Joey Lauren Adams (born January 9, 1968) is an American actress who has appeared in more than 30 films. She is perhaps best known for her roles in the films of Kevin Smith, particularly Chasing Amy.

Biography

Adams was born in North Little Rock, Arkansas. Her father was a lumber yard owner.

Joey Lauren Adams moved to Hollywood in 1988.

Joey Lauren Adams began her film career in 1977 with a small part in Exorcist II: The Heretic. In 1993, Adams appeared in her first major film role in Richard Linklater's Dazed and Confused. In 1996, she appeared in Bio-Dome as Pauly Shore's environmentally-conscious girlfriend; and in Coneheads, as one of Connie Conehead's friends.

Two years later, Adams appeared in Mallrats, her first movie directed by Kevin Smith. She then received her first lead role, in Smith's 1997 film Chasing Amy, opposite Ben Affleck. Adams received a great deal of attention for her portrayal of Alyssa Jones, a lesbian who falls for a man (Affleck). Smith wrote as well as directed the film, which was largely inspired by his relationship with Adams herself.

Joey Lauren Adams' performance in "Amy" earned her both the 1997 Chicago Film Critics Award and Las Vegas Film Critics Society Award for "Most Promising Actress," and a Golden Globe nomination for Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture—Comedy/Musical. Adams also contributed the song "Alive" to the soundtrack of Chasing Amy, writing it and performing it in one of the scenes of the film. She also appeared briefly in Smith's 2001 film, Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back, reprising the role of Alyssa Jones. Later, she reprised the role, in voice form only, for Clerks: The Lost Scene, featured on the Clerks X DVD.

Joey Lauren Adams played a spunky veterinarian's assistant who falls in love with a single father (Vince Vaughn) in 1998's A Cool, Dry Place. The following year, Adams appeared in her first big-budget Hollywood release, playing Adam Sandler's love interest in the successful comedy Big Daddy. She then went on to appear in many smaller films, including Beautiful and In the Shadows.

Some speculation has been made that her high-pitched speaking voice hampered her chances of Hollywood stardom, to which she has commented: "It's not a normal voice. It doesn't fit into people's preconceptions about what a woman's voice should sound like. My mom doesn't think I have an unusual voice, though. I'm sure it's helped me get some roles. But 'Chasing Amy' I almost didn't get. There was concern the voice would grate on some people, which some critics said it did."

In 2005, Joey Lauren Adams had a guest role in an episode of TV show Veronica Mars. During 2006, Adams released her directorial debut, Come Early Morning, starring Ashley Judd, Jeffrey Donovan, Diane Ladd, Tim Blake Nelson and Laura Prepon. The film, shot on location in Little Rock and North Little Rock, was selected for the 2006 Sundance Film Festival.

This Joey Lauren Adams Biography Page is Copyright © 2004 - 2009 Chuck Ayoub