Neve Campbell
About
Biography
Filmography
Family & Companions
Biography
This sloe-eyed brunette began her career as a teenage performer in her native Canada, singing and dancing in the chorus of the Toronto production of "The Phantom of the Opera" from 1988 to 1990. After a brief modeling stint, Neve Campbell landed a one-season (1992-93) regular role as one of the aspiring musicians in the Canadian-produced series "Catwalk," which aired on MTV in the USA. Her small screen breakthrough came when she was cast as Julia Salinger, as the headstrong older sister, in the award-winning drama series "Party of Five" (Fox, 1994-2000). Over the course of the series' run, her character experienced numerous trials and tribulations from an unwanted pregnancy to a busted marriage, all while coping with her family and their problems (which included alcoholism and cancer, among others). Throughout it all, Campbell acquitted herself proving to be a fine dramatic player.
The actress was a bit slower to translate her appeal on the big screen. She made her film debut in the forgettable direct-to-video outing "The Dark" (1994) before finding success in a supporting role as a teenager dabbling in witchery in "The Craft" (1996), although co-stars Fairuza Balk and Robin Tunney had the showier roles. Campbell achieved her breakthrough as the put-upon heroine Sidney Prescott in the post-modern box-office smash "Scream" (also 1996). "Scream," directed by Wes Craven and scripted by Kevin Williamson, both parodied and emulated the slasher films of the early 80s and spawned the inevitable sequel "Scream 2" (1997), with Campbell's character now a college student. She fared less well with this outing, playing an aspiring actress targeted by a copycat killer (One set piece had Campbell "acting" in a school production that was unintentionally hilarious). Nevertheless, she returned to close out the trilogy with "Scream 3" (2000), this time returning from self-imposed exile to visit the set of a movie based on her experiences.
Attempting to distance herself from the horror genre, Campbell was seemingly miscast in the role of a white-trash vixen (a former prison inmate no less!) in the uneven "Wild Things" and further floundered as a soap actress enjoying the nightlife of Studio "54" (both 1998). She debuted as a producer with the romance "Hair Shirt" (premiered at the 1998 Toronto Film Festival) in which she appeared as an egotistical movie star alongside her brother Christian. Campbell also landed the role of the mistress of an advertising executive in the triangular romantic comedy "Three to Tango" (1999) as well as a stint in the ensemble of the dismal comedy "Drowning Mona" (2000), but neither did much to add to her star power or build her acting resume, but she equated herself well in a series of less pop audience minded projects, including "Panic" (2000) playing the dark, edgy muse of an older man (William H. Macy) leading a stalled life; Alan Rudolph's frankly refreshing dramedy "Investigating Sex" (2001) as one of two female stenographers assisting two male sex researchers; and as F. Scott Fitzgerald's young protege, writer Frances Kroll Ring, opposite Jeremy Irons in the cable telepic "Last Call" (2002).
Campbell's accumulated credits sufficiently impressed legendary director Robert Altman to turn the Campbell-penned story (ultimately co-written with screenwriter Barbara Turner) of a young ballet dancer poised to become a fictional Chicago troupe's next big thing into his next film, "The Company" (2003). The actress, who trained at the National Ballet of Canada as a girl, was cast as the rising prima ballerina Ry, around who Altman built a trademark multi-character tale filmed inside the famed Joffrey Ballet--Campbell's authentic knowledge of the inside world of ballet and her always convincing dancing allowed her to deliver her best, most nuanced performance to date. She followed up with the equally ambitious "When Will I Be Loved?" (2004), a noir-ish intellectually and erotically-charged tale of a indulged, sexually adventurous femme fatale artist (Campbell) who uses her powerful sexuality to advance her aims and control those who seek to use her. Although it was a daring--even brash--choice for Campbell, the movie suffered from writer-director James Toback's largely improvisational approach and characteristic--and slightly disturbing-- fetishization of his leading lady.
Filmography
Cast (Feature Film)
Writer (Feature Film)
Producer (Feature Film)
Music (Feature Film)
Misc. Crew (Feature Film)
Cast (Special)
Life Events
1988
Made acting debut in "The Phantom of the Opera" at the Canon Theatre in Toronto
1992
First starring role was Daisy in the Canadian youth series, "Catwalk" (Shown on MTV in the U.S.)
1994
Played eldest daughter Julia Salinger in the Fox drama, "Party of Five"
1994
First film role was in the direct-to-video Canadian release, "The Dark"
1994
Made her TV-movie debut in "I Know My Son is Alive" (NBC)
1996
Had breakthrough role of Sidney Prescott in Wes Craven's "Scream"
1996
Had a supporting role in the supernatural teen horror film, "The Craft"
1997
Reprised role as Sidney Prescott in "Scream 2"
1998
Made producing debut with "Hair Shirt"; also co-starred in the film along with brother Christian; shown at the Toronto Film Festival
1998
Had small role as a soap opera actress in "54"
1998
Took a dark turn as a Southern temptress in "Wild Things"
1999
Starred in the romantic comedy "Three to Tango," opposite Matthew Perry and Dylan McDermott
2000
Once again played the role of Sydney Prescott in "Scream 3"
2000
Co-starred in "Panic," alongside William H. Macy and Donald Sutherland
2003
Utilized her dancing background to co-star in Robert Altman's "The Company"; also co-wrote and co-produced the film
2004
Starred as a young woman exploring the limits of her sexual and intellectual power in "When Will I Be Loved"
2006
Made her West End debut, in a version of Arthur Miller's "Resurrection Blues" at the Old Vic theatre
2009
Returned to television in a starring role on NBC's short-lived series, "The Philanthropist"
2011
Re-teamed with Wes Craven to again play Sidney Prescott in "Scream 4"
Family
Companions
