As the daughter of Italian filmmaker Franco Amurri ("De Grande", "Monkey Trouble") and actress Susan Sarandon, Amurri has spent a great deal of time on film sets-mainly with her mother and step-father, actor and director Tim Robbins. However, instead of acting like a child of privilege, Amurri grew up to be a smart, confident and talented actress who seemed content to follow her own path.
Born on the Ides of March, 1985, in New York City, it was immediately apparent that Amurri was a performer. At age 7, Amurri began appearing in small roles on projects in which her parents were part of, as well as in school productions. Her first on-screen appearance was in the political satire, "Bob Roberts" (1992), directed by step-dad Robbins. She then appeared in "Dead Man Walking" (1995), also directed by Robbins, and starring Sarandon in a role that won her the Oscar for Best Actress. Amurri then showed up in "Anywhere But Here" (1999), a coming-of-age drama about a mother and daughter who move to Beverly Hills to start a new life, starring Sarandon and Natalie Portman. Another small part in "Earthly Possessions" (1999) rounded out Amurri's stint as a bit actress. From there it was all leading or supporting roles.
Amurri starred with her mom in "The Banger Sisters" (2002), playing Ginger, daughter to Sarandon's Lavinia, a one-time rock and roll groupie whose suburban life is turned upside down by old friend and fellow groupie, Suzette (Goldie Hawn). The movie received warm reviews, but it was Amurri that scored many of the laughs as an overly privileged teenager. Amurri had another starring role in "Made-Up" (2004), a mockumentary satirizing the reality-TV makeover craze. She played Sara, an aspiring cosmologist and daughter of an aging actress, who wants to document her mom's radical makeover. The movie received a small release, but once again, Amurri got kudos for an acting job well done. Amurri then started in the black comedy, "Saved!" (2004), co-starring Mandy Moore, Macaulay Culkin and Jena Malone. Amurri played Cassandra, the lone Jewish girl at American Eagle Christian High School, and an exuberant rebel in a group of outsiders who just want to make it to graduation. Despite being on the verge of a star career à la Kate Hudson, Amurri instead has opted to attend college, yet another sign of her determination to be her own person.
