October 3, 1979

October 3, 1978.

Shannyn Marie Kahololani Sossamon was born October 3, 1978 in Honolulu, Hawaii but grew up in Reno, Nevada.  She and her sisters formed a band called WarPaint with their friends during their younger days.  Shannyn studied at Galena High School and shortly after her high school graduation, she went to Los Angeles to pursue a dancing career.  She attended Dance Unlimited and earned a living by appearing in TV commercials and by being a DJ in local clubs.  Her DJ work took her as far as assisting in actress Gwyneth Paltrow's birthday party in 1997.  It was there that she got discovered by casting director Francine Maisler.

In 2001, Shannyn Sossamon had her first leading role as Lady Jocelyn in Brian Helgeland's A Knight's Tale.  Her performance in the movie earned her an MTV Breakthrough Female Performance Award in 2002.  She also appeared in the films 40 Days, 40 Nights, The Order, Kiss Kiss Bang Bang, The Holiday, One Missed Call and Catacombs among others.  Shannyn was seen on TV shows Moonlight and Law & Order: Special Victims Unit.

She did a TV commercial for GAP Jeans and was also part of several music videos such as Cher's “Strong Enough,” Korn's “Make Me Bad,” The Goo Goo Doll's “Dizzy,” Mick Jagger's “God Gave Me Everything,” Black Heart's Procession's “Not Just Words” and Deborah Cox's “It's Over Now.”

She was listed as one of the 102 sexiest women in the world by Stuff magazine, and was named one of the Maxim's Hot 100 of 2002.  She was also featured on The Times Magazine, People Weekly, Playboy, Movieline and Premiere.

Kira Klay is played by Shannyn Sossamon on FX's drama series Dirt .  The show focuses on DirtNow's editor-in-chief Lucy Spiller, the people around her and the publication of the first ever glossy tabloid.  Klay is a friend and fellow actress to Julia Mallory (Laura Allen ).  Mallory's boyfriend, Holt McLaren, is a has-been actor and is struggling to regain his celebrity status.  When McLAren learns of Klay's pregnancy, he makes a deal with Spiller and reveals the information to the tabloid editor in exchange for a good publicity that will make him appear as if he's still in demand.

Born on October 3, 1978 in Honolulu, Hawaii and raised in Reno, Nevada, Shannyn Sossamon moved to Los Angeles upon graduating high school in 1996 to study dance. She was discovered three years later by a casting director at Gwyneth Paltrow's birthday party, and was cast as Jocelyn opposite Heath Ledger in A Knight's Tale. She attended Galena High School, and is of Dutch, English, Filipino, French, German, Hawaiian and Irish descent. She later appeared on several television commercials, as well as getting DJ gigs in local clubs.

After her breakthrough role in A Knight’s Tale, she landed a part on 40 Days and 40 Nights, playing Erica Sutton alongside Josh Hartnett. Her next project became The Rules of Attraction and the short romantic comedy Wholey Moses, co-starring Linda Hamilton and Stephan Paternot. In 2003, Sossamon was cast in The Order, and found herself acting on an episode of Law & Order: Special Victims Unit. She also starred in the short Bradley Scott film I Hate You, and the crime thriller Chasing Ghosts. She later worked with Robert Downey Jr., Val Kilmer and Michelle Monaghan on the action film Kiss Kiss Bang Bang. In 2005, she was cast in three films, namely the horror Devour, the short fantasy The Double and the musical romance Undiscovered. The next year, Sossamon got roles in Wristcutters: A Love Story and The Holiday starring Cameron Diaz, Kate Winslet, Jude Law and Jack Black. She was later seen on several episodes of Dirt, and was cast as a replacement for Amber Valletta on the CBS series Moonlight. She became known for playing the character Coralin, a vicious vampire who easily victimizes males. Sossamon’s other projects include Catacombs and One Missed Call, as well as The Heavy in 2008. She is also a member of the band WarPaint, together with her sister and two of their friends.




(Photo courtesy of Shannyn-Sossamon.com)

Honolulu, Hawaii

Honolulu, Hawaii, USA.

Shannyn Sossamon

Shannon Marie Kahoolani Sossamon

Female

Female

Born in Hawaii but grew up in Nevada.

May 29, 2003: Gave birth to her first son, Audio Science Clayton.

Beat out Kate Hudson for the role of Lady Jocelyn in A Knight's Tale (2001).

Is of French, Hawaiian, Dutch, English, Irish, Filipino and German descent; her maternal grandmother is Hawaiian-Filipino, and her maternal grandfather is English-German.

1995: As an adolescent, she added the "y" in her first name.

Ethnicity: Chinese, Hawaiian and half English making her Eurasian like fellow actresses Kelly Hu, Vanessa Anne Hudgens', Jessica Anderson, Devon Aoki, Moon Bloodgood, China Chow, Traycee King, Kristin Kreuk, Jaymee Ong, Maggie Q, Nicole Scherzinger, Monica Young and actors Anthony Begonia, Andrew Johnston, Brandon Lee, Keanu Reeves, Rob Schneider, Russell Wong and Michael Wong.

Is in a band called "WarPaint" with her sister and two friends.

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2008: Teen Choice Award (nominated)
Choice Movie Actress: Horror/Thriller for: One Missed Call (2008)

2002: MTV Movie Award (nominated)
Best Kiss for: A Knight's Tale (2001)Shared with: Heath Ledger
Best Musical Sequence for: A Knight's Tale (2001)Shared with: Heath Ledger
Breakthrough Female Performance for: A Knight's Tale (2001)

2002: Teen Choice Award (nominated)
Film - Choice Chemistry for: 40 Days and 40 Nights (2002)Shared with:Josh Hartnett

2002: Young Hollywood Award (won)
Breakthrough Performance - Female

2001: Teen Choice Award (nominated)
Film - Choice Breakout Performance
for: A Knight's Tale (2001)
Film - Choice Chemistry for: A Knight's Tale (2001) Shared with: Heath Ledger

2002 - Young Hollywood Award Breakthrough Performance - Female.

2008: One Missed Call - Beth Raymond
2007-2008: Moonlight - Coraline
2007: Catacombs - Victoria
2007- : Dirt - Kira Klay
2006: Wristcutters: A Love Story - Mikal
2006: The Holiday - Maggie
2005: Chasing Ghosts - Taylor Spencer
2005: Devour - Marisol
2005: Kiss Kiss, Bang Bang
2005: Undiscovered - Josie
2003: The Sin Eater - Mara
2002: The Rules Of Attraction -Lauren Hynde
2002: 40 Days and 40 Nights - Erica
2001: A Knight's Tale - Lady Jocelyn

Life Is Hot in Cracktown (2008)
The Heavy (2008)
Moonlight (2007-2008)
One Missed Call (2008)
Dirt (2007)
Catacombs (2007)
The Holiday (2006)
Wristcutters: A Love Story (2006)
Undiscovered (2005)
The Double (2005)
Devour (2005)
Kiss Kiss Bang Bang (2005)
Chasing Ghosts (2005)
I Hate You (2005)
Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (2004)
The Order (2003)
Wholey Moses (2003)
The Rules of Attraction (2002)
40 Days and 40 Nights (2002)
A Knight's Tale (2001)
Mr. Show with Bob and David (1997).

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5' 8" (1.73 m)

5' 8".

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"I don't have to change into a serious actress' because that wouldn't be me. And me being me is why they wanted me to do this."

"I have the same friends I always did. They're all still as poor and happy as they ever were. I just have more money to spend now than I ever did before."

"Sometimes I'll use a red lipliner under my bottom lashes. I think it's looks cool; maybe it doesn't but no one has told me yet."