv). She launched her movie career in 1997, picking up small roles in 'Gregg Araki' (qv)'s _Nowhere (1997)_ (qv) and the 'Morgan Freeman (I)' (qv)- 'Ashley Judd' (qv) thriller _Kiss the Girls (1997)_ (qv). She popped up again in the background of _Slums of Beverly Hills (1998)_ (qv), then landed a slightly meatier role as the best friend of the telekinetic heroine in _The Rage: Carrie 2 (1999)_ (qv). Suvari's ticket to fame was the teen sex quest _American Pie (1999)_ (qv), which cast her as a wholesome high-schooler who falls for a jock ('Chris Klein (I)' (qv)). A few months later, she turned even more heads as the vampish cheerleader who captures 'Kevin Spacey' (qv)'s unwholesome imagination in _American Beauty (1999)_ (qv). The sultry-but-fragile character earned Suvari a British Academy Award nomination, as well as a flurry of job offers and gushing fansites. In the midst of the hubbub surrounding the film, she slipped off with her boyfriend, cinematographer 'Robert Brinkmann (I)' (qv), to tie the knot in a secret ceremony. The media was quick to point out the pair's 16-year age difference, but Suvari shrugged it off (her parents are separated by more than 20 years). The in-demand actress completed her patriotic hat trick by starring in _American Virgin (2000)_ (qv) (originally titled "Live Virgin") as the daughter of a porn king. The title change wasn't enough of a boost to keep the mediocre movie afloat in theaters--after a brief New York run, it headed straight to video. Her next effort was another underperformer, but the aptly named _Loser (2000)_ (qv) (a collegiate love story that reunited her with _American Pie (1999)_ (qv)'s 'Jason Biggs (I)' (qv)) at least made it into suburban circulation--perhaps on the name recognition of its two young stars. Suvari kept her chin up, heading back to high school for the cheerleading/bank heist flick _Sugar & Spice (2001)_ (qv) and joining the cast of the period film _The Musketeer (2001)_ (qv).
Biography written by: IMDb Editors
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- 2000 MTV Movie Awards (2000) (TV) [Herself - Presenter] <16>
- 2001 MTV Movie Awards (2001) (TV) [Herself]
- American Beauty (1999) [Angela Hayes] <5>
- American Beauty: Look Closer... (2000) (V) [Herself]
- American Pie (1999) [Heather] <11>
- American Pie 2 (2001) [Heather] <9>
- American Virgin (2000) [Katrina] <38>
- Atomic Train (1999) (TV) [Grace Seger] <5>
- Beauty Shop (2005) [Joanne] <5>
- Boffo! Tinseltown's Bombs and Blockbusters (2006) (archive footage) (uncredited) [Angela Hayes]
- Brooklyn Rules (2007) [Ellen] <9>
- Caffeine (2006/I) [Vanessa] <2>
- Christian Siriano: Having a Moment (2010) (TV) [Herself]
- Day of the Dead (2008) [Cpl. Sarah Cross] <1>
- Domino (2005) [Kimmie] <6>
- Edmond (2005) [Whore] <14>
- Factory Girl (2006) [Richie Berlin] <8>
- Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children (2005) (voice: English version) [Aerith Gainsborough] <45>
- Good Times with Cast and Crew of 'American Pie 2' (2002) (V) [Herself]
- Kingdom Hearts II (2005) (VG) (voice: English version) [Aerith Gainsborough] <20>
- Kiss the Girls (1997) (as Mena A. Suvari) [Coty Pierce] <16>
- Last Stop (2010/I) [Tracy]
- Loser (2000) [Dora Diamond] <2>
- Nowhere (1997) [Zoe] <19>
- Orpheus (2006) (TV) [Sue Ellen]
- Restitution (2010) [Heather]
- Rumor Has It... (2005) [Annie Huttinger] <8>
- Sex and Lies in Sin City (2008) (TV) [Sandy Murphy] <2>
- Slums of Beverly Hills (1998) [Rachel Hoffman] <12>
- Snide and Prejudice (1997) [Geli Raubal]
- Sonny (2002) [Carol] <4>
- Spotlight on Location: American Pie (1999) (TV) [Herself] <5>
- Spun (2002) [Cookie] <6>
- Standing Still (2005/II) [Lana] <11>
- Stephen Tobolowsky's Birthday Party (2005) [Herself] <3>
- Stuck (2007) [Brandi Boski] <1>
- Sugar & Spice (2001) [Kansas Hill] <4>
- The 2009 Independent Spirit Awards (2009) (TV) [Herself]
- The 72nd Annual Academy Awards (2000) (TV) [Herself - Co-Presenter: Best Documentary, Short Subjects]
- The Dog Problem (2006) [Jules]
- The Garden of Eden (2008) [Catherine Bourne] <2>
- The Musketeer (2001) [Francesca Bonacieux] <2>
- The Mysteries of Pittsburgh (2008) [Phlox Lombardi] <5>
- The Rage: Carrie 2 (1999) [Lisa] <12>
- Trauma (2004/I) [Charlotte] <18>
- Where Music Meets Film (2008) (TV) [Herself]
- You May Not Kiss the Bride (2010) [Tonya] <4>
- "20 to 1" (2005) {Sexiest Movie Moments (#5.3)} (archive footage) (uncredited) [Angela Hayes]
- "413 Hope St." (1997) {Thanksgiving (#1.9)} [Crystal]
- "Boy Meets World" (1993) {Danger Boy (#2.16)} [Laura]
- "Boy Meets World" (1993) {The Grass Is Always Greener (#3.12)} [Hilary]
- "Cartelera" (1994) {(2007-10-13)} [Herself]
- "Celebrity Poker Showdown" (2003) {Tournament 2, Game 1 (#2.1)} [Herself]
- "Chicago Hope" (1994) {Sympathy for the Devil (#4.4)} [Ivy Moore]
- "Colors en sèrie" (2007) {Vermell: dona'm la vida (#1.4)} (archive footage) [Angela Hayes]
- "Corazón de..." (1997) {(2005-10-13)} [Herself]
- "Corazón de..." (1997) {(2005-10-20)} [Herself]
- "Corazón de..." (1997) {(2005-12-07)} [Herself]
- "Corazón de..." (1997) {(2005-12-16)} [Herself]
- "Entertainment Tonight" (1981) {(2000-03-27)} (archive footage) (uncredited) [Herself]
- "ER" (1994) {Last Call (#3.4)} [Laura-Lee Armitage] <22>
- "Film '72" (1972) {(2008-02-19)} [Herself]
- "High Incident" (1996) {Camino High (#2.20)} [Jill Marsh]
- "High Incident" (1996) {Nobody Walks in El Camino (#2.2)} [Jill Marsh]
- "High Incident" (1996) {Till Death Do Us Part (#1.2)} <22>
- "Just Shoot Me!" (1997) {Finch in the Dogg House (#6.1)} [Herself]
- "Last Call with Carson Daly" (2002) {(2005-04-07)} [Herself]
- "Late Night with Conan O'Brien" (1993) {(2001-09-04)} [Herself]
- "Late Night with Conan O'Brien" (1993) {(2003-03-07)} [Herself]
- "Live with Regis and Kathie Lee" (1989) {(2005-04-01)} [Herself]
- "Minor Adjustments" (1995) {A Fish Story (#1.11)} [Emily]
- "Nyhetsmorgon" (1992) {Filmen 'American Beauty' (#14.30)} [Herself]
- "Nyhetsmorgon" (1992) {Filmen 'American Pie'/Nyheter och väder (#12.81)} [Herself]
- "Rachael Ray" (2006) {(#1.97)} [Herself]
- "Saturday Night Live" (1975) {Mena Suvari/Lenny Kravitz (#26.10)} [Herself - Host]
- "Six Feet Under" (2001) {Can I Come Up Now? (#4.4)} [Edie] <9>
- "Six Feet Under" (2001) {Coming and Going (#4.8)} [Edie]
- "Six Feet Under" (2001) {In Case of Rapture (#4.2)} [Edie]
- "Six Feet Under" (2001) {Parallel Play (#4.3)} [Edie]
- "Six Feet Under" (2001) {Terror Starts at Home (#4.6)} [Edie] <9>
- "Six Feet Under" (2001) {The Black Forest (#4.10)} [Edie] <9>
- "Six Feet Under" (2001) {The Dare (#4.7)} [Edie] <11>
- "The Early Show" (1999) {(2002-12-21)} [Herself]
- "The Early Show" (1999) {(2002-12-25)} [Herself]
- "The Early Show" (1999) {(2002-12-31)} [Herself]
- "The Graham Norton Effect" (2004) {(#1.5)} [Herself]
- "The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson" (2005) {(#3.96)} [Herself]
- "The Late Late Show with Craig Kilborn" (1999) {(2001-08-13)} [Herself]
- "The Late Late Show with Craig Kilborn" (1999) {(2003-01-10)} [Herself]
- "The Late Late Show with Craig Kilborn" (1999) {(2003-03-13)} [Herself]
- "The Martin Short Show" (1999) {(#1.18)} [Herself]
- "The Rosie O'Donnell Show" (1996) {(2001-09-06)} [Herself]
- "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno" (1992) {(2001-01-23)} [Herself]
- "The View" (1997) {(2004-07-20)} [Herself]
- "V Graham Norton" (2002) {(#5.29)} [Herself]
- "VH-1 Behind the Movie" (1999) {American Pie (#1.4)} [Herself]
- "World Poker Tour" (2003) {Hollywood Home Game V (#3.1)} [Herself]
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- 'Robert Brinkmann (I)' (qv) (4 March 2000 - 2006) (divorced)
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- "Playboy" (USA), April 2005, Vol. 52, Iss. 4, pg. 128-130+162-163, by: Stephen Rebello, "20Q: Mena Suvari"
- "Independent" (UK), 23 September 2004, by: Andrew Gumbel, "Mena Suvari: Take a chance on me"
- "Ciak" (Italy), November 2001, pg. 88-91, by: Claudio Masenza, "All American Boys"
- "Cosmopolitan" (Hungary), August 2000, pg. 71, by: Dennis Hensley, "A Cosmo villámkérdései"
- "Rolling Stone" (USA), 19 August 1999, Iss. 819, "There's Something About Virgins"
- "Rolling Stone" (August 3, 1999), , pg. 94-100 continued on pg 130, by: Erik Hedegaard, "Hot Cast; The Pies at Play"
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- "TV Guide" (USA), 10 January 2004, Vol. 52, Iss. 2, pg. 10, by: Michael Ausiello, "Going Under"
- "Playboy" (USA), December 2001, Vol. 48, Iss. 12, pg. 28, "Babe Of The Month"
- "Rolling Stone" (USA), 30 August 2001, Vol. 1, Iss. 876, pg. 63-66+107, by: David A. Keeps, "Return of The Pie Girls"
- "NW" (Australia), 18 June 2001, pg. 60, by: Pip Harry, "Small Talk: In the Mena time"
- "20 ans" (France), August 2000, Iss. 167, pg. 24, "Pipole : Mena Suvari aime les vieux"
- "Talk" (USA), August 2000, Vol. 1, Iss. 10, pg. 32-33, by: staff, "All Of Mena"
- "Cosmopolitan" (Hungary), August 2000, pg. 68-71, by: Dennis Hensley, "Hollywood ügyeletes üdvöskéje"
- "Movieline" (USA), June 2000, Vol. XI, Iss. 9, pg. 48-52+98, by: Stephen Rebello, "Mena Season"
- "Teen People" (USA), June 2000, pg. 86, by: April P. Bernard, "The 25 Hottest Stars Under 25"
- "Premiere" (USA), June 2000, Vol. 13, Iss. 10, pg. 86-89, by: Sean M. Smith, "Presumed Innocent"
- "Vanity Fair" (UK), April 2000, Vol. 1, Iss. 476, pg. 32, by: Kim Kessler
- "Entertainment Weekly" (USA), 22 October 1999, Vol. 1, Iss. 508, pg. 52-53, by: David Hochman, "Making Their Beauty Marks"
- "People" (USA), 18 October 1999, Vol. 52, Iss. 15, pg. 164, "All American Girl"
- "People Weekly" (USA), 18 October 1999, Vol. 52, Iss. 15, pg. 164, "All-American Girl"
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- "Celebrity Skin" (USA), January 2009, Vol. 31, Iss. 186, pg. 12-13, by: n/a, "Fresh Flesh: Mena Suvari"
- "Playboy" (USA), August 2008, Vol. 55, Iss. 8, pg. 139, by: Kadena Pix, "Grapevine: Journalistic Grab-Ass"
- "Playboy" (USA), June 2007, Vol. 54, Iss. 6, pg. 148, by: Mavrix Photo, "Grapevine: My, My, Miss American Pie"
- "Playboy" (USA), October 2006, Vol. 53, Iss. 10, pg. 157, by: X17 / Online, "Grapevine: Hard Out There at the Pump"
- "Celebrity Sleuth" (USA), 2006, Iss. 43, pg. 48-51, by: staff, ""Pie" Eating: Beauty Rose Chose"
- "Celebrity Skin" (USA), November 2001, Vol. 23, Iss. 100, pg. 6, "100 Sexiest Celebrities Of All Time Nude! #96 : All-American Girl"
- "Maxim" (USA), May 2001, Iss. Special, pg. 25, by: Lance Staedler, "Maxim Hot 100 2001: # 9"
- "Playboy" (USA), December 2000, Vol. 47, Iss. 12, pg. 147, "Sex Stars 2000"
- "Playboy" (USA), November 2000, Vol. 47, Iss. 44, pg. 140, by: Jamie Malanowski, "Sex In Cinema 2000"
- "Vox" (Hungary), September 2000, Vol. 4, Iss. 9 (41), pg. 77, "Az érintethetetlen amerikai"
- "Cinema" (Hungary), March 2000, Vol. 1, Iss. 100, pg. 14, "Az örök ártatlan"
- "Celebrity Skin" (USA), March 2000, Vol. 22, Iss. 84, pg. 28-29, by: staff, "Film Buffs: Young American"
- "Celebrity Sleuth" (USA), 2000, Vol. 13, Iss. 8, pg. 14-15, by: staff, "Pieces of Pie: Heather"
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- "Cinema" (Hungary), November 2001, Iss. 120
- "AD Magazine" (Netherlands), 27 October 2001
- "Rolling Stone" (USA), 30 August 2001, Vol. 1, Iss. 876
- "Cosmopolitan" (Hungary), August 2000
- "Entertainment Weekly" (USA), 28 July 2000, Iss. 551/552
- "Entertainment Weekly" (USA), 28 July 2000, Vol. 1, Iss. 551
- "Seventeen" (USA), July 2000
- "Cinema" (Germany), June 2000, Iss. 265
- "Movieline" (USA), June 2000
- "Cosmopolitan" (USA), June 2000
- "Vanity Fair" (UK), April 2000, Vol. 1, Iss. 476
- "Cinema" (Greece), February 2000, Iss. 109
- "CINEMA" (Hungary), February 2000, Vol. 1, Iss. 99
- "Max" (Germany), January 2000
- "Celebrity Sleuth" (USA), 2000, Vol. 13, Iss. 8
- "Details" (USA), December 1999
- "P.O.V." (USA), December 1999
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- Print ad for Coach leather (2000)
- Appears with Jason Biggs on the music video "Teenage Dirtbag" by Wheatus. From the soundtrack of the movie _Loser (2000)_ (qv).
- Model for Lancome cosmetics.
- TV commercial for Rice-A-Roni (1992)
- Print ads for Lancôme Paris Adaptîve (2004)
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- "It's nice when people want your autograph, but it's a little strange because I never expected it. I still kind of think, 'Oh, who am I?'"
- "I'm 26 years old. I don't need to be playing 16 anymore. Mentally and emotionally, I'm in such a different place than those roles."
- "One of the things you learn being in the public eye is that you have the ability to raise awareness about serious issues, and, in the process, really help people. I've chosen to get the word out to women, especially young women, that tobacco is not glamorous - it's addictive and smoking takes a serious toll on your health."
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- Graduated from Providence High School in Burbank, California class of 1997.
- Her first name came from an Egyptian godmother.
- Is a natural blonde.
- Last name "Suvari", pronounced "soo-VAHR-ee", is Estonian.
- First name "Mena", pronounced "MEE-nah".
- Has 3 older brothers, 1 of them in the US army.
- Mother is a nurse; father is a psychiatrist.
- Mena was raised in a Rhode Island home that was built in 1870 and which she and her brothers believed was haunted. They saw several apparitions over the years, all of which she believed were friendly.
- People Weekly magazine titled an article about her "All-American Girl" (1999).
- Declared as the most "patriotic" artist of 2000 by Entertainment Weekly magazine, making allusion to her 3 consecutive movies with the word "American" on their titles: _American Pie (1999)_ (qv), _American Beauty (1999)_ (qv) and _American Virgin (2000)_ (qv). In 2001, she added _American Pie 2 (2001)_ (qv) to that list.
- Her mother is of Greek descent.
- Mena and her husband 'Robert Brinkmann (I)' (qv) have taken considerable flak because of their age difference - 18 years. Robert is a cinematographer.
- Did her own singing in _American Pie (1999)_ (qv).
- Auditioned for the role of Mary Jane in _Spider-Man (2002)_ (qv).
- Her father is Estonian.
- Her older brother A.J., formerly an Intelligence Analyst in the U.S. Army, is currently a real estate agent in Virginia Beach, Virginia.
- Filed for divorce from cinematographer 'Robert Brinkmann (I)' (qv) after five years of marriage. The actress cited irreconcilable differences (10 May 2005).
- Attended workshops at TVI Actors Studio.
- Named #69 on the Maxim magazine "Hot 100 of 2005" list.
- Ranked #73 on the Maxim magazine Hot 100 of 2007 list.
- Ranked #52 on the Maxim magazine Hot 100 of 2008 list.
- Her favorite color is blue.
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