Ione Skye

{{For|the 2005 song "Ione Skye" by Australian band Kisschasy|United Paper People}}

{{Infobox person

| name = Ione Skye

| image = Ione Skye.JPG

| caption = Skye at Hollywood Life Magazine’s 7th Annual Breakthrough Awards in 2007

| birth_name = Ione Skye Leitch

| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1970|9|4}}

| birth_place = Hampstead, London, England

| nationality = {{flatlist|

British
American

}}

| occupation = Actress

| years active= 1986–present

| spouse = {{plainlist|

{{marriage|Adam Horovitz|1992|1999|end=divorced}}
{{marriage|Ben Lee |2008}}

}}

| partner = David Netto
(1999–2003)

| children = 2

| parents = Donovan
Enid Karl

| relatives = Donovan Leitch (brother)

}}

Ione Skye Lee (born September 4, 1970{{Cite news|title=Henson's foundation work honored; Celebrities|author=|date=September 4, 2024|work=Hartford Courant|page=C2|quote=Sept. 4 birthdays: Actor Mitzi Gaynor is 93. Singer Merald "Bubba" Knight is 82. Actor Judith Ivey is 73. Drummer Martin Chambers is 73. Comedian Damon Wayans is 64. Actor Ione Skye is 54. Actor Max Greenfield is 45. Singer Beyoncé is 43.|id={{ProQuest|3100416826}}}} See also:

{{Cite news|title=This day in history|author=|date=September 4, 2009|work=The Boston Globe|page=G36|quote=Today's birthdays: Actress Mitzi Gaynor is 78. Singer Merald "Bubba" Knight (Gladys Knight & the Pips) is 67. World Golf Hall of Famer Raymond Floyd is 67. Rhythm & blues musician Ronald LaPread is 59. Actress Judith Ivey is 58. Actress Khandi Alexander is 52. Actor-comedian Damon Wayans is 49. [...] Actress Ione Skye is 39. NFL player Terence Newman is 31. Singer Beyonce Knowles is 28.|id={{ProQuest|405171522}}}}) is a British-American actress. She made her film debut in the thriller River's Edge (1986) before gaining mainstream exposure by starring in Cameron Crowe's Say Anything... (1989). She continued to appear in films throughout the 1990s, with notable roles in Gas Food Lodging (1992), Wayne's World (1992), and One Night Stand (1997).

Other film credits include the comedy Fever Pitch (2005) and an uncredited role in Zodiac (2007). Skye also guest-starred on several television series, including The Twilight Zone (2002), Private Practice, and a recurring role on Arrested Development. She is featured in the NBC series La Brea (2021).

In addition to acting, Skye paints and has written several children's books. In 2006, VH1 ranked her 84th on its list of the 100 Greatest Teen Stars.{{cite web |title=100 Greatest Teen Stars |publisher=VH1 |website=listology.com |year=2006 |url=http://www.listology.com/list/vh1s-100-greatest-teen-stars |access-date=September 12, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110201075204/http://www.listology.com/list/vh1s-100-greatest-teen-stars |archive-date=2011-02-01 |url-status=dead}}

Early life

Born in Hampstead, London,{{Cite news|title=You'll NEVER guess what John Cusack's teen sweetheart from Say Anything looks like now…|author=Kelly, Helen|date=February 14, 2017|work=London Express|page=|quote=Following her role as Diane, Ione, who was born in Hampstead, went on to star in a number of other films including Wayne's World, Girls In Prison and Jump.|id={{ProQuest|1868112993}}}} Skye is the daughter of folk singer-songwriter Donovan and model Enid Karl (née Stulberger). Her father is Scottish-born with some Irish ancestry and grew up in England.{{Cite web|title=How Donovan and Coco, his granddaughter, caught their wind|url=https://www.independent.ie/entertainment/how-donovan-and-coco-his-granddaughter-caught-their-wind-35583500.html|access-date=July 23, 2020|website=independent|date=April 3, 2017 |language=en}} Her mother is an American who was raised in the Bronx, New York City, and is Jewish.{{cite interview|interviewer=Ione Skye|work=The Howard Stern Show|date=May 9, 1999|title=Ione Skye Interview}}{{Cite web|last=Bloom|first=Nate|title=Jewish Stars 12/16 |publisher=Cleveland Jewish News|date=December 15, 2011|url=https://www.clevelandjewishnews.com/archives/jewish-stars/article_7be302da-267e-11e1-b2fe-001871e3ce6c.html|quote=Donovan's former wife is an American Jew, and their daughter, actress Ione Skye ("Say Anything"), 41, was once Beastie Boy Adam Horovitz's wife.}} Her second name comes from the Isle of Skye. She is the younger sister of Camp Freddy singer Donovan Leitch. Skye's parents were separated at the time of her birth, and she was raised by her mother, having little to no contact with her father.

Skye grew up primarily in Los Angeles and San Francisco, and also spent time in Connecticut. She attended Immaculate Heart High School and Hollywood High School in Los Angeles.{{cite web|work=People|title=Donovan's Kid, Ione Skye, Gets Her Feet Wet in River's Edge|date=August 3, 1987|access-date=January 9, 2018|url=http://people.com/archive/donovans-kid-ione-skye-gets-her-feet-wet-in-rivers-edge-vol-28-no-5/|volume=28|issue=5}}

Career

Skye made her film debut with a supporting role in River's Edge in 1986, followed by a role as the title character in The Rachel Papers (1989). She played Diane Court, a withdrawn high school valedictorian, in the 1989 film Say Anything..., the feature film debut of director Cameron Crowe; the film attained a cult following and lent Skye international recognition.{{cite web|work=Interview|title=New Again: Ione Skye|date=October 8, 2014|author=Tiches, Christiana|url=https://www.interviewmagazine.com/film/new-again-ione-skye|access-date=January 9, 2018}}

In 1992, she played Eleanor Grey on the short-lived television series Covington Cross, starred in Allison Anders's debut feature film Gas Food Lodging (which also featured Skye's brother Donovan Leitch),{{cite news |last1=Maslin |first1=Janet |title=Gas Food Lodging; Rueful Women, Rootless Men In a Dreary Western Town |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1992/07/31/movies/review-film-gas-food-lodging-rueful-women-rootless-men-in-a-dreary-western-town.html |access-date=January 23, 2020 |work=New York Times |date=July 31, 1992}} and had a supporting role in the Stephen La Rocque film Samantha. She subsequently had supporting roles as Elise in the comedy Wayne's World (1992) and the Mike Figgis-directed drama One Night Stand (1997).

She later appeared in the music video for the Harvey Danger song "Sad Sweetheart of the Rodeo." In 2007, Skye had a small, well-received part in the David Fincher film Zodiac.

In a 2010 interview with mondo-video.com,{{cite web |url=http://www.mondo-video.com/ione-skye-interview |work=Mondo-video.com |access-date=February 4, 2014|url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121030030112/http://www.mondo-video.com/ione-skye-interview |archive-date=October 30, 2012|title=Ione Skye Interview }} Skye said she had not paid perfect attention to her career arc over the years, saying she "never struck when the iron was hot" when it came to going after big Hollywood roles in her 20s.

In 2013, she appeared in a supporting part in the independent horror film Haunt, with Jacki Weaver.{{cite web|work=Slant Magazine|title=Haunt Film Review|url=https://www.slantmagazine.com/film/review/haunt|access-date=January 9, 2018|date=February 28, 2014|author=Gonzalez, Ed}} In 2016, Skye directed the music video for the Against Me! single "333".{{cite web|last1=Yoo|first1=Noah|title=Against Me! Share New "333" Video Starring "Orange Is the New Black"'s Natasha Lyonne: Watch {{!}} Pitchfork|url=http://pitchfork.com/news/67987-against-me-share-new-333-video-starring-orange-is-the-new-blacks-natasha-lyonne-watch/|work=Pitchfork|date=September 2, 2016 |access-date= September 2, 2016}} The same year, she appeared in the short film Kitty, directed by Chloë Sevigny.{{cite web|work=The Hollywood Reporter|url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/chloe-sevigny-make-directorial-debut-853380|title=Chloe Sevigny to Make Directorial Debut With 'Kitty'|author=Vlessing, Etan|date=January 8, 2016|access-date=January 8, 2018}}

Other ventures

Skye is a painter, and sells her own works.{{cite web|url=http://www.ioneskyepaintings.com/gallery|title=Ione Skye Paintings: Gallery|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120823182406/http://www.ioneskyepaintings.com/gallery|archive-date=August 23, 2012}} She also wrote the children's book My Yiddish Vacation, published by Henry Holt and Company in May 2014.{{cite book|author=Skye, Ione|title=My Yiddish Vacation|publisher=Henry Holt and Company|year=2014|isbn= 978-0-8050-9512-8}} Skye has cited comic book artist Daniel Clowes as an inspiration for her painting and writing.

Personal life

Beginning when she was 16, Skye had a relationship with Red Hot Chili Peppers singer Anthony Kiedis who was 24 at the time. Skye was supposed to appear as the cover model on the band's 1989 album, Mother's Milk however the label felt she looked "a little young" (she was 18) so they used a different model. In January 2025, Skye posted the unused photo to her Instagram page saying that "it made me feel a little insecure to shoot it then not have it being used."{{cite web|url= https://www.instagram.com/p/DFBmhXxhcAg/|title= This was the original unused album cover with me, for the Chili Peppers "Mothers Milk" album cover. |access-date= March 1, 2025|author= Skye, Ione|date=January 2025|publisher= Instagram}} In Skye's 2025 memoir Say Everything, Skye claims that when she was 17 years old, Kiedis got her pregnant and he paid for her abortion. "I was taking care of myself now, making a choice that felt good and important for my future. I would not have a baby at 17, with someone who didn't want to be a dad, wouldn't commit to me and had anger issues. Not to mention the heroin." Skye said she was inspired to tell her life story due to social media critics that questioned her romance with Kiedis. "These girls on TikTok were saying things like, 'How could my mom let me be with Anthony?' And I sort of clapped back. Not in an aggressive way, but I was like, 'Well, my mom was really upset that I was with a rockstar like Anthony Kiedis.' And I don't know, I kind of started feeling like I was able to tell my side of the story, and I had a lot to tell."{{cite web|url= https://pagesix.com/2025/03/07/celebrity-news/actress-ione-skye-claims-red-hot-chili-peppers-frontman-anthony-kiedis-got-her-pregnant-at-17-paid-for-abortion/?utm_source=facebook&utm_campaign=pagesix&utm_medium=social&fbclid=IwY2xjawI5q4VleHRuA2FlbQIxMQABHcuFgwf_OsPdjebZMnuAAPb31vy2ECjm3Rxk5sIjEN7o1jKYKQQLHvkr3g_aem_f1TTa2z1IyDCjT7VW6kOCw|title= Actress Ione Skye claims Red Hot Chili Peppers frontman Anthony Kiedis got her pregnant at 17, paid for abortion|access-date= March 8, 2025|author= Skye, Ione|date=March 7, 2025|publisher= Page Six}}

In 1992, Skye married Adam Horovitz, a member of the Beastie Boys.{{cite web |url=http://www.people.com/people/article/0,,20308590,00.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091001152843/http://www.people.com/people/article/0,,20308590,00.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=October 1, 2009 |title=Ben Lee, Ione Skye Welcome a Daughter – Babies, Ben Lee, Ione Skye|publisher= People magazine|access-date=August 30, 2010|author= Leon, Anya}} They separated in 1995, got back together in 1996, and separated for good later that year and divorced in 2000.

Skye then had a relationship with furniture designer David Netto.{{cite web |title=THIS CHARMING MAN: DAVID NETTO |url=https://www.toddsnyder.com/blogs/editorials/david-netto |publisher=Todd Snyder}} They had a daughter, Kate, born in December 2001. Skye's Hollywood home and Netto's New York City apartment were featured in the February 2003 issue of Vogue. The two were engaged, but eventually separated.{{cite journal|title=A Tale of Two Cities|author=Sykes, Plum |journal= Vogue|date=February 2003|page=275}}

In 2008, Skye became engaged to Australian musician Ben Lee. On December 29, 2008, Skye and Lee married in a Hindu wedding ceremony in India.{{cite web|work=People|url=https://people.com/celebrity/a-wedding-in-india-for-actress-ione-skye/|title=A Wedding in India for Actress Ione Skye|date=January 11, 2009|access-date=January 8, 2018|author=Chi, Paul}} They have a daughter, Goldie Priya, born September 24, 2009.{{cite web|url= http://uk.eonline.com/uberblog/b146311_Ione_Skye_and_Ben_Lee_Say_Baby_.html|title= Ione Skye and Ben Lee Say Baby!|access-date= September 28, 2009|author= Greenberg, Josh|date=September 28, 2009|publisher= E! Online}}

In a 2015 interview, Skye discussed her struggle with addiction, including bouts with alcoholism and other drug use.{{cite web|url=https://www.thefix.com/saying-something-about-sobriety-celebrity-12-questions-ione-skye|work=The Fix|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170519053837/https://www.thefix.com/saying-something-about-sobriety-celebrity-12-questions-ione-skye|archive-date=May 19, 2017|title=Innocence is a Virtue—The Fix Q&A; with Ione Skye|author=Lavitt, John|date=December 11, 2015|access-date=December 30, 2017}}

In her 2025 memoir Say Everything, Skye wrote that she discovered her bisexuality during her marriage to Adam Horovitz. This led to her embarking on affairs with women, including model Jenny Shimizu and singer-songwriter Alice Temple. She eventually slept with former co-stars John Cusack and Matthew Perry, years after working together on Say Anything and A Night in the Life of Jimmy Reardon respectively.{{citeweb|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/ione-skye-memoir-revelations-john-cusak-matthew-perry-b2709062.html|title=From sleeping with John Cusack to ‘emotionally distant’ Matthew Perry: The four biggest revelations from Ione Skye’s new memoir|first=Kaleigh|last=Werner|work=Independent|date=March 5, 2025|accessdate=March 8, 2025}}

Filmography

= Film =

class="wikitable sortable"
Year ! Title ! Role ! class="unsortable" \| Notes
1986 \| River's Edge \| Clarissa \|
1987 \| Stranded \| Deirdre Clark \|
1988 \| {{sortname\|A\|Night in the Life of Jimmy Reardon}} \| Denise Hunter \|
rowspan="2" \| 1989 \| Say Anything... \| Diane Court \|
{{sortname\|The\|Rachel Papers}} \| Rachel Noyce \|
rowspan="2" \| 1990 \| Mindwalk \| Kit Hoffman \|
{{sortname\|The\|Color of Evening\|nolink=1}} \| Halys Smith \|
1991 \| Samantha \| Elaine \|
rowspan="3" \| 1992 \| Gas Food Lodging \| Trudi \|
Wayne's World \| Elyse \|
Guncrazy \| Joy Kincaid \|
1994 \| Girls in Prison \| Carol Madison \|
1995 \| Four Rooms \| Eva \| Segment: "The Missing Ingredient"
rowspan="3" \| 1996 \| Cityscrapes: Los Angeles \| Young Woman \|
Dream for an Insomniac \| Frankie \|
{{sortname\|The\|Size of Watermelons\|nolink=1}} \| Maggie \|
1997 \| One Night Stand \| Jenny \|
1998 \| Went to Coney Island on a Mission from God... Be Back by Five \| Gabby \|
rowspan="3" \| 1999 \| Mascara \| Rebecca \|
Jump \| Stephanie \|
But I'm a Cheerleader \| Kelly \| Uncredited
rowspan="4" \| 2000 \| {{sortname\|The\|Good Doctor\|nolink=1}} \| Nadia Wickham \| Short film
Men Make Women Crazy Theory \| Unknown \| Short film
Moonglow \| Unknown
Tower of the Firstborn \| Diane Shannon \|
rowspan="4" \| 2001 \| Southlander: Diary of a Desperate Musician \| Miss Highrise \|
Free \| Catherine \|
Angryman \| Unknown \|
Chicken Night \| Mama \| Short film
2003 \| Spin, Shoot & Run \| Jolynn \|
rowspan="2" \| 2005 \| Fever Pitch \| Molly \|
Bad Girls Behind Bars \| Unknown \|
2006 \| The Lather Effect \| Zoey \|
2007 \| Zodiac \| Kathleen Johns \| Uncredited
2009 \| {{sortname\|My\|Father's Will\|nolink=1}} \| Diana Mancini \| Also known as: The Homeless Billionaire, A Secret Promise
rowspan="2" \| 2013 \| Return to Babylon \| Virginia Rappe \|
Haunt \| Emily Asher \|
rowspan="2" \| 2015 \| Monsters \| Marie \| Short film
Ingrid \| Helena \| Short film
rowspan="3" \| 2016 \| Dear Eleanor \| Charlotte \|
Kitty \| Mother \| Short film
XOXO \| Susan \|
2020 \| Holy New York \| Dalia \|
2021 \| Habit \| Sunny \|
2025 \| Anaconda \| Malie McCallister \| Post-production

class="wikitable sortable"

Year

! Title

! Role

! class="unsortable" | Notes

1986

| River's Edge

| Clarissa

1987

| Stranded

| Deirdre Clark

1988

| {{sortname|A|Night in the Life of Jimmy Reardon}}

| Denise Hunter

rowspan="2" | 1989

| Say Anything...

| Diane Court

{{sortname|The|Rachel Papers}}

| Rachel Noyce

rowspan="2" | 1990

| Mindwalk

| Kit Hoffman

{{sortname|The|Color of Evening|nolink=1}}

| Halys Smith

1991

| Samantha

| Elaine

rowspan="3" | 1992

| Gas Food Lodging

| Trudi

Wayne's World

| Elyse

Guncrazy

| Joy Kincaid

1994

| Girls in Prison

| Carol Madison

1995

| Four Rooms

| Eva

| Segment: "The Missing Ingredient"

rowspan="3" | 1996

| Cityscrapes: Los Angeles

| Young Woman

Dream for an Insomniac

| Frankie

{{sortname|The|Size of Watermelons|nolink=1}}

| Maggie

1997

| One Night Stand

| Jenny

1998

| Went to Coney Island on a Mission from God... Be Back by Five

| Gabby

rowspan="3" | 1999

| Mascara

| Rebecca

Jump

| Stephanie

But I'm a Cheerleader

| Kelly

| Uncredited

rowspan="4" | 2000

| {{sortname|The|Good Doctor|nolink=1}}

| Nadia Wickham

| Short film

Men Make Women Crazy Theory

| Unknown

| Short film

Moonglow

| Unknown

Tower of the Firstborn

| Diane Shannon

rowspan="4" | 2001

| Southlander: Diary of a Desperate Musician

| Miss Highrise

Free

| Catherine

Angryman

| Unknown

Chicken Night

| Mama

| Short film

2003

| Spin, Shoot & Run

| Jolynn

rowspan="2" | 2005

| Fever Pitch

| Molly

Bad Girls Behind Bars

| Unknown

2006

| The Lather Effect

| Zoey

2007

| Zodiac

| Kathleen Johns

| Uncredited

2009

| {{sortname|My|Father's Will|nolink=1}}

| Diana Mancini

| Also known as: The Homeless Billionaire, A Secret Promise

rowspan="2" | 2013

| Return to Babylon

| Virginia Rappe

Haunt

| Emily Asher

rowspan="2" | 2015

| Monsters

| Marie

| Short film

Ingrid

| Helena

| Short film

rowspan="3" | 2016

| Dear Eleanor

| Charlotte

Kitty

| Mother

| Short film

XOXO

| Susan

2020

| Holy New York

| Dalia

2021

| Habit

| Sunny

2025

| Anaconda

| Malie McCallister

| Post-production

= Television =

class="wikitable sortable"
Year ! Title ! Role ! class="unsortable" \| Notes
1987 \| Napoleon and Josephine: A Love Story \| Pauline Bonaparte \| Miniseries
1989 \| Nightmare Classics \| Marie \| Episode: "Carmilla"
1991 \| {{sortname\|The\|General Motors Playwrights Theater\|nolink=1}} \| Joanna Dibble \| Episode: "It's Called the Sugar Plum"
1992 \| Covington Cross \| Eleanor Grey \| 13 episodes
1994 \| Girls in Prison \| Carol Madison \| TV movie
1997 \| {{sortname\|The\|Perfect Mother\|nolink=1}} \| Kathryn M. Podaras \| Television film
1998 \| Tower of the Firstborn \| Diane Shannon \| Television film
2000 \| {{sortname\|The\|Fearing Mind\|nolink=1}} \| Irene \| Episode: "Gentleman Caller"
2002 \| {{sortname\|The\|Twilight Zone\|The Twilight Zone (2002 TV series)}} \| Melina Kroner \| Episode: "Night Route"
2003 \| {{sortname\|The\|Dead Zone\|The Dead Zone (TV series)}} \| Madeleine Wey \| Episode: "Visions"
rowspan="2" \| 2004 \| {{sortname\|The\|Clinic\|nolink=1}} \| Emma Matthews \| Television film
Back When We Were Grownups \| Minerva 'Min' Foo \| Television film
2005 \| Life As We Know It \| Food Stand Woman \| Episode: "Papa Wheelie"
2005–2019 \| Arrested Development \| Mrs. Veal \| 3 episodes
2006 \| 12 Hours to Live \| Megan Saunders \| Television film
2008 \| Private Practice \| Monica Daniels \| Episode: "Know When to Fold"
2010 \| {{sortname\|The\|Santa Incident\|nolink=1}} \| Joanna \| Television film
2014 \| Awkward. \| Samantha Perry \| Episode: "Welcome to Hell"
rowspan="2" \| 2018 \| UDrive Me \| Tammi \|
Camping \| Carleen \|7 episodes
2020 \| Good Girls \| Gayle Meyer \|5 episodes
rowspan="2" \| 2021 \| Made for Love \|Lottie \|Episode: "User One"
La Brea \| Jessica Harris \| Recurring role
2022 \| Barons \|Marilyn Hunter \|5 episodes
2023 \| Beef \|Mysterious Woman \| Episode: "The Drama of Original Choice"

class="wikitable sortable"

Year

! Title

! Role

! class="unsortable" | Notes

1987

| Napoleon and Josephine: A Love Story

| Pauline Bonaparte

| Miniseries

1989

| Nightmare Classics

| Marie