Chloë Stevens Sevigny was born on November 18, 1974, in Darien, Connecticut. She was raised in a Roman Catholic family. Her father, H. David Sevigny, was a painter, and her mother, Janine (née Malinowski), worked as an accountant. Sevigny has one older brother, Paul.
Sevigny began her career in the early 1990s as a model and intern at Sassy magazine. She gained attention for her unique style and presence in the New York City youth culture scene. Her breakthrough role came in 1995 with the controversial independent film Kids, directed by Larry Clark and written by Harmony Korine.
Following Kids, Sevigny established herself as a prominent figure in independent cinema. She starred in Harmony Korine’s Gummo (1997) and Julien Donkey-Boy (1999). Her performance in Boys Don’t Cry (1999), where she played Lana Tisdel, earned her an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actress.
Sevigny has worked with numerous acclaimed directors and appeared in a diverse range of films, including: