Chloë Sevigny has spent decades carving out a singular space in cinema, fashion, and culture. An actor, director, model, and perennial style icon, she is a former "It Girl" extraordinaire. For a long time, an indie queen whose early work in Kids, Last Days of Disco, Boys Don't Cry (for which she earned an Oscar nomination), American Psycho, and the infamous Brown Bunny gave her a unique standing in the industry. However, her movie career took a somewhat unexpected turn.
The reason? She never liked playing the game when it came to chasing down roles in studio productions, and seemed resigned to the loss of her Hollywood mojo.
Instead, she turned to TV where she gained critical acclaim and a measure of mainstream recognition for her starring role in HBO's Big Love, American Horror Story and Bloodline, which ran for five years, before landing the likes of Feud: Capote vs The Swans and Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story.
Inevitably, big screen success returned with The Dead Don't Die and the unsettling depths of Bones and All, yet the 50-year-old remains a figure synonymous with indie filmmaking. After all, Sevigny has worked with auteurs like Lars von Trier, Harmony Korine, and Luca Guadagnino, continually choosing projects that challenge both herself and the audience.
Beyond film, her offbeat yet elegant style has captivated designers for over two decades. Whether walking for Miu Miu or curating collections for Opening Ceremony, Sevigny remains a reference point for the intersection of high fashion and underground cool. It all began in 1992 when she became a model and intern for Sassy magazine, and she was soon a fixture on the New York 90s club scene. Sevigny shot to fame after Jay McInerney described her as one of "the coolest girls in the world" in a glowing November 1994 piece he wrote for The New Yorker, called "Chloe's Scene," which consecrated her as a Manhattan trendsetter.
Chloë, who hails from Connecticut and has previously dated director Ricky Saiz, as well as British pop star Jarvis Cocker, of Pulp fame, married Croatian art gallery director Siniša Mačković in 2020. Less than two months later, amid the COVID pandemic, she gave birth to a son.
In 2025, she returns to the screen in a trio of films: Atropia, Magic Farm, and After the Hunt, each offering a different shade of her formidable talent.
STRIPLV: Your upcoming film, Atropia, has been described as a psychological drama with a deeply immersive, almost dreamlike quality. What drew you to this role? SEVIGNY: The script immediately intrigued me. There was a sense of disorientation, a shifting reality, which I found compelling. I love projects that explore the psyche in a way that isn't straightforward—where the audience is left to piece things together. My character is navigating loss and perception in a way that felt very internal. It reminded me of some of the European films I grew up watching, where mood and texture were just as important as plot. STRIPLV: You've consistently chosen roles in independent and auteur-driven films. What keeps you coming back to these types of projects? SEVIGNY: It's about trust. When you work with directors who have a distinct vision, you know you're stepping into something with artistic integrity. Whether it's working with Harmony Korine in my early career or someone like Luca Guadagnino more recently, I feel most at home in environments where risk is encouraged. There's something about stripping away the polish of studio filmmaking that allows for a rawer, more instinctive approach to performance. STRIPLV: You also star in Magic Farm, which is a departure in terms of genre. Can you talk about your experience working on it? SEVIGNY: That project was such an unusual hybrid—part folk horror, part allegory. I was fascinated by the way the narrative played with myths and rural anxieties. There was a physicality to the role that I hadn't explored in a while, which was exciting. And the production design was stunning—almost like stepping into a moving painting. STRIPLV: Fashion has always been intertwined with your career. How do you see its role in your work as an actor? SEVIGNY: Wardrobe is essential in building a character. Sometimes, a single piece of clothing can dictate posture, movement, even attitude. I remember working on Lizzie in 2018 and how constricting those Victorian-era costumes were - it completely altered the way I carried myself, which fed into the performance. Outside of film, fashion has always been a creative outlet for me. It's an extension of self-expression, much like acting. STRIPLV: In the late '90s and early 2000s, you were one of the defining figures of downtown New York style. How do you feel about that legacy today? SEVIGNY: It's funny because at the time, I wasn't thinking about it in those terms. I was just wearing what I liked, mixing thrift-store finds with designer pieces, embracing contradictions. Now, looking back, I see how it resonated with people. There was a freedom then, before social media changed everything. Fashion felt more about discovery, about finding things in obscure places. I do miss that element of surprise. STRIPLV: You've directed short films and recently an episode of The Girl from Plainville. Do you envision yourself taking on more behind-the-camera roles? SEVIGNY: Absolutely. Directing offers a level of control and authorship that acting doesn't. I love shaping tone, working with actors, building something from the ground up. I'd like to move into feature filmmaking eventually, but I'm patient about it. I want to make sure I have something meaningful to say before taking on that challenge. STRIPLV: Your third upcoming film, After the Hunt, explores themes of guilt and moral ambiguity. What was the most challenging aspect of that role? SEVIGNY: The character is wrestling with past decisions, and that weight manifests in every interaction. It was a lesson in restraint, knowing when to reveal something and when to hold back. I had to trust the silences as much as the dialogue. The director and I talked a lot about stillness, about how sometimes the most powerful moments happen in quiet spaces. STRIPLV: How do you balance the unpredictability of independent filmmaking with the more structured world of fashion? SEVIGNY: They're actually quite similar. Both require adaptability and an openness to reinvention. In independent film, you're often working with limited resources, which forces you to be resourceful. In fashion, trends shift constantly, and you have to evolve with them. I suppose I've always enjoyed living in that space between the two worlds. STRIPLV: Looking ahead, what excites you most about the future? SEVIGNY: I think about legacy, not in an ego-driven way, but in terms of contributing to culture in a way that feels authentic. I want to keep working with directors who inspire me and keep exploring different creative avenues. And maybe, eventually, I'll take the plunge and make my own film. STRIPLV: Does work make you happy? SEVIGNY: I'm working a lot more now, which makes me happy. I'm also getting to be part of a lot of different kinds of projects that have allowed me to play some very interesting characters. Sometimes you go through stages where you're not finding roles that please you, and it can be frustrating. I love being able to do films that are really cutting edge and have a cult appeal, like Boys Don't Cry or American Psycho. The problem is, unless you've made films that have made big money, often you won't get cast in them. But I think some of the work, going back to American Horror Story and Bloodline, helped me find more good film roles. STRIPLV: You've long enjoyed a separate identity apart from your acting work as a fashionista and style guru. To be across two very different industries must be a fantastic feeling. SEVIGNY: It's a hobby as much as it is a passion of mine. I still love studying fashion magazines and looking to come up with ideas and looks that are a fun way for me to express myself. I look at fashion as a way of penetrating into the culture of young people and the new generation, and I try to understand how young people relate to each other through the clothes they wear. It's always fascinating for me. I still think a lot about what I wear. STRIPLV: You've spoken recently about trying to be more relaxed when you're out in public and dealing with the media? SEVIGNY: I've learned to develop a thick skin from that time, but it's still hard sometimes to deal with the haters out there who, for some reason, love to attack you. I don't understand that. And I still have trouble with the criticism you get from what you wear on the red carpet. I would like to be able to just not pay attention to that and just be very comfortable with who I am. STRIPLV: You became a mother in 2020. How has parenthood influenced your approach to work? SEVIGNY: Becoming a mother has changed everything—how I view time, how I choose roles, even how I carry myself on set. There's a heightened awareness of balance now. I want to be present for my child, but I also want to keep challenging myself artistically. It's about finding projects that feel truly worth the time away. STRIPLV: Has your stance against cyber-bullying been influenced by the fact that you have someone young to protect? SEVIGNY: I think so, yes. When having children, do look at the world as a slightly different place, and you certainly realise how vulnerable some are in society. My work with cyber-bullying organisations actually predates parenthood, but regardless of that, it is a very serious issue for children and adults, and remains an important social issue. As a teenager, there were a lot of days when I hated going to school because of all the bullying that went on. It's a terrible thing that young people have to live through, and cyber-bullying is an extension of that. STRIPLV: Finally, faith is something you've spoken about in the past. Do you still find time to attend church? SEVIGNY: Yes, it's something that remains important to me. It's about reflection, community, and taking a moment to step outside of the chaos of daily life. I think having some kind of spiritual anchor, whatever that may be, helps keep things in perspective.
STYLE REBELLION
Why Chloë Sevigny has never followed fashion trends—she's set them.
Chloë Sevigny has been called a style icon, but she bristles at the label. "I never really thought of it that way. I just wear what I like." Known for her fearless approach to fashion, Sevigny mixes high-end designers with thrift store finds, always managing to look effortlessly cool.
Her love of vintage stems from childhood. "I grew up thrifting with my mom. I liked finding things that no one else had," she says. That instinct has stayed with her, whether she's on a red carpet or strolling the streets of New York in a pair of well-worn sneakers and a perfectly oversized coat.
Sevigny has also dabbled in fashion design, collaborating with brands that reflect her eclectic taste. "I think style should be fun, personal. It's about attitude, not trends."
Her golden rule? Ignore the rules. "The best outfits are the ones that make you feel like yourself," she says. "Even if no one else gets it."