Liv Tyler

Infobox actor


caption = Liv Tyler, December 2003
birthname = Liv Rundgren
birthdate = birth date and age|mf=yes|1977|7|1
birthplace = New York City, New York, U.S.
deathdate =
deathplace =
othername =
yearsactive = 1994–present
spouse = Royston Langdon (2003–2008)
website =
academyawards =
emmyawards =
tonyawards =
sagawards = Best Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture 2003 ""

Liv Rundgren Tyler (born July 1, 1977) is an American actress and model. She is the daughter of Aerosmith's frontman, Steven Tyler and model, singer Bebe Buell. Tyler began a career in modeling at the age of fourteen, but quickly decided to focus on acting. Her first notable role was appearing alongside Alicia Silverstone in the music video for Aerosmith's song "Crazy" in 1993.

At age seventeen she made her film debut in the 1994 film "Silent Fall". Following her performance in "Silent Fall", Tyler starred in her breakthrough performance in 1996's "Stealing Beauty". In 1998, she starred opposite Ben Affleck in "Armageddon", which became a summer blockbuster. Tyler then went on to portray elf princess Arwen Undómiel in Peter Jackson's "The Lord of the Rings" trilogy. After a brief hiatus she returned to acting, starring in the horror-thriller "The Strangers" and portraying Betty Ross in "The Incredible Hulk".

Early life

Tyler was born Liv Rundgren at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York City, New York.cite book | first = Bebe | last = Buell | first2 = Victor | last2 = Bockris | title = Rebel Heart: An American Rock 'n' Roll Journey | publisher = St. Martin's Griffin | location = New York | date = 2002 | isbn = 978-031230155-2 | pages = 164] She is the first born daughter of Bebe Buell, a model, singer, and former Playboy Playmate (Miss November 1974), and Steven Tyler, the lead singer of Aerosmith. [cite web|url=http://www.filmreference.com/film/81/Liv-Tyler.html|title=Liv Tyler Biography (1977-)|accessdate=2008-06-26|publisher=Film Reference] Her maternal grandmother, Dorothea Johnson, founded the Protocol School of Washington. [cite news | url = http://www.nytimes.com/2004/11/21/fashion/21AGE.html | title = Manners in the Time of Flu | publisher = New York Times | date = 2004-11-21 | first = Bob | last = Morris] Her mother named her after Norwegian actress Liv Ullmann after seeing Ullmann on the cover of the March 5, 1977 issue of "TV Guide". At birth, Buell claimed that rock star Todd Rundgren was Tyler's biological father.cite web|url=http://www.people.com/people/liv_tyler/biography|title=Liv Tyler Biography|accessdate=2008-06-23|work=People] Tyler discovered her true parentage at age nine. She discovered that she was Steven Tyler's daughter after meeting him and noticing a resemblance she shared with his other daughter, Mia. When she asked her mother about the similarity, the secret was revealed. The truth about Tyler's paternity did not become public until 1991, when she changed her name from Rundgren to Tyler, but kept the former as a middle name. Buell's alleged reason for the initial decision was that Steven was too heavily addicted to drugs at the time of her birth. Since learning the truth about her paternity, Tyler and Steven have developed a close relationship. They have also worked together professionally, once when she performed in Aerosmith's video for "Crazy" and again when Aerosmith wrote and performed many of the songs in the film "Armageddon", in which Tyler starred.

Tyler attended the Congressional School of Virginia, Breakwater Elementary and Waynflete schools in Portland, Maine, before returning to New York City with her mother at the age of twelve.cite web|url=http://www.hellomagazine.com/profiles/livtyler/?|title=Hello Magazine Profile - Liv Tyler|accessdate=2008-06-23|work=Hello Magazine] She went to York Prep in New York City for Junior High and High School, graduating in 1995. One month later Tyler set off for Italy to star in "Stealing Beauty".

Career

Starting a career as a model at the age of fifteen, Tyler appeared on the covers of magazines and starred in commercials. However, she became bored with her modeling career less than a year after it started, and moved into acting. She never took acting lessons. Tyler first became known to television audiences when she starred alongside Alicia Silverstone in the music video for Aerosmith's song "Crazy" in 1993. Between the period of 1993 and 1996, she starred in seven films.

Tyler made her film debut in "Silent Fall" in 1994. Following the release of the film, she starred in "Heavy" in 1995; the filming of which was delayed until she became available. By the age of nineteen, she had already starred in several successful films, including her breakthrough role in 1996's "Stealing Beauty" directed by Bernardo Bertolucci, the cult classic "Empire Records", "That Thing You Do!" which was written and directed by Tom Hanks, and "Inventing the Abbotts" in 1997.

In 1998, she co-starred with Ben Affleck in Michael Bay's "Armageddon", which raised her profile amongst cinemagoers and was coincidentally released on her twenty first birthday. The movie included the songs "I Don't Want to Miss a Thing" and "What Kind of Love Are You On" by her father's band, Aerosmith. [cite web|url=http://www.cnn.com/SHOWBIZ/specials/1999/oscars/list.html|title='Shakespeare in Love' tops Academy Awards nominee list|accessdate=2008-06-23|date=1999-03-22|work=CNN] Tyler has also starred in "Onegin" in 1999, a film based on the 19th century Russian novel by Alexander Pushkin, in which she portrayed Tatyana Larina and co-starred with Ralph Fiennes.cite web|url=http://www.hellomagazine.com/profiles/livtyler/?view=jobs|title=Hello Magazine Filmography - Liv Tyler|accessdate=2008-06-23|work=Hello Magazine] She later appeared in two films by legendary director Robert Altman, "Cookie's Fortune" (1999) and "Dr. T & the Women" (2000).

Tyler's most notable role was in Peter Jackson's "Lord of the Rings" trilogy (2001–2003), in which she played the immortal half elf princess Arwen Undómiel,cite web|url=http://www.people.com/people/liv_tyler/biography/0,,20170146_10,00.html|title=Liv Tyler Biography - Page 2|accessdate=2008-06-23|work=People] she recorded a song entitled "Arwen's Song", which was used in the extended DVD cut of .cite video|year=2004|title=The Lord of the Rings: Return of the King|medium=DVD|publisher=New Line Cinema] [cite web|first=Lynn|last=Barker|url=http://www.teenhollywood.com/d.asp?r=55198&p=2|title=Orlando Bloom and Liv Tyler: Return of the Elves|accessdate=2008-06-24|date=2003-12-10|publisher=Teen Hollywood] Along with learning to speak the fictitious Elvish language created by Tolkien, Tyler spent months before the shoot learning swordfighting, to be used during the concluding battle scenes in , though her scenes from the battle were cut after the script was changed.cite video|year=2003|title=The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers "Appendices"|medium=DVD|publisher=New Line Cinema] The trilogy was nominated for 30 Academy Awards and won the coveted Best Picture Award for its final installment. [cite web|url=http://awardsdatabase.oscars.org/ampas_awards/DisplayMain.jsp?curTime=1214267805119|title=Results Page - Lord of the Rings trilogy|accessdate=2008-06-24|publisher=Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences]

After a brief hiatus from acting, she starred in the horror-thriller "The Strangers" with Scott Speedman, and in the comic book adaptation "The Incredible Hulk" alongside Edward Norton, as scientist Betty Ross. [cite web|first=KJ|last=Matthews|url=http://edition.cnn.com/2008/SHOWBIZ/Movies/06/12/people.tyler/|title=Liv Tyler: Swift 'Hulk' offer a big surprise|accessdate=2008-06-23|date=2008-06-12|work=CNN.com] Both films were released in 2008. Tyler, alongside Diane Keaton and Dax Shepard, will appear in the film "Smother", which is set to be released on September 26, 2008.

In 2003, Tyler became the spokesperson for Givenchy Perfume and Cosmetics, in 2005 Givenchy named a rose after her, which was used in one of its fragrances. [cite news | title = Liv Tyler to front Givenchy's new fragrance campaign | url = http://www.hellomagazine.com/fashion/2003/03/21/livtyler/ | publisher = Hello! | date = 2003-03-21] [cite web|first=Samantha|last=Critchell|url=http://www.denverpost.com/boulder/ci_7396100|title=Fragrance, fame a classic duo|accessdate=2008-06-23|date=2008-01-29|publisher=Denver Post|work=AP]

Personal life

Tyler's father, Steven, is of Italian descent. [cite news|url=http://www.intercomm.it/calabria/famosi.htm|publisher=intercomm.it|title=I Nostri Grandi! ... Famous Calabrians|date=2007-10-07] She has three half-siblings: Chelsea Anna Tallarico, Taj Monroe Tallarico and Mia Tyler. Tyler has stated that she "grew up obsessed with horror movies". [cite web|first=Carla|last=Hay|url=http://www.mylifetime.com/lifestyle/entertainment/celebrities/liv-tyler-looking-back-no-regrets|title=Liv Tyler: Looking Back With No Regrets|quote=The actress opens up about returning to the spotlight, being a mom and dealing with the paparazzi.|accessdate=2008-06-24|date=2008-06-11|publisher=Lifetime] She says among her favorite horror movies are "Night of the Living Dead", "The Shining" and "Rosemary's Baby". [cite web|first=Carla|last=Hay|url=http://www.mylifetime.com/lifestyle/entertainment/faves-raves/liv-tyler|title=Liv Tyler: Faves and Raves|accessdate=2008-06-24|date=2008-06-18|publisher=Lifetime] Tyler is a vegan. [cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/cbbcnews/hi/newsid_2020000/newsid_2027700/2027765.stm|title= Who are some famous veggies and vegans?|accessdate=2008-08-28|date=2005-08-02|publisher=BBC]

Tyler dated actor Joaquin Phoenix from 1995 to November 1998; [cite web |url=http://www.usaweekend.com/02_issues/020728/020728joaquin.html |title=Joaquin and talking |accessdate= 2008-05-13|author=Mansfield, Stephanie |last=Mansfield |first= Stephanie|date= 2002-07-28|year=2002|publisher=USA Weekend] The couple met on the set of "Inventing the Abbotts". On March 25, 2003, Tyler married British musician Royston Langdon of the band Spacehog in Barbados. [cite news | url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/2912385.stm | title = Liv Tyler ties the knot | quote= Hollywood actress Liv Tyler has married her long-term boyfriend, singer Royston Langdon. |publisher = BBC NEWS | date = 2003-04-03] On December 14, 2004, she gave birth to a son, Milo William Langdon, in a New York hospital. [cite web|url=http://www.people.com/people/article/0,,1007037,00.html |title=Liv Tyler Names Her Newborn Baby|accessdate=2008-06-24|date=2004-12-14|work=People] On May 8, 2008, Tyler and Langdon confirmed through representatives that they would be separating but remain friends. [cite web|url=http://www.people.com/people/article/0,,20198716,00.html|title=Liv Tyler & Husband Split|accessdate=2008-06-24|date=2008-05-08|work=People] She lives in New York City. [cite web|author=Sun Wire Services|url=http://www.edmontonsun.com/Entertainment/Showbiz/2008/06/20/5932906-sun.html|title=Liv won't be running naked on the beach... too bad|accessdate=2008-06-23|date=2008-06-20|work=Edmonton Sun]

She is good friends with designer Stella McCartney, [cite web|author=ESNEAD|url=http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/thedishrag/2008/06/weigh-in-who-wo.html|title=Weigh in! Who wore it better, Liv Tyler or Stella McCartney?|accessdate=2008-06-23|date=2008-06-09|work=Los Angeles Times] model Helena Christensen and actresses Kate Hudson and Gwyneth Paltrow.cite web|first=Lisa|last=Adams|url=http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/entertainment/entertainment-catch-all/2008/06/07/incredible-hulk-star-liv-tyler-taking-one-day-at-a-time-after-marriage-break-up-86908-20598204/|title=Incredible Hulk star Liv Tyler taking one day at a time after marriage break-up|accessdate=2008-06-23|date=2008-06-07|work=Daily Record] [cite web|first=Alex|last=Fletcher|url=http://www.imdb.com/news/ni0246605/|title=Tyler: 'I should have tongued Hudson'|accessdate=2008-06-23|date=2008-06-11|publisher=IMDB.com|work=Digital Spy] [cite web|url=http://www.imdb.com/news/ni0244727/|title=Tyler 'Wants To Save Marriage'|accessdate=2008-06-23|date=2008-06-05|publisher=IMDB.com|work=Wenn.com] She is signed to IMG Models in New York City. [cite web|first=Donna|last=Freydkin|url=http://www.usatoday.com/life/people/2007-11-29-liv-tyler_N.htm|title=Liv Tyler loves being the Givenchy girl|accessdate=2008-06-23|date=2007-12-03|work=USA Today] [cite web|url=http://www.imgworld.com/entertainment/talent/models.sps|title=IMG World|accessdate=2008-07-03|publisher=IMG World]

Tyler was chosen by "People" magazine as one of the 50 Most Beautiful People in the World in 1997. [cite web|url=http://www.vh1.com/movies/person/165915/bio.jhtml|title=VH1 Profile - Liv Tyler|accessdate=2008-06-24|publisher=VH1] She was also voted the 6th Sexiest Female Movie Star in the "Australian Empire" Magazine in September 2002, and #2 in TheAge.com's "Top 100: Natural Beauties of all time" in 2004.cite web|url=http://www.ageofthering.com/atthemovies/cast/livtyler.php|title=Liv Tyler as Arwen|accessdate=2008-06-24|publisher=Age of the Ring] The Lemonheads' song "C'mon Daddy" is written about the relationship between Tyler and her father. [cite web | url = http://www.evandando.co.uk/encyclopaedia.htm | title = An Encyclopaedia of Evan Dando & the Lemonheads | accessdate = 2008-01-21] Lemonheads singer Evan Dando played a major supporting role in James Mangold's film "Heavy", in which Tyler starred.

Filmography

References

Further reading

*Boulais, Sue. "Liv Tyler". M. Lane, 2000. ISBN 1584150416
*Buell, Bebe. "Rebel Heart: An American Rock 'n Roll Journey". St. Martin's Griffin, 2002. ISBN 978-031230155-2
*Christie, Thomas A. "Liv Tyler: Star in Ascendance: Her First Decade in Film". Crescent Moon Publishing, 2007. ISBN 186171131X
*Fingeroth, Danny. "Liv Tyler". Scholastic Library Pub, 2003. ISBN 0516243357

External links

*imdb|0000239
* [http://www.lovelylivtyler.com/ Lovely Liv Tyler] , a website endorsed by Liv Tyler
*ymovies name|1800019265
*people.com