She is the enigmatic and gifted beauty who has delighted audiences with her films and melodies since the tender age of fifteen, when she graced the silver screen opposite Chevy Chase in the iconic 1989 holiday comedy classic. At the bloom of seventeen, she crossed paths with an actor who would later be hailed as People Magazine's Sexiest Man Alive in both 1995 and 2000, embarking on a four-year love affair. Her unconventional portrayals in the 1990s encompassed a troubled youth who descends into prostitution, the sweetheart of a serial murderer, and a vacationer terrorized by a psychotic criminal targeting her family. For the latter role, she garnered an Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actress in 1992. Have you guessed her identity? If your answer is Juliette Lewis, you've hit the bull's-eye!
On Monday, shoppers at the prestigious Erewhon Market in Calabasas failed to recognize the ever-youthful actress, who concealed her renowned visage under a low-slung black hat. The 51-year-old showcased her toned physique in sleek camouflage nylon bike shorts, a grey T-shirt adorned with an artwork by American pop artist Patrick Nagel, and a black baseball cap featuring a parody of the North Face logo. She seemed to have just returned from one of the nearby Malibu hiking trails, her brow damp with perspiration.
As captured in these exclusive DailyMail.com photos, the makeup-free actress was taken aback yet somewhat amused by the recognition in the parking lot. 'This hat belongs to my friend [N8 NO FACE brand],' she chuckled, lifting it off her head, 'isn't it funny?' Unlike other celebrities flaunting their eco-conscious credentials by driving electric vehicles, Juliette packed her belongings into a blue vintage Dodge 'muscle' car and roared off with a smile.
Lewis carries an air of quiet confidence, which has prompted her to take bold leaps. In 2003, she took a near-decade hiatus from acting to pursue her other passions, notably music. As the singer and songwriter of the rock band Juliette and the Licks, she toured extensively, starting at Johnny Depp's Viper Room and later spanning the nation and beyond.
Born and bred in Los Angeles, Juliette knew her destiny as an actress at the tender age of six. After securing roles in TV sitcoms like The Wonder Years and the Showtime series Home Fires, she landed the pivotal role of Andrea Griswold in the film National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation. A slapstick and whimsical masterpiece, she later reminisced, 'I didn't realize it would become a yearly staple. It's very special, and Chevy Chase was incredibly kind to me.'
In 1989, at the age of seventeen, she starred in the TV movie Too Young To Die opposite Brad Pitt, who was a decade her senior. Before Jennifer Aniston and Angelina Jolie, it was Juliette who captured Pitt's heart. Their tumultuous romance spanned four years, remembered fondly by Pitt, now 60. 'It was one of the best relationships I've ever been in,' he once confessed to Vanity Fair. 'The trouble is, we grow up believing that love conquers all, but that's just not the case, is it?'
