Ricci was born inSanta Monica, California on February 12, 1980, the youngest of four children of Sarah (née Murdoch) and Ralph Ricci. Her father had a varied career, including jobs as a gym teacher, lawyer, drug counselor, andprimal scream therapist.[6] Ricci has referred to her father as a "failed cult leader."[7] Her mother worked as aFord Agency model during the 1960s and later became a real estate agent. Regarding her surname, Ricci has stated that she hasItalian,Irish, andScottish ancestry.[8]
At the age of eight, Ricci was discovered by a local theater critic when she starred in a school production ofThe Twelve Days of Christmas. Another child was originally cast in the part, but Ricci devised a plan to secure the role for herself: she taunted her rival so much that he punched her. When she told on him, he lost the part.[13] She later recalled, "I've always been a really ambitious person. I guess that's the first time it really reared its ugly head".[13] Soon thereafter, she featured in a pair of spoof commercials onSaturday Night Live. The first of these featured Ricci at a birthday party in whichbiomedical waste fell out of a burst piñata, parodying the real-life dumping of waste in the rivers of theEast Coast. This gained Ricci herSAG-AFTRA card.[14]
Ricci's film debut was inMermaids (1990), where she played Kate Flax. She also appeared in the music video for "The Shoop Shoop Song", which featured on the film's soundtrack. She portrayed the morbidly precociousWednesday Addams in the following year'sThe Addams Family,Barry Sonnenfeld's big-budget adaptation ofthe cartoon of the same name, and reprised the role for its 1993 follow-up,Addams Family Values. Both films were financially profitable, grossing over US$300 million between them.[15][16] Critics singled out Ricci's performance as a particular highlight ofValues,[17] withVariety believing she brought "a depth to her character well beyond her years".[18]
Ricci took on her first leading role when she headlinedCasper, a supernatural comedy based on theHarvey Comics cartoon character. The film received a mixed critical reception,[19] but was the eighth highest-grossing release of 1995.[20] That same year, she starred in the children's adventure movieGold Diggers: The Secret of Bear Mountain and played tomboy Roberta in the coming-of-age dramaNow and Then. The latter is often cited as the "female alternative" toStand by Me and has gained a sizeablecult following since its release.[21][22] Ricci then played a supporting role inBastard Out of Carolina (1996), the directorial debut ofAnjelica Huston, whom she previously worked with on theAddams Family movies. Based on the semi-autobiographicalnovel byDorothy Allison, the film received acclaim for its sensitive handling of disturbing themes.[23][24]
In 1997, Ricci starred in theDisney remake ofThat Darn Cat, which was a moderate success at the box office.[25] Later that year, she made a shift into "legitimate adult roles" with her portrayal of the troubled, sexually curious Wendy Hood inAng Lee'sThe Ice Storm,[26] a drama about dysfunctional family relationships. The part was originally given toNatalie Portman, who pulled out when her parents decided that the material was too provocative.[27] In his review forRolling Stone,Peter Travers wrote, "The sight of the [film's] young stars ... fiddling with each other may shock '90s prudes, but Lee handles these moments with dry wit and compassion ... The adolescent members of the cast do their characters proud, with Ricci a particular standout. Her wonderfully funny and touching performance, capturing the defiance and confusion that come with puberty, is the film's crowning glory".[28]
Ricci made a brief appearance inTerry Gilliam's offbeat road movie,Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas (1998). That same year, she had starring roles in three features: firstly,Buffalo '66, withRoger Ebert describing her portrayal of abductee Layla as "astonishing".[29] Next up wasJohn Waters' satirical comedyPecker, where she played a hard-nosed laundromat worker, followed byDon Roos' dark comedy-dramaThe Opposite of Sex, where she headlined as the acid-tongued, manipulative Dede. For the latter, Ricci garnered critical acclaim and was nominated for the 1999Golden Globe Award for Best Actress.[30][31] In his review ofThe Opposite of Sex forVariety,Todd McCarthy described Ricci's portrayal of Dede as "deadly funny" and felt that she delivered her dialogue with "the skill of a prospectiveBette Davis".[32] Several years later,Entertainment Weekly singled out her performance as one of the biggest "Oscar snubs" of all time.[33]
In 1999, Ricci headlined theTim Burton gothic horror filmSleepy Hollow, receiving theSaturn Award for Best Actress for her portrayal of Katrina Van Tassel. She appeared as the guest host ofSaturday Night Live in December that same year, performing parodies ofBritney Spears and theOlsen twins. The episode drew attention due to Ricci unintentionally punchingAna Gasteyer in the face during one of the sketches.[34] Other film appearances around this time included the New Year's Eve-set ensemble comedy200 Cigarettes (1999);[35] supernatural horror filmBless the Child (2000), where she played the drug-addicted Cheri; andThe Man Who Cried (2000), in which she co-starred as a Jewish girl fleeingSoviet Russia. CriticElvis Mitchell described her as "transfixing" inCried,[36] whileRolling Stone felt that her "dark-eyed loveliness" conveyed a "lifetime of sadness".[37] In 2001, Ricci headlinedProzac Nation, an independent drama based onElizabeth Wurtzel's best-sellingmemoir. The film—Ricci's first outing as a producer—received mixed reviews, but critics agreed that Ricci was the highlight, with Ed Gonzalez ofSlant Magazine describing her as "splendid".[38]
Ricci's next role was inThe Laramie Project, a drama based on themurder of Matthew Shepard. The 2002 film, which premiered onHBO, received positive reviews from critics;TV Guide's Matt Roush praised the performances of the cast, while noting that the film's examination of homophobia could "enlighten" viewers.[39] Later that year, she co-starred in the comedic British thrillerMiranda and guest-starred on thefifth and final season ofAlly McBeal, appearing as attorney Liza Bump in seven episodes.[40] Meanwhile, she produced and starred inPumpkin (2002), a black comedy about the relationship between a disabled young man and a sorority girl. In his review forThe Chicago Sun-Times, Roger Ebert wrote, "Pumpkin is alive, and takes chances, and uses the wicked blade of satire in order to show up the complacent political correctness of other movies in [its genre]. It refuses to play it safe. And there is courage in the performances—for example ... the way Ricci sails fearlessly into the risky material".[41]
In 2003, Ricci took on the roles of a young amnesiac wandering through England on foot in the British horror filmThe Gathering; the former girlfriend of an up-and-coming movie star inAdam Goldberg'sI Love Your Work; and that of a vain, vindictive love interest inWoody Allen'sAnything Else. In his review of the latter,A. O. Scott ofThe New York Times described the film as an "antiromantic comedy" and said that Ricci played her role with "feral, neurotic glee".[42]
Next, Ricci co-starred in the biographical crime dramaMonster (2003). Her character—Selby Wall—was a fictionalized version of Tyria Moore, the real-life girlfriend of serial killerAileen Wuornos, played byCharlize Theron.[43] Speaking of her decision to take the part, Ricci said it posed a challenge as it "goes completely against who I am [as a person]".[44] She described the filming experience as "dark and depressing".[44] The film was directed byPatty Jenkins and received rave reviews upon its release, with most critics directing their attention toward Theron, who went on to receive anAcademy Award for her portrayal of Wuornos. She acknowledged Ricci during her acceptance speech, calling her the film's "unsung hero".[45] Of Ricci's performance, Roger Ebert said:
[She] finds the correct note for Selby Wall – so correct some critics have mistaken it for bad acting, when in fact it is sublime acting in its portrayal of a bad actor. She plays Selby as clueless, dim, in over her head, picking up cues from moment to moment, cobbling her behavior out of notions borrowed from bad movies, old songs, and barroom romances. Selby must have walked into a gay bar for the first time only a few weeks ago, and studied desperately to figure out how to present herself. Selby and Aileen are often trying to improvise the next line they think the other wants to hear.[46]
In 2005, Ricci provided vocals for "Hell Yes", a track from the albumGuero by American singer-songwriterBeck.[47] Also that year, she headlined theWes Craven horror filmCursed, which gained notoriety for its troubled production history.[48] The following year, she appeared as a paramedic in two episodes ofGrey's Anatomy, for which she was nominated for anEmmy Award in the category ofOutstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series.[49] Next, she played the title character inPenelope (2006), a rom-com based on thelegends of pig-faced women. The role required Ricci to wear a prosthetic nose: "We had a couple different noses that they tested at one point ... this really hideous, awfully unattractive snout [and] then there was this really cuteMiss Piggy snout ... we ended up meeting somewhere in the middle".[50]Empire called the film a "lovely fairy tale",[51] while Andrea Gronvall ofThe Chicago Reader felt it was "a worthy vehicle" for Ricci.[52] Similarly, David Rooney ofVariety felt that Ricci gave "the fanciful script more grounding than it might otherwise have had",[53] and critic Eric D. Snider said it was "fun to see her in the most light-hearted role she's played since... well, almost ever".[54]
Ricci's portrayal ofnymphomaniac Rae Doole in the 2006 dramaBlack Snake Moan was particularly well received.[55][56][57] She lost a significant amount of weight in preparation for the role, in order to make her character look "unhealthy".[58] The film was deemed controversial because of its dark and exploitative themes,[59] but critics felt that Ricci was impressive; writing forFilm Comment, Nathan Lee described her performance as "fearless, specific, and blazingly committed", adding, "She's the white-hot focal point of [director]Brewer's loud, brash, encompassing vision".[60] Ricci appeared alongside Jackson for the second time in another 2006 film,Home of the Brave, an ensemble drama following the lives of four soldiers inIraq and their return to the United States.
In 2009, Ricci appeared in three episodes ofTNT'sSaving Grace during its second season,[65] as a detective who teams up with the show's main character. Also that year, she co-starred in the psychological thrillerAfter.Life, withFangoria stating that she embodied her character—a teacher who dies in a car accident—"in compelling fashion".[66] Next, Ricci made herBroadway debut inDonald Margulies' playTime Stands Still. Her first public performance was on September 23, 2010, at theCort Theatre. Though she admitted to suffering from extreme bouts of stage fright during the show's four-month run,[67]The New York Times described her portrayal of Mandy as "confident" and "appealing".[68]
Ricci played a kindhearted waitress inBucky Larson: Born to Be a Star (2011), a comedy written byAdam Sandler. The film was universally panned by critics. Writing forVariety, Andrew Barker called it "one of the most astonishingly unfunny films of this or any other year", but commended Ricci, who he felt gave her role "more than it deserves".[69] From 2011 to 2012, she starred as stewardess Maggie Ryan on theABC drama seriesPan Am, which was set in the 1960s and based on theairline of the same name. The series garnered generally positive reviews,[70] but, due to a decline in viewing figures during its initial run of 14 episodes, the producers decided not to proceed with a second season.[71] In April 2012, Ricci returned to the stage, playingHermia in anoff-Broadway revival ofShakespeare'sA Midsummer Night's Dream.[67]
Next, Ricci adopted a British accent when she co-starred as a promiscuous young housewife inBel Ami (2012),[72] a period drama based on the 1885novel of the same name. Roger Ebert said in his review, "The surprise for me is Christina Ricci [who] flowers here in warm ripeness. Her character makes the mistake of actually loving Georges. This involves pure acting skill on her part, since Pattinson gives her so little to work with".[73] She headlined the Australian filmAround The Block the same year, playing an American drama teacher who befriends an Aboriginal boy during the2004 Redfern riots.Variety'sJoe Leydon described the independent drama as "well-intended yet cliche-ridden", but felt that Ricci brought "allure" to her role.[74] She subsequently provided voices for the animated filmsThe Smurfs 2 (2013) andThe Hero of Color City (2014).
In 2014, Ricci played thetitle character inLizzie Borden Took an Ax, aLifetime film inspired by the true story of Borden, who was tried and acquitted of the murders of her father and stepmother in 1892. She reprised the role in 2015 forThe Lizzie Borden Chronicles, which she also produced. The eight-part series was met with generally positive reviews; Jane Borden ofVanity Fair called it "playful, wicked brain candy", adding that "Ricci was born to play [a] 19th-century ax murderer".[75] Writing forThe New York Times,Neil Genzlinger described her as "gleeful and ruthless",[76] while Keith Uhlich ofThe Hollywood Reporter felt that she and co-starClea DuVall had "a delectable rapport not too far removed from Bette Davis andJoan Crawford at their hag-horror peak inWhat Ever Happened to Baby Jane?", adding, "There's a winking self-consciousness to [Ricci's] portrayal of Lizzie that works to the character's advantage; she's like an out-of-time avenging angel, a feminist icon (before there were words to describe it) lashing out at patriarchy the only way she knows how".[77] Ricci went on to receive a nomination for the 2016Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by an Actress in a Miniseries.[78]
In the independent ensemble dramaMothers and Daughters (2016), Ricci played a woman who receives life-changing news from an estranged relative. Her next project was the 2017Amazon Video miniseriesZ: The Beginning of Everything, in which she starred as a fictionalized version of American socialiteZelda Fitzgerald. She also served as a producer on the series, which, she later acknowledged, is how she got the part: "I can tell you that in my experience, I have never, ever been cast in a role like this and I would never get this part normally ... I'm just not seen in that way. There are categories that people fall into … and I was never a romantic lead. Basically, you couldn't get five people in a room to agree that I should be a romantic lead. I could get one person, but there's always more than one person whose opinion matters".[79] Writing forRogerEbert.com, Matt Fagerholm said of Ricci's performance:
Few challenges faced by child actors are more daunting than the ability to rise above precocious type-casting … Ricci has [subsequently] found success … yet [she] remains a largely undervalued actress … The good news about [this series] is that it's arguably [her] finest showcase since 2003'sMonster, where her excellent work was dwarfed by that of [co-star] Charlize Theron. Though this series also casts Ricci as the less-famous half of a notorious coupling, the actress gets the title role this time around, and she tackles it with exuberant zest.[80]
In the 2018 psychological thrillerDistorted, Ricci starred as a woman suffering frombipolar disorder. The film received a mixed reception from critics, who cited Ricci's performance as a highlight.[81][82][83] Her next film projects wereThe Matrix Resurrections (2021), in which she re-teamed with the Wachowskis to play a colleague ofThomas Anderson, and the 2022 supernatural thrillerMonstrous, where she starred as a mother trying to protect her son from evil forces in 1950s California. In their review of the latter,Screen Rant said of Ricci, "The key to this film's success rests on [her] shoulders … She can play into the darling quaint lifestyle of a 50s woman and then let out a shrill scream of fear and terror that can put most scream queens to shame. But her natural gift is her ability to act with her eyes; a single glance, a slight twitch, or a dead-on stare do more to communicate [her character's] feelings and situation than any piece of dialogue in the script. To that end,Monstrous utilizes [her] talents brilliantly".
For her portrayal of Misty Quigley on theShowtime seriesYellowjackets (2021–present), Ricci was nominated for the 2022Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series. Following the lives of four women who survived a plane crash when they were teenagers, the show has received rave reviews from critics.[84] Commenting on Ricci's performance,Digital Spy's Gabriella Geisinger called it "nuanced and dynamic", adding that it "winds sadness and strength together with ease and is as captivating as it is bananas".[85] On playing Misty, a sadistic healthcare worker and societal "outsider", Ricci said, "People really do connect with that need [she] has that motivates everything, which is to be accepted, to be a part of the group … But what's interesting about this character and what I think these writers do so adeptly is, they show you how badly she wants to be there, and then they show you the reason why she deserves to be kicked out … [also] after years and years of being stepped on and dismissed and not accepted … [she is] very much at a point where she's like, 'Well, no one's ever going to give it to me. So I'm going to fucking take it'".[86]
In March 2022, it was announced that Ricci had been cast in theTim Burton-directedNetflix seriesWednesday, detailing the school years of Wednesday Addams, who Ricci played previously in the 1990s.[87] Ricci appeared as series regular Marilyn Thornhill, a teacher at Nevermore Academy.[88] Speaking of her involvement with the project, she said, "I knew there would be comparison between the old [Addams Family] movies andWednesday. That's a natural inclination. But the 'who was a better Wednesday?' thing is unreal. I loved being Wednesday. I'mvery proud of that role … [but] I also think [series star]Jenna Ortega is amazing. She is so brave, so cool, and really doing the part justice. Wednesday is her part now".[89] A substantial ratings success when it premiered in November 2022,[90] the show received critical acclaim,[91] withCollider saying of Ricci, "[she] plays [Thornhill] so well you can't help but be glued to her every move when she's on-screen".[92] She returned to the role during the show's second season in 2025.[93]
Ricci starred asDC Comics supervillainHarley Quinn in the seven-part podcast seriesHarley Quinn and The Joker: Sound Mind, released bySpotify in January 2023.[94] In August the same year, she played a frightened homeowner whose bedroom is haunted by a "Doja Devil" in the music video for "Demons", a song by American rapperDoja Cat.[95] Charisma Madarang ofRolling Stone described the video as "stunning", noting its homages to various classic horror films.[96] Next, Ricci starred as a trigger-happy wife in the action comedy featureGuns Up (2025). Her performance was well received,[97][98] withFilm Threat saying of her chemistry with co-starKevin James, "[They] play off each other very well [and] come across as a loving but frustrated couple. Individually, both actors' natural charisma and comedic timing are on full display".[99]
Ricci has no formal acting training.[100] "People explained things to me in very simple ways when I was a child on set", she said in 2012. "Then as I got older I started understanding things in more complicated ways and [created] my own mind games, methods and rules in my head".[100] She later explained, "It's such a weird, completely internal [thing]. Every actor works in a different way … [Personally] I just take the script and I figure out a way to deliver what needs to be delivered".[101]
Ricci earned a reputation as agoth in the 1990s through her work in theAddams Family films and other portrayals of "dark, quirky" characters.[100][102]Tim Burton once described her as having an "ambiguous quality": "She looks at you and you get a definite feeling, but you're not quite sure what that feeling is".[100]
Ricci told a journalist in 2022 thatcasting directors were often reluctant to place her in certain projects when she was younger: "At that time, I did a lot of indies because, in mainstream movies, there was still a lot of leading-lady standards that I didn't fall into".[103] She toldNME that same year: "Myagents [used to say], 'We have to be so careful you don't become acharacter actress. If we're not careful, you're going to end up just likeJennifer Jason Leigh'. I was like, [but] 'I like her'. They were so afraid of me not being a leading lady, of me not being sexually attractive to people".[104]
Ricci has been open about her past struggles with anxiety andanorexia.[105]
She has eight tattoos: a lion on her right shoulder blade (a reference toThe Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, a favorite novel of hers as a child); anEdward Gorey figure on the inside of her right wrist; a pair of praying hands on her left hip (this tattoo was originally a bat); the name "Jack" on her right thigh for a deceased pet; a sparrow on her right breast; and a mermaid on her left ankle. She also has the words "Move or Bleed" on the left side of her rib cage, as well as a bouquet ofsweet peas on her lower back.[106]
Ricci is listed in several art publications as one of artistMark Ryden's muses. Her image has appeared in several of his oil paintings and sketches.[107][108][109]
Ricci began dating comedian and actorOwen Benjamin in 2008 after they met on the set of the filmAll's Faire in Love. They became engaged in March 2009, but ended the engagement two months later.[110]
In February 2013, Ricci announced her engagement todolly grip James Heerdegen, whom she met while working on the seriesPan Am in 2012.[111] They married on October 26, 2013, inManhattan.[112] They have a son,[113] born in August 2014.[114] On July 2, 2020, Ricci filed for divorce.[115] In her divorce filing, Ricci stated that she was subjected to "severe physical and emotional abuse" by Heerdegen and that "many of these acts of abuse" took place in front of their son.[116] TheLos Angeles Police Department had previously responded to a call at Ricci and Heerdegen'sWoodland Hills home on June 25, 2020.[117] Heerdegen was not arrested, but Ricci was granted an emergencyprotective order against Heerdegen the day before she filed for divorce.[115] The order prohibited any contact between the couple.[117] In January 2021, Ricci was granted aDomestic Abuse Restraining Order against Heerdegen.[118] In April 2021, Ricci was granted full custody of their son, while Heerdegen was given visitation rights.[119][120]
In October 2021, Ricci announced her marriage to hairstylist Mark Hampton.[121][122] Their daughter was born in December 2021.[123][124]
Ricci has been the national spokesperson for theRape, Abuse & Incest National Network (RAINN) since April 25, 2007.[5] She wrote an article forThe Huffington Post in 2009, where she spoke about how her work with the organisation had affected her: "[Victims] tell me of the struggles they face every day", she said, "and the hurdles they've had to overcome."[125]
Due to public backlash afterPETA named Ricci on their "Worst Dressed" list in 2006 for wearingreindeerfur on the cover ofW, Ricci announced that she would stop wearing animal fur altogether. In response, PETA removed her from the list.[126]
^About Christina Ricci "The family moved to Montclair, New Jersey, where she grew up attending Edgemont Elementary School, Glenfield Middle School, and Montclair High School as well as the Morristown-Beard School."[failed verification]
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