Juliette Lake Lewis (born June 21, 1973) is an American actress. She is known for her portrayals of offbeat characters, often in projects with dark themes. Lewis became an "it girl" of American cinema in the early 1990s, appearing in various independent and arthouse films. Her accolades include nominations for an Academy Award, a Golden Globe and two Primetime Emmy Awards.
The daughter of actor Geoffrey Lewis, Lewis began her career in television at age 14 before making her film debut with a small part in My Stepmother Is an Alien (1988). This was followed by a more prominent role in the comedy film National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation (1989). She gained acclaim for her portrayal of a troubled teenager in Martin Scorsese's thriller Cape Fear (1991), for which she was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress. She subsequently had supporting roles in Husbands and Wives (1992), Kalifornia (1993), What's Eating Gilbert Grape (1993), and From Dusk Till Dawn (1996), and a starring role in Oliver Stone's crime film Natural Born Killers (1994).
In 2003, she earned an Emmy nomination for Outstanding Supporting Actress for the television film Hysterical Blindness (2002). She went on to co-star in the mainstream thrillers Enough (2002) and Cold Creek Manor (2003), as well as comedies such as Old School (2003) and Starsky & Hutch (2004). Lewis embarked on a musical career in 2003, forming the rock band Juliette and the Licks. Since 2009, she has been releasing material as a solo artist. Subsequent film roles include Conviction (2010), The Switch (2010), August: Osage County (2013), and Ma (2019). Since the late 2010s, Lewis has worked more frequently in television, appearing in prominent roles in series such as The Firm (2012), Wayward Pines (2015), Secrets and Lies (2015–2016), The Act (2019), Sacred Lies (2020), Queer as Folk, and Welcome to Chippendales (both 2022). Since 2021, she has starred in the Showtime mystery-thriller series Yellowjackets.
Early life
Juliette Lake Lewis was born June 21, 1973, in Los Angeles, California, to actor Geoffrey Lewis and his first wife, Glenis (née Duggan) Batley, a graphic designer. She has seven siblings or half-siblings including Lightfield (an actor who appeared in The New WKRP in Cincinnati), Peter, Miles, Matthew, Brandy, Hannah, and Dierdre. She has a step-sister, Emily Colombier.
When she was two years old, Lewis's parents divorced, and she spent her childhood living between both their homes in the Los Angeles area. Her first on-screen appearance was an uncredited bit part in Bronco Billy (1980), in which her father played a supporting role.
