Selma Blair, born on June 23, 1972, in Southfield, Michigan, is an acclaimed American actress known for her versatile roles in film and television.
She gained prominence with her performances in Cruel Intentions, Legally Blonde and the Hellboy franchise.
Blair graduated from the University of Michigan in 1995 with degrees in English and Psychology and later pursued acting in New York City, where she faced early struggles before achieving success.
In addition to her film career, Blair has appeared in notable television series, including The People v. O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story and Anger Management.
Siblings
Selma has three older sisters, namely Katherine, Marie, and Elizabeth Beitner.
The sisters grew up in a family where both parents were lawyers, and they have a Jewish upbringing.
After their parents’ divorce when Selma was 23, she and Elizabeth officially changed their surname to “Blair” as part of a personal decision following family dynamics.
Career
Blair’s career began in the mid-1990s, initially featuring in small roles on television.
She gained significant recognition with her breakout performance in the 1999 film Cruel Intentions, where she played Cecile Caldwell, earning an MTV Movie Award for Best Kiss alongside Sarah Michelle Gellar.
This role paved the way for her subsequent success in Legally Blonde as Vivian Kensington, which became a cultural touchstone and showcased her comedic talent.
Blair continued to build her filmography with notable roles in The Sweetest Thing, Hellboy and its sequel Hellboy II: The Golden Army.
She also starred in the NBC sitcom Kath & Kim and made guest appearances on various shows, including Friends and The People v. O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story.
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In addition to her film and television work, Blair has appeared on stage and lent her voice to audiobooks, earning a Grammy nomination for her narration of The Diary of a Young Girl by Anne Frank.
Her career has been marked by both commercial success and critical acclaim, alongside her advocacy work following her diagnosis of multiple sclerosis in 2018.
Awards and accolades
Blair has received several awards and accolades throughout her career, reflecting her talent and contributions to film and television, as well as her advocacy work.
At the MTV Movie Awards, she won the award for Best Kiss in 2000, shared with Sarah Michelle Gellar for Cruel Intentions, and was also nominated for Breakthrough Female Performance for the same film.
Additionally, she received recognition at the People’s Choice Awards, winning the title of The Competition Contestant of 2022 for her participation in Dancing with the Stars.
Blair was nominated for a Teen Choice Award in 2002 for Film – Choice Actress, Comedy for her role in The Sweetest Thing.
Her documentary Introducing, Selma Blair garnered critical acclaim, earning her the Critics’ Choice Documentary Award for Most Compelling Living Subject of a Documentary in 2021.
In recognition of her advocacy work, she received the Media Access Awards’ SAG-AFTRA Harold Russell Award in 2022, as well as the Visionary Award for Introducing, Selma Blair.
Furthermore, at the Cinema Eye Honors Awards, she was honored with The Unforgettables award for her impactful documentary.
Blair has also been acknowledged for her advocacy efforts, receiving the Daring to Disrupt Award at the Glamour Women of the Year Awards in 2023, highlighting her significant impact as a disability advocate following her diagnosis with multiple sclerosis in 2018.
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