Jump to content
 







Main menu
   


Navigation  



Main page
Contents
Current events
Random article
About Wikipedia
Contact us
Donate
 




Contribute  



Help
Learn to edit
Community portal
Recent changes
Upload file
 








Search  

































Create account

Log in
 









Create account
 Log in
 




Pages for logged out editors learn more  



Contributions
Talk
 



















Contents

   



(Top)
 


1 Early life  





2 Career  





3 Filmography  





4 References  





5 External links  














Fairuza Balk






Afrikaans
العربية
Asturianu
تۆرکجه
Беларуская
Deutsch
Español
فارسی
Français
Galego

Italiano
עברית
مصرى
Nederlands

Oʻzbekcha / ўзбекча
Polski
Português
Română
Русский
Simple English
Slovenčina
Srpskohrvatski / српскохрватски
Suomi
Svenska
Türkçe
Українська
اردو

 

Edit links
 









Article
Talk
 

















Read
Edit
View history
 








Tools
   


Actions  



Read
Edit
View history
 




General  



What links here
Related changes
Upload file
Special pages
Permanent link
Page information
Cite this page
Get shortened URL
Download QR code
Wikidata item
 




Print/export  



Download as PDF
Printable version
 




In other projects  



Wikimedia Commons
 
















Appearance
   

 






From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
 


Fairuza Balk
Balk in 2019
Born (1974-05-21) May 21, 1974 (age 50)
Occupations
  • Actress
  • musician
  • visual artist
  • Years active1983–present

    Fairuza Balk (born May 21, 1974) is an American actress, musician, and visual artist. Known for her portrayals of distinctive characters—often with a dark edge and "goth-girl" persona[1][2]—she has appeared in numerous independent films and blockbuster features.

    Following a series of television roles, Balk made her feature film debut as Dorothy GaleinReturn to Oz (1985), for which she was nominated for a Young Artist Award for Best Starring Performance. Her career progressed with parts in films such as Valmont (1989) and Gas Food Lodging (1992), the latter earning her an Independent Spirit Award for Best Female Lead. After roles in Imaginary Crimes (1994) and Things to Do in Denver When You're Dead (1995), Balk received acclaim and a cult following for her portrayal of Nancy Downs in The Craft (1996), which earned her an MTV Movie Award. Her other credits include The Island of Dr. Moreau (1996), American History X (1998), The Waterboy (1998), Almost Famous (2000), Personal Velocity: Three Portraits (2002), Deuces Wild (2002), Don't Come Knocking (2005), Wild Tigers I Have Known (2006), Humboldt County (2008), and Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans (2009).

    Outside of film, Balk portrayed Mildred Hubble in the 1986 television adaptation of The Worst Witch, based on the book series of the same name. She played the recurring role of Ginger on Showtime's Ray Donovan in 2015, and starred as Lizzie Thomas in the Amazon Prime series Paradise City in 2021. Balk has been releasing music since 2010 under the name of her unsigned act, Armed Love Militia.

    Early life

    [edit]

    Balk was born on May 21, 1974, in Point Reyes, California, to Solomon Feldthouse (born David Earle Scaff; 1940–2021), a musician, and Catherine Balk (1944–2018), a belly dancer. The name Fairuza is of Persian origin meaning "turquoise". Her father gave her the name for the color of her eyes. Feldthouse was one of the founding members of the 1960s psychedelic rock group Kaleidoscope, and was also a traveling folk musician.[3]

    Until the age of two, Balk lived in Jackson, Michigan, with her mother. They then moved to Vancouver, British Columbia, where she began acting at age six. They moved to London and then to Paris for another role. They remained there for six months before returning to Vancouver. [citation needed] Balk bought an occult shop in Los Angeles while filming the 1996 film The Craft.[4]

    Career

    [edit]

    Balk took her first acting course around the summer of 1983, where she was taught how to look at a camera and not be shy. Her first experience was in a British Columbia tourism commercial, for which she earned $100.[5] Her debut role was in a 1983 television film titled The Best Christmas Pageant Ever. While in London, Balk was cast by Walt Disney Productions to star as Dorothy Gale in Return to Oz, the sequel to MGM's 1939 musical The Wizard of Oz.[6] This role led to others, including that of Mildred Hubble in The Worst Witch. In 1988, at age 14, she moved to Paris to work on Valmont with Miloš Forman. She decided to take correspondence courses and went back to Hollywood, where she gained increasing notice as an actress. In 1992, she was awarded an Independent Spirit Award as best actress for her performance in the Allison Anders film Gas Food Lodging.[7]

    In 1996, she appeared in a lead role in The Craft, in which her character formed a teenage coven with characters portrayed by Neve Campbell, Rachel True and Robin Tunney. Since then, Balk has continued to find roles, primarily dark ones. In 1996, she co-starred in The Island of Dr Moreau. In 1998, she played a neo-Nazi opposite Edward NortoninAmerican History X, and was featured in The Waterboy, alongside Adam Sandler. Since 2000, she has appeared in over a dozen films and was briefly in a band called G-13. She has also done voice work for animated films, TV shows and video games, including Justice League, Family Guy, Grand Theft Auto: Vice City and Lords of EverQuest. The 2007 documentary Return to Oz: The Joy That Got Away was dedicated to her.

    In 2010, Armed Love Militia, Balk's musical outlet, released the single "Stormwinds". The track was written and sung by Balk.[8][9][10] Armed Love Militia continued, with Balk collaborating on an EP with singer and songwriter Mel Sanson.[11]

    In 2011, Balk began to exhibit art in Los Angeles and New York. On August 4, 2012, she participated in the group show 'MiXTAPE', with other notable artists Mark Ryden, Camille Rose Garcia, Jessicka Addams, and Marion Peck. Artists were asked to pick a song and create art inspired by that song. Balk chose the song "Nuages" by Django Reinhardt and created a 16"x20"x12" mixed-media sculpture. The eclectic mix of songs chosen were featured for digital download on iTunes.[12][13][14]

    In 2017, the emo puppet band Fragile Rock performed a song titled "Fairuza Balk" on their NPR Tiny Desk Concert.[15]

    Filmography

    [edit]
    Film
    Year Title Role Notes
    1985 Return to Oz Dorothy Gale Nominated – Saturn Award for Best Performance by a Younger Actor
    1986 Discovery Molly Short film
    The Worst Witch Mildred Hubble
    1988 The Outside Chance of Maximilian Glick Celia Brzjinski
    1989 Valmont Cecile
    1992 Gas Food Lodging Shade Independent Spirit Award for Best Female Lead
    1994 Imaginary Crimes Sonya Weiler
    Tollbooth Doris
    1995 Things to Do in Denver When You're Dead Lucinda
    1996 The Craft Nancy Downs MTV Movie Award for Best Fight (shared with Robin Tunney)
    Nominated – Saturn Award for Best Supporting Actress
    The Island of Dr. Moreau Aissa
    1997 American Perfekt Alice Thomas
    The Maker Bella Sotto
    1998 There's No Fish Food in Heaven / Life In The Fast Lane (DVD Title) [16] Mona
    American History X Stacey
    The Waterboy Vicki Vallencourt
    2000 Red Letters Gretchen Van Buren
    2000 Almost Famous Sapphire Online Film Critics Society Award for Best Ensemble (shared with State and Main)
    Nominated – Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture
    2002 Personal Velocity: Three Portraits Paula
    Deuces Wild Annie 'The Ice Cube'
    2005 What Is It? Screaming Snail, Insect, Monkey Girl Voice
    Don't Come Knocking Amber
    A Year and a Day Lola
    2006 Wild Tigers I Have Known Logan's Mom
    2008 Humboldt County Bogart
    Grindstone Road Hannah
    2009 Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans Officer Heidi
    2010 Shit Year Message Voice
    2013 Dose of Reality Rose
    2014 Beyond Clueless Narrator
    Lost Soul Herself Documentary film
    2015 Battle Scars Rifka
    2017 August Falls Anna Ellison
    2018 Hell Is Where the Home Is The Visitor aka Trespassers
    2020 The Craft: Legacy Nancy Downs Cameo
    Television
    Year Title Role Notes
    1983 The Best Christmas Pageant Ever Beth Bradley Television film
    1985 Deceptions Penny Roberts
    1986 The Worst Witch Mildred Hubble
    1987 Poor Little Rich Girl: The Barbara Hutton Story Barbara—Age 12
    1991 Deadly Intentions... Again? Stacey
    1992 Shame Lizzie Curtis
    The Danger of Love: The Carolyn Warmus Story Lisa
    1993 Murder in the Heartland Caril Ann Fugate Mini-series
    1994 ZZ Top: Breakaway Vampire Girl Television film
    1995 Shadow of a Doubt Angel Harwell
    1999–2000 Family Guy Coco, Connie D'Amico Voice, 2 episodes
    2001 The Sopranos Agent Deborah Ciccerone Episode: "Army of One" (original airing only; all scenes replaced)
    2003 Justice League Penny Dee Voice, episode: "Only a Dream"
    2006 Orpheus Karen Television film
    2006 Masters of Horror Stacia Episode: "Pick Me Up"
    2011–2012 Celebrity Ghost Stories Herself 3 episodes
    2015 Ray Donovan Ginger 7 episodes
    2021–present Paradise City Lizzie Thomas TV spinoff of American Satan
    Video games
    Year Title Voice role
    2002 Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Mercedes Cortez
    2003 Lords of EverQuest Lady T'Lak

    References

    [edit]
    1. ^ Benardello, Karen (September 14, 2014). "Interview: Fairuza Balk and Charles Baker Talk August Falls". ShockYa.com. Retrieved March 27, 2021.
  • ^ Baranowski, Jordan (October 16, 2020). "Whatever Happened To Fairuza Balk?". Looper. Retrieved March 27, 2021.
  • ^ "Fairuza Balk Photos, Gossip, Bio & Reviews". AskMen.com. IGN Entertainment, Inc. 2010. Archived from the original on January 30, 2010. Retrieved August 12, 2010.
  • ^ Highfill, Samantha (October 16, 2017). "The Craft: Fairuza Balk shuts down those witch rumors". EW.com. Retrieved February 28, 2021.
  • ^ "Off to the Land of Oz". The Sun. December 6, 1983. p. 35.
  • ^ "The Wizard of Oz Production Timeline". The Walt Disney Company releases an unofficial sequel to the 1939 film titled Return to Oz and starring Fairuza Balk. The film is not a musical, and is much darker in tone than the 1939 film.
  • ^ "Independent Spirit Awards Lives Up to Its Name : Movies: Irreverent, annual alternative awards program names 'The Player' as best of 1992". Los Angeles Times. March 29, 1993. Retrieved March 7, 2019.
  • ^ "INTERVIEW: FAIRUZA | ARMED LOVE MILITIA X MEL SANSON". ferocemagazine.com. October 10, 2018. Retrieved March 5, 2019.[permanent dead link]
  • ^ "Stormwinds by Armed Love Militia". bandcamp.com. Retrieved March 5, 2019.
  • ^ "Fairuza - music". fairuza.org. Retrieved March 5, 2019.
  • ^ "ARMED LOVE MILITIA (FAIRUZA BALK & MEL SANSON): WHITE LILLIES REVIEW". ferocemagazine.com. September 27, 2018. Archived from the original on March 6, 2019. Retrieved March 5, 2019.
  • ^ Miller, Bridgette. Frances Bean Cobain & More Create Art That Rocks for MiXTAPE LA Archived September 21, 2013, at the Wayback Machine. Bust (magazine). August 2, 2012.
  • ^ LA MIXTAPE: AS A GESTURE OF LOVE. L.A. Record. August 3, 2012.
  • ^ Duran, Amy. IN L.A.: LA MIXTAPE @ LEBASSE PROJECTS CHINA TOWN. juxtapoz magazine. August 20, 2012.
  • ^ Boilen, Bob (July 14, 2017), "Fragile Rock: Tiny Desk Concert", NPR, retrieved February 15, 2021
  • ^ "Life in the Fast Lane". Amazon. February 19, 2004.
  • [edit]
    Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Fairuza_Balk&oldid=1229439818"

    Categories: 
    1974 births
    Living people
    20th-century American actresses
    21st-century American actresses
    Actresses from the San Francisco Bay Area
    American child actresses
    American expatriates in Canada
    American expatriates in France
    American expatriate actresses
    American expatriates in England
    American film actresses
    American television actresses
    American video game actresses
    American voice actresses
    Independent Spirit Award for Best Female Lead winners
    People from Cloverdale, California
    People from Jackson, Michigan
    People from Point Reyes, California
    Hidden categories: 
    All articles with dead external links
    Articles with dead external links from April 2020
    Articles with permanently dead external links
    Webarchive template wayback links
    Articles with short description
    Short description is different from Wikidata
    Use mdy dates from February 2021
    Articles with hCards
    All articles with unsourced statements
    Articles with unsourced statements from February 2022
    Commons category link from Wikidata
    Articles with ISNI identifiers
    Articles with VIAF identifiers
    Articles with WorldCat Entities identifiers
    Articles with BNE identifiers
    Articles with BNF identifiers
    Articles with BNFdata identifiers
    Articles with GND identifiers
    Articles with J9U identifiers
    Articles with LCCN identifiers
    Articles with NKC identifiers
    Articles with NTA identifiers
    Articles with PLWABN identifiers
    Articles with MusicBrainz identifiers
    Articles with Deutsche Synchronkartei identifiers
    Articles with DTBIO identifiers
    Articles with SUDOC identifiers
     



    This page was last edited on 16 June 2024, at 20:36 (UTC).

    Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 4.0; additional terms may apply. By using this site, you agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Wikipedia® is a registered trademark of the Wikimedia Foundation, Inc., a non-profit organization.



    Privacy policy

    About Wikipedia

    Disclaimers

    Contact Wikipedia

    Code of Conduct

    Developers

    Statistics

    Cookie statement

    Mobile view



    Wikimedia Foundation
    Powered by MediaWiki