Mena Suvari
A True American Beauty
Actress
Last updated: December 14, 2023 | Open Since: Jan 1, 2005 | Email Us: Here | Free Email

Poll Question

Would you like to see Mena Suvari star in her own HBO or Showtime type drama?

Yes
No
Undecided

Results So Far
Submit your own poll question for other fans to vote on. Click here!

Mena Suvari

Height: 5' 4"
Birth Name: Mena Alexandra Suvari
Nickname: Bean
Birth Date: February 9, 1979
Birth Place: Newport, Rhode Island, USA

Mena Suvari
Mailing List

Movie
Mailing List

Custom Search

Biography
Filmography
Trivia
Quotes
Agent /Contact
Mailing List

Photos

01 - 40
41 - 80
81 - 108
- - - - - - - - - -
Add A Pic

Polls

Theme Song
Babe Of The Month
Top 10 Movies
Top 5 Actresses
Top 10 Babes
Best Eyes
Best Hair
Best Legs
Best Smile

Merchandise

Books
DVD's
Posters
VHS Videos

Links

Mena Suvari
Mailing Lists
- - - - - - - - - -
Add Link
Change Link
Delete Link


Various

Sponsors

Upcoming Appearances / Movies Openings

  • Book- The Great Peace: A Memoir (Hardcover)
  • Book- The Great Peace: A Memoir (Kindle)
  • Book- The Great Peace: A Memoir (Audio)
  • DVD- Domino
  • NEWS

    (Click Here to submit news, articles & rumors)

    ‘Vampires Of The Velvet Lounge’: Mena Suvari, Dichen Lachman, Stephen Dorff, Rosa Salazar & More Set For Adam Sherman Horror Comedy

    (12/14/23) Writer-director Adam Sherman (This Game’s Called Murder) has set the cast for his newest indie feature, the horror comedy Vampires of the Velvet Lounge. Mena Suvari (American Beauty) and Dichen Lachman (Severance) lead the ensemble, which also includes Stephen Dorff (Blade), Rosa Salazar (Alita: Battle Angel), Lochlyn Munro (Peacemaker), India Eisley (I Am the Night), Sarah Dumont (Scout’s Guide to the Zombie Apocalypse), Mark Boone Jr. (Sons of Anarchy), Tom Berenger (Platoon), Timothy V. Murphy (The Fabulous Four), Sherman Augustus (Strangers Things) and Tyrese Gibson (Fast & Furious franchise).

    Drawing inspiration from titles like Shaun of the Dead and From Dusk Till Dawn, the film currently shooting in Georgia watches as a coven of the blood-suckers struggles to come to terms with the modern world and their own mortality as they are locked in a battle with a deadly foe.

    In addition to Sherman, producers on the project include Marcus Englefield and George Lee for Storyoscopic Films (Animal Crackers). Noémi Santo is co-producing for Adam Sherman Film.

    “I’m making a modern-day feature with an amazingly talented cast and crew about the most prolific serial killer in history, the historical countess Elizabeth Bathory, in the style of the ’70s and ’80s horror movies that I grew up watching,” said Sherman. “She believed bathing in the blood of young women would make her live forever, and there’s no physical or scientific evidence that she ever died. I look forward to the day I can share this insane, twisted, and surrealist story with audiences.”

    Producers Englefield and Lee added that the film is “a sexy, funny, and original thriller packed with stunts and action that takes viewers on a fun ride. Between Adam’s vision and the stellar performances delivered by our incredible ensemble, we know the film will have strong market appeal both in the U.S. and internationally.”

    Most recently helming the action thriller This Game’s Called Murder starring Ron Perlman, Sherman’s other indie films include crime thriller She’s Just a Shadow, the comedy Crazy Eyes with Lukas Haas and Madeline Zima, the drama Happiness Runs and horror comedy Dead Doll.

    Currently in post on the rom-com Worth the Wait starring Lana Condor and the high-concept comedy Tiger Mom starring Ken Jeong, Storyoscopic Films is also in production at the moment on Misdirection, an action thriller starring Olga Kurylenko and Frank Grillo.

    Suvari is represented by Innovative Artists, Management Production Entertainment and Jackoway Austen Tyerman; Lachman by Brave Artists Entertainment, Management Production Entertainment and Ginsburg Daniels Kallis; Dorff by Atlas Artists and Hansen, Jacobson, Teller; Salazar by Independent Artist Group and Jackoway Austen Tyerman; Munro by TalentWorks, Northern Exposure and Alchemy Entertainment; Eisley by Silver Lining Entertainment and Jackoway Austen Tyerman; Dumont by Buchwald, 831 Entertainment and Jackoway Austen Tyerman; Boone by Jeff Goldberg Management and Law Offices of Mark S. Temple; Berenger by Jeff Goldberg Management and Rowan & Maron; Murphy by Buchwald; Augustus by LINK Entertainment; and Gibson by Independent Artist Group and Pearlman & Tishbi.

    Gravitas Ventures Acquires Comedy ‘Fourth Grade’ Starring William Baldwin, Teri Polo, Mena Suvari & More

    (6/21/23) Gravitas Ventures on Wednesday announced their acquisition of North American rights to Fourth Grade, a comedy starring William Baldwin (Backdraft), Teri Polo (Meet the Parents), Mena Suvari (American Beauty) and Ben Begley (For All Mankind) that will be released on demand and in theaters in around 10 markets on July 14.

    Written and directed by Brazil’s Marcelo Galvăo, Fourth Grade takes place at a prestigious, private, Catholic elementary school, where a principal and a drama teacher gather the parents of the 4th grade students to discuss an alarming situation: a brick of marijuana found in the theater class. To protect the school’s reputation, they need to expel the kid responsible for the weed.

    10 wealthy parents from Pacific Palisades, CA and Eddie (Ben Begley), an outsider whose daughter just won a scholarship, arrive at the meeting. And after an aggressive discussion, the principal and the drama teacher leave the room. Eddie promises to find a solution within one hour and save the day, though accusations, intrigue and insults ensue as the parents try and protect their own children. In an effort to calm the hostility and think more calmly, one of the parents proposes that they try a little of the weed themselves. In the process, fragile and obscure secrets are revealed, and perspectives begin to shift. The weed problem is exposed as hypocrisy, and heartfelt truths and camaraderie blossom.

    Also starring Boti Bliss, Challen Cates, Keli Daniels, Pamela Dunlap, Jamison Jones and Roland Kickinger, the film is produced by Galvăo, Gabriela Kulaif, Giordano Biagi and Caio Vecchia.

    Said Galvăo, “Fourth Grade is a hilarious comedy, featuring brilliant actors, that explores human relationships and provokes us to contemplate our own attitudes.”

    Added Gravitas’ VP of Acquisitions and International Sales, Danielle Gasher, “Gravitas is pleased to be the North American partner for Fourth Grade. The film is both funny and charming, and we look forward to audiences seeing the film in July.”

    Gasher negotiated the deal on behalf of Gravitas, with Francesca Delise of Illmatic Film Group on behalf of the filmmakers.

    Laurel Marsden, Elsie Fisher & Mena Suvari Board Indie ‘Ctrl Alt Del’

    (5/18/23) Laurel Marsden (The Pope’s Exorcist), Elsie Fisher (My Best Friend’s Exorcism) and Mena Suvari (The Dresden Sun) are set to star alongside Jason Priestley in Ctrl Alt Del, the indie drama marking Eastsiders creator Kit Williamson’s feature directorial debut.

    Written by Amir Ohebsion and Arash Homampour, Ctrl Alt Del follows disaffected teen Ava (Marsden) and her estranged filmmaker father Greyson (Priestley) as they try to reconnect in the aftermath of a tragic incident prompted by his latest movie. The film explores timely questions about the responsibility of media in our society, and how what we consume profoundly affects us and the people around us.

    Fisher will play Farah, who becomes Ava’s sole support at a pivotal time in her emotional growth. Suvari plays Greyson’s ex and Ava’s mother, Zoe, a self-help guru and bestselling author juggling motherhood with her book tour and all that comes with the inherent demands of both.

    Sam Okun will produce through his Sam Okun Productions banner, alongside Ohebsion. Homampour will exec produce, with Nick Lyon, Lachlan Towle, Christian Jean and Constantinos Yiallourides on board as co-producers. Production kicks off in Los Angeles next week.

    Said Williamson in a statement to Deadline, “I jumped at the chance to direct this beautiful, moving script because I related to it on a deeply personal level, having had my own struggles with mental health as a queer teenager, and because I knew that its vividly drawn, complex characters would attract an incredible ensemble of actors.”

    Remarked Okun, “Great material always attracts great actors and this script is something very special, and so are these three phenomenal actors!”

    Added Homampour, “We feel incredibly fortunate to have the extraordinary talents of Laurel, Mena and Elsie gracing our script and breathing life into our characters. Each one brings a unique blend of charisma, depth, and versatility.”

    Marsden most recently starred opposite Russell Crowe in Screen Gems’ horror pic The Pope’s Exorcist, released on April 14, also appearing on Disney+’s Ms. Marvel. She will next star alongside Asa Butterfield and Natalia Dyer in the indie horror thriller All Fun and Games.

    Best known for her Golden Globe-nominated and Critics’ Choice Award-winning breakout role in Bo Burnham’s Eighth Grade, Fisher most recently starred in Prime Video’s My Best Friend’s Exorcism, also appearing in the third and fourth seasons of HBO’s Barry.

    Recent credits for Suvari, the BAFTA nominee known for American Beauty and American Pie, include Kevin Lewis’ horror pic Accursed and Elizabeth Blake-Thomas’ action thriller Hunt Club. Among the actress’s other upcoming projects are the action thriller The Wrecker with Danny Trejo and Harvey Keitel, the sci-fi thriller The Dresden Sun with Christina Ricci, Sean McNamara’s drama Reagan with Dennis Quaid, and James Rowe’s thriller Breakwater with Dermot Mulroney.

    Marsden is repped by Encompass and Zero Gravity Management; Fisher by Innovative Artists; and Suvari by Innovative Artists, Management Production Entertainment and Jackoway Austen Tyerman.

    Ryan Phillippe, Emile Hirsch & Mena Suvari Set For Vertical’s Action Thriller ‘Kalahari’ From Writer-Director Mukunda Michael Dewil; Voltage Pictures To Handle Sales At Cannes

    (5/5/23) Ryan Phillippe (American Murderer), Emile Hirsch (Once Upon a Time in Hollywood) and Mena Suvari (American Horror Story) will topline Kalahari, a new action thriller from Vertical, which has wrapped production.

    Vertical fully financed the pic and has taken North American rights, with Voltage Pictures locking down rights for all international territories, preparing now to present the film to buyers at Cannes.

    In the film written and directed by Mukunda Michael Dewil (Collide), a young couple (Phillippe, Suvari) is forced to flee their Christian missionary post in the Kalahari Desert aboard a rickety plane after an extremist militant group threatens their lives. Piloted by a corrupt smuggler (Hirsch), the plane loses power and crash-lands in the middle of an animal preserve populated by lions, leopards and hyenas. Injured, frightened, and being tracked by the extremists, this ragtag group must fight for their survival from both man and beast where only the strong will survive.

    Kalahari also stars Dylan Flashner (The Card Counter), Tristan Thompson (The Tutor), Jeremy Tardy (Dear White People) and Michaela Sasner (Aftermath). The project reteams Vertical with The Barnum Picture Company following the companies’ work together on the Dewil-helmed Collide starring Phillippe and Flashner; Abandoned starring Emma Roberts, John Gallagher Jr. and Michael Shannon; and the recently released The Tutor starring Garrett Hedlund, Noah Schnapp and Victoria Justice.

    Producers are The Barnum Picture Company’s Robert Ogden Barnum, Green Light Pictures’ Lucas Jarach, and Christian Ackerman. Exec producers include Luke Daniels, Vertical’s Peter Jarowey, Rich Goldberg and Kristin Harris, and Voltage’s Nicolas Chartier and Jonathan Deckter. Sammi Farber is the film’s associate producer.

    Said producer Barnum, “Kalahari has been a great experience. Mukunda created a visual, and visceral, experience for moviegoers. And with our many collaborations, I know the project is in great hands with Vertical and Voltage taking it on.”

    “With the launch of Vertical’s production division last year, we are thrilled to have Kalahari be one of our first fully financed films from that initiative. The cast really delivered terrific performances, and at times, under some grueling conditions. We have worked with Rob Barnum on numerous, successful, projects in the past and glad that we are partnered on this one as well,” remarked Vertical Partner Jarowey. “We are excited that Voltage, another long-time partner, has taken on International sales this early and will be able to present in Cannes this year. We envisioned this film for the big screen and that’s exactly where we will play it later this year.”

    Added Voltage’s President & COO Deckter, “We love working with Vertical, Rob Barnum, and Lucas Jarach. Between the Leopards, the Lions, the Hyeneas and the terrorists, Kalahari‘s going to be wild edge of your seat thrill ride sure to appeal to the global marketplace.”

    An award-winning actor known for films ranging from Crash to Gosford Park and Cruel Intentions, Phillippe has in addition to Collide, most recently been seen in titles including The Locksmith and American Murderer, as well as Showtime’s I Love That for You and Peacock’s MacGruber. The actor will next be seen starring in Michelle Danner’s drama Miranda’s Victim, which opened this year’s Santa Barbara Film Festival. Also coming up for him is the horror thriller Saint Clare with Bella Thorne and Rebecca De Mornay.

    A SAG Award nominee known for work in films like Into the Wild and Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, Hirsch’s most recent film credits include Devil’s Workshop, Dig, The Price We Pay, State of Consciousness, Pursuit, The Immaculate Room, American Night and Midnight in the Switchgrass. He’ll next be seen in the K. Asher Levin titles Good Side of a Bad Man and Helen’s Dead, as well as Danny A. Abeckaser’s crime thriller The Gemini Lounge and other projects.

    A BAFTA Award nominee of American Beauty and American Pie fame, Suvari’s most recent credits include Kevin Lewis’ horror pic The Accursed and Elizabeth Blake-Thomas’ action thriller Hunt Club. Among the actress’s other upcoming projects are the action thriller The Wrecker with Danny Trejo and Harvey Keitel, the sci-fi thriller The Dresden Sun with Christina Ricci, Sean McNamara’s drama Reagan with Dennis Quaid, and James Rowe’s thriller Breakwater with Dermot Mulroney.

    Dewil is best known for writing and directing the thriller The Immaculate Room starring Hirsch, Kate Bosworth and Ashley Greene, as well as the thriller Collide.

    Jarowey and SVP of Production & Development Harris negotiated the Kalahari deal on behalf of Vertical, with Deckter and EVP of Legal Affairs Sean Walsh on behalf of Voltage Pictures, and Barnum and Carissa Knol of Knol Law on behalf of the filmmakers.

    Dewil is repped by UTA; Phillippe by Gersh, Mgmt Entertainment and Sloane, Offer, Weber & Dern; Hirsch by UTA; and Suvari by Innovative Artists, Management Production Entertainment and Jackoway Austen Tyerman.r

    Mena Suvari, Eddie Griffin & Logan Riley Bruner Set For Zombie Horror-Comedy ‘All You Need Is Blood’

    (1/12/23) Mena Suvari (American Beauty), Eddie Griffin (Undercover Brother)and Logan Riley Bruner (Stranger Things) have been set to star in Yale Entertainment’s latest feature, All You Need Is Blood, a comedic horror-thriller.

    The film, which recently wrapped in New Jersey, sees a 16-year-old aspiring director team up with his friends to create the ultimate student film after a strange meteor lands in his backyard and turns his deadbeat father into a brain-eating zombie.

    Grammy nominated music video director Cooper Roberts is writer-director. Yale Entertainment’s Jordan Yale Levine, Jordan Beckerman and Jesse Korman are producing. Russell Posternak is also producing. Worldwide sales will be handled by the company’s recently launched sales banner, Great Escape, led by Nick Donnermeyer.

    Executive producers include Yale’s Michael J. Rothstein, and Jason Kringstein, Scott Levenson, Clay Pecorin, Russell Geyser, Brian S. Unger, Eric Broughton and Roz Rothstein.

    “It’s a zombie film but I love it because of how much heart it has. At its core, this story has so many meaningful themes it’s exploring, buried under the carnage,” said Korman.

    “Cooper [Roberts] has a tremendously assured vision with this project,” Donnermeyer added. “He’s gotten some great performances from his actors and the production just looks fantastic overall—all the more impressive for a debut feature.”

    Suvari’s recent credits include Don’t Tell a Soul, What Lies Below and The Accursed. Previous films include Sam Mendes’ American Beauty, Tony Scott’s Domino, and the American Pie series, as well as television roles on Six Feet Under and American Horror Story. She will next be seen portraying Jane Wyman in next year’s biographical drama, Regan, opposite Dennis Quaid.

    Stand-up comedian Griffin currently has a residency titled The Eddie Griffin experience in Las Vegas, followed by a nationwide tour. His film credits include A Star is Born, John Q, the Scary Movieseries, Armageddon and the titular role in Undercover Brother.

    Bruner is best known for playing Fred Benson on Stranger Things. His other credits include The Marvelous Ms. Maisel, and the films Vox Lux, Alex Strangelove and The Reunion.

    Yale’s slate includes six pics now in post including The Kill Room, starring Uma Thurman, Samuel L. Jackson, Joe Manganiello and Maya Hawke.

    Suvari is repped by Innovative Artists and MPE. Griffin is repped by Stewart Talent. Bruner is repped by A3 Artists Agency.

    Mena Suvari still struggles with postpartum depression — one year after son’s birth

    (11/30/22) Mena Suvari revealed she struggles with postpartum depression “every day” despite welcoming her son more than a year ago.

    During a recent episode of Rachel Bilson’s “Broad Ideas” podcast, the 43-year-old actress said she is tired of “sugarcoating” the impact that motherhood has had on her mental health.

    “I struggle with postpartum [depression] every day,” she said. “I’m just getting my hormones tested next month, so yeah, it’s all very real. I deal with this every day.”

    Suvari — who welcomed son Christopher in April 2021 with husband Michael Hope — went on to say that “it’s okay to have those emotions no matter what your circumstances are.”

    Since giving birth, one of the biggest challenges for the “American Pie” actress has been accepting that it’s OK to “get out of the house” and have some alone time.

    “I remember sitting on our balcony saying, ‘I have to get out of the house. I have to get out of the house.’ My husband, he said, ‘You can go. You can go for a walk.’ But I didn’t think I could,” she recalled, adding that she was “going crazy” after giving birth.

    Suvari continued, “I still struggle with that. That I don’t need to be in [my son’s] face 24/7 to raise a good human being because of my fear. It’s a lot of work.”

    Despite “wishing” that she didn’t have these feelings, the actress said a lot of her anxiety and stress came from a change in her birthing plan.

    The “Great Peace: A Memoir” author had wanted to have a natural birth but after being in labor for over 48 hours “with an epidural they had to redo again,” she was forced to have a C-section.

    “We as mothers are entitled to those emotions and just because I have a beautiful baby who’s perfectly healthy, my husband’s wonderful and we made it out of the hospital, I still feel like I’m allowed to hold some space for being sad over not having that birth,” the “American Beauty” actress continued.

    Back in October 2020, the actress — who has been open about her past sexual abuse and drug use — revealed she and Hope were expecting their first child.

    “It’s still this process for me of believing it and accepting that something this beautiful could happen for me,” she told People at the time. “It’s been a very emotional experience.”

    Suvari secretly wed Hope in 2018 after two years of dating. She was previously married to Simone Sestito from 2010 to 2012 and Robert Brinkmann from 2000 to 2005.

    Mena Suvari claims abusive ex ‘manipulated’ her into having threesomes

    (7/27/22) Mena Suvari claims one of her exes “manipulated” her into having threesomes with other women.

    The “American Beauty” star — who previously opened up about surviving sexual abuse at a young age — said in an interview with The Guardian published Wednesday that she was just 17 years old when she met the lighting engineer, who would allegedly verbally and sexually abuse her.

    Suvari, 43, further claimed that her ex, whom she refused to identify by name, would ask her to pick up women to have threesomes with, including ones she had met on set.

    Years down the road, the actress bumped into several of the women and even told one, “I want you to know that I never wanted to do any of those things.”

    Suvari — who has a 1-year-old son, Christopher, with husband Michael Hope — shared that the woman was surprised and said to her, “Oh, he told me you wanted to do that.”

    “It was a huge eye-opener for me, how I was being manipulated and I had no idea,” she told the outlet. “The circumstances had been created for me, and I was just swallowed up by it.”

    Suvari also claimed that she had been coerced into using uncomfortable sex toys and needed medical attention after rough anal sex.

    She added, “I was not being loved. I was just a body, a receptacle for his desires.”

    The “Six Feet Under” alum revealed that her experience with the lighting engineer has affected her current relationship with sex.

    “I’ve never wanted to speak negatively about things that can be very healthy for other people,” she explained. “I was not given the choice or the permission to do it, and that’s what was so destructive for me. It’s a very messed up thing when you experience sexual abuse, because part of it is like, satisfying. But then the other part is an absolute nightmare, so you’re confused, you don’t know what’s right.”

    Suvari lamented that she “never got the opportunity to discover” herself sexually, adding that she cannot imagine what it would have been like to have “dated throughout high school and then decided to consensually lose your virginity to one another.”

    “That sounds so beautiful to me,” she concluded. “All of that was lost for me.”

    Suvari, who has also struggled with drug abuse, previously claimed her older brother’s friend had raped her when she was 12 years old.

    “Part of me died that day,” Suvari told People. “He used me, had fun with me and then disposed of me. He called me a whore. I never got to have a healthy expression of [sex]. My choice was lost. And that, compiled with already not feeling seen and heard, established a concept that I would have of myself. That was my value.”

    Suvari finally found happiness when she secretly wed Hope, who is her third husband, in 2018 after two years of dating.

    They welcomed Christopher in 2021.

    Mena Suvari, Mickey Rourke To Topline Action-Thriller ‘Hunt Club’

    (7/20/22) Mena Suvari (American Woman) and Greyston Holt (The Night Agent) have been cast as the leads in House Of Chains, Lifetime’s new original movie set to debut this fall.

    House of Chains, greenlighted by Lifetime as part of its Ripped from the Headlines slate, is inspired by the disturbing true story of a troubled married couple who imprisoned their six children within their home due to an intense religious ideology. It tells the story of a seemingly normal, suburban family whose dark secrets remained hidden for years. Following their own set of strict religious beliefs, parents Laura (Suvari) and Tye (Holt) keep their children separated from the outside world. As the children grow older and begin to ask questions, Laura and Tye become increasingly authoritarian, leading them down a path of child abuse, neglect and imprisonment. In order to keep their younger siblings safe and to free themselves from their parents the older children band together and risk an escape to alert authorities and save their family.

    Cast also includes Natalie Jane, Carina London Battrick, Callum McAllister, Aias Dalman, Madeleine Kane, Isla Grimes, Owen Irvin McCullough, Hudson Wurster, Joey Carson and Grayson Taylor-Day playing the children at various ages.

    House of Chains is executive produced by Larry Grimaldi, Hannah Pillemer, and Fernando Szew for MarVista Entertainment in association with executive producers Arnie Zipursky and Bonnie Zipursky at Neshama Entertainment. Adam Shepard (MVE) serves as co-executive Producer. Stephen Tolkin writes and directs.

    Mena Suvari, Mickey Rourke To Topline Action-Thriller ‘Hunt Club’

    (7/5/22) Mena Suvari (American Beauty) and Mickey Rourke (The Wrestler) will star alongside Casper Van Dien (Monsters of California), Maya Stojan (Newness), Will Peltz (13 Minutes) and Jessica Belkin (The Orville) in the action-thriller Hunt Club, which has wrapped production in Mississippi.

    The film from director Elizabeth Blake-Thomas centers on a group of male hunters who routinely lure women to their island with the chance to win 100K in a hunt, only to find that they are the hunted. But this time, the men mess with the wrong three girls and suffer the consequences.

    Hunt Club was written by David Lipper and John F. Saunders. Lipper and Robert A. Daly Jr. are producing under their Latigo Films banner, along with Mark Lester, Keli Price and Kipp Tribble. Kimberly Hines is the film’s executive producer.

    Suvari is a BAFTA Award nominee best known for roles in Sam Mendes’ Best Picture winner American Beauty, and in Universal’s American Pie franchise. She will next be seen in Kevin Lewis’ horror pic The Accursed, Sean McNamara’s drama Reagan with Dennis Quaid, James Rowe’s thriller Breakwater with Dermot Mulroney, Michael Ryan’s sci-fi thriller The Dresden Sun with Christina Ricci, and George Henry Horton’s thriller Anne, With Love.

    Rourke was nominated for an Oscar in 2009 for his starring role in Darren Aronofsky’s The Wrestler. He’s otherwise best known for roles in films ranging from Sin City, Angel Heart and Iron Man 2 to Diner and Body Heat. Up next for the actor are films including the actioner Section 8 with Dermot Mulroney and Dolph Lundgren, Roman Polanski’s drama The Palace with John Cleese, Lipper’s action-thriller Murder at Hollow Creek, the horror-thriller 3 Days Rising with Ice-T and Peter Greene, and the thrillers Jade and Replica.

    Van Dien’s credits include The CW’s All American and Alita: Battle Angel. He will also be seen in Lipper’s Hollow Creek, also soon appearing in the series Salvage Marines from Screen Media, Justin Lee’s thriller The Most Dangerous Game, Corey Deshon’s drama Daughter, Brandon Slagle’s WWII pic Battle of Saipan, Tom DeLonge’s feature directorial debut Monsters of California and Brent Christy’s action pic County Line: No Fear.

    Stojan’s film credits include the crime drama American Sicario with Danny Trejo, the dramedy Senior Moment with William Shatner and Jean Smart, and Drake Doremus’ romantic drama Newness. The actress has also been seen on such series as Magnum P.I., The Resident, Grey’s Anatomy, Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. and Castle, among others.

    Peltz has previously appeared in films including 13 Minutes, Sierra Burgess Is a Loser, Men, Women & Children and Unfriended, to name a few. His television credits include Manifest, Euphoria and Entourage. He will also soon be seen in Robin Givens’ comedy The Nana Project, Melissa Miller Costanzo’s comedy The List, Remy Grillo’s horror-thriller Man’s Son, Nicola Peltz’s drama Lola James, and Michael Easterling and Jaala Ruffman’s drama Deltopia.

    Belkin has appeared in films like Wish I Was Here, as well as such series as The Orville, American Housewife and Just Add Magic. She’ll next be seen in Jeffrey Ikahn’s drama Candy Flip and John Montague’s hockey pic Way of the Warriors.

    Suvari is represented by Innovative Artists, Management Production Entertainment and Jackoway Austen Tyerman; Rourke by APA, Framework Entertainment and Edelstein, Laird & Sobel; Van Dien by Global Artists Agency, Jeff Goldberg Management and Hirsch Wallerstein Hayum; Stojan by A3 Artists Agency, Elevate Artist Management in France, Sainou in the UK and Link Entertainment; Peltz by Innovative Artists and Management Production Entertainment; Belkin by Paradigm, Atlas Artists and Schuller Talent; Blake-Thomas by Hartman Entertainment; and Lipper by CAA, Martinez Creative Management and The Characters Talent Agency in Canada, Rothman/Andrés Entertainment and Fischbach, Perlstein, Lieberman.

    Screen Media Acquires Mena Suvari-Led Horror Film ‘The Accursed’ From ‘Willy’s Wonderland’ Helmer Kevin Lewis

    (2/10/22) Screen Media has acquired North American rights to the horror film The Accursed, from director Kevin Lewis (Willy’s Wonderland), which stars Mena Suvari (American Beauty), Sarah Grey (Power Rangers), Meg Foster (They Live) and Alexis Knapp (Pitch Perfect). The Chicken Soup for the Soul Entertainment company has slated the title, which is currently in post-production, for a theatrical day-and-date release this fall.

    The Accursed follows a young woman who is forced to return home following the death of her mother. Consumed by guilt and desperate to escape the haunting visions playing out in her head, she takes a temporary caregiver position for a comatose, old lady living alone in the woods. It does not take long before she realizes that not all is as it seems, and that the old lady harbors a demonic secret; an evil secret that the old lady’s daughter is intent on passing on.

    Head Gear Films and TPC provided production financing, with the latter also providing brokerage and post accounting services. Marcus Englefield and George Lee produced for Blood Red Films alongside Ntropic Films, which also handled VFX and post-production. Executive producers included Norman Harbert, Merritt Harbert, Scott Harbert, Jeremy Ross, Robyn Klein, Fred Hedman, Michael Ryan, Phil Hunt, Viviana Zarragoitia, David Gendron, Nate Robinson, Rob Kennedy, Edward Kennedy and Oliver Yi.

    GFM Film Sales is handling worldwide sales for the title and will be showing first footage for international distributors during the 2022 virtual European Film Market, which is now underway.

    “We’re thrilled to be working with Screen Media to bring ‘The Accursed’ to US audiences,” said GFM Film Sales’ director Hedman, who exec produced on behalf of Evolution Pictures. “This is classic horror storytelling at its very finest, brought to life by a world-class creative team led by Kevin Lewis.”

    “Hot off the success of Willy’s Wonderland, Screen Media is thrilled to work with director Kevin Lewis on another highly original horror film,” added Screen Media in a statement. “The Accursed is a haunting, twist-filled story that we can’t wait to share with our audiences.”

    Screen Media also recently acquired Phillip Noyce’s hitman thriller Fast Charlie, starring Pierce Brosnan, and is set to release the Zac Efron starrer Gold in March. It claimed rights to crime thriller La Soga Salvation following its world premiere at the 2021 Toronto Film Festival, picking up Casey Tebo’s Black Friday, starring Devon Sawa and Bruce Campbell, upon its Fantastic Fest debut. Other recent releases from the company include Brent Wilson’s documentary Brian Wilson: Long Promised Road; James Nunn’s One Shot, starring Scott Adkins and Ryan Phillippe; Lina Roessler’s Best Sellers, starring Aubrey Plaza and Michael Caine; and Chase Palmer’s Naked Singularity, starring John Boyega and Olivia Cooke.

    GFM Film Sales’ 2022 EFM slate also includes the thriller Damaged from director Howard J Ford; the completed action-thriller No Mercy; and the forthcoming heist thriller Severance to be directed by Andy Morahan.

    Seth Needle, EVP of Global Acquisitions and Co-Productions at Screen Media, negotiated the deal to acquire The Accursed with Hedman on behalf of the production.

    Mena Suvari Joins Michael Ryan’s Cyberpunk Indie ‘The Dresden Sun’

    (1/5/22) Mena Suvari (American Beauty, Six Feet Under) will star alongside Steven Ogg, Christina Ricci and Samantha Win in The Dresden Sun, the upcoming cyberpunk film from writer-director Michael Ryan.

    The indie observes as a heist goes south when Crilenger (Ogg)—a brilliant, principled mercenary with a traumatic past—works with an insider to steal a valued asset from Peredor Corporation called “the sphere”. The C & Earth corporation, vying for global dominance, seeks to find a solution to an otherworldly technology via a scientist’s project. Meanwhile, a financial analyst, who despises his job at the powerful investment firm Mutual One, finds himself caught between deadly corporate rivals, financial fraud, and technological espionage, and is ultimately forced to run from a psychopathic military contractor.

    Neely Gurman is casting the film, with Michael Ryan and Tyler Lockamy producing via their Archetype Pictures banner.

    Suvari is a SAG Award winner and BAFTA Award nominee who made her film debut in director Gregg Araki’s cult classic Nowhere, finding breakthrough roles in Universal’s American Pie franchise, and in Sam Mendes’ Best Picture winner, American Beauty. The actress will next be seen in James Rowe’s thriller Breakwater, opposite Dermot Mulroney; in Sean McNamara’s Reagan, opposite Dennis Quaid; and in Kevin Lewis’ horror pic, The Accursed. She has also appeared on the film side in titles including Loser, Spun, Rumor Has It…, Domino, Beauty Shop and Factory Girl. Her TV credits include American Horror Story, Chicago Fire and Six Feet Under.

    Suvari is represented by Innovative Artists, Management Production Entertainment and Jackoway Austen Tyerman.

    Mena Suvari Joins James Rowe’s Crime Thriller ‘Breakwater’

    (10/13/21) Mena Suvari (American Beauty, Reagan) will star alongside Dermot Mulroney, Darren Mann and more in Breakwater, an indie from writer-director James Rowe and Loose Cannon Pictures, which is currently in production in North Carolina.

    The crime thriller revolves around Dovey (Mann), a young ex-con who breaks his parole and crosses state lines in order to track down the estranged daughter of fellow inmate Ray Childress (Mulroney).

    Suvari will portray Kendra, the audacious and alluring manager of a restaurant near the state prison, who offers newly released inmates their first taste of the outside world.

    The film cast by Orly Sitowitz and Stacey Pianko also stars Alyssa Goss (The Bobby Brown Story), Sonja Sohn (The Wire), and Celia Rose Gooding (Broadway’s Jagged Little Pill).

    Matt Paul, Larry Hummel, Edward Winters and Dana Lustig are producing.

    Suvari is a SAG Award winner who found her breakthrough roles in Universal’s American Pie franchise, and in Sam Mendes’ Best Picture winner, American Beauty. The actress will next be seen opposite Dennis Quaid in Sean McNamara’s Reagan, and in Kevin Lewis’ horror pic, The Accursed. She has also appeared on the film side in titles including Loser, Spun, Rumor Has It…, Domino, Beauty Shop, and Factory Girl. Her TV credits include American Horror Story, Chicago Fire, and Six Feet Under.

    Suvari is represented by Innovative Artists, Management Production Entertainment and Jackoway Austen Tyerman.

    Mena Suvari & Danielle Harris Join George Henry Horton’s ‘Anne, With Love’ Thriller

    (8/19/21) Mena Suvari (American Beauty, American Horror Story) and Danielle Harris (the Halloween franchise, The Conners) have joined the cast and production team of the psychological thriller feature Anne, With Love starring Blaine Morris.

    George Henry Horton (Dreadspace) will direct the film from a script he co-wrote with Morris. Horton and Morris are producing under JesterLads and Giant Nugget Productions along with Suvari, Harris and Matt Simonelli.

    Among the supporting case are Jaime Gallagher, Luke Barnett, Rocky Perez, Anwar Wolf, Leonard Amoia, Lucy Werner, Hunter Brown and Robert H. Lambert.

    The story follows Anne (Morris), a painter who struggles with inner demons after being forced into a life of solitude when her husband leaves mysteriously. Suvari will play her closest confidant Maya, who has a dark secret of her own. Harris will play Anne’s neighbor, who has several striking similarities in both her appearance and life.

    Suvari is repped by Innovative Artists and MPE; Harris is with GVA; Horton is repped by Bohemia Group; Morris is repped by Modern Artists Entertainment; Gallagher is with Marilyn’s Agency and WMES and Barnett is repped by Stride Management.

    Production is underway in Los Angeles and Florida.

    Mena Suvari Recalls a 'Weird and Unusual' Encounter with Kevin Spacey on American Beauty Set

    (7/22/21) While making American Beauty in 1999, Mena Suvari remembers an "unusual experience" she had with Kevin Spacey as they prepared to film an intimate scene. She thought of it again years later after the abuse allegations against the actor made headlines.

    The actress, 42, tells PEOPLE she "trusted him" throughout the filming of the Oscar-winning movie. Still, she said one particular moment on set left her feeling strange.

    To prepare for a scene one day, he brought her into a side room where they "lay on the bed very close to one another," she describes to PEOPLE in this week's issue. "He was sort of gently holding me. It was very peaceful but weird and unusual."

    When Suvari learned of the sex abuse claims several men leveled at him in 2018, she says, "I thought of that day," which had left her puzzled.

    "My heart goes out to anyone who suffers abuse," she says.

    In her new memoir The Great Peace: A Memoir, excerpted in this week's PEOPLE, Suvari talks about her own experiences of sexual abuse while growing up.

    Suvari says she was "living a double life" when American Beauty made her a star.

    "Every time I would go on a set. Every time I was interviewed, I was acting the whole time. It was another role for me to play. That I was okay," she tells PEOPLE.

    In her most challenging times, Suvari found solace in her acting work. After her role in American Pie (1999), she got the part of Angela, the teenage cheerleader in American Beauty who is the object of a middle aged man's obsession, played by Spacey. The role brought her much acclaim and a BAFTA nomination for Best Supporting Actress. Looking back, she says of American Beauty: "It was a beautiful experience, being given the opportunity to work and express myself right when I needed I to save me."

    By sharing her trauma and how she found her way out, Suvari also hopes to help others who have suffered. "This is my truth. This is my voice," she says. "I was so tired of fighting and hiding my whole life. I hope I can help someone else see their value. If I can lessen the pain for someone else, then I want to do it, because I didn't have that person."

    Allegations against Spacey were first brought forward in October 2018 by actor Anthony Rapp, who alleged the actor had previously made inappropriate sexual advances toward him when he was just 14-years-old.

    In response, Spacey issued a statement on Twitter addressing the allegations — and came out as gay.

    "I have a lot of respect and admiration for Anthony Rapp as an actor. I'm beyond horrified to hear his story," he said. "I honestly do not remember the encounter, it would have been over 30 years ago. But if I did behave as he describes, I owe him the sincerest apology for what would have been deeply inappropriate drunken behavior, and I am sorry for the feelings he describes having carried with him all these years."

    If you or someone you know has been sexually assaulted, please contact the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673) or go to rainn.org.

    Mena Suvari details 'repeated sexual abuse' and drug addiction in new memoir

    (7/21/21) Mena Suvari was “lucky” to survive years of “repeated sexual abuse” which led to her addiction to drugs.

    The American Beauty star who shot to fame as teenage cheerleader Angela who is the object of a middle-aged man’s obsession, played by Kevin Spacey in the 1999 movie, has detailed the trauma she experienced before her breakthrough film in her new memoir The Great Peace: A Memoir.

    And in a chat with People, Suvari revealed she was hiding the truth of the terrible trauma she was dealing with.

    “I was living a double life,” the 42-year-old tells the publication. “Every time I would go on a set. Every time I was interviewed, I was acting the whole time. It was another role for me to play. That I was okay.”

    In an excerpt from the book she writes, “Between the ages of twelve and twenty, I was the victim of repeated sexual abuse.”

    Mena details how she was raped by a friend of one of her older brothers, whom she refers to as “KJ” in the book, was coerced into a sexual relationship with a manager, who she saw as a protector, at the age of 15, and was sexually and emotionally abused by a former boyfriend, named “Tyler” who she met just before she turned 17. During the three year relationship Tyler pressured her to participate in threesomes and pick up women to bring home for him.

    “No, I don’t want to do that,” she recalls telling KJ, who was pressuring her to have sex, until one day, he brought her to a private room in his family’s home where he raped her.

    “Part of me died that day,” says Suvari. “He used me, had fun with me and then disposed of me. He called me a whore.”

    She continued: “I never got to have a healthy expression of (sex). My choice was lost. And that, compiled with already not feeling seen and heard, established a concept that I would have of myself. That that was my value.”

    Soon after she began taking drugs to numb the pain.

    “I turned to any form of self-medicating I could find, just to get by,” she says. “I was just trying to survive.”

    Suvari eventually broke it off with Tyler and stopped using drugs — and with the help of therapy and supportive friends, began to regain her confidence.

    In 2016, she met her now-husband Mike Hope on the set of her Hallmark movie I’ll Be Home For Christmas. The couple married two years later and have a son Christopher, who was born April 2021.

    Now the actress hopes that by sharing her experiences, she can help others who have suffered.

    “I hope I can help someone else see their value,” she says. “If I can lessen the pain for someone else, then I want to do it, because I didn’t have that person.”

    Mena Suvari gives birth to first child

    (4/9/21) Actress Mena Suvari has given birth to her first child.

    The American Beauty star and her husband, Michael Hope, welcomed a baby boy named Christopher Alexander Hope earlier this month.

    Suvari’s representative confirmed the tot’s arrival to People.com, adding, “Both baby and mom are doing wonderfully.”

    The actress announced her pregnancy back in October, admitting she still couldn’t believe the good news after becoming stressed out actively trying to conceive since the start of 2020.

    “It’s still this process for me of believing it and accepting that something this beautiful could happen for me,” she said at the time. “It’s been a very emotional experience. It’s very weird finding out – I was like, I can’t believe it!”

    Suvari married Hope in 2018.

    Mena Suvari Writes Memoir About How She 'Lost Herself to Sex, Drugs and Bad, Often Abusive Relationships'

    (4/1/21) (people.com) Mena Suvari — who rose to stardom as an actress with roles in films like American Beauty and the American Pie franchise — has written a "harrowing" and "heartbreaking" memoir about coming of age in Hollywood.

    The Great Peace: A Memoir will be published by Hachette Books on July 27, the 42-year-old actress shares exclusively with PEOPLE.

    "I spent a lot of time thinking about this decision and put my entire heart and soul into creating this book," Suvari, who is expecting her first child with husband Michael Hope, tells PEOPLE in a statement. "I feel more ready than ever to finally tell my truth and to share my personal journey for the first time in my life."

    In her book, the model-turned-actor reveals how she "lost herself to sex, drugs and bad, often abusive relationships even as blockbuster movies made her famous," according to the press release.

    Suvari shares what it was like to grow up in the 1990s, and how she navigated "the lasting psychological scars of abuse, yet knowing deep inside she has and desires so much more from life."

    A deeply "vulnerable" read, Suvari owns up to her own mistakes, shares what she learned along the way and explains how she worked "to understand and grow rather than casting blame," per the release.

    "As such, she makes this a timeless story of girl empowerment and redemption, of somebody using their voice to rediscover their past, seek redemption, and to understand their mistakes," the description continues, "and ultimately come to terms with their power as an individual to find a way and a will to live — and thrive."

    For Suvari, it's time to share her story in a way she never has before.

    "At a time of reckoning in our culture, the iconic American Beauty star Mena Suvari has come forward to tell her story in The Great Peace," publisher Mary Ann Naples said in a statement. "Hachette Books is proud to bring her candid, heartbreaking, courageous, and ultimately healing memoir to readers."

    ‘Reagan’ Biopic Back In Production After COVID-19 Crew Outbreak; Mena Suvari To Play Oscar Winner & 1st Wife Jane Wyman

    (11/9/20) Shut down for almost two weeks because of positive coronavirus results among the crew, Reagan is back in front of the cameras, and with the 40th POTUS’ first wife cast.

    The Dennis Quaid-starring movie resumed production on November 5 in Oklahoma after getting the green light from medical officials. I’m told that the film directed by Sean McNamara restarted with scenes depicting the Kremlin back in the darkest days of the Cold War when it looked like the U.S. and the USSR were pitched for a military clash.

    Reagan had shut down on October 22 after several members of the production tested positive for COVID-19. Right now, as with most of the country, the Sooner State is seeing a surge in confirmed cases, with 2,197 this weekend. That brings the total to 138,455 cases since March in a state with a population of 4 million.

    In addition to all that very real and potential deadly drama, Reagan has also expanded its cast. Mena Suvari has joined the film to play the two-time SAG boss’ first wife Jane Wyman. “I am so honored to be part of such a phenomenal production,” the American Beauty star told Deadline. “Not only to have the opportunity to play such an incredible talent and icon as Jane Wyman, it is equally exciting to portray one of my favorite eras of Old Hollywood”.

    “We are excited to have Mena join us,” McNamara said. “She brings charm, grace and class to this role and we’re excited to have her on board.”

    By far the bigger star of the two back in the day, the Oscar-winning Wyman was married to Reagan from 1940-1949. Continuing her career for many years afterwards and pretty much silent on her ex, Wyman went on to star on CBS’ primetime soap Falcon Crest from 1981-1990. A 1993 one-episode stint on Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman was Wyman’s last role before she died in 2007 at age 90.

    Upon Reagan’s death in 2004, the much-remarried Wyman put out a statement that said “America has lost a great president and a great, kind, and gentle man.”

    For the next few weeks, Oklahoma will continue to provide the backdrop for the Howard Klausner-penned Reagan, which co-stars Penelope Ann Miller as First Lady Nancy Reagan and Jon Voight as a KGB agent who focused on Reagan for four decades. However, I hear that Reagan will be moving out to the Golden State likely before the end of the year. California was where the future SAG boss and Republican got his start in Hollywood and where he served as governor from 1967-1975.

    For those of you in a political frame of mind less than a week after America’s most recent election, Ronald Wilson Reagan defeated incumbent Jimmy Carter in 1980 and was president from two terms from 1981-1989. His 1984 re-election was a landslide that carried every state expect rival Walter Mondale’s home state of Minnesota.

    Suvari is represented by Innovative Talent, mangers MPE and law firm Jackoway Austen.

    Mena Suvari is pregnant, expecting first child with husband Michael Hope

    (10/16/20) Mena Suvari has a baby on the way — and she still can’t believe it.

    The “American Beauty” actress, 41, called it an “absolute miracle” that she and husband Michael Hope are expecting their first child, a baby boy, this spring.

    “It’s still this process for me of believing it and accepting that something this beautiful could happen for me,” she told People. “It’s been a very emotional experience,” she said. “It’s very weird finding out — I was like, I can’t believe it!”

    Suvari secretly wed Hope in 2018 after two years of dating. They decided at the top of 2020 to actively try for a baby.

    “I’m 41 and there’s this air of, like, I’ve got one foot in the grave and good luck,” she said to People. “I was recording my temperature every morning and peeing on these ovulation sticks. You expect that it’ll happen and it didn’t. I got to this place where I felt overwhelmed and stressed out.”

    “I was like, ‘I can’t do this anymore,'” she continued. “I’m so tired of stressing over this. I was trying to feel like if it’s meant, it’s meant. I was being really open like the Aquarian that I am — if this is my path or not.”

    Fortunately by late July, Suvari began to notice changes in her body, took a pregnancy test “and there it was. It was a huge surprise, an absolute miracle!”

    “It was something that we’ve always wanted, but a couple months before, I had stopped calculating,” she added. “I pulled back and let go, which apparently they say that that’s when it happens.”

    She’s now halfway through her second trimester and is due in the spring of 2021.

    “I’m still falling into that place and just feeling so honored that he came to us,” she said. “It’s all I ever wanted for years. Even before I met my husband, I always wanted a little boy and it just feels so beautiful and special.”

    Suvari was previously married to Simone Sestito from 2010 to 2012 and Robert Brinkmann from 2000 to 2005.

    Mena Suvari To Star In ‘Inheritance’ Indie Film

    (9/1/20) American Pie and American Beauty actress Mena Suvari will star in Inheritance, a family film from Mustard Seed Entertainment.

    John K.D. Graham wrote and directed the film, which follows estranged siblings returning to their familial estate to claim the inheritance their mother left behind. After discovering that the deed to the estate is hidden on the property, a caper ensues as they compete to find it. Their adventure brings them back together as they discover the message their mother intended for them: that the only true inheritance is the kingdom of Heaven.

    Jaleel White (Family Matters), Jeff Schroeder (Wish for Christmas), Cameron Kelly (Solve), and Meredith Riley Stewart (Devious Maids) co-star.

    Graham, Alexandra M. Boylan, and Andrea Polnaszek wrote the screenplay, which was produced by Stewart, Boylan, and Graham. The film is expected to be released sometime next year.

    Suvari’s recent credits include American Horror Story: Apocalypse, Psych: The Movie, and upcoming indie releases Don’t Tell a Soul, Viscous, and Fourth Grade . She is repped by Innovative Artists and Management Production Entertainment.

    Mena Suvari Thriller ‘Viscous’ Sells To North America, XYZ Handling Sales — Cannes

    (6/25/20) Vertical Entertainment has picked up North American rights to mystery-thriller Viscous, starring Mena Suvari (American Beauty). XYZ is selling the completed movie at the Cannes virtual market.

    Debut writer-director Braden R. Duemmler’s film follows a socially awkward teenager who is blindsided when her mother introduces her to her new fiancée. At first, his charm, intelligence, and beauty seem too good to be true, and after a series of strange occurrences the teenage daughter realizes that this new member of their family is not exactly who he seems.

    Also starring are Trey Tucker (The Space Between Us) and newcomer Ema Horvath who is set to star in the upcoming Amazon Lord Of The Rings series. Vertical plans to release the film in U.S. theaters and on VOD in December this year. The North American deal was negotiated by Peter Jarowey and Josh Spector from Vertical Entertainment with Paradigm on behalf of the filmmakers.

    Director Braden Duemmler said: “When we are young, our curiosity propels us. Viscous exploits that drive to reconnect us with the anxiety, uncertainty, and fears of adolescence – we indulge the curiosity, until it’s too late. This is my first feature film and I’m incredibly excited to work with Vertical and XYZ on its release.”

    Producers are Abel Vang, Stephen Stanley (p.g.a.), and Kristina Esposito. Executive producer is Linus Hume and co-producer is Panda Lord.

    Teri Polo, William Baldwin, Mena Suvari, Robert Pine Star In ‘Fourth Grade B’

    (2/5/20) Teri Polo (The Fosters, Meet The Parents), William Baldwin (Northern Rescue, Sliver), Mena Suvari (American Horror Story, The Murder of Nicole Brown Simpson), and Robert Pine (The Last Full Measure, Wish Man) have been tapped to star in Fourth Grade B, a comedy-drama written by Marcelo Galvăo. The indie is an American remake of Galvăo’s 2005 Brazilian feature Quarta B. It’s described as a satirical portrayal of a private school’s emergency meeting filled with accusations and intrigue, as each parent tries to protect their own child and the uproarious chaos that follows the decision to light up a joint. Pamela Dunlap, Roland Kickinger, Ben Begley, Challen Cates, Taja V. Simpson, Boti Bliss, Rob Norton, Kelli Daniels, Jamison Jones, and Jiu-Jitsu celebrity trainer Rigan Machado co-star. Galvăo produced the Wolf in a Pack production pic with Gabriela Kulaif and executive producers Giordano Biagi and Caio Vecchio. Galvăo’s credits include the 2012 film Buddies as well as 2017 Netflix western The Killer.

    Rainn Wilson, Mena Suvari, Fionn Whitehead, Jack Dylan Grazer Topline ‘Don’t Tell A Soul’ Thriller

    (1/12/19) Rainn Wilson, Mena Suvari, Fionn Whitehead, and Jack Dylan Grazer star in Don’t Tell A Soul, a dramatic indie thriller written and directed by Alex McAulay. It’s the first directorial outing for McAulay, who penned the 2017 feature Flower starring Zoey Deutch.

    Don’t Tell A Soul follows two young thieving brothers (Whitehead, Grazer), with a cancer-stricken mother at home (Suvari), who match wits with a security guard (Wilson) trapped at the bottom of a forgotten cistern.

    Chris Mangano of Mangano Movies & Media and Unbridled Film’s Merry-Kay Poe produced the pic, while UTA Independent Film Group has come aboard to rep the film.

    Whitehead, repped by UTA, Curtis Brown Group, and Peikoff Mahan Law Office, made his feature debut as the star of Christopher Nolan’s Oscar nominated war film Dunkirk and can currently be seen in Netflix’s first interactive film, Black Mirror: Bandersnatch. He next stars in Port Authority, an indie that has Martin Scorsese serving as an executive producer.

    Grazer, best known for starring as Eddie in Warner Bros’ blockbuster horror film It, is set to reprise his role in the forthcoming sequel It: Chapter Two and also stars in the hotly anticipated DC Comics film Shazam!. Innovative Artists and Tanguay Talent Agency rep him.

    Since ending his run on The Office, Emmy-nominated Wilson has recurred on Star Trek: Discovery, the Showtime series Roadies, and has appeared in films like Permanent, opposite Patricia Arquette, and most recently Warner Bros shark thriller, The Meg. Repped by UTA, Odenkirk Provissiero Entertainment and Sloane, Offer, Weber, Wilson recently wrapped on the feature Blackbird, which stars Kate Winslet, Mia Wasikowska, and Susan Sarandon.

    Suvari, who gained attention for her roles in the 1999 films American Beauty and American Pie, was last seen in the John Wells’ short-lived American Woman series on Paramount Network an in the indie music drama Becks. She’s with APA, Management Production Entertainment, and Jackoway, Austen, Tyerman.

    McAulay is repped by Verve Talent and Literary Agency, Writ Large, and Jackoway, Austen, Tyerman.

    Mena Suvari & Frances Fisher To Star In ‘Grace and Grit’ Indie

    (11/17/18) Mena Suvari and Frances Fisher have signed on to star in Grace and Grit, the indie feature adaptation of Ken Wilber’s book of the same title. Stuart Townsend, Mariel Hemingway, Lydia Hearst, Nick Stahl, Rebekah Graf, and Tara Subkoff also co-star in the Sebastian Siegel-directed film, which is currently in production.

    Siegel penned the screenplay. It’s based on a true story of the five-year courageous journey of Treya Wilber (Suvari) and Ken Wilber (Townsend), through their falling in love, marriage, and challenge to overcome illness and meaning to find love beyond life. The story takes place in the mid-1980’s between Muir Beach, Tahoe, and Boulder, Colorado.

    Siegel is also producing the pic with Lucas Jarach and Eric Brenner. Jim Jacobsen will serve as exec producer via Skyline Entertainment, which is financing.

    Suvari, who broke onto the scene with her roles in American Pie and American Beauty, was a series regular in the short-lived Paramount Network series, American Woman, and reprised her role as Elizabeth Short (a.k.a Black Dahlia) in FX’s American Horror Story: Apocalypse.

    Fisher’s notable credits include Titanic, Laws of Attraction, Unforgiven, and True Crime. Up next, she can be seen in Damon Lindelof’s forthcoming HBO series Watchmen.

    Suvari is repped by APA and Management Production Entertainment and Fisher is repped by Greene & Associates Talent Agency.

    American Woman Cancelled at Paramount Network After One Season

    (9/5/18) The party’s over for American Woman: Paramount Network has cancelled the Alicia Silverstone-starring ’70s-set dramedy after just one season, our sister site Variety is reporting.

    Silverstone starred as Bonnie, a mom in 1970s Beverly Hills who leaves her cheating husband to raise her two daughters by herself. (The show was based on the childhood of executive producer and Real Housewives star Kyle Richards.) Newly single, Bonnie dives headfirst into a job market dominated by men, and a dating world filled with sexually liberated swingers and psychedelic drugs, with help from her pals Kathleen (Mena Suvari) and Diana (Jennifer Bartels).

    Debuting in June, American Woman notched less than 600,000 total viewers with its series premiere. It wrapped up its 11-episode freshman season last month. Paramount Network is currently refashioning its lineup of original series, bringing over the TV Land comedy Younger for its upcoming sixth season — a move that likely sealed American Woman‘s fate — and also ordering new dramedy Emily in Paris from creator Darren Star.

    Mena Suvari begs Bed Bath & Beyond to stop selling down products

    (6/26/18) (Poster) Mena Suvari is pleading with Bed Bath & Beyond to stop selling down pillows and bedding over concerns of animal cruelty.

    The actress, who is a vegan, sent a strongly worded letter to company Steven H. Temares on Monday morning, denouncing the “violent treatment and environmental concerns” she says go along with producing the animal-derived goods.

    “You can count me among the loyal Bed Bath & Beyond customers who flock to your store for design and decor inspiration. But today, I’m urging you to consider doing a little renovation and modernization of your own—and moving beyond cruelty—by removing down from your shelves entirely and offering only down-alternative bedding and fabrics,” she wrote in the letter obtained by Page Six.

    Going into graphic detail, she wrote that “investigation after investigation has revealed that supply-house workers clamp live birds upside down between their knees and rip out handfuls of feathers as the geese and ducks struggle and squawk,” and that “open wounds resulting from this barbaric plucking are hastily sewn up with needle and thread.”

    According to animal rights group PETA, which has targeted companies using goose down in the past, “most down and other feathers are removed from ducks and geese during slaughter,” but “birds in breeding flocks and those raised for meat and foie gras may be plucked repeatedly while they are still alive.”

    Per PETA, Suvari will question Bed Bath & Beyond shareholders on its behalf during the company’s annual meeting on Friday. Suvari, 39, stars in PETA’s new anti-down campaign, which shows her surrounded by bloody feathers.

    A rep for Bed Bath & Beyond didn’t immediately respond to Page Six’s request for comment.

    Mena Suvari shocked by Kevin Spacey sexual misconduct allegations

    (6/5/18) More than six months after Kevin Spacey was first accused of sexual misconduct, his “American Beauty” co-star Mena Suvari has weighed in on the allegations against the actor.

    “I think with everything that I’ve been seeing that everyone’s been going through, it’s shocking,” Suvari, 39, told “Megyn Kelly Today” on Tuesday. “It’s really heart-wrenching.”

    She continued, “It’s important to focus on the conversation that’s happening and the healing, the victims — the right thing that’s to come out of this. That’s sort of what I try to hope for and focus on the most. It’s something that we’re truly changing and moving out of.”

    Despite the allegations against Spacey — who won an Oscar for his portrayal of sexually frustrated suburban father Lester Burnham in the film — Suvari is glad to have worked with him on the 1999 drama.

    “For me, having the opportunity to work on ‘American Beauty’ was something that was so special and so beautiful. I was so young and was so grateful to have a job,” she said. “And to be working with such experienced individuals — everyone on that set was wonderful to me … I had a beautiful experience working on that film.”

    In October 2017, actor Anthony Rapp accused Spacey, now 58, of trying to seduce him when Rapp was just 14 years old.

    Spacey came out as gay after the allegation, then reportedly sought “evaluation and treatment” for unspecified issues.

    Since then, multiple victims have come forward to accuse Spacey of sexual misconduct, including several alleging sexual assault. Some of the allegations have been investigated by UK police and the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office.

    Spacey has since been fired from “House of Cards” and his role in “All the Money in the World” was recast less than two months before its December 2017 release.

    Mena Suvari to Star in TV Land Comedy Inspired by RHOBH's Kyle Richards' Life

    Mena Suvari is signed on to star in TV Land's comedy pilot American Woman, PEOPLE has confirmed.

    The comedy, created and inspired by the life of Real Housewives of Beverly Hills star Kyle Richards, also stars Clueless actress Alicia Silverstone.

    TV Land's new series will follow 40-year-old Bonnie Nolan (Silverstone, 39), a mother of two girls, who finds herself single, alone and unemployed after her marriage fails in the 1970s.

    Suvari, 37, will play Kathleen, one of Bonnie's closest friends, who longs for love and marriage but continuously finds herself choosing "boy toys" that exploit her for both her looks and pocketbook, Variety first reported.

    The actress has a knack for choosing all-American on-screen projects. American Woman is the seventh project that Suvari has been connected to with "American" in the title, following American Pie, American Beauty, American Virgin (later changed to Live Virgin), American Pie 2, American Horror Story and American Reunion.

    Mena Suvari To Topline WE TV Thriller Drama Series 'South Of Hell' From Jason Blum & Eli Roth

    Mena Suvari is finalizing a deal to play the lead in WE tv‘s second original scripted series, thriller drama South Of Hell from Sonar Entertainment and Blumhouse Television. The show, which has an eight-episode straight-to-series order for a 2015 premiere, comes from top horror producers Jason Blum and Eli Roth, in their first pairing. A supernatural thriller set in South Carolina, South Of Hell focuses on Maria Abascal (Suvari), a stunning demon-hunter-for-hire whose power stems from within. Like those she hunts, Maria is divided within herself, struggling with her own demon, Abigail, who resides inside of her, feeding on the evil Maria exorcises from others. Maria and Abigail share a soul and a destiny, but as Maria desperately tries to overtake Abigail, she will discover how far Abigail will go to remain a part of her.

    The premiere episode of South Of Hell will be directed by Roth from a script by Matt Lambert. James Manos Jr. is executive producer and showrunner. Blum of Blumhouse Prods. also serves as executive producer, along with Gerard Bocaccio, who worked at Blumhouse; Roth; Sonar CEO Gene Stein; and the company’s former CEO Stewart Till.

    American Beauty and American Pie alumna Suvari, repped by ICM Partners, Alchemy Entertainment and attorney Darren Trattner, is coming off playing the lead in another thriller drama, Amazon’s pilot Hysteria from Shaun Cassidy. She also recently completed an arc on NBC’s Chicago Fire and has recurred on FX’s American Horror Story.

    Mena Suvari To Topline Amazon Drama Pilot 'Hysteria'

    American Pie alumna Mena Suvari is set as the lead in Amazon Studios’ drama pilot Hysteria, from Invasion creator Shaun Cassidy and Alcon Entertainment. It centers on Dr. Logan Harlow (Suvari), an exceptionally bright, driven, complicated, charming but socially awkward neurologist/psychiatrist at the University of Texas Medical School who travels to her hometown of Austin, TX to investigate a mysterious epidemic among high school girls that may be spreading through technology. Suvari, repped by ICM Partners, Alchemy Entertainment and attorney Darren Trattner, just completed an arc on NBC’s Chicago Fire.

    Mena Suvari Just One-Upped Kelly Clarkson's Awkward Christmas Card

    (Photo) Kelly Clarkson struck Internet gold yesterday when she Tweeted her family's awkward Christmas photo with new husband Brandon Blackstock and stepchildren Savannah and Seth.

    But there's another celebrity holiday card that may be even more awkward, and we'd like to shed some light on it.

    American Pie actress Suvari posted this photo to Instagram on Monday, and upon first glance, all we can think is maybe she found some inspiration in Miley Cyrus's American Music Awards performance last month. The star's cat, Blanca, appears front and center in the pic, floating above her and boyfriend Sal Sanchez much like Cyrus's infamous lip-syncing feline.

    But the couple makes their own statement by sitting on the sofa sporting identical sweaters with nutcracker embroidery. The real Blanca joins them, helping create a Christmas image we doubt anyone will soon forget. Perhaps that's what Suvari wanted for Christmas all along.

    Mena Suvari To 'Chicago Fire'

    Mena Suvari has been cast in a recurring role on the NBC drama Chicago Fire. She will play Isabella, a close friend of Dawson (Monica Raymond) who is enlisted to help Mouch (Christian Stolte) with his campaign as President of the Chicago Firefighters Union. But although Mouch and Isabella have a strictly professional relationship, things heat up between Isabella and one of Mouch’s fellow firefighters.

    Sightings

    Mena Suvari chatting with Sophia Bush at Celebuzz’s Chateau Marmont bash

    Mena Suvari -- Officially Divorced

    Mena Suvari is officially back on the market people... 'cause her divorce to concert promoter Simone Sestito has just been finalized.

    TMZ broke the story ... the 33-year-old "American Beauty" actress filed papers to axe her marriage back in January from 25-year-old Sestito. The couple married in 2010 at a ceremony in Vatican city. They have no children together.

    According to the docs, they both waived their rights to spousal support.

    FYI, this is Mena's second divorce. She ended her 5-year marriage to cinematographer Robert Brinkmann in 2005.

    Maria Menounos, Mena Suvari Become Zombies for a Good Cause

    (Photo) Maria Menounos, Whitney Port, Mena Suvari and Joel Madden are dying for a new look. Literally!

    As part of AMC, which airs The Walking Dead, and American Red Cross's joint effort to raise awareness about donating blood, they are among the celebrities who are participating in The American Red Cross Zombie Blood Drive campaign.

    Their zombie-fied pictures will run on the air in a public zombie announcement (PZA) on AMC, and online at the network's campaign site, amcgiveblood.com.

    Elisabeth Röhm, Jimmy Smits and The Black Keys are also featured in the series.

    The campaign runs from Sept. 24 through Oct. 22.

    Mena Suvari -- I'm Calling a TRUCE in My Divorce

    Mena Suvari's divorce war is over ... the actress has reached a settlement with her ex ... and she won't have to spend one dime on the guy ever again.

    TMZ broke the story ... Mena's husband Simone Sestito was demanding $17k per month in spousal support ... claiming Mena makes a FORTUNE and he got used to living the good life.

    But Mena's rep tells TMZ the two talked things out in private and were able to bury the hatchet -- "They have amicably resolved their financial differences outside of Mediation and Court."

    The rep says, "Neither party will pay the other any support."

    We're told the two remain friends ... and wish each other future success.

    Suvari's ex demands spousal support

    Mena Suvari's estranged husband is asking the actress to hand over $17,000 a month in spousal support as part of their divorce settlement.

    The American Pie star filed for divorce from her second husband, concert promoter Simone Sestito, in January, just 18 months after they wed.

    The former couple's separation proceedings are ongoing and Sestito filed court documents last week claiming he has "negative balances" on both his business and personal accounts and is asking to be awarded $17,000 a month in spousal support, according to TMZ.com.

    The documents state Sestito became accustomed to eating out "almost every day at high end restaurants" and estimates his monthly food bills to be around $3,000 a month.

    Sestito claims Suvari's annual income to be around $750,000, which includes a Captain Morgan ad, and he also wants to be given an additional $10,000 to pay his attorney fees.

    (Video)

    The actress' lawyer Mark Gross says, "It is unfortunate that Simone has chosen the spotlight of litigation over the privacy of mediation."

    Suvari was previously married to cinematographer Robert Brinkmann - their five-year union ended in divorce in 2005.

    Suvari: Divorce like weeding

    Actress Mena Suvari has compared her recent marriage breakdown to tending troublesome weeds in her garden.

    The American Beauty star filed for divorce from concert promoter Simone Sestito in January, just 18 months after they wed.

    The split marked the actress' second failed marriage, following the end of her five-year union with cinematographer Robert Brinkmann in 2005 - but she has brushed off her chequered relationship history.

    Suvari tells You magazine, "There are many reasons why things don't work out, and I think at some point you have to acknowledge that and work towards maintaining your own happiness. You have to surround yourself with people who love you and want the best for you.

    "I call this process weeding my garden. A year or so ago I went through all the people in my life and asked myself: does this person inspire me, genuinely love me and support me unconditionally? I wanted nothing but positive influences in my life."

    Pilot Season: Mena Suvari and Kyle Howard Cast in NBC Comedy From Happy Endings Scribe

    Mena Suvari and Kyle Howard have been cast in a yet-to-be-named NBC comedy pilot from Hilary Winston (Happy Endings, Community), about a woman who seeks revenge on her ex.

    While the pilot's lead, Agnes, has not yet been cast, Suvari and Howard are set to play supporting characters. Suvari will portray an uninhibited party girl, and Howard will take on the role of a former jock. Both will help Agnes, a fiancé scorned, in an effort to get back at her former lover.

    Adam Shankman will direct the pilot, and Winston will serve as writer and executive producer.

    Suvari, best known for her breakout role in American Beauty, recently guest-starred on American Horror Story.

    Howard has appeared in Royal Pains and The Drew Carey Show.

    Which American Star Just Got Inked Again?

    (Photo1, Photo2) Another day, another tattoo.

    A certain star got some body art for the third time on Tuesday and posted some pics to prove it.

    "Added small script on top of my lion," she tweeted along with photos of her bravely hunching over while the artist does his handiwork.

    So, which American actress is putting a bit more color into her life?

    That would be Mena Suvari!

    In addition to the new ink, the American Pie and American Beauty star also revealed that she had "a little touching up" done as well on her already-existing tats.

    No word on exactly what kind of wording Suvari had added, but we can't help but wonder if it somehow reflects the fact that she filed for divorce last month from her music producer husband, Simone Sestito.

    Then again, it could simply be a little birthday gift to herself. After all, she does turn the big 3-2 next Monday.

    Mena Suvari Files for Divorce

    Mena Suvari is calling it quits on her 18-month marriage to concert producer Simone Sestito.

    An attorney for the actress, 32, filed divorce papers on her behalf on Friday in L.A. County Superior Court, her rep confirms to PEOPLE.

    According to court papers obtained by PEOPLE, Suvari cited "irreconcilable differences" ?and asked that Sestito receive no spousal support. She indicated that the pair's separation date was Nov. 1, 2011.

    Suvari and Sestito married in June 2010 in Italy, holding a private church in the Vatican City in what the pair called a "romantic" wedding. The couple met at the Toronto Film Festival in 2007 and were engaged in 2008.

    This will be Suvari's second divorce; she split from her first husband, cinematographer Robert Brinkmann, in 2005.

    She and Sestito had no children, though she spoke last year of her excitement about having a bunch of kids.

    Suvari is set to reprise her role in the next American Pie movie, due out later this year.

    TMZ.com first broke the news of Suvari's divorce filing.

    'American Horror Story': The Black Dahlia and the devil himself at the door

    Did anyone find this the funniest episode of "American Horror Story" yet? Not exactly laughing at the show, but just the most "black comedy" episode so far? Hmmm. This one almost begs a re-viewing, it was so off-the-walls.

    As far as the main plot goes, the flashback this week is to an actual murder - Elizabeth Short, a.k.a. the Black Dahlia, from 1947. In this mythology, she came to The House to see a dentist, who put her under and raped her, then discovered he accidentally killed her. But lucky for him, Dr. Montgomery's ghost is lurking about and ready to slice 'n dice.

    In the present, Elizabeth appears as a patient to Ben, whose only desire is to be famous. Hayden informs her that she is, in fact, quite famous.

    Speaking of Hayden, she's still obsessed with getting back together with Ben, but she (kind of hilariously) seduces Constance's lover Travis to see if she "could do it with a guy who's still alive." But when Travis then turns on Hayden, she stabs him to death with an ice pick. All the usual suspects show up to help with the disposal and he ends up as the modern-day Black Dahlia.

    Over at the mental ward, Ben visits Vivien after learning from her doctor that the twin babies have two different fathers. He basically tells her to go to hell, while Vivien maintains she was raped by Rubber Man. Only Constance believes her - and Constance knows it was Tate.

    Ben confronts the security guard, whom he assumes is the other father (after a prompting from Hayden "confirms" his suspicions), but when the security guard reveals he's shooting blanks, Ben finally starts to realize that Vivien may have been telling the truth all along. And he sees Moira as an old woman.

    At the very end, Constance questions her psychic friend Billie Dean about a baby born from a human and someone from the spirit world. Billie Dean spins a tale of a box the new Pope opens when he is elected. It's kept in the yhe Room of Tears and contains the secret to the end of the world - "A child born of human and spirit will usher in the end of times. It is the essence of evil. A perversion of the Immaculate Conception."

    Huh.

    Thoughts & Tidbits

    Sarah Paulson's return as Billie Dean seemed a little Deus Ex Psychic to me.
    The absence of Violet was conspicuous, as was the almost-absence of Tate.
    The two different appearances of "Spooky" was a wonderful music choice.
    The outrage Ben felt at the twins' paternity was in character, but so ridiculous. You stepped out on her, dude. You got a girl pregnant. Maybe you should get off your high horse for a second.
    How great was it to see Mena Suvari and Joshua Malina? Mena actually bears a decent resemblance to the real Elizabeth Short and it's always nice to see Will Bailey, even if I don't necessarily like him as a rapey dentist.
    The Moira reveal was great. What do you think really triggers the way people see her? That one police detective saw the young Moira, and I just kind of figured it's because he was an adulterer. But maybe that's not it?
    As for the ending - wow. I mean, I guess I had assumed the Tate-conceived baby was evil, but I hadn't really thought devil incarnate. That takes the show in a whole new direction once the baby is born, doesn't it?

    Mena Suvari to Guest-Star on American Horror Story

    Mena Suvari has signed on for a guest role on American Horror Story, TVLine.com reports.

    The American Beauty and American Pie star will play a young woman with a connection to the Harmon's house whose nickname happens to be The Black Dahlia. It's unclear whether she'll portray the same Black Dahlia murder victim whose case is still unsolved after more than 60 years.

    Suvari, who will return to the Pie fold in 2012's American Reunion, will appear in Episode 9 of the FX series.

    Lindsay Lohan: Mena and Dania are 'Pathetic'

    Lindsay Lohan says it's "pathetic" that Mena Suvari and Dania Ramirez dragged her name into a parody video spotlighting her much-publicized misfortunes.

    Mena and Dania just released the spoof targeting the likes of Kim Kardashian and, of course, Lindsay. In one scene faux LiLo (Mena) pretends to shop as she stuffs her clothes with jewelry.

    But we're told Lindsay feels as if Mena and Dania are using her to stay relevant.

    Lindsay -- who is developing a habit of suing people who use her name -- has decided she won't take legal action because she considers their conduct "petty."

    Sounds like a great "People's Court" case. Just sayin' ...

    Mena Suvari Wants Two Children - Soon!

    Don't be surprised if Mena Suvari has some baby news in the not too-distant future.

    The actress, who wed concert promoter Simone Sestito in a romantic ceremony in Rome last June, tells PEOPLE she's ready to start a family.

    "Everybody wants a child," the actress said at a party for W magazine's "Best Performances" issue at Chateau Marmont in West Hollywood on Jan. 14. "I want at least two children, maybe in another year or so. Who knows, I might end up having five and being this crazy woman with all these children."

    Suvari, who turns 32 next month, says motherhood is a role she knows she will cherish. "I think that would be the ultimate experience for me. I think that's where you really find yourself. That's what's important about life."

    Mena Suvari will keep her 'Social' promise

    Mena Suvari is a woman of her word. The actress promised to attend Social Life magazine's July 17 party in Water Mill celebrating her cover story. But then she got married in Italy to concert producer Simone Sestito and went off honeymooning, and she's due in Canada soon to film "Restitution" with C. Thomas Howell. Somehow, arrangements were made, and she vows to fulfill her obligtion to Social Life. This week's covergirl, Kelly Bensimon, a Hamptons local, will have an easier commute to a bash tonight in her honor.

    Mena Suvari's Wedding Had Tradition, Romance and Fireworks

    Mena Suvari and Simone Sestito had plenty of history around them as they started a new chapter with their wedding on Saturday.

    The couple were married at Santo Stefano degli Abissini, an 8th-century church in Vatican City and held their reception at Castello Odescalchi, a 15th-century castle in nearby Bracciano – the same castle where Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes were married in 2006.

    Rome "is the true city of romance, and to be able to wed in the Eternal City is all we could have asked for this occasion," the couple tell PEOPLE.

    Mena Suvari Weds in Italy

    It was a day to remember for actress Mena Suvari and concert producer Simone Sestito, who were married Saturday in a private church in Vatican City, Italy, PEOPLE has confirmed.

    "The ceremony was truly unique and Mena looked breathtaking," says a guest. "They are very much in love."

    The two, who have been engaged since 2008, planned a private reception following their ceremony outside of the city.

    Suvari, 31, and Sestito, 25, met at the Toronto Film Festival in 2007. The couple chose Rome as their wedding locale because most of Sestito's family lives near the city.

    "We just understood each other," Sestito told PEOPLE in 2008. "She's very caring and understanding. There was a connection."

    Suvari will next be seen in the comedy, You May Not Kiss The Bride, costarring Dave Annable.

    Mena Suvari celebrates b'day in NYC

    Love was in the air in the Meatpacking District on Saturday when Mena Suvari celebrated her 31st birthday. Her fiancé, Simone Sestito, threw a surprise party for her at Abe & Arthur's restaurant and arranged a special delivery of roses. Simone, who is to marry Suvari in Rome this summer, invited a group of close friends and family including "Project Runway" winner Christian Siriano, who helped Suvari blow out the candles on her cake.

    Mena Suvari getting married

    Love is in the air for Mena Suvari and her fiancé, music promoter Simone Sestito, who are to wed in Rome, sources report. The couple, who got engaged in July 2008, were overheard finalizing details for their planned summer wedding in the Eternal City while at the Library Bar at the Paramount Hotel. The "American Beauty" star also had a fitting for her wedding dress with friend and Alice + Olivia designer Stacey Bendet.

    Door dimwits

    Mena Suvari must be keeping a low profile. When the "American Beauty" star showed up to Svedka's alice + olivia presentation at a loft in the Meatpacking District, the door sentries didn't recognize her. "She was standing there, waving her hands," says a spy. "Finally, someone working the event saw her and let her in." Once inside, Suvari mingled with actor Adam Bertrand, Ashley Greene of "Twilight," AnnaLynne McCord of "90210," and new AOLstylelist.com contributor Fabiola Beracasa, who scaled a 4-foot wall to get in rather than wait in line.

    Sightings

    AMBER Tamblyn was in a distraught state at last week's Whitney Art Party. Page Six spotted Tamblyn, who's dating actor David Cross -- 20 years her senior -- wandering around Skylight on Hudson Street looking confused and having intense conversations with a few pals. But once Cross showed up, Tamblyn relaxed. Also perusing art at the BCGB Max Azria event were Mena Suvari, Bradley Cooper (who was very cozy with Lake Bell), Maggie Rizer and Selita Ebanks.

    Suvari's image used in condom ad

    American Beauty actress Mena Suvari has become the latest unwitting star of a Chinese advertisement - in which she appears to promote condoms.

    Suvari is pictured wearing a backless dress and posing seductively on the contraceptive packets, sold by the Chinese firm Eyesome.

    The condoms are on sale for $1.30 in Chinese supermarkets and online.

    The unauthorised endorsement, made possible because of relaxed image rights in the Asian country, follows the unofficial use of images of Sir Sean Connery and soccer star David Beckham to promote a range of Viagra-style impotence capsules in a Chinese ad last month.

    Sightings

    STOP AND SHOP: Mena Suvari, browsing through West Hollywood's Beckley boutique.

    Sightings

    Mena Suvari, stopping into Beverly Hills boutique Switch for some shopping – and smooching with her fiancé, Simone Sestito. Suvari first headed in by herself and picked a bunch of things. At the end of the spree Sestito met up with her. "They were so cute as she was being rung up," says an onlooker. "They were laughing and kissing – totally adorable."

    Mena Suvari Reveals 2010 Wedding Plans

    It's going to be "a nice, big traditional Italian wedding" for American Beauty star Mena Suvari and music producer-promoter Simone Sestito, the couple tell PEOPLE.

    "We want to marry in Italy," Suvari said at the Hugo Boss store opening Wednesday in New York. "There is a lot of planning we want to do."

    In fact, they are heading back on Thursday to scout locations. "We were there in August, and everything was closed in August, so we want to look at a lot of cathedrals and find a place."

    The target date is sometime in 2010, say the couple, who announced their engagement in July.

    Suvari, 29, met Sestito, 24, through a mutual friend when he was visiting Los Angeles, and got reacquainted at the Toronto Film Festival in 2007.

    "A couple weeks after we knew each other, he asked me if I wanted to go to Italy," she says.

    They visited Rome where, Sestito recalls, "I took her to the main attractions – the Coliseum, the Spanish Steps."

    But the pair bonded over more than the sites. "We just really understood each other," Sestito says. "There was a connection. She's very caring and understanding, very outgoing, fun. She's always laughing, joking around."

    Mena Suvari's "Fairy-Tale" Wedding Wishes

    Mena Suvari showed off some serious bling at the launch party for Signorelli's "Love" collection, which benefits Susan G. Komen for the Cure, at Planet Blue Wednesday.

    Not only is the recently engaged actress sporting a huge honking diamond, but she reveals that her fiancé, Simone Sestito, actually designed the ring.

    “I really want it to be romantic and like a fairy-tale wedding,” Mena tells E! News of her second trip down the aisle. "It's all very new to me. Even though I have been down that road before, I never have done any of these preparations so...there's a lot of stuff to do."

    Mena also dished that she wants to tie the knot in Italy and is planning to scout locations next week when she's at the Rome Film Festival for the premiere of her new movie, Garden of Eden.

    As for the dress? “I want to work with my friend Stacy, who designs Alice + Olivia, to design a dress,” says Suvari.

    Modest Mena

    MENA Suvari's wild days might be behind her. The "American Beauty" temptress had a bit of a wardrobe crisis the other night when all the dresses sent to her by Diane von Furstenberg were too see-through. Suvari hosted Andy Warhol's 80th-birthday celebration, sponsored by Martini & Rossi, and a source told us, "She had to run to alice+olivia to find a dress that wouldn't leave her completely exposed." A rep for Suvari told us the star "loves Diane von Furstenberg, but just wanted to wear something more mod."

    Mena Suvari to Wed Music Producer

    Mena Suvari is engaged to music producer/concert promoter Simone Sestito, who proposed during their vacation to Jamaica, her reps tell PEOPLE.

    The 29-year-old actress met Sestito last year at the Toronto International Film Festival while Suvari was promoting her film Stuck. No wedding date has been set.

    "They're taking their time planning the wedding," says a source close to the actress. "They are in no rush."

    Survari will be seen in the Lifetime movie Murder in Sin City in September, and in the period piece Garden of Eden later this year.

    Hard-to-watch 'Stuck' is equally hard to shake

    A key character speaks prophetic words in Stuck, a disturbing tale of an unintentional crime that becomes unspeakable: "Anybody can do anything to anyone and get away with it."

    Mirroring a news story of a driver who hit a pedestrian and drove with the battered body on the hood of the car, Stuck raises compelling questions about morality and ethics and how far people will go to avoid reprisal.

    Brandi (Mena Suvari) initially comes across as a sweet and compassionate nurse's assistant, excited because she is in line for a promotion. After a night of too many drinks and a tablet of Ecstasy, Brandi gets behind the wheel of her car, drives erratically and hits what appears to be a homeless man (Stephen Rea) pushing a shopping cart. Meanwhile, we have learned that the man, Tom, is a recently unemployed project manager and had just embarked on a downward spiral of bad luck that grows even more dismal when he and Brandi's car collide.

    Tom crashes through her windshield and is stuck, pinned halfway in her front seat, his body resting on the hood of her car. Initially, Brandi considers doing the right thing and taking him to the hospital, but she panics and drives him home. Once there, she leaves him to die in her locked garage.

    But Tom's survival instinct clashes with her growing sense of desperation. She does all she can to cover things up, to little avail, fearing she will spend her life in prison.

    The tone is one of horror and dark, low comedy. Many of the visuals are starkly grisly and disgusting. But the powerful film raises thought-provoking questions.

    Both Suvari and Rea give strong, believable performances, as do Russell Hornsby, who plays Brandi's thuggish boyfriend, and Rukiya Bernard, who plays her co-worker.

    The over-the-top tale becomes a tense and unsettling duel. This is not enjoyable entertainment, but it is brutally watchable. Writer/director Stuart Gordon seeks to expose our uncaring, self-absorbed society and also the unflagging will to live.

    Stuck - * * 1/2 (out of four)
    Stars: Mena Suvari, Stephen Rea, Russell Hornsby, Rukiya Bernard
    Director: Stuart Gordon
    Distributor: ThinkFilm
    Rating: R for strong violence, disturbing content, sexuality/ nudity, language and drug use.
    Running time: 1 hour, 27 minutes
    Opens Friday in select cities

    Suvari and Modine delve into "Sin" for Lifetime

    Mena Suvari and Matthew Modine will star in the Lifetime original movie "Sex & Lies in Sin City," based on the true story of Las Vegas casino heir Ted Binion.

    The tentatively titled telefilm is based on the book "Murder in Sin City" by Jeff German. Binion (Modine), the heir to the Binion Horseshoe Casino fortune, was found dead in his Vegas home in 1998 by his ex-stripper girlfriend, Sandy Murphy (Suvari), ultimately leading to a scandalous trial involving Murphy and her con artist boyfriend.

    "Much like a trip to Vegas, this movie is a guilty pleasure," Lifetime senior vice president original movies Tanya Lopez said, adding that it "captures all of the true crime story elements and the madness that surrounded Ted Binion's life."

    The telefilm will premiere on the cable network in September. Peter Medak ("Carnivale") is directing from a script by Teena Booth.

    News Archive