Suvari, Mena Adrienne (1979– )

US film actor. She made her film debut in Nowhere (1997) and landed her first major role, as a wholesome high-school choir member, in the successful teen farce American Pie (1999). Known for her petite blue-eyed beauty, she received critical acclaim for her performance in the Academy Award-winning film American Beauty (1999). Other films include Loser (2000), Sugar and Spice (2001), and Trauma (2004).

She was born in Newport, Rhode Island, the daughter of an Estonian psychiatrist and a US nurse. The family later relocated to Charleston, South Carolina. As a young teenager she modelled for the New York-based Wilhelmina agency and appeared in TV commercials before moving to California, where she landed guest appearances on popular TV series such as ER (1994) and Chicago Hope (1994). After debuting in Nowhere, she had small roles in the Kiss the Girls (1997) and Slums of Beverly Hills (1998). Other films include The Rage: Carrie 2 (1999), American Virgin (2000), American Pie 2 (2001), The Muskateer (2001), Sonny (2002), Spun (2002), and Standing Still. In 2004 she also began a recurring role on the popular TV series Six Feet Under.