Dominique Swain
Dominique Ariane Swain (born August 12, 1980) is an American film actress. She may be best known for her role as the title character in the 1997 film adaptation of Vladimir Nabokov’s novel Lolita.
Biography
Early life
Swain was born in Santa Monica, California, the daughter of Cindy (née Fitzgerald) and David Swain, Sr., an electrical engineer. Swain grew up in Malibu with four siblings living a modest lifestyle and was a straight-A student at Malibu High School. In 1993, Swain was a stunt double in the film The Good Son. Her sister is the actress Chelse Swain.
Career
In 1995, Swain was chosen from 2,500 girls to star in the controversial remake of Lolita; the film was released in 1997. Shortly after, Swain starred as the rebellious daughter of John Travolta in action film Face/Off. After Face/Off, she starred in many low-budget films. In 2002, Stuff magazine named her #79 of the “102 Sexiest Women In The World.” In February 2007, she was the cover girl on Stuff magazine. Also in February, she appeared in the straight-to-DVD horror movie Dead Mary. She recently did a cameo appearance in the Nickelback video for “Rockstar”. She lip syncs the lyrics while lying in a bathtub filled with bubbles. She has also appeared in the videos for Shaun Mullins’ song “Lullaby” and the Sky Parade song “Losing Control.”
Personal life
Swain is a spokesperson for the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA). At the age of 21, she became the youngest model to pose nude for PETA. In the Lolita-esque ad, set in a classroom, she stands at a blackboard writing, “I’d rather go naked than wear fur”. The caption below reads: “Kindness Is a Class Act.” She has erroneously been reported to be a vegan or vegetarian in the past, but this was probably an incorrect assumption based upon her support of PETA’s anti-fur campaigns. Swain says:
Everybody thinks people who promote PETA don’t eat meat, but I think animals were made to be eaten. I take my part in the food chain very seriously. I eat meat, the rarer the better. I just don’t think animals should be slaughtered for their fur.
Swain participated as a guest blogger at Crazy Days and Nights. She blogged under the pseudonym ZX and led the blog’s readers speculating about her identity.
Filmography (selected)
Films
- The Ocean (2008)
- Kill Me! (2008)
- Heart Stopper (2008)
- The Girl from the Naked Eye (2009)
- Stuntmen (2008)
- Noble Things (2008)
- Trance (2008)
- Toxic (2008)
- Stiletto (2008)
- Prairie Fever (2008)
- Capers (2008)
- White Air (2007)
- Dead Mary (2007)
- Fall Down Dead (2007)
- The Pacific and Eddy (2007)
- All In (2006)
- Alpha Dog (2006)
- The Locrian Mode (2005)
- Journeyman (2005)
- Devour (2005)
- The Freediver (2004)
- Out of Season (2004)
- The Job (2003/I)
- As Virgins Fall (2003)
- Briar Patch (2003)
- New Best Friend (2002)
- Mean People Suck (2002)
- Dead in the Water (2002)
- Pumpkin (2002)
- Tart (2001)
- Happy Campers (2001)
- The Smokers (2000)
- The Intern (2000)
- Girl (1998)
- Lolita (1997)
- Face/Off (1997)
Television
- Totally Awesome (2006)
- Ghost Whisperer (2006)
- JAG (2005)
- The Madam’s Family: The Truth About the Canal Street Brothel (2004)