History Creator / JenniferConnelly

She is married to Creator/PaulBettany, and they have two children. Connelly also has another son due to a previous relationship with photographer David Dugan.

* StarMakingRole: ''Film/RequiemForADream'' marked the point where Jennifer transitioned from MsFanservice roles to more serious, respected characters. [[invoked]]

* BestKnownForTheFanservice: Ooh boy... [[invoked]]
** ''Film/CareerOpportunities'' is known for Jennifer wearing a tight cotton tank top, and a famous scene of her jiggling on a mechanical horse. The scene was used in the marketing, and one of her Yale professors even brought it up in class.
** ''The Hot Spot'' is remembered for her first nude scene.
** ''Film/MulhollandFalls'' is about her character having sex tapes as a plot point.
** ''Film/TheRocketeer'' for a scene where she puts on a stocking, and wears a tight white gown that shows plenty of cleavage in the latter half of the movie.
** ''Film/RequiemForADream'' even feels the effects of this trope, for the scene of Jennifer's character performing a lesbian sex show. The scene is shot and directed as FanDisservice-- as [[spoiler: she's prostituting herself in exchange for drugs, and drugging herself so she can get through them]]. However porn sites have used the scene out of context, turning the horror into straight titillation.

* MsFanservice: See BestKnownForTheFanservice above.
* NonSingingVoice: Her singing is dubbed in the theatrical release of ''Film/DarkCity'', but her actual voice is used in the Director's Cut. [[invoked]]
* OldShame: She's slightly embarrassed by her performance in ''{{Film/Labyrinth}}'', not helped by critics ripping it to shreds when the film was first released. But this seems to have diminished with time; she participated in the 30th anniversary DVD release's new bonus features and filmed a special introduction for the Fathom Events two-night theatrical reissue in September 2016. [[invoked]]
* PlayingAgainstType:[[invoked]]

** ''Film/CareerOpportunities'' is known for Jennifer wearing a tight cotton tank top, and a famous scene of her {{Gainaxing}} on a mechanical horse. The scene was used in the marketing, and one of her Yale professors even brought it up in class.

* StatuesqueStunner: Stands at 5'7" 169 cm, and is quite gorgeous.

* ''Film/{{Inkheart}}'' (2009)

* ''Film/TheDayTheEarthStoodStill2008'' (2008)
* ''WesternAnimation/{{Nine}}'' (2009): 7 (voice role)

* ''Film/AlitaBattleAngel'' (2018)

* WhyDidItHaveToBeSnakes: Having a longtime fear of flying, she was less than thrilled to find out that she would, in fact, be flying in a plane for the final shots of ''Film/TopGunMaverick''. However, those shots were filmed with Creator/TomCruise personally piloting her in his own P-51 Mustang, and she credits Cruise's obvious competence and meticulous attention to detail as a pilot with helping to ease that fear considerably despite the aerobatics he took them through.

** ''{{Film/Labyrinth}}'', while primarily known for Music/DavidBowie providing the majority of {{Fanservice}}, is also known for Jennifer being dressed up in very flattering princess dresses in two scenes. In fact, it's this movie that Paul Bettany first saw her in and developed a childhood crush on her as a result.

* ActorAllusion: Three films feature the same specific shot where Jennifer's character stands at the end of a pier looking out to the sea: ''Film/DarkCity'', ''Film/RequiemForADream'' and ''Film/HouseOfSandAndFog''. While filming the third, her reaction was "How many times have I done this already?"

** ''Film/RequiemForADream'' even feels the effects of this trope, for the scene of Jennifer's character performing a lesbian sex show. The scene is shot and directed as FanDisservice - as [[spoiler: she's prostituting herself in exchange for drugs, and drugging herself so she can get through them]]. However porn sites have used the scene out of context, turning the horror into straight titillation.

** In two films she has played the devoted wife to a brilliant but insane Russell Crowe - ''Film/ABeautifulMind'' and ''{{Film/Noah}}''.

Things started to turn in her favor with a turn in the well-acclaimed CyberPunk film ''Film/DarkCity''. But it was with ''Film/RequiemForADream'' that she started to make the switch from MsFanservice to serious actress. More roles like ''Film/WakingTheDead'' kept earning her critical acclaim, and she managed to win an Oscar for ''Film/ABeautifulMind''. Nowadays she's a very respected actress with lots of accolades to her name. She's also got Marvel Comics cred due to her role in Ang Lee's ''{{Film/Hulk}}'' where she played Betty Ross as well as voicing the Ai "Karen" in ''Film/SpiderManHomecoming''.

As a fun fact, she's done three films that all feature the same exact shot: Jennifer's character stands at the end of a pier looking out to the sea. ''Film/DarkCity'', ''Film/RequiemForADream'' and ''Film/HouseOfSandAndFog'' all feature this shot.

* ''Film/TopGunMaverick'' (2021)

Things started to turn in her favor with a turn in the well-acclaimed CyberPunk film ''Film/DarkCity''. But it was with ''Film/RequiemForADream'' that she started to make the switch from MsFanservice to serious actress. More roles like ''Film/WakingTheDead'' kept earning her critical acclaim, and she managed to win an Oscar for ''Film/ABeautifulMind''. Nowadays she's a very respected actress with lots of accolades to her name. She's also got Marvel Comics cred due to her role in Ang Lee's ''{{Film/Hulk}}'' where she played Betty Ross as well as voicing the Ai "Karen" in ''Film/SpidermanHomecoming''.

** ''Career Opportunities'' is known for Jennifer wearing a tight cotton tank top, and a famous scene of her {{Gainaxing}} on a mechanical horse. The scene was used in the marketing, and one of her Yale professors even brought it up in class.

* TypeCasting:[[invoked]] In the 90s Jennifer was cast in lots of films playing 1930s-50s era women - ''Film/TheRocketeer'', ''Film/MulhollandFalls'', ''The Hot Spot'', ''Inventing The Abbots'' and technically ''Film/DarkCity''.[[note]]Which isn't really set in the 1930s but has the aesthetic of the era.[[/note]]

* AloofDarkHairedGirl: She gets cast as a lot of these but manages to make them likable.

After beginning her career as a child model, Connelly made her film debut at the age of 13 in ''Film/OnceUponATimeInAmerica'', in which she played the younger version of Creator/ElizabethMcGovern's character. But she soon transitioned to leading roles, including in the horror film ''Film/{{Phenomena}}'' and alongside Music/DavidBowie in the cult hit ''{{Film/Labyrinth}}''. Despite critics being lukewarm to her early performances, more leading roles followed. And she started to win critics over with roles like ''Film/TheHotSpot''. Success didn't come that quickly, however; she found herself typecast in {{Fanservice}} roles. For most of the '90s and early 2000s, Connelly was [[BestKnownForTheFanservice heavily associated with nudity or titillation in her films]], regardless of the quality of her performances. The latter were usually acclaimed, leading critics to sigh about wasted potential.

** ''{{Film/Labyrinth}}'', while primarily known for Music/DavidBowie providing the majority of {{Fanservice}}, is also is known for Jennifer being dressed up in very flattering princess dresses in two scenes. In fact, it's this movie that Paul Bettany first saw her in and developed a childhood crush on her as a result.

* SeparatedAtBirthCasting: ''Film/OnceUponATimeInAmerica'' sees her playing [[TimeShiftedActor the younger version of Elizabeth McGovern]]. The two look very alike. [[invoked]]

* ''Film/TopGunMaverick'' (2020)

* ActorAllusion: Three films feature the same specific shot where Jennifer's character stands at the end of a pier looking out to the sea - ''Film/DarkCity'', ''Film/RequiemForADream'' and ''Film/HouseOfSandAndFog''. While filming the third, her reaction was "how many times have I done this already?"

* ''The Hot Spot'' (1990)
* ''Career Opportunities'' (1991)

Connelly began her career as a child model. She made her film debut at the age of 13 in ''Film/OnceUponATimeInAmerica'', in which she played the younger version of Creator/ElizabethMcGovern's character. But she soon transitioned to leading roles, including in the horror film ''Film/{{Phenomena}}'' and alongside Music/DavidBowie in the cult hit ''{{Film/Labyrinth}}''. Despite critics being lukewarm to her early performances, more leading roles followed. And she started to win critics over with roles like ''Film/TheHotSpot''. Success didn't come that quickly, however; she found herself typecast in {{Fanservice}} roles. For most of the '90s and early 2000s, Connelley was [[BestKnownForTheFanservice heavily associated with nudity or titillation in her films]], regardless of the quality of her performances. The latter were usually acclaimed, leading critics to sigh about wasted potential.

Connelly began her career as a child model. She made her film debut at the age of 13 in ''Film/OnceUponATimeInAmerica'', where she played the younger version of Creator/ElizabethMcGovern's character. But she soon transitioned to leading roles, including in the horror film ''Film/{{Phenomena}}'' and alongside Music/DavidBowie in the cult hit ''{{Film/Labyrinth}}''. Despite critics being lukewarm to her early performances, more leading roles followed. And she started to win critics over with roles like ''Film/TheHotSpot''. Success didn't come that quickly, however; she found herself typecast in {{Fanservice}} roles. For most of the '90s and early 2000s, Connelley was [[BestKnownForTheFanservice heavily associated with nudity or titillation in her films]], regardless of the quality of her performances. The latter were usually acclaimed, leading critics to sigh about wasted potential.

Connelly began her career as a child model. She made her film debut at the age of 13 in ''Film/OnceUponATimeInAmerica'', where she played the younger version of Creator/ElizabethMcGovern's character. But she soon transitioned to leading roles, including in the cult hit ''{{Film/Labyrinth}}'' alongside Music/DavidBowie. Despite critics being lukewarm to her performance, more leading roles followed. And she started to win critics over with roles like ''Film/TheHotSpot''. Success didn't come that quickly, however; she found herself typecast in {{Fanservice}} roles. For most of the '90s and early 2000s, Connelley was [[BestKnownForTheFanservice heavily associated with nudity or titillation in her films]], regardless of the quality of her performances. The latter were usually acclaimed, leading critics to sigh about wasted potential.

* ''Film/{{Phenomena}}''