Ally Sheedy
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Alexandra Elizabeth Sheedy (born June 13, 1962 in New York City), is an American screen and stage actor, possibly best known for her roles in the "Brat Pack" films The Breakfast Club and St. Elmo's Fire.
At six years old, Ally Sheedy started dancing with the American Ballet Theatre, and at age 12 wrote a children's book, She Was Nice to Mice, that was published by McGraw-Hill and became a bestseller (ISBN 0440478448). Then, in her teens she began acting in local productions.
After appearing in several straight-to-television films in 1981, Ally Sheedy made her cinema debut in Bad Boys (1983), starring Sean Penn. The 1980s were her golden period with roles also in WarGames and Short Circuit, as well as a character in three episodes of the television series Hill Street Blues in 1983.
Her Hollywood career appears to have been difficult. Sheedy has claimed that she shied away from roles that were offered to her because she would have had to play a sex object.
In the 1990s Ally Sheedy was treated for sleeping pill addiction, which she drew on for her role as a drug-addicted photographer in the film High Art. She has also battled with Bulimia nervosa, spawned by pressure to stay thin when she performed ballet as a child.
High Art was an important movie in Sheedy's career. She identified with the character of photographer Lucy Berliner so much that she took a plane at her own expense to participate in an audition. She has said that this character is the closest one she has played to herself.
In 1999, Sheedy took over the lead role in the Off-Broadway production of Hedwig and the Angry Inch. Her run was terminated early amid bad reviews and reports of bizarre behavior.
She is married to actor David Lansbury, stepson of actress Angela Lansbury, and they have a daughter, Rebecca, born in 1994.
Notable filmography
- Bad Boys (1983)
- WarGames (1983)
- The Breakfast Club (1985)
- St Elmos Fire (1985)
- Twice in a Lifetime (1985)
- Short Circuit (1986)
- Betsy's Wedding (1990)
- Only the Lonely (1991)
- High Art (1998)
- The Interrogation of Michael Crowe (2002)
External links
- Template:Imdb name
- Ally Sheedy Pages (http://www.allysheedypages.com/) - Fan site with good photographs and interviews.
- Don’t You Forget About Me (http://newyorkmetro.com/nymetro/movies/features/2740/) - Article about Sheedy and High Artde:Ally Sheedy