# Sherilyn Fenn

Sheryl Ann Fenn (born February 1, 1965), better known by her stage name Sherilyn Fenn, is an American actress, best known for her role as Audrey Horne in the American television series Twin Peaks. She is also known for her roles in the films Of Mice and Men, Ruby and Boxing Helena, the television series Rude Awakening, and for portraying actress Elizabeth Taylor in the television miniseries Liz: The Elizabeth Taylor Story.

## Quotes

* I try to keep myself centered. I don't go to parties and all that. I don't think being seen or being in the right place is going to make me a better actress. I care about my work and try to do what's right in my heart.
** Sherilyn Fenn, quoted in "Fenn Fatale", by Martha Frankel. Exposure (USA). September 1990. p. 56-63.
* Audrey’s been great for me. She has brought out a side of me that’s more mischievous and fun that I had suppressed, trying to be an adult. She has made it OK to use the power one has as a woman to be manipulative at times, to be precocious. She goes after what she wants vehemently and she takes it. I think that’s really admirable. I love that about her.
** Sherilyn Fenn, quoted in "Fenn-Tastic! Meet Twin Peaks’ Mysterious Siren Sherilyn Fenn", by Glenn O'Brien. Playboy. December 1990. p. 82-91, 213-214.
** on portraying Audrey Horne in Twin Peaks.
* The world has certain rules — Hollywood has certain rules — but it doesn't mean you have to play by them, and I don't, or I'd be a miserable person.
** Sherilyn Fenn, quoted in "Fenn Fatale", by Mike Bygrave. Sky Magazine (UK). July 1992. p. 6-10.
* I see people giving me looks because I'm so opinionated. That hurts my feelings, but at the end of the day I have to live with me and respect myself. And I've done enough things in my life where I was confused and didn't respect myself that I will not do it any more.
** Sherilyn Fenn, quoted in "'Three of Hearts' may be Fenn's winning card", by Nancy Mills. Boston Herald (USA). April 25, 1993. p. 41
* The studios have their list of five actresses and whether they’re right or wrong for a role doesn’t matter. It’s how much money their last movie made.
** Sherilyn Fenn, quoted in "Crate Expectations", by Jim McClellan. The Face (UK). Issue 57. June 1993. p. 40-47.
* They’ve offered me every variation on Audrey Horne, none of which were as good or as much fun.
** Sherilyn Fenn, quoted in "Fenn de Siècle", by Joshua Mooney. Movieline (USA). July 1993. p. 36-40, 80-82.
** On being typecast after starring as Audrey Horne in Twin Peaks.
* I like taking risks and I decided to put every bit of me into the role.
** Sherilyn Fenn, quoted in "Five Feet of Heaven in a Ponytail", by Simon Banner. Premiere (UK). July 1993. p. 26-29.
** On starring in Boxing Helena.
* I don't know why people see the things that they do. I wouldn't pay to see them, they don't touch me or move me in any way.
** Sherilyn Fenn, quoted in "Sherilyn and Sherilyn Alike", by Dale Brasel. Detour (USA). May 1995. p. 46-50.
* People who think they know me would be surprised that my whole life doesn't revolve around sex.
** Sherilyn Fenn, quoted in "Legendary Portrayal", by David Walstad. The Philadelphia Inquirer TV Week (USA). May 21, 1995. p. 4-5.
** On being categorized as a sex-symbol.
* There are stereotypes of what a beautiful woman is. She struggled with that. A certain part of her life she went on that calling card. I certainly know I've come into contact with that. ‘You are too pretty,’ I'm told.
** Sherilyn Fenn, quoted in "Legendary Portrayal", by David Walstad. The Philadelphia Inquirer TV Week (USA). May 21, 1995. p. 4-5.
** On the similar stereotypes she and Elizabeth Taylor encountered in the film business.
* I was told once that I didn't play the Hollywood game, and that's why I wasn't a big star. What they meant when they said that was that I don't go to parties, and when I go to an audition and I don't like the script, they know it. I don't flirt and I don't play the people that I'm meeting with. In the next breath, this person said to me, ‘When you're passionate about a role, there's nobody that can touch you, but you have to learn to do this also...’ But I don't know how to sit there and pretend I love something when I don't!
** Sherilyn Fenn, quoted in "Fenntastic", by Jill Daniel. Orange Coast (USA). January 1999.
* I think there's an anxiety in life when we automatically tend to look to the next thing or we're complaining about the past; like somebody recently said to me, 'Well, is your show going to get picked up? Aren't you concerned about that?' I said, 'I don't care. I don't want to worry about that because worrying is not going to make it happen or not happen.' I want to trust that if it does, then that's what's supposed to happen and if it doesn't get picked up, then that's okay, too. It's just a more peaceful way to live.
** Sherilyn Fenn, quoted in "Fenntastic", by Jill Daniel. Orange Coast (USA). January 1999.
* Playing Elizabeth Taylor was probably the hardest job I’ve ever done.
** Sherilyn Fenn, quoted in "Fenn & Now", by Dennis Hensley. Movieline (USA). June 1999. p. 54-59.
** On portraying Elizabeth Taylor in Liz: The Elizabeth Taylor Story.
* Boxing Helena was something that I think was pretty cool, but people judged it without even having seen it. It’s not perfect, but I think for the story that we were trying to tell, it turned out pretty good. What it signified was really powerful to me: how society puts us in boxes one way or another.
** Sherilyn Fenn, quoted in "Fenn & Now", by Dennis Hensley. Movieline (USA). June 1999. p. 54-59.
** On starring in Boxing Helena.

## Quotes about Sherilyn Fenn

* She’s got a brain and all the right emotional instincts, and that’s a great combination.
** John Mackenzie, quoted in "Phenomenal Fenn", by Diana Rico. Harper's Bazaar (USA). December 1991. p. 132-133, 156.
* One of the keys to understanding Fenn is that when she talks about the characters she plays she's really talking about herself.
** Mike Bygrave, quoted in his article "Fenn Fatale". Sky Magazine (UK). July 1992. p. 6-10.
* A lot of the sentiment that acting should be about an art form rather than mass entertainment and celebrity is at the core of Fenn’s attitude to the business.
** Jessica Sully, quoted in her article "Everybody's Mad about Sherilyn Fenn". Movie (Australia). January 1993. p. 18-20.
* She’s like a terribly sad angel in this film. Sherilyn plays against just being a sexy and beautiful girl. Hopefully her performance in my film will show her deep talent because she certainly showed the right mix of innocence and seductiveness for the role. We needed a fresh face but also one who knew what she was doing.
** Gary Sinise, quoted in "Everybody's Mad about Sherilyn Fenn", by Jessica Sully. Movie (Australia). January 1993. p. 18-20.
** On Sherilyn Fenn's performance in Of Mice and Men.
* She's a mysterious girl and I think that actresses like her who have a mystery — where there's something hiding beneath the surface — are the really interesting ones.
** David Lynch, quoted in "Five Feet of Heaven in a Ponytail", by Simon Banner. Premiere (UK). July 1993. p. 26-29.
* Director Kevin Connor and I arranged a lunch, not an audition. We knew 10 minutes into our meeting that Sherilyn was it. She has the same striking beauty, and because of that she's experienced some of the things in life and in this business that make Elizabeth such a fascinating person.
** Lester Perky, quoted in "Legendary Portrayal", by David Walstad. The Philadelphia Inquirer TV Week (USA). May 21, 1995. p. 4-5.
** On casting Sherilyn Fenn in Liz: The Elizabeth Taylor Story.
* With Sherilyn Fenn, Twin Peaks came on and effortlessly destroyed every other show’s sexuality.
** James Marshall, quoted in "The James Marshall Interview", by Craig Miller and John Thorne. Wrapped In Plastic (USA). Issue 72. December 2004.

## External links

* Sherilyn Fenn's Official blog
* Sherilyn Fenn on IMDb
* Sherilyn Fenn's On-Line Interview on AOL (January 1995)
* Sherilyn Fenn's interview with M.J. Simpson (October 1, 1997)
* Sherilyn Fenn's On-Line Interview on Showtime's SHO.com (November 27, 1999)
* A Talk With Sherilyn Fenn - Sherilyn Fenn interview (December 26, 2009)