Fairuza Balk

Fairuza Alejandra Balk (born May 21, 1974) is an American film actress, probably most famous for her participation in the 1996 movie The Craft and in the 1985 sequal to the wizard of oz Return to Oz. She is a native of Point Reyes, California.

Related Topics:
May 21 - 1974 - American - Actress - 1996 - The Craft - Return to Oz - Point Reyes

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Balk is said to have been named Fairuza because her father, of Gypsy (Roma) heritage, exclaimed that word the moment she was born; Fairuza (Firouzeh) meaning "turquoise" in Persian and Balk's eyes being of that color. Soon after her parents split, Fairuza became a world traveler. Raised for the first part of her life in San Francisco, she and her mother moved to Vancouver when Fairuza was 9. At 11 she moved to London, where she attended various prestigious ballet and acting schools. At that age also she was picked by the Walt Disney Company to star in the movie Return to Oz. In 1988 she moved to Paris to do more work as an actress, and by 1989 she was back in Vancouver, where she began to attend high school. Soon, however, she decided to take correspondence courses instead.

Related Topics:
Gypsy - Roma - Turquoise - Persian - San Francisco - Vancouver - London - Walt Disney Company - Return to Oz - Paris

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Then she went back to Hollywood, where she gained increasing notice as an actress. In 1992 she was awarded an Independent Spirit Award as best actress for her performance in the Allison Anders film Gas Food Lodging.

Related Topics:
Hollywood - 1992 - Independent Spirit Award - Allison Anders - Gas Food Lodging

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Balk was soon cast in The Craft, in which her character forms a teenage coven along with the characters portrayed by Neve Campbell, Rachel True and Robin Tunney. This was particularly appropriate casting as Balk studies Wicca in real life and was part owner of a store dedicated to that religion named Panpipes Magickal. (She has since sold her interest in the store and is no longer affiliated with it in any way.)

Related Topics:
The Craft - Coven - Neve Campbell - Rachel True - Robin Tunney - Wicca

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Balk also had a memorable performance as a neo-nazi opposite Edward Norton in American History X.

Related Topics:
Neo-nazi - Edward Norton - American History X

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Balk has been romantically linked to British actor David Thewlis. She also dated Marilyn Manson, but they have since split.

Related Topics:
British - David Thewlis - Marilyn Manson

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