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Jena Malone

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Jena Malone
Malone in 2015
Born
Jena Laine Malone

(1984-11-21)November 21, 1984(age 39)
Sparks, Nevada,U.S.
OccupationActress
Years active1995–present
WorksFull list
Children1
AwardsFull list

Jena Laine Malone(/ˈdʒɛnəməˈloʊn/;born November 21, 1984) is an American actress. Born inSparks, Nevada,Malone spent her early life there and inLas Vegas,while her mother acted in local theater productions. Inspired to become an actress herself, Malone convinced her mother to relocate toLos Angeles.After a series of auditions, Malone was cast in thetelevision filmBastard Out of Carolina(1996), for which she receivedIndependent SpiritandScreen Actors Guild Awardnominations, and the television filmHope(1997), for which she received aGolden Globe Awardnomination. She next appeared in the feature filmsContact(1997) andStepmom(1998), winning aSaturn Awardfor the former.

Malone began the 2000s with theindependentpsychological thrillerDonnie Darko(2001), which became acult film.She next appeared in the drama filmLife as a Houseand the miniseriesHitler: The Rise of Evil(both 2003), and thedark comedyfilmSaved!(2004), and established herself as an adult with the historical drama filmPride & Prejudice(2005). She furthered this success with the drama filmsThe Ballad of Jack and Rose(2005) andInto the Wild(2007), and the horror filmThe Ruins(2008). She made her foray into action films withZack Snyder'sSucker Punch(2011), and earned her highest-grossing releases with the role ofJohanna MasoninThe Hunger Gamesfilm series(2013–2015) which won her aTeen Choice Award.

Malone has since appeared in the horror filmsThe Neon Demon(2016),Antebellum(2020),Swallowed(2022) andConsecration(2023), the thriller filmsNocturnal Animals(2016) andLove Lies Bleeding(2024), the drama filmsThe Public(2018) andLorelei(2020) which she executive produced, and theWestern filmHorizon: An American Saga – Chapter 1(2024). Her continued television credits include thecrime dramasToo Old to Die Young(2019) andGoliath(2021).

Early life

[edit]

Malone was born on November 21, 1984, inSparks, Nevada,[1]the daughter of Deborah Malone and Edward Berge. Her father is of partlyNorwegiandescent; she also hasIrishancestry.[2]According to Malone, her mother became pregnant with her after a one-night stand with her father, who was married to another woman at the time.[3]Malone was raised by her mother and her mother's girlfriend.[4]"They were lovers," Malone has said. "I had two moms, and it was awesome."[3]She remained estranged from her father for much of her early life but reconciled with him in adulthood.[3]

Malone grew up impoverished; her family relocated frequently and at times was homeless. "We were just so poor," Malone has said. "We'd hop out of apartments, lose jobs, find a cheaper place, get kicked out, live in cars, and live in hotels."[3]By the time she was nine years old, she had lived in 27 locations.[1]Despite the frequent moves, Malone said, "I don't think it was a tough childhood... it prepared me for this strange, gypsy lifestyle of an actor. It's a beautiful thing to give children diversity of where to live and how to live; it makes you believe that security is built within instead of four concrete walls that you call a home."[3]

As a child, Malone first began taking an interest in acting while watching her mother perform in community theater in theLake Tahoearea.[5]In 1995 she moved toLas Vegas,where she resided with her family for nine months, and began taking acting classes[4]while her mother worked in a call center.[1]She subsequently persuaded her mother to move to Los Angeles so she could pursue an acting career.[4]Malone has said that she and her mother struggled financially in Los Angeles. She was home-schooled from sixth to eighth grade and attended theProfessional Children's Schoolin New York City for ninth grade.[4]She has one younger maternal half-sibling, Madison Mae Malone (born 1997).[6]After dropping out of high school in 1999, Malone obtained aGeneral Educational Developmentcertificate in 2001.[7]

Career

[edit]

1990s

[edit]

Malone progressed to professional acting with the filmBastard Out of Carolina(1996).[8]She was nominated at the 1996Independent Spirit AwardsforBest Debut Performance[9]and at the thirdScreen Actors Guild AwardsforOutstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Television Movie or Miniseriesfor her role in the film. From there her roles grew to include several Hollywood features. In 1997 she was nominated for aGolden Globe Awardin the categoryBest Actress in a Miniseries or Television Filmfor her role in the television filmHope(1997), portraying a young girl growing up in a small town in the 1960s.[10]

After completingHope,Malone was cast inRobert Zemeckis's science fiction filmContact(1997), playing the child counterpart ofJodie Foster's lead character.[11]For her portrayal she won aSaturn Award for Best Performance by a Younger Actor.[12]In 1998, she played the role of an unwed mother who is suspected of murdering her newborn baby in an episode ofHomicide: Life on the Street.The following year Malone was cast oppositeSusan Sarandon,Julia RobertsandEd Harrisin the dramaStepmom(1998), playing an adolescent girl whose father has remarried and whose mother is dying of terminal cancer. The film was a box office success, grossing over $150 million against a $50 million budget.[13]Malone played Heather Aubrey, the teenage daughter ofKelly Prestonin the 1999 movie,For Love of the Game,starringKevin Costner.

2000s

[edit]

Malone had her first cinematic leading role in thepsychological science fictionthriller filmDonnie Darko(2001), playing Gretchen Ross, the new girl in town who becomes the girlfriend ofJake Gyllenhaal's title character. Though the film was not a box-office hit, it later gained notoriety as acult film.[14]The same year she had a supporting part in the dramaLife as a House(2001), portraying the girlfriend of a young man (Hayden Christensen) whose ailing father (Kevin Kline) is building a home.[15]Malone co-produced the independent comedy-dramaAmerican Girl(2002), the first feature in which she had top billing, co-starring withBrad RenfroandAlicia Wittas a suicidal young woman whose father is in prison.[11]In 2002 Malone played the part of a Catholic schoolgirl with a painful secret oppositeEmile HirschinThe Dangerous Lives of Altar Boys,also featuringVincent D'OnofrioandJodie Foster.In 2003, Jena appeared as "ferry girl" inCold Mountain.

Malone had top billing in the dark comedySaved!(2004), in which she portrayed a Christian high school student who discovers her boyfriend isgay.[16]The same year she starred in the ecological-themed independent thriller filmCorn,about a young woman who returns to her family's farm to find that their sheep are being driven mad by corn modified to be immune topesticides.[17]Ronnie Scheib ofVarietypraised her performance, writing: "WithCornJena Malone proves conclusively that she can carry a movie. "[17]

Malone at theToronto International Film Festivalin 2007

Malone was subsequently cast as Lydia Bennet inJoe Wright's adaptation ofJane Austen'sPride and Prejudice(2005).[18]Stephen HoldenofThe New York Timeswrote, "Malone, as the saucy, boy-crazy youngest daughter, Lydia, offers an amusing caricature of teenage idiocy and entitlement."[18]The same year she had a supporting role inRebecca Miller's dramaThe Ballad of Jack and Rose.[19]

In 2006 Malone made herBroadwaystage debut as Sister James in a production of theTony Award-winning playDoubt.[20]Ben Brantley ofThe New York Timeswrote that Malone "slides effortlessly and appealingly into the part of the dewy, impressionable Sister James."[20]She also appeared in films, co-starring withChloë Sevignyin filmmakerM. Blash's improvised featureLying(2006), playing one of several women attending a precarious weekend gathering.[21]Malone followed this with supporting roles in the independent comedyThe Go-Getter(2007), playing a young woman reunited with her middle school crush, and the biographical dramaInto the Wild(2007), in which she portrayed the sister ofChris McCandless.[22]

Malone performing with Jena Malone and the Blood Stains at Union Hall in 2008

In 2007 it was announced that Malone was releasing her first single onThe Social Registry,a New York City experimental music label, as Jena Malone and the Bloodstains. A number of tracks were subsequently posted to herMySpacepage.[23][non-primary source needed]Pitchfork Mediahas described Malone's music as "pretty out-there—bedroom electronics, spaced-out keyboards, and Malone's spare vocals."[24]In 2008 she formed the musical project The Shoe, which features Malone performing with a series of electronic instruments contained within a steamer trunk.[25]She began performing impromptu live shows on street corners in 2008.[25]

Malone appeared in the supernatural horror filmThe Ruins(2008) oppositeShawn AshmoreandJonathan Tucker,playing one of several backpackers inMexicowho become trapped on aMayan templeteeming with vines that can animate and attack those who come into contact with them.[26]The following year she returned to theater, portraying Lavinia in an off-Broadway revival ofEugene O'Neill's playMourning Becomes Electra,oppositeLili Taylor.[27]

2010s

[edit]
Malone at the 2013San Diego Comic Con

In 2011 Malone played the role of Rocket inZack Snyder's action filmSucker Punch.[28]The film's commercial failure caused Malone to reevaluate her career and consider focusing on photography and music.[29]After the success of her next role, inThe History Channel'sminiseriesHatfields and McCoys,Malone's passion for acting returned.[30]

In 2012 Malone starred inDakota,a series on the YouTube channel Wigs, portraying the title character. She was attached to playCarson McCullersin the filmLonely Hunter,directed by Deborah Kampmeir,[31]and had a supporting role inBrian Savelson's independent dramaIn Our Nature(2012) oppositeZach Gilford,Gabrielle Union,andJohn Slattery,playing one of several young people on a couples' getaway.[32]

In 2013 Malone reunited with M. Blash and co-star Chloë Sevigny in the independent dramaThe Wait,portraying the sister of a woman who believes their dead mother will be resurrected.[33]The same year she was cast asJohanna MasoninThe Hunger Games: Catching Fire.

Malone in 2015

In 2014 Malone exhibited 39 photographs she had taken inMyanmarthat summer.[34][35]The exhibition, which ran from November 21 to 28, was called "The Holy Other."[34][35]It took place atMAMA,an art gallery owned by Malone's friend Adarsha Benjamin inDowntown Los Angeles.[34][35]Proceeds were donated to Girl Determined, a nonprofit organization that benefits girls' education in Myanmar.[35]Also in 2014 Malone had a supporting role inPaul Thomas Anderson'sneo-noirfilmInherent Vice(2014), portraying an ex-heroin addict who hires a detective (Joaquin Phoenix) to find her husband.[36]Malone also reprised the role of Johanna Mason in twoHunger Gamessequels,Mockingjay – Part 1(2014) andMockingjay – Part 2(2015).[37]

Malone was cast as Jenet Klyburn[38]inBatman v Superman: Dawn of Justice.Many sources reported that she was going to portrayCarrie Kelley,but her scenes were left out of the theatrical release. Later, Snyder revealed that Carrie Kelley was in a deleted scene of the film, but she was not portrayed by Malone.[39][40][41][42][43]In February 2015 Malone was cast alongsideElle FanninginNicolas Winding Refn's horror filmThe Neon Demon,which focuses on an aspiring model inLos Angeles.[44]The film garnered criticism for a scene in which Malone engages innecrophilia.The Telegraph's Tim Robey deemed it the "most offensive film of the year" but conceded it was not "any fault of Malone's, who commits herself utterly to making it an anguished, desperate, if inevitably revolting minute or so of screen time. It's a question of context, and how this scene... slots into the film's overall thesis."[45]

Malone at the premiere ofThe Publicin 2018

Malone co-starred withRiley KeoughinSo Yong Kim's drama filmLovesong(2016), playing a young woman who falls in love with her female best friend.[46]Kate Erbland ofIndieWirewrote that "Malone is at her most effervescent and appealing" but that "the overall effect is one of a disjointed love story that can never quite find the tune, no matter how skilled its players."[46]

Malone is credited as co-writer and featured vocalist on theFoster the Peopletrack "Static Space Lover" from the band's third album,Sacred Hearts Club,released on July 21, 2017.[47]She appeared in the moviesStardustandThe Tuna Goddess.[48]In 2018, she appeared in the filmThe Public.

Personal life

[edit]

In 1999, at age 15, Malone filed forlegal emancipationfrom her mother in a Los Angeles County Court, and subsequently alleged that her mother had mismanaged her earnings, spending $280,000 of her trust account.[49]She was granted legal emancipation in January 2000.[50][51]

In 2003, at age 19, Malone purchased a home inLake Tahoe, Nevada,[52]where she resided as of 2012.[53]

In 2014, Malone began a relationship with photographer Ethan DeLorenzo.[54]In May 2016, the couple's son, Ode Mountain, was born.[55][56]Malone dealt withpostpartum depressionfollowing the birth.[57]Malone and DeLorenzo announced their engagement on August 30, 2016.[58]In 2019, Malone and DeLorenzo ended their relationship.[59]She has been in a relationship with musicianAlex Ebertas of 2019.[60]

Malone endorsed SenatorBernie Sandersin the2016 United States presidential election.[61]

In 2022, Malone helped rescue a dog that was being abused by its owner, and donated to aGoFundMecampaign to cover the costs of its surgery.[62]

In August 2022, Malone publiclycame outaspansexualandpolyamorous.[63]

In March 2023, Malone disclosed having beensexually assaultedwhile working onThe Hunger Gamesfranchise; Malone shared a photo to Instagram that she took after filming wrapped on the series' fourth and final film,The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 2.In the comments section, Malone explained she had chosen not to name her alleged assailant because of concern about "cancel-like culture".[64][65]

Filmography

[edit]
Main article:Jena Malone on screen and stage

Accolades

[edit]
Main article:List of awards and nominations received by Jena Malone

References

[edit]
  1. ^abcRommelmann, Nancy (June 22, 2000)."Jena at 15".LA Weekly.Archived fromthe originalon June 20, 2019.
  2. ^Fyen, Stian (November 13, 2013)."Hunger Games-stjerna vil utforske sine norske aner".Dagbladet(in Norwegian).
  3. ^abcdeBueno, Antoinette (December 22, 2014)."Jena Malone on Unconventional Childhood: 'I had 2 Moms, and It Was Awesome'".Entertainment Tonight.Archived fromthe originalon April 21, 2018.
  4. ^abcdKern, Richard (2003)."Jena Malone".Index Magazine.Archived fromthe originalon December 17, 2006.
  5. ^"Meet Pride & Prejudice's Jena Malone".YM.com. Archived fromthe originalon September 9, 2006.RetrievedJune 17,2006.
  6. ^Zarker, Karen (April 6, 2008)."20 Questions: Jena Malone".Pop Matters.Archived fromthe originalon April 13, 2019.
  7. ^Miller, Samantha (December 10, 2001)."Girl, Accelerated".People.Archived fromthe originalon February 28, 2019.
  8. ^"Jena Malone on" Saved! "".About.com. Archived fromthe originalon May 16, 2006.RetrievedJune 17,2006.
  9. ^"A Childhood in Hollywood".LA Weekly.RetrievedJune 17,2006.
  10. ^"Jena Malone".Golden Globes.Hollywood Foreign Press Association.RetrievedJune 20,2019.
  11. ^abMarnell, Blair (October 25, 2015)."Jena Malone Movies and TV Spotlight".ComingSoon.net.Archived fromthe originalon May 6, 2017.
  12. ^Riggs, Thomas, ed. (2000).Contemporary Theatre, Film and television.Vol. 31. Detroit, Michigan: Gale / Cengage Learning. p. 249.ISBN978-0-7876-4636-3.
  13. ^"Stepmom (1998)".Box Office Mojo.Archivedfrom the original on July 27, 2013.RetrievedJune 20,2019.
  14. ^Brunett, Adam (July 22, 2004)."Donnie Darko: The Director's Cut: The Strange Afterlife of an Indie Cult Film".Indie Wire.Archived fromthe originalon April 2, 2019.
  15. ^Holden, Stephen (October 26, 2001)."FILM REVIEW; Dyspeptic in Paradise, as Life Falls Apart; Then..."The New York Times.Archived fromthe originalon March 7, 2019.
  16. ^Ebert, Roger."Saved!".Chicago Sun-Times.Archived fromthe originalon January 7, 2019.
  17. ^abScheib, Ronnie (November 10, 2004)."Corn".Variety.Archived fromthe originalon June 20, 2019.
  18. ^abHolden, Stephen (November 11, 2005)."Marrying Off Those Bennet Sisters Again, but This Time Elizabeth Is a Looker".The New York Times.Archived fromthe originalon April 6, 2019.
  19. ^Dargis, Manohla(March 25, 2005)."A 60's Holdout and His Daughter, Searching for an Epic".The New York Times.Archivedfrom the original on June 21, 2019.RetrievedJune 21,2019.
  20. ^abBrantley, Ben (February 15, 2006)."A Tale of Moral Indecision Becomes One of Mystery".The New York Times.Archived fromthe originalon January 15, 2018.
  21. ^Thompson, Anne (May 22, 2006)."Rookie helmer slides into Fortnight".The Hollywood Reporter.Archived fromthe originalon August 5, 2007.
  22. ^Harvey, Dennis (September 1, 2007)."Into the Wild".Variety.Archived fromthe originalon July 10, 2018.
  23. ^"Jena Malone".Myspace.RetrievedFebruary 17,2007.
  24. ^Phillips, Amy."Actress Jena Malone Records Social Registry 7".Archived fromthe originalon February 19, 2007.RetrievedFebruary 17,2007.
  25. ^abSolarski, Matthew (May 22, 2008)."Jena Malone Builds Instrument, Starts Label, Busks".Pitchfork.Archived fromthe originalon December 8, 2010.
  26. ^Seitz, Matt Zoller (April 5, 2008)."Watch Out for That Malevolent Jungle Vine".The New York Times.Archived fromthe originalon January 30, 2018.
  27. ^Rooney, David (February 19, 2009)."Mourning Becomes Electra".Variety.RetrievedJune 20,2019.
  28. ^Mendelson, Scott (March 25, 2015)."Famous Flops: 'Sucker Punch' Was An Ahead Of Its Time Attack On 'GamerGate' Culture".Forbes.Archivedfrom the original on March 27, 2015.
  29. ^Waller, Philip (April 22, 2011)."Housing market builds up".Daily Express.Archivedfrom the original on June 21, 2019.RetrievedJune 21,2019.
  30. ^"Jena Malone almost quit acting after Sucker Punch knocked her out".San Francisco Chronicle.December 6, 2013.
  31. ^Cox, Gordon (October 7, 2011)."Malone books biopic. Thesp to star in 'Lonely Hunter'".Variety.
  32. ^Holden, Stephen(December 6, 2012)."'In Our Nature,' Directed by Brian Savelson ".The New York Times.Archivedfrom the original on December 10, 2012.RetrievedJune 21,2019.
  33. ^Catsoulis, Jeannette (January 31, 2014)."A Study of Sublimated Grief".The New York Times.Archived fromthe originalon February 1, 2014.
  34. ^abcRobinson, Joanna (November 21, 2014)."Hunger Games Star Jena Malone on Inspiring Girls Everywhere to Catch Fire".Vanity Fair.
  35. ^abcd'Outlook Beverly Hills',The Beverly Hills Courier,Volume XXXXVIIII, Number 46, November 21, 2014, p. 22
  36. ^Lane, Anthony (December 8, 2014)."Swinging Seventies".The New Yorker.Archived fromthe originalon February 25, 2019.
  37. ^Dean Schmitz, Greg (July 6, 2012)."Weekly Ketchup: Jena Malone Joins Catching Fire Cast".Rotten Tomatoes.
  38. ^Wakeman, Gregory (June 16, 2016)."Jena Malone's Batman V Superman Role Has Leaked, Find Out Who She Played".CinemaBlend.com.Archivedfrom the original on June 17, 2016.RetrievedJune 16,2016.
  39. ^Burlingame, Russ."Zack Snyder Had Planned On Introducing Carrie Kelley's Robin In DC Universe Movie".ComicBook.com.
  40. ^Hernandez Lujan, Raquel (January 3, 2015)."¿En Batman v Superman, Jena Malone será Carrie Kelly?".Hobbyconsolas(in Spanish).
  41. ^Holmes, Adam (October 18, 2014)."Batman V Superman Confirms Jena Malone for a Mystery Role".CinemaBlend.
  42. ^Culzac, Natasha (October 18, 2014)."Batman v Superman: Side-kick Robin 'to be woman played by Jena Malone'".The Independent.
  43. ^"Jena Malone Cut From 'Batman v Superman' Theatrical Release (Report)".Variety.March 3, 2016.RetrievedMarch 4,2016.
  44. ^Gingold, Michael (October 18, 2014)."The Neon Demon".Fangoria.Archived fromthe originalon November 20, 2015.
  45. ^Robey, Tim (July 7, 2016)."The Neon Demon is the most offensive film of the year – and not because of the necrophilia".The Daily Telegraph.Archivedfrom the original on March 31, 2019.RetrievedJune 20,2019.
  46. ^abErbland, Kate (February 16, 2017)."'Lovesong' Review: Riley Keough and Jena Malone's Sizzling Chemistry Can't Save This Heartbreaker ".IndieWire.Archivedfrom the original on June 20, 2019.RetrievedJune 20,2019.
  47. ^Foster The People (Ft. Jena Malone) – Static Space Lover,retrievedJuly 21,2017
  48. ^Carvajal, Edduin (September 29, 2020)."Jena Malone Emancipated Herself at Age 15 — Look Back at Her Relationship with Her Mom".AmoMama News.RetrievedFebruary 28,2021.
  49. ^O'Neill, Ann (November 14, 1999)."Actress Sues to Keep Mother Away From Assets".Los Angeles Times.Archivedfrom the original on June 20, 2019.
  50. ^Kern, Richard (2003)."Jena Malone".Index Magazine.Archived fromthe originalon December 17, 2006.
  51. ^"Actress Malone Breaks With Mother".Associated Press.January 16, 2000.
  52. ^"Jena Malone fromSaved".The Jay Leno Show(Interview). Interviewed by Malone, Jena. New York City: NBC. 2004.
  53. ^Lonardo, Thom (2012)."Jena Malone Interview".Un-Titled Project.Archived fromthe originalon June 25, 2016.RetrievedApril 9,2016.
  54. ^Shkurtaj, Tereza (March 2, 2023)."Jena Malone's relationship history revealed".The US Sun.RetrievedJuly 11,2024.
  55. ^Bologna, Caroline (August 25, 2017)."Jena Malone Knows She Isn't Alone in Her Struggle With Depression As A Mom".HuffPost.Archived fromthe originalon June 22, 2019.
  56. ^Schnurr, Samantha (May 31, 2016)."Jena Malone Gives Birth to First Child".E!.Archivedfrom the original on June 1, 2016.
  57. ^Swift, Nicki (April 10, 2018)."Why Hollywood Won't Cast Jena Malone Anymore".Nicki Swift.RetrievedJuly 11,2024.
  58. ^Mizoguchi, Karen (August 30, 2016)."Jena Malone Engaged to Ethan DeLorenzo".People.Archived fromthe originalon January 1, 2017.
  59. ^"'The Hunger Games' Cast: Where Are They Now? ".People.com.RetrievedOctober 22,2024.
  60. ^"Her Love: Musician Alex Ebert in conversation with partner and actor Jena Malone".Hero magazine.com.
  61. ^"Jena Malone on Instagram".Instagram.
  62. ^Mark, Julian (April 7, 2022)."Actress Jena Malone rescues dog in Hollywood-esque citizen's arrest".The Washington Post.ISSN0190-8286.RetrievedApril 9,2022.
  63. ^Hogan, Heather (January 7, 2022)."Jena Malone Comes Out as Pansexual By Doing An Interpretive Dance on Instagram".Autostraddle.RetrievedAugust 24,2022.
  64. ^Murray, Tom (March 2, 2023)."Jena Malone alleges she was sexually assaulted by co-worker on The Hunger Games".The Independent.RetrievedMarch 10,2023.
  65. ^Tinoco, Armando (March 1, 2023)."Jena Malone Opens Up About Being Sexually Assaulted During 'Hunger Games'".Deadline Hollywood.RetrievedMarch 28,2023.
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