Grew up on Crosby Street in the SoHo section of New York

Began studying modern dance at age six (date approximate)

Started acting career on the off-off-Broadway stage in productions of "Happiness", "Punk Ballet", and "Kids on Stage"; choreographed a solo dance piece for the latter

Made film acting debut at age 11 playing a molested child in the student short "Dreams of Love"

TV acting debut, a guest shot as a suspected murderer on an episode of NBC's "Law & Order"

Auditioned for the role of Angela in "My So-Called Life" (ABC) at age 13

Offered a role in "Schindler's List" by Steven Spielberg; turned down part due to its small size and the arduous location shoot

Shot the pilot for "My So-Called Life"

Appeared in "30", a documentary short--helmed by Tom Kalin--commemorating fashion designer Geoffrey Beene's thirty years in the business

Moved to Los Angeles (date approximate)

Appeared in "More Than Friends: The Coming Out of Heidi Leiter", an installment of HBO's teen docudrama series, "Lifestories: Families in Crisis"

Starred in the acclaimed and cultish but short-lived ABC dramatic series, "My So-Called Life"; won a Golden Globe for Best Actress in a Drama Series

Feature acting debut as Beth March in the remake of "Little Women", directed by Gillian Armstrong; suggested for the role by star Winona Ryder

Acted in the video for "Just Like Anyone" by Soul Asylum

Had a featured role as the young version of Anne Bancroft's character in "How to Make an American Quilt", also starring Winona Ryder

Played Holly Hunter's precocious daughter in "Home for the Holidays", directed by Jodie Foster

Starred as a teenager whose father (Peter Gallagher) continues to struggle with the untimely death of her mother (Michelle Pfieffer) two years prior in "To Gillian on Her 37th Birthday"

Played Juliet opposite Leonardo DiCaprio's Romeo in "William Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet", Baz Luhrmann's highly stylized update of the classic tragedy

Playe Joaquin Phonenix's tarty lover in Oliver Stone's "U-Turn"

Starred in "I Love You, I Love You Not" with Jeanne Moreau and Jude Law

Was featured in "John Grisham's The Rainmaker" as an abused wife who falls for lawyer Matt Damon

Portrayed Cosette in Bille August's take on the Victor Hugo classic "Les Miserables"

Played an unmarried and pregnant young Polish-American girl in "Polish Wedding"

Starred as Julie in the big screen version of the 1960s TV show "The Mod Squad"

Co-starred with Kate Beckinsale in the gripping Thailand prison-set drama "Brokedown Palace"

Voiced the character San in the US dubbed version of the acclaimed Japanese anime "Princess Mononoke"

Played one of Richard Gere's daughters in "Dr. T and the Women", helmed by Robert Altman

Played small supporting role in the film version of "The Hours"

Co-starred in the comedy feature, "Igby Goes Down"

Appeared as future messiah John Connors' love interest in "Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines"

Teamed romantically with Joaquin Phoenix in "It's All About Love"

Co-starred with Billy Crudup in "Stage Beauty" based on the play by Jeffrey Hatcher

Starred with Steve Martin in "Shopgirl" a film adapted from the novel written by Martin

Cast as Sarah Jessica Parker's younger sister in the holiday comedy "The Family Stone"

Starred in Andrew Lau's first American film "The Flock"

Played a young Vanessa Redgrave in the ensemble film, "Evening"

Cast in the Matthew Vaughn directed fantasy epic "Stardust," opposite Michelle Pfeiffer and Robert DeNiro

Professional theatrical debut, playing Eliza Doolittle in the Broadway play "Pygmalion"