Early life

Ricci was born in Santa Monica, California, the fourth and youngest child of Sarah (Murdoch), a real estate agent, and Ralph Ricci, a lawyer and a group therapist. Regarding her ancestry, Ricci has stated, "The Italian blood has been bred out of me. There's an Italian four or five generations back who married an Irish woman and they had all sons. So they married more Irish women, there were more sons, and more Irish women. Now I'm basically Scots-Irish."

The family moved to Montclair, New Jersey, where she grew up attending Edgemont Elementary School, Glenfield Middle School, and Montclair High School, as well as the Morristown-Beard School.

After one year, she left the high school for the Professional Children's School in New York City. Her siblings are Rafael (born 1971), Dante (born 1974), and Pia (born 1976). Ricci's parents separated in 1993, when she was 13, and she has not spoken to her father since. She has been vocal about her childhood in interviews, particularly her parents' divorce and turbulent relationship with her father.

Career

Early work

A critic for the Bergen Record discovered Ricci at age eight in a school play (The Twelve Days of Christmas) at Edgemont School in Montclair, New Jersey. Another child was originally cast in the role, but Ricci got him to hit her and told on him; he lost the role to her as part of his punishment.

Ricci's career began when she was seven years old, and appeared in a couple of parody commercials in the late night sketch variety show Saturday Night Live. The first of these featured Ricci as a child at a birthday party in which medical waste fell out of a burst piñata, parodying the then-topical dumping of medical waste in the rivers of the United States' east coast. Ricci got her AFTRA card for that work.

Ricci's big screen debut was in 1990's Mermaids as Cher's character's younger daughter. She also appears in the music video of the film's soundtrack "The Shoop Shoop Song". The following year, she starred as the morbidly precocious Wednesday Addams in the feature film adaptation of The Addams Family. She reprised the role for the film's 1993 sequel, Addams Family Values. Both films were commercially successful, and critics singled out Ricci's performance as being one of the highlights of the first film and its sequel.

Her next project, the live-action adaptation of Casper, was her first in a lead role. The feature received mixed critical reviews, but it was a success at the box office, being the year's eighth highest grossing film. Then Ricci played the younger version of Rosie O'Donnell in the film "Now and Then". Now and Then was another box office success, and received favorable comparisons to Stand by Me, being called "the female version" of the film. She also starred in a handful of other films with teenage roles such as Gold Diggers: The Secret of Bear Mountain and That Darn Cat. In 1997, Ricci began to appear in more adult roles, beginning with her performance as the troubled, sexually curious Wendy Hood in Ang Lee's critically acclaimed The Ice Storm.

Adult roles

Ricci subsequently appeared in films like the independent hit Buffalo '66 (in which she played Vincent Gallo's unwitting abductee-turned-girlfriend), John Waters' Pecker, and Don Roos' The Opposite of Sex (as the acid-tongued, manipulative Dede). For her performance as Dede, Ricci won acclaim and was nominated for a Golden Globe. Although she missed out on an Academy Award nomination, Entertainment Weekly honored her well-received performance as one of the "Worst Oscar Snubs Ever".

Later films included Sleepy Hollow (alongside Johnny Depp), and Prozac Nation. She then starred opposite Charlize Theron in the film Monster; during Theron's acceptance speech at the Golden Globes, she acknowledged Ricci, calling her the "unsung hero" of the film. Ricci made a cameo appearance on Beck's successful album Guero, providing vocals on "Hell Yes". On December 4, 1999, she appeared as the guest host on Saturday Night Live. She performed parodies of Britney Spears and the Olsen twins. During one of her skits, she accidentally punched actress Ana Gasteyer in the face.

In February 2006, Ricci made a guest appearance as a paramedic in the ABC drama Grey's Anatomy, for which she was nominated for an Emmy Award. She was a guest star for seven episodes in the last season of Ally McBeal in 2002 as Debbie 'Liza' Bump, a lawyer who works at Cage & Fish and marries Richard Fish in the last episode.

In 2006, Ricci stated that she feels that at 5 ft 1 in (155 cm) she is "too short" to ever be an A-list actress, saying she tends "to look really small on camera". She has also said that she believes that she does not have much control over her career, specifying that she still has to audition for film parts.

Her 2007 film, Black Snake Moan received mixed reviews, with Rotten Tomatoes tallying an overall score of 66 percent. On the television program Ebert & Roeper, filmmaker Kevin Smith, filling in for Roger Ebert, described the film as the best of the year thus far and called it Ricci's best performance. Richard Roeper also gave the film a "thumb up" rating. The film earned $4 million, putting it in eighth place for the highest earnings in its opening weekend. For her role in Black Snake Moan, Ricci was required to lose several pounds and wore a 40 lb (18 kg) chain during filming.

In 2006, Ricci starred in Penelope, a modern fairytale; and in 2008 she played the female lead in the Wachowskis' feature film adaptation of Speed Racer. She also signed on for three episodes of TNT's crime drama Saving Grace during its second season. Ricci played a young detective who temporarily partners with Grace, played by Holly Hunter.

Ricci appeared with Liam Neeson and Justin Long in the psychological thriller After.Life which had a limited release on April 9, 2010. She made her Broadway debut as Mandy in Time Stands Still, resuming performances on September 23, 2010 at the Cort Theatre, alongside original cast members Laura Linney, Brian d'Arcy James and Eric Bogosian. She replaced Alicia Silverstone, who played the role of Mandy in its Manhattan Theater Club engagement.

In September 2011, Ricci began a starring role in the ABC television series Pan Am, set in the 1960s. She returned to the stage in April 2012, playing Hermia in an off-Broadway revival of Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream. In 2012, Ricci flew to Sydney to begin work on an Australian film called Around The Block. In January 2014, she starred in the title role of the Lifetime original movie "Lizzie Borden Took an Ax" in which she portrayed the infamous Lizzie Borden who was accused, tried, and ultimately acquitted of the murder of both her father and stepmother in the summer of 1892. A year later, she reprised the character in a limited series The Lizzie Borden Chronicles, also on Lifetime.

Personal life

"It's such a different world than it was when I was coming of age. I don't know how these young people keep it together with all the demands on them with social media and the internet. I had normal growing pains and issues and it was difficult but not disastrous. But I feel like if I was trying to do that in this environment, the way that society is now, I would probably be a total disaster."

— Ricci, on the pressures of today's youth growing up in the media spotlight.

Ricci began dating actor Owen Benjamin in 2008 after they met on the set of their film All's Faire in Love. They became engaged in March 2009, but ended the engagement in June 2009. In February 2013, Ricci announced her engagement to dolly grip James Heerdegen, whom she met while working on Pan Am in 2012. They married on October 26, 2013 in Manhattan. The couple have one son, Freddie, born in 2014.

After making the top of PETA's worst-dressed list and receiving a letter from the animal rights group, Ricci decided to give up wearing fur.

Ricci is listed in several art publications as one of Los Angeles artist Mark Ryden's muses. Ricci's image has appeared in over 10 of his oil paintings and numerous sketches.

Ricci has tattoos of a lion on her right shoulder blade (a reference to The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, a favorite novel of hers as a youngster), an Edward Gorey figure on the inside of her right wrist, praying hands on her left hip (this tattoo was originally a bat), the name "Jack" on her right thigh for a dead pet, a sparrow on her right breast, and a mermaid on her left ankle. She also had the words "Move or Bleed" on the left side of her ribcage as well as a bouquet of sweet pea on her lower back.

Ricci is the National Spokesperson for the Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network (RAINN).

Filmography

Film

Year	Title	Role	Notes
1990	Mermaids	Kate Flax
1991	Hard Way, TheThe Hard Way	Bonnie
1991	Addams Family, TheThe Addams Family	Wednesday Addams
1993	Cemetery Club, TheThe Cemetery Club	Jessica
1993	Addams Family Values	Wednesday Addams
1995	Now and Then	Roberta Martin
1995	Gold Diggers: The Secret of Bear Mountain	Beth Easton
1995	Casper	Kathleen "Kat" Harvey
1996	Bastard Out of Carolina	Dee Dee
1996	Last of the High Kings, TheThe Last of the High Kings	Erin
1997	Little Red Riding Hood	Little Red Riding Hood	Short film
1997	That Darn Cat	Patti Randall
1997	Ice Storm, TheThe Ice Storm	Wendy Hood
1998	Buffalo '66	Layla
1998	Opposite of Sex, TheThe Opposite of Sex	Dede Truitt
1998	Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas	Lucy
1998	Small Soldiers	Gwendy Doll (voice)
1998	Pecker	Shelley
1998	I Woke Up Early The Day I Died	Teenage Hooker
1998	Desert Blue	Ely Jackson
1999	200 Cigarettes	Val
1999	No Vacancy	Lillian
1999	Sleepy Hollow	Katrina Van Tassel
2000	Bless the Child	Cheri Post
2000	Man Who Cried, TheThe Man Who Cried	Suzie
2001	All Over the Guy	Rayna Wyckoff
2001	Prozac Nation	Elizabeth Wurtzel
2002	Pumpkin	Carolyn McDuffy
2002	Miranda	Miranda
2003	Gathering, TheThe Gathering	Cassie Grant
2003	Anything Else	Amanda Chase
2003	I Love Your Work	Shana
2003	Monster	Selby Wall
2005	Cursed	Ellie Myers
2006	Penelope	Penelope Wilhern
2006	Black Snake Moan	Rae Doole
2006	Home of the Brave	Sarah Schivino
2008	Speed Racer	Trixie
2008	New York, I Love You	Camille	Segment: "Shunji Iwai"
2009	All's Faire in Love	Kate
2009	After.Life	Anna Taylor
2010	Alpha and Omega	Lilly	Voice role
2011	California Romanza	Lena	Short film
2011	Bucky Larson: Born to Be a Star	Kathy McGee
2012	Bel Ami	Clotilde de Marelle
2012	War Flowers	Sarabeth Ellis
2013	Smurfs 2, TheThe Smurfs 2	Vexy	Voice role
2013	Around the Block	Dino Chalmers
2014	The Hero of Color City	Yellow	Voice role
2016	Mothers and Daughters	Rebecca	In post-production

Television

Year	Title	Role	Notes
1990	H.E.L.P.	Olivia	Episode: "Are You There, Alpha Centauri?"
1996	Simpsons, TheThe Simpsons	Erin (voice)	Episode: "Summer of 4 Ft. 2"
1999	Saturday Night Live	Host (Herself)	Season 25, episode 7
2002	Laramie Project, TheThe Laramie Project	Romaine Patterson	HBO movie
2002	Malcolm in the Middle	Kelly	Episode: "Company Picnic: Part 1"
2002	Ally McBeal	Liza Bump	Recurring role (7 episodes)
2005	Joey	Mary Teresa	Episode: "Joey and the Fancy Sister"
2006	Grey's Anatomy	Hannah Davies	Episodes: "It's the End of the World", "As We Know It"
2009	Saving Grace	Offcr. Abby Charles	3 episodes
2011-12	Pan Am	Margaret "Maggie" Ryan	Main role (14 episodes)
2012	Good Wife, TheThe Good Wife	Therese Dodd	Episode: "Anatomy of a Joke"
2014	Lizzie Borden Took an Ax	Lizzie Borden	Lifetime Network movie
2015	The Lizzie Borden Chronicles	Lizzie Borden	8 episodes
2015	Z: The Beginning of Everything (working title)	Zelda Fitzgerald	Series pilot

Other works

Music

• 2005: "Hell Yes" - Beck

Music videos

• 1990: "The Shoop Shoop Song (It's in His Kiss)" - Cher
• 1991: "Addams Groove" - MC Hammer
• 1993: "Addams Family (Whoomp!)" - Tag Team
• 2000: "Natural Blues" - Moby

Video games

• 2008: The Legend of Spyro: Dawn of the Dragon as Cynder
• 2008: Speed Racer: The Videogame as Trixie

Audiobook

• Gossip Girl - Narrator
• Gossip Girl "You Know You Love Me" - Narrator

Awards and nominations

Year	Association	Category	Nominated work	Result
1991	Young Artist Awards	Best Young Actress Supporting Role in a Motion Picture	Mermaids	Won
1996	Saturn Awards	Best Performance by a Younger Actor	Casper	Won
1996	Young Artist Awards	Best Young Leading Actress: Feature Film	Casper	Nominated
1998	Young Artist Awards	Best Performance in a Feature Film - Leading Young Actress	That Darn Cat	Nominated
1998	Young Artist Awards	Best Performance in a Feature Film - Supporting Young Actress	The Ice Storm	Nominated
1998	Seattle International Film Festival	SIFF Awards for Best Actress	The Opposite of Sex, Buffalo '66	Won
1998	National Board of Review	Best Supporting Actress	The Opposite of Sex	Won
1998	YoungStar Awards	Best Performance by a Young Actress in a Comedy Film	The Opposite of Sex	Won
1998	YoungStar Awards	Best Performance by a Young Actress in a Drama Film	The Ice Storm	Nominated
1999	Satellite Awards	Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture - Comedy/Musical	The Opposite of Sex	Won
1999	American Comedy Awards	Funniest Actress in a Motion Picture (Leading Role)	The Opposite of Sex	Nominated
1999	Golden Globe Awards	Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture - Comedy/Musical	The Opposite of Sex	Nominated
1999	Independent Spirit Awards	Best Female Lead	The Opposite of Sex	Nominated
1999	Florida Film Critics Circle Awards	Best Supporting Actress	Buffalo '66, The Opposite of Sex, Pecker	Won
2000	Teen Choice Awards	Film - Choice Actress	Sleepy Hollow	Nominated
2000	Young Artist Awards	Best Performance in a Feature Film - Leading Young Actress	Sleepy Hollow	Nominated
2000	B-Movie Awards	Best Celebrity Cameo	I Woke Up Early The Day I Died	Won
2000	Saturn Awards	Best Actress	Sleepy Hollow	Won
2000	Blockbuster Entertainment Awards	Favorite Actress - Horror	Sleepy Hollow	Won
2001	Blockbuster Entertainment Awards	Favorite Supporting Actress - Suspense	Bless the Child	Won
2001	Young Hollywood Awards	Hottest, Coolest Young Veteran		Won
2002	Teen Choice Awards	Film - Choice Actress, Comedy	Pumpkin	Nominated
2004	MTV Movie Awards	Best Kiss	Monster	Nominated
2006	Emmy Awards	Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series	Grey's Anatomy	Nominated
2008	Teen Choice Awards	Choice Movie Actress - Action Adventure	Speed Racer	Nominated
2016	Screen Actors Guild Awards	Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Television Movie or Mini-series	The Lizzie Borden Chronicles	Nominated

Charities

Christina Ricci supports the following charitable causes: Rape/Sexual Abuse, Domestic Violence.

[ Source: Wikipedia ]