This rising young child actress made a big splash on the big screen in 1997 playing Jodie Foster's character as a young girl in "Contact". Jena Malone had already garnered raves and a Screen Actors Guild Award nomination for her debut performance in Anjelica Huston's gritty adaptation of "Bastard Out of Carolina" (1996). Originally filmed for TNT, the network's owner Ted Turner deemed the film too violent for showing. Eventually Showtime purchased the film and aired it to great applause. Malone demonstrated a veteran's aplomb in the difficult central role of a young girl who is subjected to
Appeared in Michael Jackson's music video "Childhood"
1996
Made screen debut in Anjelica Huston's "Bastard Out of Carolina" (Showtime); nominated for the Independent Spirit Award for Best Debut Performance and a SAG Award for Outstanding Performance
1996
Cast as Beau Bridges' daughter in the Showtime movie "Hidden in America"
