Biography for
Amy Irving More at IMDb Pro »

Date of Birth

10 September 1953, Palo Alto, California, USA

Birth Name

Amy Davis Irving

Height

5' 4" (1.63 m)

Mini Biography

Born on September 10th of 1953 in Palo Alto, California, Amy was the youngest of three children and was the daughter of influential theatrical director and producer Jules Irving, and actress Priscilla Pointer. Amy was brought up in the world of theater, she was put on the stage from the time she was nine months old, her father was the director and her mother was the actress, they didn't want baby sitters for their children, so if she wasn't performing, she would stayed in the wardrobe department or her mother used to put her in the second row center where she could watch her. And before she was 10 years old, she had already worked in several plays. At a young age, Amy Irving was trained at the American Conservatory Theater and Britain's LAMDA. She made her off-Broadway debut at the age of 17 and from that moment to date, she received critical acclaim, appearing in such plays as: Heartbreak House (1983), The Road to Mecca (1988), Broken Glass (1994), The Three Sisters (1997), The Guys (2002), Ghosts (2002), and Celadine (2004), among others.

In 1976, Amy made her film debut, playing Sue Snell, one of her most unforgettable characters in Stephen King's Carrie, a classic in the horror genre, taken to the big screen by director Brian De Palma. For the next few years, Irving continued working in important films, The Fury (1978) also directed by De Palma, Voices (1979) and The Competition (1980). Later, in 1983 she gave a fine performance as Hadass, in Barbra Streisand's Yentl, and won an Oscar nomination for her great work in that successful film. Two of her best opportunities arrived in the late 80s, when she played Anna Anderson in Anastasia: The Mystery of Anna (1986) and Isabelle in the romantic comedy Crossing Delancey (1988); she received a Golden Globe nomination for each movie.

Amy was married to director Steven Spielberg from 1985 to 1989 and she has a son with him (Max). And in 1990, after her divorce, she met Brazilian director Bruno Barreto while they were working in "A Show of Force". They wed a few years later and they have a son (Gabriel). In 1997 Irving made a guest appearance in Woody Allen's Deconstructing Harry, and in 1999 she came back in the sequel of Carrie, The Rage: Carrie 2.

Unfortunately her film opportunities were supposedly narrowed in the 90s. However in the year 2000, she surprised the whole world again when she performed as Mary Ann Simpson, a very funny and sensual at the same time English teacher in the film Bossa Nova. She managed to capture this peculiar character very well. After this romantic comedy, Amy had a great opportunity, playing Barbara Wakefield, Michael Douglas wife in Traffic (2000), the film was a huge success and she won an Actor Award, shared with the rest of the cast. Then, this beautiful and talented actress continued working in remarkable films such as, Thirteen Conversations About One Thing (2001), with her Carrie co-star Sissy Spacek in the Walt Disney production Tuck Everlasting (2002) and in the horror film Hide and Seek (2005) along with Robert De Niro. Recently, she had an important part as Emily Sloane in the very known show Alias.

In addition to her talents as an actress, she is a great dancer and also showed off her vocal talents, singing in films such as Who Framed Roger Rabbit (1988), Honeysuckle Rose (1980), Rumpelstiltskin (1987) and An American Tail: Feivel Goes West (1991).

Nowadays Amy Irving continues working on stage in Broadway's productions and spends most of her time with her friends and family, especially with her two children.

IMDb Mini Biography By: Anonymous

Mini Biography

Naturally brunette/blue eyed beauty Amy Irving was born on the 10th of September 1953 in Palo Alto, California. Daughter of actress Priscilla Pointer and acclaimed theater/TV director and producer Jules Irving, Amy grew up in San Fransisco and began acting in her father's theater at a very young age. Developing a passion for drama and acting when in school, Irving attended the prestigious London Academy of Music and Dramatic Arts (L.A.M.A.D.A.) and graduated in the mid 1970s.

Within six months of returning to the United States, Amy got a co-starring roles in one of the most popular, recognized and appreciated horror film classics of all time Brian De Palma's Carrie (1976) also starring Sissy Spacek and a young John Travolta, playing regretful Sue Snell. During this time Irving made numerous appearances on television in guest roles on prime time television and high rated TV mini-series and movies. In 1978 Amy re-teamed with Brian De Palma in his follow up horror film The Fury (1978). This time Amy was given more screen time and a more difficult role to play. Despite not being as highly regarded as Carrie (1976), the film was still a box office hit. Follow up films include three romantic music orientated pictures, she played a deaf woman in love in Voices (1979), a groupie in Honeysuckle Rose (1980) and a talented pianist in The Competition (1980). All three films were moderate box office successes.

In the 1980s Amy found much success on film, television and on stage. She was nominated for an academy award in the beautiful Yentl (1983) and was the lead in a following two popular box office hits Micki + Maude (1984) and Crossing Delancey (1988). She was also the lead in two lavish television productions "The Far Pavilions" (1984) and Anastasia: The Mystery of Anna (1986) (TV). In 1981 Irving made her on-Broadway debut replacing Jane Seymour in the role of Constanze Webber on the hit 'Amadeus' from 1981 to the shows end in 1983. In 1984 she worked with 'Rex Harrison' in the acclaimed 'Heatbreak House' and in 1988 worked off-Broadway but won an Obie award in the successful 'The Road to Mecca'. The 1980s also saw her on and off high profile relationship with 'Steven Spielberg', the two later married, had a child and a very publicized divorce ending in Irving receiving a very respectable $100 million.

The 1990s saw her film opportunities slim, she married Brazilian director Bruno Barreto and had a second child. However she managed to work with Woody Allen in Deconstructing Harry (1997) and Carried Away (1996) with her husband at the time. Other roles on screen were rather unnotable independent films or flops such as an unnecessary sequel to her classic debut The Rage: Carrie 2 (1999) which however did bring a cinema audience. She did notable roles on Broadway in 'Broken Glass' in 1994 and 'Three Sisters' in 1997.

The beginning of a new millennium saw her get into accomplished screen work again in the big hit Traffic (2000), the independent feature Thirteen Conversations About One Thing (2001), Disney's Tuck Everlasting (2002) and the thriller Hide and Seek (2005). These days she continues to work on films and television but will always remain loyal to her beloved theater, which she beliefs is her first passion. In 2007 Irving lives in the U.S. preparing for her new film titled 'The Hanji Box' which will be a Korean and US production.

IMDb Mini Biography By: Bob Gale-Harvest

Spouse

Kenneth Bowser	(1 November 2007 - present)
Bruno Barreto	(27 September 1996 - 29 January 2005) (divorced) 1 child
Steven Spielberg	(27 November 1985 - 2 February 1989) (divorced) 1 child

Trade Mark

Frequent appearances in movies with real-life mother Priscilla Pointer

Trivia

Her prenuptial agreement with filmmaker Steven Spielberg netted her an estimated cool $100m when the couple split in 1989.

Daughter of Priscilla Pointer and Jules Irving

Listed as one of twelve "Promising New Actors of 1979" in John Willis' Screen World, Vol. 31. [1979]

When she reprised her role from Carrie (1976) as Sue Snell in The Rage: Carrie 2 (1999), Irving can be seen banging on the door of the ill-fated party to be allowed in. She did the same thing in the original film in which her character is banging on the door of the gym to be let in during the famous bloodletting prom scene.

She was the subject of a running joke in the comic book E-Man, published by Charlton Comics and later by First Comics. One of the supporting characters, Teddy Q, a sentient (though mute - think Snoopy-like) koala, was in love with her, and frequently sent her fan mail.

Sister of director David Irving and Katie Irving.

Provided the singing voice for sultry heroine Jessica Rabbit in the 1988 film Who Framed Roger Rabbit (1988). (Kathleen Turner supplied the character's speaking voice.)

Has played wife to Brazilian director Bruno Barreto since 1990 and has a son by him, but they have yet to make it official.

In addition to being the first-ever "winner" of the Worst Supporting Actress Razzie (for her performance opposite Willie Nelson in Honeysuckle Rose (1980)), Irving has the distinction of being one of two (the other is James Coco) actors (as of 2005) to be nominated for both an Oscar and a Razzie Award for the same performance. As Barbra Streisand's "wife" in Yentl (1983), Irving got nods as 1983's Best and Worst Supporting Actress. She did not win either Award.

Has a son, Max Spielberg, with Steven Spielberg

Often co-stars with her mother, Priscilla Pointer, who usually plays her mother or mother-in-law.

Played daughter to real-life mother Priscilla Pointer in 3 movies: Carried Away (1996), Carrie (1976) and Honeysuckle Rose (1980).

She has a son, Gabriel, with director Bruno Barreto.

She's completely opposed to cosmetic surgery.

Desperately wanted to play the role of Lydia Maxwell in Innerspace (1987), which Steven Spielberg (her husband at the time) was working on as executive producer, but she lost the part to Meg Ryan.

Auditioned for the role of 'Stephanie' in Saturday Night Fever (1977) and 'Princess Leia' in Star Wars (1977).

The scene in Carrie (1976) where her character Sue is walking along the footpath to put flowers on Carrie's burnt house (dream sequence). Director Brian De Palma wanted Amy to walk backwards in that shot in order to make it look more "dreamy". That is why a car in the background appears to be driving in reverse and birds are flying backwards.

In 1965, appeared in a play as a walk on opposite Stacy Keach.

Replaced Jane Seymour in the role of Constanze Webber on the Broadway hit Amadeus from 1981 to the shows end in 1983.

Sung 'Why Don't You Do Right?' for the Who Framed Roger Rabbit (1988) soundtrack as a favor for Robert Zemeckis and did not receive a pay check.

Was originally going to play Marion Ravenwood in Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981), but split from her director boyfriend at the time Steven Spielberg who was responsible for the film. The two later got together again in around 1984.

Attended the Professional Children's School in Manhattan, New York.

Personal Quotes

I get along great with directors, but I think some producers would tell you I'm a pain. They may say I'm tough to work with, but I have a great passion for what I do. I believe in fighting for it.

"I would love to work for Steven [Spielberg] but, right now, I want to make it on my own first. I do not ever want to be known as "Steven Spielberg's girlfriend" (in 1977 explaining her decisions on working with her then partner).

During my marriage to Steven, I felt like a politician's wife. There were certain things expected of me that definitely weren't me. One of my problems is that I'm very honest and direct. You pay a price for that. But then I behaved myself and I paid a price too.

I used to travel in tennis shoes; I am just not allowed to anymore. I'm an old hippie from San Francisco.

Actors are not a great breed of people, I don't think. I count myself as something of an exception. I grew up in the theater, and my values were about the work, and not being a star or anything like that. I'm not spoiled in that way, and if I fight for something, it's about the work, not about how big my trailer is.

Where Are They Now

(October 2007) Appeared at a special screening/Q&A session of her classic film Carrie along with the director Brian DePalma at the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences' theater.

Browse biographies section by name

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z