Leelee Sobieski as Venna Wilcox
The plot concerns Lewis Thomas (Paul Walker), a young man who decides to go cross-country to pick up his high school sweetheart, Venna Wilcox (Leelee Sobieski), from college. On his way there, he bails his brother, Fuller Thomas (Steve Zahn), out of jail. Fuller, looking for a good time, decides to ride with Lewis. During their trip to pick up Venna, Fuller coaxes Lewis into playing a cruel joke, through their CB radio, on a truck driver, known only as 'Rusty Nail' (voiced by Ted Levine). When the joke takes a deadly turn, Lewis, Venna, and Fuller find themselves being relentlessly stalked by the psychotic truck driver who is looking for more than an apology.
Biography for Leelee Sobieski
Birth name
Liliane Rudabet Gloria Elsveta Sobieski
Date of birth
10 June 1982
New York, New York, USA
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Lilane Rudabet Gloria Elsveta Sobieski was born in New York, on June 10, 1982. The actress drew attention to a casting agent who discovered her while scouting the cafeteria of a New York City private school. The man asked Leelee to audition for a role in Interview with the Vampire: The Vampire Chronicles (1994). She ended up losing the role to Kirsten Dunst, but that didn't stop her from getting her own parts. At the age of thirteen she starred in the TV movie Reunion (1994/I) (TV), with Marlo Thomas, and a year later she starred in Horse for Danny, A (1995) (TV). Although she had roles in many films, it was in 1998 that Leelee endured her first big hit of fame, starring opposite Elijah Wood in Deep Impact (1998). The film, which was one of the summer's biggest hits, brought Leelee great reviews, and to the attention of many casting directors. Next up for Leelee was Joan of Arc (1999/I) (TV), for which she received an Emmy nomination. Her experiences doing Joan of Arc, in the Czech Republic are something she'll probably remember forever. While working on Joan of Arc, Leelee was also doing a film with Tom Cruise, Eyes Wide Shut (1999). The film, which had such secrecy, had Leelee starring as a teenage-nymphet type character, who tempts Tom's character. Eyes Wide Shut didn't turn out to be quite the summer blockbuster expected, but again, Leelee got some good reviews. While on the set of Eyes Wide Shut, Leelee did develop a certain friendship with the late Stanley Kubrick, and was heartbroken when he died. Leelee went on to star with other big names; Drew Barrymore in Never Been Kissed (1999), Diane Lane in Glass House, The (2001/I), and Josh Hartnett and Chris Klein in Here on Earth (2000).
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Trivia
Discovered by a casting director in her New York City school cafeteria.
Enjoys painting, ceramics, poetry, martial arts and horseback riding.
Her father is Jean Sobieski, a New York City painter, and her mother, Elizabeth, is a writer.
Has a younger brother, Roby (b. 1989).
Collects locks of hair from major stars appearing with her in films. Tom Cruise refused to participate when filming Eyes Wide Shut (1999).
Her father is somewhere in line to the throne of Poland. He has a title that he does not use.
Bares an uncanny resemblance to Helen Hunt.
Is fluent in French.
Australian band Primitive Whore perform a song entitled 'Why Leelee Won't Love Me'.
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Personal quotes
"I think when you're doing a lead role, there is so much more pressure. If you fail, not only do you fail, but everybody else fails, too. As opposed to when it's a supporting role and it's only you that sucked."
Idole, L' (2002)
Liaisons dangereuses, Les (2002) (TV) .... C�cile Volanges
Nailed Right In (2002)
Hoffman (2002)
Uprising (2001) (TV) .... Tosia Altman
Glass House, The (2001/I) .... Ruby Baker
Joy Ride (2001) .... Venna Wilcox
... aka Road Kill (2002) (Australia) (UK)
My First Mister (2001) .... Jennifer ('J')
Here on Earth (2000) .... Samantha 'Sam' Cavanaugh
Eyes Wide Shut (1999) .... Milich's Daughter
... aka EWS (1999) (USA: promotional abbreviation)
Joan of Arc (1999/I) (TV) .... Joan D'Arc
... aka Jeanne d'Arc (1999/II) (TV) (Canada: French title)
Never Been Kissed (1999) .... Aldys Martin
Soldier's Daughter Never Cries, A (1998) .... Charlotte Anne 'Channe' Willis, Age 14
... aka Fille d'un soldat ne pleure jamais, La (1998) (France)
Deep Impact (1998) .... Sarah Hotchner Beiderman
Jungle2Jungle (1997) (as LeeLee Sobiesky) .... Karen Kempster
... aka Jungle 2 Jungle (1997)
... aka Un Indien � New York (1998) (France)
"Charlie Grace" (1995) TV Series .... Jenny Grace
Horse for Danny, A (1995) (TV) .... Danny
Reunion (1994/I) (TV) .... Anna