Born: September 25, 1977
Age: 47
Birthplace: Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Clea Helen D'etienne DuVall (born September 25, 1977) is an American actress, writer, producer and director. She is best known for her role as Sofie on the HBO television series Carnivàle (2003-05), as well as for films such as The Faculty (1998), But I'm a Cheerleader (1999), Girl, Interrupted (1999), and The Grudge (2004). She is also known for her roles as Cora Lijek in the Academy Award-winning film Argo (2012), Audrey Hanson on NBC's Heroes (2006-07), Wendy Peyser on FX's American Horror Story: Asylum (2012-13), and Emma Borden on Lifetime's The Lizzie Borden Chronicles (2015).
DuVall was born in Los Angeles, California, the only child of Rosemary (née Hatch) and Stephen "Steph" DuVall. Her father is also an actor, mostly remembered as Conner Wells in the Steven Seagal film The Keeper.
Prior to making her debut in Little Witches, she worked in a coffee shop. She appeared in various films and episodes of television shows such as ER and Buffy the Vampire Slayer before her breakthrough role as a goth student in Robert Rodriguez's The Faculty. She then portrayed an institutionalized pathological liar in the acclaimed Girl, Interrupted, as well as a lesbian enrolled in therapy camp in the indie hit But I'm a Cheerleader. Major roles in The Astronaut's Wife (1999), Ghosts of Mars (2001) and Thirteen Conversations About One Thing (2001) followed.
After appearing in The Laramie Project (2002), Identity (2003) and 21 Grams (2003), DuVall starred in HBO's Emmy Award-winning Carnivàle, which ran from 2003-2005. During that time, she also starred in Helter Skelter (2004), which earned her a Satellite Award nomination, and The Grudge (2004). Other projects include Itty Bitty Titty Committee (2007), David Fincher's Zodiac (2007), and a recurring role on NBC's hit science fiction drama series Heroes. In 2008, she starred with Anne Hathaway in the thriller film Passengers.
In 2012, she starred in the Ben Affleck film Argo, in which she portrayed Cora Lijek, a Japanese-American who was one of the six American diplomats rescued from Iran in 1980. She, along with the rest of the Argo cast, received the Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture. That same year, DuVall also appeared in a recurring role in the second season of the FX anthology horror-drama series American Horror Story, as the girlfriend of Lana Winters (Sarah Paulson), Wendy Peyser. DuVall has directed a short film called It's Not Easy Being Green, starring Leisha Hailey, Carnivàle co-star Carla Gallo and herself. She also took promotional pictures for Uh Huh Her. In 2014, she appeared as Emma Borden on Lifetime's Lizzie Borden Took an Ax and then reprised her role in Lifetime's The Lizzie Borden Chronicles (2015). In 2016, DuVall made her directorial debut on the film The Intervention which she also starred in, wrote, and executive produced.
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
1996 | Little Witches | Kelsey | |
1997 | The Alarmist | Suzy | |
1997 | Niagara, Niagara | Convenience Store Clerk | |
1998 | How to Make the Cruelest Month | Bell Bryant | |
1998 | Girl | Gillian | |
1998 | Can't Hardly Wait | Jana | |
1998 | The Faculty | Stokely "Stokes" Mitchell | |
1999 | A Slipping-Down Life | Nurse | |
1999 | She's All That | Misty | |
1999 | Wildflowers | Cally | |
1999 | Sleeping Beauties | Clea | Short film |
1999 | The Astronaut's Wife | Nan | |
1999 | But I'm a Cheerleader | Graham Eaton | |
1999 | Girl, Interrupted | Georgina Tuskin | |
2000 | Committed | Mimi | |
2000 | Bear to the Right | Waitress | Short film |
2001 | See Jane Run | Jane Whittaker | |
2001 | Ghosts of Mars | Bashira Kincaid | |
2001 | Thirteen Conversations About One Thing | Beatrice "Bea" | |
2002 | The Slaughter Rule | Skyla Sisco | |
2003 | Identity | Ginny Isiana | |
2003 | 21 Grams | Claudia | |
2004 | The Grudge | Jennifer Williams | |
2005 | Two Weeks | Katrina | |
2006 | Champions | Billy | |
2007 | Zodiac | Linda del Buono | |
2007 | Ten Inch Hero | Jen | |
2007 | Itty Bitty Titty Committee | Singer | |
2007 | Anamorph | Sandy Strickland | |
2008 | Passengers | Shannon | |
2009 | The Killing Room | Kerry Isalano | |
2010 | Conviction | Brenda Marsh | |
2010 | Lez Chat | Librarian | Short film |
2012 | Argo | Cora Lijek | |
2013 | Armed Response | Lena | Also executive producer. Original title of film was In Security. |
2014 | Your Right Mind | ||
2014 | Zen Dog | Marlene Meeks | |
2014 | Heaven's Floor | Julia | |
2015 | Ma/ddy | Dana | |
2015 | Addicted to Fresno | Regina | |
2015 | Jackie & Ryan | Virginia | |
2016 | The Intervention | Jessie | Also writer and director |
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
1996 | Dangerous Minds | Nina | Episode: "Evolution" |
1997 | ER | Katie Reed | 2 episodes |
1997 | Crisis Center | Laura Thomas | Episode: "Where Truth Lies" |
1997 | Buffy the Vampire Slayer | Marcie Ross | Episode: "Out of Mind, Out of Sight" |
1997 | On the Edge of Innocence | Ann | Television film |
1997 | The Defenders: Payback | Jessica Lane | Television film |
2000 | Popular | Wanda Rickets | 2 episodes |
2001 | The Fugitive | Lynette Hennessy | 2 episodes |
2001 | How to Make a Monster | Laura | Television film |
2002 | The Laramie Project | Amanda Gronich | Television film |
2003-05 | Carnivàle | Sofie Agnesh Bojakshiya | 23 episodes |
2004 | Helter Skelter | Linda Kasabian | Television film |
2005 | CSI: Crime Scene Investigation | Abigail Spencer | Episode: "Shooting Stars" |
2005 | Fathers and Sons | Laura | Television film; uncredited |
2006-07 | Heroes | Agent Audrey Hanson | 7 episodes |
2008 | Grey's Anatomy | Jennifer Robinson | 2 episodes |
2008 | Law & Order: Special Victims Unit | Mia Latimer | Episode: "Persona" |
2008 | The Watch | Cassie | Television film |
2009 | Virtuality | Sue Parsons | Unsold TV pilot |
2009 | Saving Grace | Maura Darrell | Episode: "Looks Like a Lesbian Attack to Me" |
2009 | Lie to Me | Michelle Russell | Episode: "Blinded" |
2010 | Private Practice | Natasha | Episode: "Fear of Flying |
2010 | Bones | McKenna Grant | Episode: "The Bones on the Blue Line" |
2010 | Numb3rs | Melanie Bailey | Episode: "Devil Girl" |
2010 | Law & Order | Amanda Green | Episode: "The Taxman Cometh" |
2010-11 | The Event | Maya | 3 episodes |
2011 | CSI: Miami | Lyla Moore | Episode: "About Face" |
2011 | And Baby Will Fall | Melinda White | Television film |
2012-13 | American Horror Story: Asylum | Wendy Peyser | 5 episodes |
2014 | The Newsroom | Lilly Hart | 2 episodes |
2014 | Lizzie Borden Took an Ax | Emma Borden | Television film |
2015 | Better Call Saul | Dr. Cruz | 2 episodes |
2015 | The Lizzie Borden Chronicles | Emma Borden | 8 episodes |
2016 | New Girl | Camilla | Episode: "Wig" |
Year | Association | Category | Nominated work | Result |
---|---|---|---|---|
2005 | Satellite Awards | Best Actress - Miniseries or Television Film | Helter Skelter | Nominated |
2013 | Screen Actors Guild Awards | Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture | Argo | Won |