Chloë Sevigny | |
|---|---|
 Sevigny at the82nd Venice Film Festival in 2025 | |
| Born | Chloe Stevens Sevigny (1974-11-18)November 18, 1974 (age 51) |
| Occupations |
|
| Years active | 1992–present |
| Works | Filmography |
| Spouse | |
| Children | 1 |
| Awards | Full list |
| Website | www |
Chloë Stevens Sevigny (/ˈsɛvəni/SEV-ən-ee;[1] born November 18, 1974) is an American actress and director. Known for her work inindependent films with controversial orexperimental themes,her accolades include aGolden Globe Award, in addition to nominations for anAcademy Award and aPrimetime Emmy Award.
After graduating from high school, Sevigny found work as a model, and appeared in music videos forSonic Youth andThe Lemonheads, which helped acquire her "it girl" status. In 1995, she made her film debut inKids, and became a prominent performer in the independent film scene throughout the late 1990s, with roles in such films as 1996'sTrees Lounge. Sevignyrose to prominence with her portrayal of Lana Tisdel in the drama filmBoys Don't Cry (1999), for which she received a nomination for theAcademy Award For Best Supporting Actress.
Throughout the 2000s, Sevigny appeared in supporting parts in numerous independent films, includingAmerican Psycho (2000),Demonlover (2002);Party Monster andDogville (both 2003); andThe Brown Bunny (2004). Her participation in the last caused considerable controversy due to a scene in which she performed graphic unsimulatedfellatio. From 2006 to 2011, Sevigny portrayedNicolette Grant on theHBO seriesBig Love, for which she won a Golden Globe Award forBest Supporting Actress in 2010. She also appeared in mainstream films such asDavid Fincher'sZodiac (2007), and starred in numerous television projects, including the British seriesHit & Miss (2012), and having supporting roles inPortlandia (2013), two seasons ofAmerican Horror Story; and in the Netflix seriesBloodline (2015–2017). For her performance inMonsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story (2024), she earned her firstPrimetime Emmy Award nomination forOutstanding Supporting Actress in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie.
Sevigny made her directorial debut in 2016 with the short filmKitty. Her third film as a director, a short titledWhite Echo, competed for theShort Film Palme d'Or at the2019 Cannes Film Festival. She also has a career in fashion design concurrent with her acting work. Over the years, heralternative fashion sense has earned her a reputation as astyle icon.[2]
Chloe Stevens Sevigny[3] was born inSpringfield, Massachusetts,[3][4] on November 18, 1974, the second child of Janine (née Malinowski) and Harold David Sevigny (1940–1996).[5][6] Shortly before her birth, Sevigny's parents had resided inMarin County, California, before returning to the East Coast.[7] She has one older brother, Paul,[8] who is a member of the bandA.R.E. Weapons. According to Sevigny, she added thediaeresis to her first name later in life, and it was not on her birth certificate.[3] Her mother isPolish-American, and her father was ofFrench-Canadian heritage.[9]
Sevigny and her brother were raised in a strictCatholic household[10][11] in affluentDarien, Connecticut,[12] where her father worked first as an accountant, and then as an art teacher.[13] Despite Darien's wealth, the Sevignys had a "frugal" household, and were considered "the poor bohemians in [an] extremely prosperous neighborhood".[13] Sevigny has stated that her father "worked very hard to bring us up in that town ... He wanted us to grow up in a really safe environment."[14]
As a child, Sevigny was diagnosed withscoliosis, but never received any surgical treatment for it.[15] She often spent summers attending theater camp, with leading roles in plays run by theYMCA.[15][16] She attendedDarien High School, where she was a member of the Alternative Learning Program. While in high school, she often babysat actorTopher Grace and his younger sister.[17] As a young teenager, she worked sweeping the tennis courts of acountry club her family could not afford to join.[18]
Sevigny described herself as a "loner" and a "depressed teenager" whose only extracurricular activities were occasionally skateboarding with her older brother and sewing her own clothes.[19] In high school, she grew rebellious and began experimenting with drugs, particularlyhallucinogens. She has said that her father was aware of her experimentation, and even told her that it was okay, but that she had "to stop if she had badtrips".[20] Despite her father's leniency, her mother forced her to attendAlcoholics Anonymous meetings.[19]
Sevigny later stated about her teenage drug use that "I had a great family life—I would never want it to look as if it reflected on them. I think I was very bored ... I often feel it's because I experimented when I was younger that I have no interest as an adult. I know a lot of adults who didn't, and it's much more dangerous when you start experimenting with drugs as an adult."[19]
Sevigny's father died of cancer in 1996, when she was 22 years old.[14]
As a teenager, Sevigny would occasionally ditch school inDarien and takethe train intoManhattan.[21] In 1992, at age 17, she was spotted on anEast Village street by Andrea Linett, a fashion editor ofSassy magazine, who was so impressed by her style that she asked her to model for the magazine; she was later made an intern.[22] When recounting the event, Sevigny recalled that Linett "just liked the hat I was wearing."[23] She later modeled in the magazine as well as for X-Girl, the subsidiary fashion label of theBeastie Boys' "X-Large", designed byKim Gordon ofSonic Youth,[24] which she followed with an appearance in the music video for Sonic Youth's "Sugar Kane".[25] In 1993, at age 19, Sevigny relocated from her Connecticut hometown to an apartment inBrooklyn, and worked as aseamstress.[26] During that time, authorJay McInerney spotted her around New York City and wrote a seven-page article about her forThe New Yorker in which he dubbed her the new "it girl" and referred to her as one of the "coolest girls in the world."[22] She subsequently appeared on the album cover ofGigolo Aunts' 1994 recordingFlippin' Out and the EPFull-On Bloom,[27] as well as in aLemonheads music video, which further increased her reputation on New York's early 1990s underground scene.[22][28]
Sevigny met screenwriter and aspiring directorHarmony Korine inWashington Square Park during her senior year of high school in 1993.[23][29] The two became close friends, which resulted in her being cast in the low-budget independent filmKids (1995), which was written by Korine and directed byLarry Clark.[30] Sevigny played a New York teenager who discovers she isHIV positive. According to Sevigny, she was originally cast in a much smaller role, but ended up replacing Canadian actressMia Kirshner. Just two days before production began, the leading role went to Sevigny, who was 19 at the time and had no professional acting experience.[16]Kids was highly controversial. The film was given anNC-17 rating by theMotion Picture Association of America for its graphic depiction of sexuality and drug use involving teenagers.[31] Despite this, the film was taken note of critically.Janet Maslin ofThe New York Times considered it a "wake-up call to the modern world" about the nature of the American youth in contemporary urban settings.[32] Sevigny's performance was praised, with critics noting that she brought a tenderness to the chaotic, immoral nature of the film: "Sevigny provided the warm, reflective centre in this feral film."[33] She received nomination for theIndependent Spirit Award for Best Supporting Female.[34]
In 1996, Sevigny starred in actor/directorSteve Buscemi's independent filmTrees Lounge, in a relatively small role as Buscemi's object of affection. During this time, directorMary Harron, after having seenKids, offered Sevigny a minor part in her filmI Shot Andy Warhol (1996). Harron tracked Sevigny down to theSoHo clothing store Liquid Sky, where she was working at the time. Sevigny then gave her first audition ever, but ultimately decided to turn down the part.[23] She later worked with Harron onAmerican Psycho (2000). Instead of taking the part inI Shot Andy Warhol, Sevigny starred in and worked as a fashion designer onGummo (1997),[33] directed and written by Harmony Korine, who was romantically involved with Sevigny during and after filming.[33][35]Gummo was as controversial as Sevigny's debut; set inXenia, Ohio, the film depicts an array ofnihilistic characters in a poverty-stricken community, and presents themes of drug and sexual abuse as well as anti-socialalienatedyouth.[36] Recalling the film, Sevigny cited it as one of her favorite projects: "Young people love that movie. It's been stolen from everyBlockbuster in America. It's become acult film".[23] The film was dedicated to Sevigny's father, who died prior to the film's release.[a]
In 1998, Sevigny starred in theneo-noir thrillerPalmetto, playing a young Florida kidnapee alongsideWoody Harrelson.[37] Stephen Hunter ofThe Washington Post lambasted the film for having "bad writing," ultimately deeming it "somewhat dull and sluggish."[37] She then had a leading role as aHampshire College graduate in the sardonic period pieceThe Last Days of Disco (1998), alongsideKate Beckinsale. The film was written and directed by cult directorWhit Stillman and details the rise and fall of the Manhattan club scene in the early 1980s. Stillman said of Sevigny: "Chloë is a natural phenomenon. You're not directing, she's not performing—it's just real."[33] Janet Maslin ofThe New York Times wrote that Sevigny "is seductively demure" in her performance as Alice.[38] The film was generally well received, but was not a box-office success in the United States, only grossing $3 million[39]—it has since become somewhat of a success as a cult film.[40]
Aside from film work, Sevigny starred in a 1998 Off-Broadway production ofHazelwood Jr. High, which tells the true story of the 1992murder of Shanda Sharer. Sevigny played 17-year-oldLaurie Tackett, one of four girls responsible for torturing and murdering 12-year-old Sharer.[41] Sevigny stated she was so emotionally disturbed after playing the role that she began attendingMass again.[11][15]
In 1999, Sevigny was cast in the independent dramaBoys Don't Cry after directorKimberly Peirce saw her performance inThe Last Days of Disco.[33][42] Sevigny's role inBoys Don't Cry—a biographical film oftrans manBrandon Teena, who was raped and murdered inHumboldt, Nebraska in 1993—was responsible for herrise to prominence and her mainstream success.[43][44] Sevigny played Lana Tisdel, a young woman who fell in love with Teena, initially unaware of the fact that he was a transgender man and continued the relationship after learning about his gender identity.[45]Boys Don't Cry received high praise from critics, and was a moderate box-office success.[46] The film was widely credited as featuring some of the best acting of the year, with Sevigny's performance widely praised. TheLos Angeles Times stated that she "plays the role with haunting immediacy",[47]Roger Ebert of theChicago Sun Times stated that "it is Sevigny who provides our entrance into the story"[48] andRolling Stone wrote that she gives a "performance that burns into the memory".[49] The role earned Sevigny supporting actress nominations for both anAcademy Award[50] and a Golden Globe Award.[51] She won anIndependent Spirit Award, aSatellite Award, and a Sierra Award for her performance.[52][53]
In 1999, Sevigny appeared in the experimental filmJulien Donkey-Boy, which reunited her with writer-director Harmony Korine. In the film, she played the pregnant sister of a man withschizophrenia. Though it never saw a major theatrical release, the film garnered some critical praise; Roger Ebert gave the film his signature thumbs up, referring to it as "Freaks shot by theBlair Witch crew", and continuing to say, "The odds are good that most people will dislike this film and be offended by it. For others, it will provoke sympathy rather than scorn".[54] Sevigny also had a small part in the drama filmA Map of the World (1999), which starredSigourney Weaver.[55] In 2000, Sevigny played a supporting role inMary Harron'sAmerican Psycho, based on the 1991novel byBret Easton Ellis.[45] She portrayed the office assistant of the main character Patrick Bateman (Christian Bale), a 1980s Manhattanyuppie-turned-serial killer. Similarly to the novel on which it was based, the film was controversial because of its depiction of graphic violence and sexuality in an upper-class Manhattan society.[56] Sevigny also appeared as alesbian in theEmmy Award-winning television filmIf These Walls Could Talk 2 (2000), the sequel to the HBO television drama-filmIf These Walls Could Talk (1996).[33] Sevigny credited it as the only film she ever made for financial benefit, to help her mother with whom she lived in Connecticut in 1998–2000.[57][33]
Following her appearance inIf These Walls Could Talk 2, Sevigny was approached for a supporting role in the comedyLegally Blonde alongsideReese Witherspoon and offered $500,000; she declined and the role was given toSelma Blair.[33] Instead, she starred inOlivier Assayas' Frenchtechno thrillerDemonlover (2002) alongsideConnie Nielsen, for which she was required to learn her lines in French.[58] Sevigny described shooting the film as "strange", in the sense that Assayas hardly spoke to her during the filming, which she said was difficult because of the lack of "input".[59] After spending nearly three months in France to completeDemonlover, Sevigny returned to New York to film theClub Kids biopicParty Monster (2003). She knew several of the people depicted in the film, includingMichael Alig andJames St. James, whom she had met during her frequent trips to New York City's club scene as a teenager.[15]
Around 2002, Sevigny began collaborating with friendTara Subkoff for theImitation of Christ fashion label and conceptual art project, with their first collection being released in 2003. She served as the creative director for the line, which was referred to as being "more about performance art and cultural theory than clothes".[60] In film, Sevigny had a role inLars von Trier's parableDogville (2003), playing one of the various residents of a small mountain town, alongsideNicole Kidman,Lauren Bacall, andPaul Bettany. The film received mixed reactions, and was criticized by Roger Ebert andRichard Roeper as being "anti-American".[61] In 2003, she re-united with formerBoys Don't Cry starPeter Sarsgaard for thebiographical filmShattered Glass, also alongsideHayden Christensen, about the career ofStephen Glass, a journalist whose reputation is destroyed when his widespreadjournalistic fraud is exposed. Sevigny played Caitlin Avey, one of Glass' co-editors.[62]
I've done it in everyday life. Everybody's done it, or had it done to them. It was tough, the toughest thing I've ever done, but Vincent was very sensitized to my needs, very gentle. It was one take. It was funny and awkward—we both laughed quite a bit. And we'd been intimate in the past, so it wasn't so weird. If you're not challenging yourself and taking risks, then what's the point of being an artist?
In 2003, Sevigny played the lead female role in the art house filmThe Brown Bunny (2003), which details a lonely traveling motorcycle racer reminiscing about his former lover. The film included a scene that involves Sevigny performing unsimulatedfellatio - complete with swallowing - on star and directorVincent Gallo, who had been her boyfriend in real life.[33][64] The film premiered at the 2003Cannes Film Festival and opened to significant controversy and criticism from audiences and critics.[65] Additionally, a promotionalbillboard erected overSunset Boulevard, which depicted a censored still from the film's final scene, garnered further attention and criticism.[66] Sevigny defended the film saying, "It's a shame people write so many things when they haven't seen it. When you see the film, it makes more sense. It's an art film. It should be playing in museums. It's like anAndy Warhol movie."[67] In an interview withThe Telegraph in 2003, when asked if she regretted the film, she responded stating, "No, I was always committed to the project on the strength of Vincent alone. I have faith in his aesthetic ... I try to forgive and forget, otherwise I'd just become a bitter old lady."[57] Despite the backlash toward the film, some critics praised Sevigny's performance, includingManohla Dargis ofThe New York Times who wrote, "Actresses have been asked and even bullied into performing similar acts for filmmakers since the movies began, usually behind closed doors. Ms. Sevigny isn't hiding behind anyone's desk. She says her lines with feeling and puts her iconoclasm right out there where everyone can see it; she may be nuts, but she's also unforgettable."[68]Roger Ebert, although critical ofThe Brown Bunny, nevertheless said that Sevigny brought "a truth and vulnerability" to the film.[69]
Sevigny continued on with various projects.[70] She had a major supporting role inWoody Allen's two-sidedtragicomedyMelinda and Melinda (2004).[71] CriticPeter Bradshaw described the film as "strange... a half-hearted experiment populated by undernourished lab rats."[71] She guest-starred on the popular television showWill & Grace, and played small roles inLars von Trier'sManderlay (2005) (a sequel toDogville (2003)) and inJim Jarmusch'sBroken Flowers (2005).[72] She played one of the several lovers of New York doctorHerman Tarnower in theHBO television filmMrs. Harris (2005) alongsideAnnette Bening andBen Kingsley. In3 Needles (2005), ananthology film about AIDS in various parts of the world, Sevigny had a major role as a Catholic nun visiting Africa. Her performance received good reviews; Dennis Harvey ofVariety called her "convincing",[73] whileKevin Thomas of theLos Angeles Times referred to her as "ever-daring and shrewd."[74] In 2006, Sevigny played the lead character in the experimental indie-filmLying (2006) withJena Malone andLeelee Sobieski, portraying apathological liar who gathers three female acquaintances for a weekend at her upstate New York country house; the film premiered at theCannes Film Festival in 2006. She had a starring role inDouglas Buck's 2006remake of theBrian De Palma horror filmSisters (1973), playing a journalist who witnesses a murder.[75]
In 2006, Sevigny began a five-season run in the HBO television seriesBig Love, about a family offundamentalist Mormonpolygamists. She playedNicolette Grant, the conniving,shopaholic daughter of a cult leader and second wife to a polygamist husband, played byBill Paxton. Sevigny also appeared in her first big-budget production,[76] playingRobert Graysmith's wife Melanie inDavid Fincher'sZodiac (2007), based on theZodiac Killer criminal case.[77]
In October 2007, the French fashion houseChloé announced that Sevigny would be one of the spokesmodels for its new fragrance. Sevigny also released a clothing collection forOpening Ceremony in the fall of 2009.[78] It included men's, women's, and unisex pieces,[79] and received mixed reactions from critics.[80] Sevigny returned to films in 2009, starring in the independent psychological thrillerThe Killing Room,[81] andWerner Herzog'sMy Son, My Son, What Have Ye Done, a crime horror film based on murderer Mark Yavorsky, produced byDavid Lynch.[82]
In January 2010, Sevigny won aGolden Globe award forBest Supporting Actress – Series, Miniseries or Television Film for her performance in the third season ofBig Love. During a press conference following the award win, Sevigny addressed the repressed women living in the fundamentalist Mormoncompounds: "These women are kept extremely repressed. They should be helped. They don't even know who the president of the United States is."[83]
In a later interview withThe A.V. Club, Sevigny was asked if she felt that the show's message was that polygamy was "wrong". In response, Sevigny stated: "No, absolutely not. I think there are more parallels togay rights andalternative lifestyles withinBig Love—more so than 'Polygamy is wrong'. I think they actually condone people who decide to live this lifestyle outside of fundamentalist sects."[84] During the same interview, Sevigny stated her disappointment with the series' fourth season, calling it "awful" and "verytelenovela"—though she stated that she loves her character and the writing, she felt the show "got away from itself."[84][85]
Sevigny later regretted making the statements,[86] saying she was very "exhausted" and "wasn't thinking about what [she] was saying"; she also apologized to the show's producers. "[I didn't want them to think] that I was biting the hand that feeds me, because I obviously love the show and have always been nothing but positive about it. And I didn't want anybody to misunderstand me or think that I wasn't, you know, appreciative."[86]
While starring in the fourth season ofBig Love in 2010, Sevigny also appeared major roles in two independent comedy films:Barry Munday andMr. Nice.[87] InMunday, she played the sister of a homely woman who is expecting a child by a recently castrated womanizer (oppositePatrick Wilson andJudy Greer). Her role inMr. Nice, as the wife of British marijuana-traffickerHoward Marks, had Sevigny starring alongsideRhys Ifans; the film was based on Marks' autobiography of the same name. Sevigny also had avoice part in the documentary filmBeautiful Darling (2010), narrating the life ofWarhol superstarCandy Darling through Darling's diaries and personal letters.[88] The fifth and final season ofBig Love premiered in January 2011.[89]
In 2012, Sevigny starred in the British miniseriesHit & Miss, playing atransgender contract killer.[90] Mike Hale ofThe New York Times wrote of her performance: "Her naturally deep voice is a plus, and her characteristic mix of loucheness and gravity makes sense here, though it's less interesting in this role than it was in the bitterly voracious wife she played inBig Love."[91] The same year, Sevigny guest-starred in an episode ofLaw & Order: Special Victims Unit, and also appeared in the second and fifth seasons ofAmerican Horror Story, which premiered in October 2012 and the latter in October 2015.[92]
Sevigny appeared in a supporting role as a journalist inLovelace (2013), a biographical film aboutpornographic film actressLinda Lovelace.[93] The year also saw the release ofThe Wait (2013), Sevigny's second collaboration with director M. Blash, in which she starred alongside Jena Malone andLuke Grimes. It was a psychological thriller about two sisters who decide to keep their recently deceased mother in their house after receiving a phone call that she will be resurrected. Sevigny also had roles in television, appearing as a satellite character in the third season of the television sketch comedy showPortlandia,[94] and having a 5-episode guest role on the comedy seriesThe Mindy Project, in which she portrayed the ex-wife of the titular Mindy's love interest (played byChris Messina).[95] Kristi Turnquist ofThe Oregonian praised Sevigny inPortlandia, stating that she "instantly adds dimension and interest" to the series.[94]
In 2014, Sevigny starred as Catherine Jensen in the crime dramaThose Who Kill, which aired on theA&E Network.[96] After being pulled from A&E after two episodes due to low ratings, it was then re-launched on A&E's sister network,Lifetime Movie Network.[97] The series was subsequently cancelled after its 10 episode first season run.[98] During the 29th International Festival of Fashion and Photography in April 2014, Sevigny served as a judge of the fashion jury, along with Humberto Leon and Carol Lim.[99]
I think because in real life I'm quite conservative, and I'm not radical in my day-to-day life and how I act, I think I use my art to do that.
In March 2015, it was announced Sevigny would be returning toAmerican Horror Story for its fifth season,Hotel, as a main cast member.[100] Sevigny portrayed a doctor whose son has been kidnapped.[101] That same year, she also starred in theNetflix original seriesBloodline.[102] In the spring of 2015, Sevigny published a picture book chronicling her life, containing photos of her as a high school student, on film sets, personal scripts, and other ephemera.[99][103] She also appeared inTara Subkoff's directorial debut#Horror, playing the opulent mother of a teenage girl whose get-together with friends is interrupted by a murderer.[104]
In early 2016, Sevigny appeared in the Canadian horror filmAntibirth oppositeNatasha Lyonne, which follows a small-town woman who becomes pregnant through unknown circumstances.[105] Sevigny reunited withThe Last Days of Disco directorWhit Stillman and fellow actressKate Beckinsale onLove & Friendship, an adaptation of theJane Austen novelLady Susan.[106] Both films premiered at theSundance Film Festival in January 2016.[107] In 2016 and 2017, respectively, Sevigny also reprised her role inBloodline, becoming a main cast member in the third and final season.[108]
Sevigny made her directorial debut in 2016 with the short filmKitty, which she adapted from Paul Bowles' 1980 short story.[109] The film was selected to close the 2016Cannes Film Festival,[110] and was subsequently acquired byThe Criterion Collection, which made it available for streaming on their user subscription channel.[111] In late 2016, Sevigny directed her second short film,Carmen, which was shot on location inPortland, Oregon.[112] The film, released as part of aMiu Miu campaign, focuses on comedianCarmen Lynch.[112]
Sevigny played supporting parts in multiple films in 2017. She co-starred as a horse jockey in the dramaLean on Pete, based on the novel byWilly Vlautin;[113] in the ensemble dramaGolden Exits;[58] the comedy-dramaBeatriz at Dinner, about a Latina massage therapist who is invited to a dinner held by her wealthy employers;[114] the dramaThe Dinner, concerning a dinner between two couples recounting their children's involvement in a murder;[115] andThe Snowman (2017), where she played the twin sisters, one of whom was killed by a serial killer.[116]
Sevigny starred asLizzie Borden inLizzie (2018), which premiered at the2018 Sundance Film Festival, co-starring withKristen Stewart.[117] Sevigny had first expressed interest in developing and starring in a miniseries based on Borden in 2011.[118][119] Michael O'Sullivan ofThe Washington Post wrote that Sevigny "is something of a closed book, delivering a stolid performance that can be read as either strong-willed or stonyhearted."[120] Sevigny also appeared in a supporting role inThe True Adventures of Wolfboy,[121] and starred as a small-town police officer facing azombie apocalypse inJim Jarmusch's comedy horror filmThe Dead Don't Die (2019).[122] The latter film premiered as the opening feature at the2019 Cannes Film Festival,[123] where Sevigny's third short film,White Echo, also competed for thePalme d'Or for Best Short Film.[124]
In 2019 (and 2022), Sevigny appeared in the Netflix showRussian Doll, portraying the mother of the lead character. In 2023, she was a guest star in thePeacock showPoker Face, working again withNatasha Lyonne, star of both series.[125] In 2020, Sevigny starred inWe Are Who We Are, a limited series directed byLuca Guadagnino, which premiered in September 2020 onHBO.[126][127]
In 2024, Sevigny appeared in aCharli XCX music video called "360".[128] In the same year she starred as socialiteC. Z. Guest in theRyan Murphy anthologyFeud: Capote vs. The Swans which premiered onFX in January,[129] and in Murphy'sNetflix biographical crime dramaMonsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story as Kitty Menendez, mother ofLyle and Erik Menendez.[130] Her performance in the lattermost earned her aPrimetime Emmy Award nomination forOutstanding Supporting Actress in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie.
Sevigny has long been considered a fashion icon and regularly appears alternately on both best- and worst-dressed lists.[b] Commenting on criticisms of her fashion choices, she said in 2015: "I called my great aunt who lives in Florida over Christmas. I hadn't seen her in a while and she said, 'Oh, I never get to see you [in person] but I always see you in the back ofUS Weekly. They're always making fun of you,' and I was like, 'You know me, I dress crazy.' It makes me feel bad."[135]
Throughout her career, she has modelled for several high-profile designers, includingMiu Miu,Louis Vuitton,Chloé,H&M,Proenza Schouler,Kenzo andVivienne Westwood.[136][137][138][139] Sevigny has worked regularly with stylistHaley Wollens for red carpet appearances and editorial projects, withVogue writing that "[Sevigny] and stylist Haley Wollens simply never miss."[140] Before her career as an actress, she had achieved fame for her unique style. While her sense of style in the early 1990s reflected only small downtown scenes and trends, it still made a significant impression on high-class fashion chains, which began to emulate Sevigny's look. Her interest in fashion and clothing, as well as her career as a fashion model in her late teenage years and early twenties, led to a career as a prominent and well-respected fashion designer.[141]
She has expressed interest in fashion design throughout the entirety of her career, even dating back to her childhood: "Little House on the Prairie was my favorite show. I would only wearcalico print dresses, and I actually slept in one of those little nightcaps!", she toldPeople in 2007.[142] Her unorthodox style, which garnered her initial notoriety in the early '90s, has often been referred to as eclectic.[143] Sevigny has since released several clothing lines designed by herself, both solo and in collaboration, and has earned a title as a modern fashion icon.[87]
In 2023, she held a clothing sale in New York, selling "over 90 percent" of the clothes she had been storing.[144] The proceeds reportedly went to storage and charity.[145]Vogue noted that the success of the sale marked the continuation of Sevigny's "it girl" reputation, though Sevigny had indicated recently that she no longer identified with the label.[144]
Chloë's not afraid to look different and in looking different, she looks very charismatic. No one inLA gets it. Her attitude is foreign to this city. She is so notFred Segal.
Both designers and fashion stylists have extensively written about her fashion and style, which has generally proved favorable. American designerMarc Jacobs wrote of Sevigny in 2001: "The fashion world is fascinated by her. Because not only is she talented, young and attractive, she stands out in a sea of oftenclichéd looking actresses."[146] In terms of her own personal style, Sevigny cited the Australian filmPicnic at Hanging Rock (1975), which features schoolgirls dressed in elaborateVictorian clothing, as a major inspiration; she has also cited it as one of her favorite films.[147]
She has been outspoken in her favoritism ofvintage clothing overdesigner pieces: "I still prefer to buy vintage over spending it all on one designer", she toldThe Times.[148][149] "I'll go to Resurrection or Decades and be like, 'Oh, I'm going to buy everything,' but a lot of it is extremely expensive, so I'll go to Wasteland and satisfy that urge and it's not too hard on the pocketbook. Then there's this place called Studio Wardrobe Department where everything is like three dollars".[149]
ActorDrew Droege has, since 2011, performed in aweb series titledChloë, featuring Droege'sdrag impersonation of Sevigny.[150]
In the late 1990s, Sevigny dated British singerJarvis Cocker. She later said witnessing his experience as a pop star impacted her view of celebrity and career goals:
I remember driving around these remote towns in Wales and kids running after us in the street. I was like, 'This is horrible!' And I saw the effect it had on him, and that's when I decided I never wanted to be a celebrity at that level, and I think that's why I've chosen to do the work that I do and just kind of work with directors that I love and try and do work that means something to me.[151]
Around 2000, Sevigny began a relationship with musician Matt McAuley of the bandA.R.E. Weapons.[14] They were a couple for eight years before separating in early 2008. Sevigny began dating Croatian art gallery director Siniša Mačković in 2018. They married on March 9, 2020,[152] and on May 2, 2020, she gave birth to a son.[153]
Sevigny endorsed SenatorBernie Sanders forPresident in the2016 US presidential election[154] and again in the2020 election.[155]
In 2019, Sevigny andNatasha Lyonne helped organize acrowdfund torestore the 1980 filmOut of the Blue from its original elements. Both actresses have cited the film as an influence.[156][157][158]
She isCatholic and attendschurch.[10]
The umlaut isn't on my birth certificate. I had this book as a child called Chloë and Maude, and there was an umlaut on the e, and I said, I want that! It's a little flair.
Bernie Sanders is punk as fuck, plain and simple. I'm petrified of the US government right now. We need someone radical to take Trump on, and Bernie's record as a senator speaks for itself.
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