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Mena Suvari

Mena Suvari

Actor, also producer · Born February 13, 1979 (47) · Newport, Rhode Island, USA

Screen Actors Guild Award winner · Primetime Emmy nominee · BAFTA Award nominee

Mena Alexandra Suvari (born February 13, 1979) is an American actress, producer, fashion designer, and model. She's best known for her roles as Angela Hayes in American Beauty, Heather in the American Pie film series, Coty Pierce in Kiss the Girls, Edie on HBO's Six Feet Under (for which she earned a Screen Actors Guild nomination), Francesca Bonacieux in The Musketeer (2001), Joanne in Beauty Shop, Annie Huttinger in Rumor Has It..., Isabella on the second season of NBC's Chicago Fire, Maria Abascal on WEtv's South of Hell, and Kathleen on Paramount's dramedy American Woman. After beginning her career as a model and guest-starring on several television shows, she made her film debut in the 1997 drama Nowhere. She rose to international prominence with her appearances in the critically acclaimed drama American Beauty (1999), for which she received a BAFTA nomination for Best Supporting Actress. Her other notable film credits include Slums of Beverly Hills (1998), The Rage: Carrie 2 (1999), Loser (2000), Sugar & Spice (2001), Sonny (2002), Spun (2003), Trauma (2004), Domino (2005), Factory Girl (2006), Brooklyn Rules, Stuck (both 2007), Day of the Dead (2008), and You May Not Kiss the Bride (2010). She also portrayed Elizabeth Short in the anthology series American Horror Story: Murder House (2011), and reprised the part in American Horror Story: Apocalypse (2018). She has been a model for Lancôme cosmetics and print ads for Lancôme Paris Adaptîve, as well as a long-time supporter and activist for the Starlight Children's Foundation and the African Medical and Research Foundation. She is married and has one child. Description above from the Wikipedia article Mena Suvari, licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia.

Read more

Biography from TMDB.

Born
February 13, 1979 (47)
From
Newport, Rhode Island, USA
Works as
Actor, also producer
Titles
75 on Motif · 102 credits in all
Links
IMDb (opens in a new tab)TMDB (opens in a new tab)Wikidata (opens in a new tab)

Known for

TMDB popularity, last 157 days to Oct 28Down 21% in 30 days

What are Mena Suvari's films like?

Across their 59 Motif titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Survival and Bonds.

Genres

Comedy17 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 30th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Comedy movies
Drama11 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 40th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Drama movies
Action10 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 12th percentile
: browse their Action movies
Crime9 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 17th percentile
: browse their Crime movies
Biography3 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 35th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Biography movies
Horror3 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 4th percentile
: browse their Horror movies

Their Motif films by primary genre. The badge is the typical Midcredits score of the genre's films, the median percentile; an up arrow marks a genre at or above their average across these genres.

Themes

share of theme weight
Survival
27%
Bonds
26%
Self
20%
Morality
16%
Society
6%
Power
4%
Ideas
1%
Family bonds20 titles, browse their movies with this themeSurvival16 titles, browse their movies with this themeRomantic love11 titles, browse their movies with this themeComing of age6 titles, browse their movies with this themeIdentity7 titles, browse their movies with this themeJustice9 titles, browse their movies with this themeTrauma8 titles, browse their movies with this themeGrief8 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 58 films
ToneFeelDemandtheir average · filled zone: the category
Serious: How heavy the subject matter and outlook get. Browse their serious movies.
Tone · Weight
lightdark

A split, not a type: Light 24 · Serious 9 · Dark 25

Grounded: How far its world departs from everyday reality. Browse their grounded movies.
Tone · Style
naturalisticheightened

Grounded 41 · Stylized 8 · Heightened 9

Charged: How hard the emotional peaks hit while you watch. Browse their charged movies.
Feel · Intensity
gentleintense

Gentle 12 · Charged 24 · Intense 22

Shifting: How much it swings between very different feelings. Browse their shifting movies.
Feel · Swings
steadyswings

Steady 18 · Shifting 34 · Whiplash 6

Some laughs: How much of the runtime is played for laughs. Browse their some laughs movies.
Feel · Humor
noneconstant

A split, not a type: Straight-faced 34 · Some laughs 11 · Funny 13

Even-paced: How fast it moves from scene to scene. Browse their even-paced movies.
Demand · Pace
slowrelentless

Slow burn 17 · Even-paced 33 · Relentless 8

Engaged: How much focus it asks of you — look away and lose the thread? Browse their engaged movies.
Demand · Attention
casualfull focus

Casual 25 · Engaged 28 · Full focus 5

Affecting: How much it costs you emotionally; whether you need recovery time. Browse their affecting movies.
Demand · Emotional cost
easyheavy

A split, not a type: Easy watch 23 · Affecting 17 · Heavy 18

Resolved: How much is left for you to interpret. Browse their resolved movies.
Demand · Resolution
resolvedambiguous

Resolved 33 · Open-ended 18 · Ambiguous 7

Roles they play

42 analyzed roles

Usually the Hero: 12 of 42 analyzed roles.

Hero
12 of 42
Ally
7 of 42
Shadow
7 of 42
Herald
6 of 42
Shapeshifter
5 of 42
Trickster
3 of 42
Threshold guardian
1 of 42
Mentor
1 of 42
Show the 42 roles

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Tense
37
Dread
20
Melancholic
26
Absurd
11
Joyful
9
Other
51

How their films linger

Unsettling28 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFeel-good15 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteBittersweet16 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFun13 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteThought-provoking12 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHopeful10 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end · 14 with a twist

  • Happy15
  • Bittersweet23
  • Tragic4
  • Ambiguous17

AI-generated from each title's plot synopsis and cast list, with extra plot summaries, reviews and Parents Guide notes for titles the model may not know, and the model's own knowledge of the ones it recognizes. Only analyzed titles count, so this covers part of the filmography; the feel axes count films only for now.

Where can I watch Mena Suvari's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 60 of their 75 Motif titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on Tubi (39).

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for Mena Suvari's titles on Motif; rent and buy are not counted. Titles are listed by Midcredits score, highest first, at most 12 per service; a dashed chip is a producer credit or a minor one, such as a thanks. A service opens the browse page, which counts movies only, so its number can differ.

Filmography

102 credits, 75 with a Motif page; 15 appearances as themselves are hidden until asked for.

  • Down the Arm of God(2026)

    as Anna

    Midcredits score: 99th percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)

  • Vampires of the Velvet Lounge(2026)

    as Elizabeth

    Midcredits score: 10th percentile of all films

  • The Dresden Sun(2026)

    as Asha

    Midcredits score: 2nd percentile of all films

  • Fireflies at El Mozote(2025)

    as Sarah

    Midcredits score: 31st percentile of all films

  • The Wrecker(2025)

    as Cheryl

    Midcredits score: 69th percentile of all films

  • What Comes Next (not in the Motif catalog yet)(2025)

    as Laura

  • Time of Death(2025)

    as Dr. Allison Burrell

    Midcredits score: 18th percentile of all films

  • Ick(2024)

    as Staci

    Midcredits score: 26th percentile of all films

  • All There Is (not in the Motif catalog yet)(2025)

    as Zoe

  • Beyond the Rush (not in the Motif catalog yet)(2024)

    as Leah Grievess

  • Reagan(2024)

    as Jane Wyman

    Midcredits score: 49th percentile of all films

  • Holy Smokes (not in the Motif catalog yet)(2024)

    as Mommy

  • Prey(2024)

    as Sue

    Midcredits score: 14th percentile of all films

  • Breakwater(2023)

    as Kendra

    Midcredits score: 23rd percentile of all films

  • All You Need Is Blood(2023)

    as Vivien Vance

    Midcredits score: 26th percentile of all films

  • Dark Obsession(2023)

    as Maya

    Midcredits score: 57th percentile of all films

  • Hunt Club(2022)

    as Cassandra

    Midcredits score: 2nd percentile of all films

  • Twisted Sister(2023)

    as Emily

    Midcredits score: 12th percentile of all films

  • The Accursed(2022)

    as Alma

    Midcredits score: 3rd percentile of all films

  • House of Chains(2022)

    as Laura McGrath

    Midcredits score: 53rd percentile of all films

  • Deadly Cheer Mom(2022)

    as Deb

    Midcredits score: 25th percentile of all films

  • The Greatest Inheritance(2022)

    as Rachel Dubose

    Midcredits score: 19th percentile of all films

  • Back Home Again (not in the Motif catalog yet)(2021)

    as Mena Vulpes (voice)

  • Fourth Grade(2021)

    as Barbara

    Midcredits score: 10th percentile of all films

  • Grace and Grit(2021)

    as Treya Wilber

    Midcredits score: 35th percentile of all films

  • Locked In(2021)

    as Maggie

    Midcredits score: 12th percentile of all films

  • Paradise Cove(2021)

    as Tracey

    Midcredits score: 4th percentile of all films

  • What Lies Below(2020)

    as Michelle Wells

    Midcredits score: 12th percentile of all films

  • Don't Tell a Soul(2020)

    as Carol

    Midcredits score: 40th percentile of all films

  • The Murder of Nicole Brown Simpson(2019)

    Executive Producer · as Nicole Brown Simpson

    Midcredits score: 1st percentile of all films

  • Apparition(2019)

    as Anna Collins

    Midcredits score: 4th percentile of all films

  • American Woman (not in the Motif catalog yet)(2018)

    Show 11 episodes · as Kathleen

  • Becks(2017)

    as Elyse

    Midcredits score: 55th percentile of all films

  • Psych: The Movie(2017)

    as Allison Cowley

    Midcredits score: 90th percentile of all films

  • Justice League Action(2016)

    Show 1 episode · as Killer Frost (voice)

    Midcredits score: 68th percentile of all shows

  • I'll Be Home for Christmas(2016)

    as Jackie

    Midcredits score: 48th percentile of all films

  • South of Hell(2015)

    Show 8 episodes · as Maria Abascal

    Midcredits score: 7th percentile of all shows

  • Badge of Honor(2015)

    as Jessica Dawson

    Midcredits score: 14th percentile of all films

  • The Opposite Sex(2014)

    as Jane

    Midcredits score: 7th percentile of all films

  • Don't Blink(2014)

    Producer · as Tracy

    Midcredits score: 12th percentile of all films

  • Clarence(2013)

    Show 4 episodes · as Cynthia (voice) · as Cynthia / Baby (voice) · as Cynthia / Finsy (voice) · as Cynthia / Store Clerk / Grandma (voice) · as Cynthia / Video Game Voice (voice)

    Midcredits score: 55th percentile of all shows

  • Lakewood Plaza Turbo (not in the Motif catalog yet)(2013)

    as Enid / Ginger (voice)

  • Stalkers(2013)

    as Ivy Hinks

    Midcredits score: 17th percentile of all films

  • Chicago Fire(2012)

    Show 7 episodes · as Isabella

    Midcredits score: 87th percentile of all shows

  • The Knot (not in the Motif catalog yet)(2012)

    as Sarah

  • American Reunion(2012)

    as Heather

    Midcredits score: 64th percentile of all films

  • Restitution(2011)

    as Heather

    Midcredits score: 4th percentile of all films

  • American Horror Story(2011)

    Show 2 episodes · as Elizabeth Short

    Midcredits score: 87th percentile of all shows

  • You May Not Kiss the Bride(2011)

    as Tonya

    Midcredits score: 26th percentile of all films

  • No Surrender(2011)

    as Amelia Davis

    Midcredits score: 19th percentile of all films

  • The Cape(2011)

    Show 1 episode · as Tracey Jerrod / Dice

    Midcredits score: 10th percentile of all shows

  • Sex and Lies in Sin City(2008)

    as Sindy Murphy

    Midcredits score: 13th percentile of all films

  • Day of the Dead(2008)

    as Sarah Bowman

    Midcredits score: 7th percentile of all films

  • The Mysteries of Pittsburgh(2008)

    as Phlox Lombardi

    Midcredits score: 19th percentile of all films

  • The Garden of Eden(2008)

    as Catherine Bourne

    Midcredits score: 21st percentile of all films

  • Stuck(2007)

    Associate Producer · as Brandi Boski

    Midcredits score: 57th percentile of all films

  • Brooklyn Rules(2007)

    as Ellen

    Midcredits score: 48th percentile of all films

  • Factory Girl(2006)

    as Richie Berlin

    Midcredits score: 53rd percentile of all films

  • The Dog Problem(2006)

    as Jules

    Midcredits score: 50th percentile of all films

  • Caffeine(2006)

    as Vanessa

    Midcredits score: 30th percentile of all films

  • Edmond(2005)

    as Prostitute

    Midcredits score: 51st percentile of all films

  • Psych(2006)

    Show 1 episode · as Allison Cowley

    Midcredits score: 95th percentile of all shows

  • Jamie Kennedy's Blowin' Up (not in the Motif catalog yet)(2006)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • Orpheus (not in the Motif catalog yet)(2006)

    as Sue Ellen

  • Rumor Has It...(2005)

    as Annie Huttinger

    Midcredits score: 19th percentile of all films

  • Domino(2005)

    as Kimmie

    Midcredits score: 37th percentile of all films

  • Beauty Shop(2005)

    as Joanne

    Midcredits score: 42nd percentile of all films

  • Standing Still(2005)

    as Lana

    Midcredits score: 25th percentile of all films

  • Trauma(2004)

    as Charlotte

    Midcredits score: 13th percentile of all films

  • Spun(2002)

    as Cookie

    Midcredits score: 70th percentile of all films

  • Sonny(2002)

    as Carol

    Midcredits score: 25th percentile of all films

  • The Musketeer(2001)

    as Francesca Bonacieux

    Midcredits score: 9th percentile of all films

  • American Pie 2(2001)

    as Heather

    Midcredits score: 56th percentile of all films

  • Six Feet Under(2001)

    Show 8 episodes · as Edie

    Midcredits score: 97th percentile of all shows

  • Sugar & Spice(2001)

    as Kansas Hill

    Midcredits score: 46th percentile of all films

  • Loser(2000)

    as Dora Diamond

    Midcredits score: 20th percentile of all films

  • American Virgin(1999)

    as Katrina

    Midcredits score: 1st percentile of all films

  • American Beauty(1999)

    as Angela Hayes

    Midcredits score: 99th percentile of all films

  • American Pie(1999)

    as Heather

    Midcredits score: 77th percentile of all films

  • Atomic Train (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1999)

    Show 2 episodes · as Grace Seger

  • The Rage: Carrie 2(1999)

    as Lisa Parker

    Midcredits score: 13th percentile of all films

  • Slums of Beverly Hills(1998)

    as Rachel Hoffman

    Midcredits score: 70th percentile of all films

  • Kiss the Girls(1997)

    as Coty Pierce

    Midcredits score: 64th percentile of all films

  • Snide and Prejudice (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1997)

    as Geli Raubal

  • Nowhere(1997)

    as Zoe

    Midcredits score: 73rd percentile of all films

  • High Incident (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1996)

    Show 1 episode · as Jill Marsh

  • ER(1994)

    Show 1 episode · as Laura-Lee Armitage

    Midcredits score: 88th percentile of all shows

  • Chicago Hope (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1994)

    Show 1 episode · as Ivy Moore

  • Boy Meets World(1993)

    Show 1 episode · as Hilary · as Laura

    Midcredits score: 92nd percentile of all shows

  • Anatomy of the Sun (not in the Motif catalog yet)

    Actor

  • Briefcase, 8 (not in the Motif catalog yet)

    Actor

  • Death of a Brewer (not in the Motif catalog yet)

    Actor

  • Devoted (not in the Motif catalog yet)

    as Sarah

  • GRQ the Movie (not in the Motif catalog yet)

    as Viola

  • Kill Me Now (not in the Motif catalog yet)

    Actor

  • Organism 46-B The Unseen (not in the Motif catalog yet)

    as Dr Alexandria King

  • Rough Draft (not in the Motif catalog yet)

    as Annabelle

  • RZR Cyber Protocol (not in the Motif catalog yet)

    as Det. Thompson

  • Strobe (not in the Motif catalog yet)

    as Jessica

  • The Greatest Actress in the World (not in the Motif catalog yet)

    Actor

  • The Incredible Edible (not in the Motif catalog yet)

    Actor

  • Unbearable Christmas (not in the Motif catalog yet)

    Actor

Career shape

Star power in the 99th percentile of 239,109 people with a billed film role, over a full career of 102 titles, 89 of them dated from 1993 to 2026; peak year 2006.

Biggest box office

American Beauty (1999)

$356M worldwide

Highest rated

American Beauty (1999)

Midcredits 99th

Most popular right now

American Reunion (2012)

Film career

MilestoneAward winNomination
19932026

Peak 2006 · back in prominent film roles after a quiet stretch. Top draw in 23 Motif titles. Film roles by billing, audience size and rating; 25+ votes. A show carries a single first-air date, so shows are not on the curve.

By role

only this rolewith another role
Acting102 of 102: 100 only acting, 2 with another role · typical Midcredits score26thProducing2 of 102: 0 only producing, 2 with another role

By decade

1990s12 · acting2000s26 · 26 acting · 1 crew2010s21 · acting2020s30 · 30 acting · 1 crew

Billing

usually 4th · top billed in 15% of 47 roles
970207121722

Counts from TMDB across their full career, self appearances out; a title counts in every role they held on it. The ring is the typical Midcredits score (the median percentile) of the role's titles that are on Motif, shown from 5 scored. Billing is TMDB cast order for roles with 25+ votes, billed in the top 30; the columns are the share of top-billed roles in each era, 5-year spans from the year on the label, merged until each holds at least 5 roles.

Awards

a Screen Actors Guild Award from 4 major nominations, 2000–2024.

WinNomination
  1. 2024
    • Primetime Emmy, nominated · Outstanding Performer in a Short Form Comedy or Drama Series
  2. 2005
    • Screen Actors Guild Award, nominated · Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series
  3. 2000
    • BAFTA Award, nominated · Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role
    • Screen Actors Guild Award, won · Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Theatrical Motion Picture

Major bodies only: the Oscars, Primetime Emmys, Golden Globes, BAFTAs and Screen Actors Guild Awards are named; Cannes, Venice, the Berlinale, Sundance, the directors', writers' and producers' guilds, the Grammys, Critics Choice and the Independent Spirit Awards count as other major bodies. Festival and regional prizes are not counted. Source: IMDb.

How do Mena Suvari's films land?

Their typical Motif film has a Midcredits score in the 25th percentile, the median of all 65; across their 58 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 25th percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

25thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 58

Approval · how many liked their films

23rdpercentile
Typical film, the median of 58

Reach · how many have seen their films

75thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 58

Midcredits score across 75 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up10
  • 50th to 74th16
  • 25th to 49th16
  • Below 25th33

Shape of the crowd

43 of their 75 titles are Mixed.

  • Universally Loved8
  • Universally Panned5
  • Cult Classic2
  • Crowd Pleaser15
  • Broadly Agreed2
  • Mixed43

Most divisive · actor

The Greatest Inheritance (2022)

88th percentile spread · 50% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · actor

American Beauty (1999)

Midcredits 99th · 90% liked

Reviewers score the acting 55/100 in their films, across 57 reviewed titles; fans 74, detractors 34. The element that speaks to their work as an actor.

Percentiles are each film's standing among all films on Motif; the typical film is the median, so one outlier cannot drag it. Percentiles and reviewer scores count the films IMDb credits them on, for now; the Midcredits score bands, the shape of the crowd and the two cards count their Motif titles, shows included (a show ranked among shows), appearances as themselves left out. A descriptor is the shape of a title's IMDb rating distribution against the catalog; "most divisive" needs a spread wider than half of all titles, and a card names only a principal credit: a craft role, and on a show a crew role or a run of episodes, never a courtesy credit or a one-off guest spot.

Is Mena Suvari's work okay for kids?

Across up to 26 Motif titles with content scores, violence & gore, sex & nudity, profanity, alcohol & drugs and frightening / intense run heavier than most films.

Their medianMedian of all filmsMiddle 80% of their titles
Violence & Gore13 titles17–83 · median 57 · moderateheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 44
Sex & Nudity26 titles25–74 · median 51 · moderateheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 32
Profanity13 titles47–90 · median 81 · severeheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 36
Alcohol & Drugs10 titles19–70 · median 54 · moderateheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 33
Frightening / Intense11 titles4–69 · median 57 · moderateheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 39

Severity 0–100 from the Content Guide. Categories with under 10 votes on a title are not counted. The band's colour is the severity of their median, named beside it.

Who does Mena Suvari work with?

People who share at least 2 of Mena Suvari's Motif titles, grouped by what they did on them; Nick Stahl shares the most, 3.

Writers

Actors

Composers, cinematographers and editors

Producers