'''Mia Kirshner''' (born January 25, 1976 http://www.mia-kirshner.com/faq/) is a Canadian actress who works in movies and television series.
Born in Toronto, Ontario, she is a granddaughter of Holocaust survivors. Her father, Sheldon, a journalist for The ''Canadian Jewish News'', was born in a displaced person camp in Germany in 1946. He met her mother, Etti, a Bulgarian Jewish refugee, in Israel. Kirshner has a younger sister.
In 1993 she played a dominatrix in Denys Arcand's movie ''Love and Human Remains''. She won a Genie nomination for Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role. The year after she starred in Atom Egoyan's ''
Exotica'', yet another time showing her talents as an actress. Her performance in ''
Exotica'' won her a Cannes Critics Choice Award.
After working for a decade in film and television, Kirshner became well known when she starred in the first three episodes of ''24'' as bisexual terrorist Mandy, in 2001.
Mia Kirshner studied Russian literature and 20th century movie industry at McGill University in Montreal.
In 2006, she will star in Brian De Palma's upcoming movie ''
The Black Dahlia'', alongside Josh Hartnett, Aaron Eckhart, Scarlett Johansson and Hilary Swank. Kirshner will be playing the young actress Elizabeth Short, who was horrifically murdered in 1947.
She is also working on the book ''I Live Here''. In the book, woman and children refugees from dangerous places such as Chechnya, Juarez (Mexico) and Africa will tell their disturbing life stories. It will be published in Canada in 2006.
Kirshner has been portraying Jenny Schecter on the hit Showtime series, ''
The L Word'' since it began airing in 2004. Mia will reprise her role in season four, set to start airing early 2007 on Showtime.
She also appeared in Marilyn Manson's 2001 Music video of the 80's cover of "Tainted Love".
Selected filmography
*The Black Dahlia (2006) - Elizabeth Short
*The L Word (2004-) - Jenny Schecter
*New Best Friend (2002) - Alicia Campbell
*Not Another Teen Movie (2001) - Catherine
*24 (2001-?) - Mandy
*Mad City (1997) - Laurie Callahan
*Anna Karenina (1997) - Kitty
*The Crow: City of Angels (1996) - Sarah
*Murder in the First - Adult Rosetta Young
*Exotica (1994) - Christina
See also
* List of female movie actors
