How ‘A Knight’s Tale’ and ‘Rules of Attraction’ Star Shannyn Sossamon Went From ’00s It Girl to Low-Key Indie Actress

With her soulful gaze, perfect pout and impeccably placed beauty mark, Shannyn Sossamon was one of the ultimate '00s It Girls. Best known for her roles in edgy, youthful movies like A Knight’s Tale , 40 Days and 40 Nights , The Rules of Attraction and Wristcutters: A Love Story , Sossamon came across as simultaneously gritty and glamorous — a mix of qualities that feel somewhat rare in today’s young adult films.

After her string of '00s films, Sossamon seemed to fall off the radar, but as it turns out, the actress prefers it that way, and at 45, she continues to act in smaller projects. Here’s a look back at her rise to fame and what she’s been up to in recent years.

From model/DJ to movie star

Shannyn Sossamon was born Shannon Marie Kahololani Sossamon (yep, she added the Y to her first name herself, saying, "I actually wish I’d changed my whole name. I never felt like a Shannon. So I added the Y " ) in Hawaii in 1978. In 1995, she moved to Los Angeles, where she studied dance and worked as a DJ. During this time, she also modeled, appearing in commercials and music videos.

As a model/DJ, Sossamon established her cool girl bona fides before she even had any acting credits to her name, and soon enough, she was discovered in a truly hipster fashion. While deejaying at Gwyneth Paltrow ’s birthday party, Sossamon was spotted by a casting director. She was initially skeptical of the offer, and later claimed she was bored at the party and only stayed there an hour, but that was enough to land her her very first film role, as the casting director called her six months later asking her to audition for the 2001 movie A Knight’s Tale .

After starring as Heath Ledger ’s feisty love interest in the anachronistic medieval period piece, Sossamon was in high demand. She then starred opposite another hunk of the era, Josh Hartnett , in the 2002 sex comedy 40 Days and 40 Nights . That same year, she was in the ensemble cast of the college-set literary adaptation The Rules of Attraction .

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In 2003, in her early 20s, Sossamon gave birth to her first child, the unconventionally named Audio Science Clayton , with her then-partner, writer and illustrator Dallas Clayton . As a young new mom, she stepped out of the spotlight for a few years, and came back with a supporting role in the 2005 crime movie Kiss Kiss Bang Bang and starred in the low-budget 2006 dark comedy Wristcutters: A Love Story . That same year, she also had a small role in the hit rom-com The Holiday .

After those films, Sossamon made multi-episode appearance TV shows including Dirt (2007), Moonlight (2010), How to Make It in America (2010), Mistresses (2013), Sleepy Hollow (2015-2016) and Wayward Pines (2015-2016).

What Shannyn Sossamon has been up to lately

While Sossamon has kept a lower profile in recent years, she never retired. Rather, she grew frustrated with being in the public eye, saying, “I didn't feel like the person that was being projected onto me. That was very uncomfortable ,” and explored new art forms. In the past, she had dabbled in music, and spent four years in the indie rock band Warpaint with her sister, and she also does tarot card readings. In 2019, she launched the Maude Room , a series of artsy short films she directed, which she described as “ A little picture show theater .”

In recent interviews, Sossamon has readily admitted that she’s found many projects uninspiring, but has never complained about it, instead saying, “I was starting to feel anonymous again. I really loved that feeling. I love it so much. I love to just be like, ‘ No one’s paying attention to you .’ It’s freedom.”

Sossamon’s latest role was in the 2023 film Backspot , in which she played the mom of a high school cheerleader. The director wrote a personal letter to the actress asking her to consider the role. As Sossamon described it, “The overall sentiment was that they were fans , and they hadn’t seen me play something quite like this before, and they would love to have me. It was just very sweet.”

Many film enthusiasts feel the same way, and the fandom around Sossamon’s early '00s work has grown along with the nostalgia for the era. Even if she’s not in as many films as she once was, she’s been living life on her own terms, and earlier this year it was announced that she’ll next be in the cast of the upcoming experimental film There There .

In an age where many actresses clamor for franchise movies and endless streaming TV roles, Sossamon’s laidback, creative approach is inspiring. In an interview this year, she admitted, “My journey’s been odd — really, truly. It’s a strange rhythm , but I’m OK with it.” We’re OK with it too, and knowing this, we’ll just appreciate her even more next time she’s in a movie.

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