- Began studying modern dance at the age of six.
- Her mother is a painter and teacher.
- Danes has started her career as an action heroine in the biggest way possible with TERMINATOR 3: THE RISE OF THE MACHINES -- The indie darling admits she never expected to be starring in a massive blockbuster, but she's convinced T3 is right in every way because as well as being a massive event movie, it's also politically viable. (June 23, 2003)
- Was chosen by People magazine as one of the 50 most beautiful people in the world. (1997)
- She came to L.A. to be cast on a role in SCHINDLER'S LIST (1993), when she was discovered for the role in My So Called Life. Spielberg finally gave her the role but she turned it down, because they weren´t willing to give her schooling in Poland.
- She was banned from the Philippines in Sept 1998, for making derogatory remarks about the country. The President of the Philippines condemned her publicly. She was studying Hebrew to convert to Judaism when she marries 'Ben Lee' in 2000.
- She auditioned for the role of Lisa in GIRL, INTERRUPTED (1999).
- She was considered for the title role in LOLITA (1997).
- She auditioned and was the first choice for the role of Rose in TITANIC (1997).
- The most frequently used title for articles about her has been Great Danes
- She as a song written about her by the SoCal Punk Band, The Ataris. It is entitled My So Called Life. It comes from their ep Look Forward to Failure.
- She once said disparaging remarks about Manila, and President Joseph Estrada insisted, She should not be allowed to come here, though she had asked for an apology.
- When she was only 13, she auditioned for and won the role of 15-year-old Angela Chase, the heroine of the TV drama MY SO-CALLED LIFE.
- Originally considered by Spielberg for a role in SCHINDLER'S LIST (1993), but she turned it down because he could not provide her with tutoring on the set. The part she was considered for is unknown.
- While filming LITTLE WOMEN (1994), she was carrying a candle up the stairs and her hair caught on fire.
- Nominated for Outstanding Performance by the Cast of a Theatrical Motion Picture at Screen Actors Guild Awards for THE HOURS (2003)
- Nominated for Best Kiss at MTV Movie Awards for ROMEO + JULIET (1997) - shared with Leonardo DiCaprio
- Nominated for Best On-Screen Duo at MTV Movie Awards for ROMEO + JULIET (1997) - shared with Leonardo DiCaprio
- Nominated for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series at Emmy Awards for MY SO-CALLED LIFE (1995)
Quotes- On the idea of befriending actress Kate Beckinsale: "That was wrong. We didn't. She's complicated. She's prickly."
- "I live in an adult World, but I'm a kid. I love the work. But I no longer have a group of friends to hang out with regularly."
- On education vs. career: "I was told that my going to college wouldn't be good for my career. I think that's nonsense. It's good to empower yourself by cutting yourself off from this business every once in a while."
- "I have a huge, active imagination and I think I'm really scared of being alone because if I'm left to my own devices, I'll just turn into a madwoman."
- About Molly Ringwald: "When I was young, I worshipped Molly Ringwald. When I first started doing My So-Called Life, I use to watch Sixteen Candles and mimic her." - (November 16, 1997)
- "You don't realize how useful a therapist is until you see one and discover you have more problems than you ever dreamed of."
- Asked if she was at all intimidated when she found out she would be doing most of your scenes with Meryl Streep in THE HOURS: "Totally. She's been my idol since I knew what acting was. Obviously, I'm not in the minority; every actor my age idolizes her. She's really terrific and couldn't have made me feel more comfortable. She's very authentic, warm and sassy. It was pretty surreal. She's very focused, very creative, and one thing I really admired about her was her bravery and her experience. She would do many different takes, and they would all have different flavors. Some were more successful than others, of course, but she followed every single one through, and I sometimes flinch and interrupt the take. She never did that, because she has faith in the work and is open to any surprises that might unfold. But she wasn't afraid to make mistakes. Sometimes you stumble and sometimes you don't. She picked her battles. She had some issues and would argue about some and not others."
- "I really was a miserable teenager. I did not perform well socially in junior high. I was a strange girl and I was in a lot of pain because of that, like most teenagers. But I had the privilege of venting and complaining about it in a way people took seriously. To have a forum to release my frustration and anger was an incredible gift. It was very cathartic."
Awards- London Critics Circle Film Awards: Actress of the Year, ROMEO + JULIET (1998)
- MTV Movie Awards: Best Female Performance, ROMEO AND JULIET (1997)
- ShoWest Award: Female Star of Tomorrow (1997)
- Blockbuster Entertainment Award: Favorite Actress - Romance, ROMEO + JULIET (1997)
- Young Artist Awards: Best Performance in a Feature Film - Supporting Young Actress, TO GILLIAN ON HER 37TH BIRTHDAY (1997)
- YoungStar Awards: Best Performance by a Young Actress in a Drama Film, ROMEO + JULIET (1997)
- Young Artist Awards: Best Performance by a Youth Ensemble in a Television Series, MY SO-CALLED LIFE (1995)
- Golden Globe Awards: Best Actress in a Leading Role--Drama Series or Television Movie, MY SO-CALLED LIFE (1994)
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