Dominique Swain

Last updated

Dominique Swain
Dominique Swain 2017.jpg
Swain in 2017
Born (1980-08-12) August 12, 1980 (age 43)
Occupations
  • Actress
  • producer
Years active1993–present
Relatives Chelse Swain (sister)

Dominique Swain (born August 12, 1980) [1] is an American actress. She first came to attention as the title character in Adrian Lyne's 1997 adaptation of Lolita , alongside a supporting role in John Woo's Face/Off that same year. She worked predominantly in independent cinema throughout the late 1990s and early 2000s, with credits including Girl (1998), Intern (2000), Tart (2001), and Pumpkin (2002). Subsequent credits include Alpha Dog (2006), Road to Nowhere (2010), and a succession of films in the action, thriller, and horror genres.

Contents

Early life

Swain attended Malibu High School in Malibu, California. Her parents separated when she was 15. She has three siblings, including actress Chelse Swain. [2]

Career

1997–1999: Film debut and critical acclaim

In 1995, at the age of 15, Swain was chosen out of 2,500 girls to play the title role of Dolores "Lolita" Haze in Adrian Lyne's controversial screen adaptation of the 1955 novel, Lolita . [2] Released in 1997, the film earned positive reviews from critics, with New York Magazine calling it "superior" to the Stanley Kubrick version from 1962, [3] and Caryn James of The New York Times writing that Swain's performance was "extraordinary," adding:

She is within sight of womanhood yet remains, definitely, a schoolgirl ... Ms. Swain walks this incredibly narrow line between innocent playfulness and adult knowledge without a misstep. [4]

That same year, Swain appeared as John Travolta's rebellious teenage daughter, Jamie, in John Woo's commercially successful action thriller Face/Off , [5] with a positive review from Entertainment Weekly highlighting her chemistry with Travolta. [6] Next, she headlined the 1998 drama Girl , in which she portrayed a high-schooler determined to lose her virginity. Writing for Variety , critic David Stratton called it a "well-cast, modestly effective pic" with "a bright, intelligent performance" by Swain. [7]

Speaking of finding it hard to secure roles in the wake of Lolita, a matter she attributed to typecasting, Swain later commented, "I turned down stuff specifically because of nudity, because it doesn't take a whole lot of class to yank your clothes off ... I had a body double in Lolita [so] I think the goal was 'Let's see what she really looks like.' They were sending me scripts with no substance to them." [2]

2000–2006: Independent films

Swain had prominent roles in various independent films throughout the early 2000s— The Smokers , Intern , Pumpkin , New Best Friend —and worked on three occasions with Brad Renfro Happy Campers , Tart , The Job —prior to his death. [8] In 2006, she starred as aspiring dancer Lori Gunderson in Totally Awesome , a parody of 1980s teen movies. [9] Next, she played the supporting role of Susan Hartunian in Alpha Dog , the closing night film at that year's Sundance Film Festival. [10] A crime drama based on the murder of Nicholas Markowitz, Swain's character was inspired by Natasha Adams-Young, a key figure in the real case who was granted legal immunity in exchange for her testimony in court. [11]

2007–present: Genre films and television work

In 2007, Swain headlined the supernatural horror film Dead Mary , which Fangoria felt was successful in setting itself apart from other entries in the genre. [12] She received praise for her performance in the 2010 thriller Road to Nowhere , [13] which Kevin Thomas described as a "stylish, shimmering neo-noir" in his review for the Los Angeles Times . [14]

Swain (left) with Mandalynn Carlson (2015) MandalynnCarlson.jpg
Swain (left) with Mandalynn Carlson (2015)

Following lead roles in the straight-to-video action films The Girl from the Naked Eye , Nazis at the Center of the Earth , Skin Traffik , and Sharkansas Women's Prison Massacre , Swain starred in the 2016 thriller The Wrong Roommate; her first of several appearances in the Wrong... series, an anthological group of Lifetime television films. [15]

Campaigning

In 2001, at the age of 21, Swain posed nude for PETA's "I'd Rather Go Naked than Wear Fur" campaign. [16]

Filmography

Film

YearTitleRoleNotes
1997 Face/Off Jamie Archer
Lolita Dolores "Lolita" Haze
1998 Girl Andrea Marr
2000 Intern Jocelyn Bennett
The Smokers Jefferson Roth
2001 Happy Campers Wendy
Tart Cat Storm
Mean People Suck KateShort
2002 Pumpkin Jeanine Kryszinsky
Dead in the Water Gloria
New Best Friend Sidney Barrett
Briar Patch Inez Macbeth
2003As Virgins FallEllen Denver
The Job Emily Robin
2004The FreediverMaggie
The Madam's Family: The Truth About the Canal Street BrothelMonicaTV movie
Out of SeasonKelly Phillips
2005 Devour DakotaVideo
JourneymanDominique
The Locrian ModeJillShort
2006 Alpha Dog Susan Hartunian
All InAce
Totally Awesome LoriTV movie
2007The Pacific and EddyChelsea
White AirChristie
Dead Mary KimVideo
Fall Down Dead Christie Wallace
2008 Prairie Fever AbigailVideo
Stiletto Nancy
Noble ThingsAmber Wades
Toxic Nadia
A Cat's TaleMom (voice)Video
CapersMercy
BordersAshleyShort
2009NightfallQuinn
StuntmenMindy Danger
2010 Road to Nowhere Nathalie Post
TranceLaura
2012 The Girl from the Naked Eye Alissa
Nazis at the Center of the Earth Dr. Paige MorganVideo
Private WarLCpl. RobertsVideo
2013 Blue Dream Gena
2014The Knockout GameCitizenShort
Fatal InstinctAly
The Lost GirlsLucy
BoudoirColetteShort
2015 Sharkansas Women's Prison Massacre HoneyTV movie
The MourningThe Suited Woman
No Deposit Girl in Bar
Fatal FlipAlex SaundersTV movie
Skin Traffik Anna Peel
6 Ways to DieSteph Garcia
Rock StorySammy Carlson
EmbersWoman in the Long Dress
A Horse TrailSydney
2016 The Wrong Roommate Janice DahlTV movie
WidowsAmanda BrandtShort
The Demon in the DarkGigantaShort
Fishes 'n Loaves: Heaven SentReva Hutchins
The 6th FriendHeather
A Doggone Christmas Dr. Langley
A Husband for ChristmasAmanda HessTV movie
2017The MatadorsMadonna
You Can't Have ItTammy
The Fast and the FierceJuliette
Boone: The Bounty HunterOlivia
Hate HorsesWendy Lou Perrin
You Have a Nice FlightAshley
The Black RoomStacy
Photographic MemoryElisa McAdamsShort
HexingAlice
Spreading DarknessFiona Funari
2018Battle DroneAlexandra Hayes
A Doggone AdventureAmy Hill
AstroJulie Adams
Minutes to MidnightChloe
The Wrong Cruise MonicaTV movie
For JenniferRandi
Nazi OverlordDr. Eris
The Wrong Teacher BethTV movie
2019 1st Born Ingrid
Rottentail Anna Banana
Blood CraftHilde
The Last Big SaveJoan
2177: The San Francisco Love Hacker CrimesGuadalupe Santana
The Wrong Mommy KellyanneTV movie
Eminence Hill Gretchen
2020Chronicle of a Serial KillerKelly Smith
Girl Lost: A Hollywood StoryBeth
Meteor MoonGeneral Hauser
2021Obsessed with the BabysitterSilvia CartwrightTV movie
The Wrong Mr. Right Scarlett ShawTV movie
20224 Horsemen: ApocalypseGeneral Bridget Norris
Shadow MasterDewitt's Mother
2023State of DesolationTinaAKA End Times
Secrets at the MuseumDanielleTV movie

Television

YearTitleRoleNotes
2005 JAG Lt. Eve SorrensEpisode: "The Sixth Juror"
2006 Ghost Whisperer Stacy ChaseEpisode: "Friendly Neighborhood Ghost"
2014 Celebrity Ghost Stories HerselfEpisode: "Julie White/Roger Bart/Dominique Swain/Thomas Ian Nicholas"

Music Videos

YearTitleArtist
1998"Lullaby" Shawn Mullins
2002"We Are All Made of Stars" Moby
2004"Rapid Hope Loss" Dashboard Confessional
2007"Rockstar" Nickelback

Accolades

YearCeremonyCategoryWorkResult
1998 Saturn Awards Best Performance by a Younger Actress Face/Off Nominated
1999 Chicago Film Critics Association Most Promising Actress Lolita Nominated
MTV Movie Awards Best Kiss (with Jeremy Irons)LolitaNominated
Young Artist Awards Best Performance – Leading Young ActressLolitaWon
YoungStar Awards Best Young ActressLolitaNominated
2003 DVD Exclusive Awards Best Actress Tart Nominated
2007 San Diego Film Festival Rising StarThe Pacific and EddyWon
Silver Lake Film Festival Best ActressThe Pacific and EddyWon
2013 Downbeach Film Festival Lifesaver Achievement AwardWon
2019 Hoboken International Film Festival Best Supporting ActressThe Last Big SaveNominated

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References

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  2. 1 2 3 Hampson, Sarah (January 5, 2002). "Skin against skin". The Globe and Mail . Retrieved March 8, 2024.
  3. Leonard, John (August 3, 1998). "Vlad the Impaler". New York Magazine . Retrieved March 9, 2024.
  4. James, Caryn (July 31, 1998). "Revisiting a Dangerous Obsession". The New York Times . Retrieved March 9, 2024.
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  6. Schwarzbaum, Lisa (July 11, 1997). "Face/Off review". Entertainment Weekly . Retrieved March 9, 2024.
  7. Stratton, David (June 8, 1998). "Girl". Variety . Retrieved March 9, 2024.
  8. LaBruce, Bruce (August 23, 2011). "Lost Child Stars and Drag Queens". Vice . Retrieved March 9, 2024.
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  11. "First the movie - then the trial". The New Zealand Herald . May 30, 2008. Retrieved March 9, 2024.
  12. "Reviews: DEAD MARY and KNOCK KNOCK". Fangoria . January 10, 2007. Retrieved March 9, 2024.
  13. "Road to Nowhere Review". TV Guide . Retrieved March 9, 2024.
  14. Thomas, Kevin (June 11, 2007). "Movie review: 'Road to Nowhere'". Los Angeles Times . Retrieved March 9, 2024.
  15. Nicolaou, Elena (July 27, 2020). "Vivica A. Fox Tells Us What Makes Her "Wrong" Lifetime Movies So Right". Oprah Daily . Retrieved March 9, 2024.
  16. Malkin, Marc S. (December 17, 2001). "December 17, 2001". New York Magazine. Retrieved February 8, 2024.