About Fairuza Balk
Fairuza Balk (born May 21, 1974) is an American actress, musician, and visual artist. Known for her portrayals of distinctive characters—often with a dark edge and "goth-girl" persona—she has appeared in numerous independent films and blockbuster features. Balk made her feature film debut as Dorothy Gale in Return to Oz (1985), for which she was nominated for a Saturn Award and a Young Artist Award. Her career progressed with parts in films such as Valmont (1989) and Gas Food Lodging (1992), the latter earning her an Independent Spirit Award for Best Female Lead. Balk received acclaim and a cult following for her portrayal of Nancy Downs in The Craft (1996). Her other credits include The Island of Dr. Moreau (1996), American History X (1998), The Waterboy (1998), Almost Famous (2000), Wild Tigers I Have Known (2006), and Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans (2009). Outside of film, Balk portrayed Mildred Hubble in the 1986 television adaptation of The Worst Witch and played the recurring role of Ginger on Showtime's Ray Donovan (2015). Balk has been releasing music since 2010 under the name of her unsigned act, Armed Love Militia. Balk took her first acting course around the summer of 1983, where she was taught how to look at a camera and not be shy. Balk chose the song "Nuages" by Django Reinhardt and created a 16"x20"x12" mixed-media sculpture. Her first experience was in a British Columbia tourism commercial, for which she earned $100.
Biography source: Wikipedia. The profile adds birthday-specific historical context from the Celebs Birthday Today editorial database.