The multi-talented Bijou Phillips has led an unusual life. She spent her childhood in New York, California and South Africa. She excelled in equestrian sport. When she was 13, she became a model to escape boarding school and became one of the youngest people to grace the cover of "Interview" Magazine and "Italian Vogue". Bijou also appeared in several ads for
Calvin Klein. At 17, she acquired a record deal and began work on her album "I'd Rather Eat Glass" produced by
Talking Heads'
Jerry Harrison. She was later cast in
Black & White (1999) by director
James Toback and garnered nothing but glowing praise from critics for her performance.
Larry Clark cast her in
Bully (2001) which led "The Hollywood Reporter" to name her one of 2002's "Shooting Stars of Tomorrow". Bijou continues to make great films with last year's role opposite 'Jeff Bridges'
and
Kim Basinger in
The Door in the Floor (2004), a film adaptation of
John Irving's novel, "A Widow For One Year". She most recently completed a leading role opposite
Anne Hathaway in Oscar-winning writer,
Stephen Gaghan's
Havoc (2005), directed by Oscar-winning documentary filmmaker,
Barbara Kopple. This is only the beginning for her, with several projects on the horizon, including her portrayal of "Lorna Doom" opposite
Shane West in a feature film, about late 70s seminal-punk band
The Germs, called
What We Do Is Secret (2007),
Venom (2005) (aka "Backwater"), produced by
Scream (1996)'s
Kevin Williamson, she is in the new film
Choke (2008), with
Anjelica Huston and
Sam Rockwell. As well as starring in a comedy called
Made for Each Other (2009) with
Christopher Masterson, she just played "Nancy Spungen", as in "Sid and Nancy", in a bio-pic about the Chealsea Hotel,
Chelsea on the Rocks (2008), directed by
Abel Ferrara.