Eliza Dushku

Eliza Patricia Dushku is an American and Albanian former actress born on December 30, 1980. She is best known for starring as Faith in the supernatural drama series Buffy the Vampire Slayer and its spin-off Angel. She also played leading roles in the television series Tru Calling and Dollhouse, serving as a producer on the latter. After earning a Master's Degree in Counseling, Dushku retired from acting and currently works as a therapist and mental health advocate.

Dushku was born in Boston and raised in Watertown, Massachusetts. She is the only daughter and youngest of four children born to Philip Dushku, a school teacher and administrator of Albanian heritage, and Judy Dushku, a political science professor. Her parents divorced before her birth, and she was raised as a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints alongside her three brothers. She attended Beaver Country Day School and graduated from Watertown High School.

Her acting career began at age ten when casting agents chosen her for the lead role of Alice in the 1992 drama film That Night. In 1993, she appeared in This Boy's Life alongside Robert De Niro and Leonardo DiCaprio, followed by her role as Arnold Schwarzenegger and Jamie Lee Curtis's teenage daughter in the 1994 action film True Lies. During the mid-1990s, she also appeared in projects such as Fishing with George, Journey, Bye Bye Love, and Race the Sun.

In 1998, Dushku achieved wider recognition after auditioning for the role of Faith on Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Because she was a minor at the start of production, she obtained legal emancipation to accommodate the show's long working hours. Initially planned as a three-episode arc, her character was extended through the third season, subsequent guest appearances, and spots on Angel. Following this success, she appeared in feature films such as Bring It On, Soul Survivors, Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back, The New Guy, and City by the Sea.

Dushku continued her television career by starring as medical student Tru Davies in the Fox series Tru Calling from 2003 to 2005. She later re-teamed with creator Joss Whedon for Dollhouse, which ran from 2009 to 2010 and marked her work as a producer. Her additional film roles during the 2000s and 2010s included Wrong Turn, Sex and Breakfast, On Broadway, Bottle Shock, The Alphabet Killer, The Scribbler, Jane Wants a Boyfriend, and Eloise.

Throughout her career, Dushku provided voice acting for various video games, including Yakuza, Saints Row 2, WET, and Fight Night Champion, as well as the animated television series Hulk and the Agents of S.M.A.S.H. Behind the scenes, she became CEO of Boston Diva Productions alongside her brother Nate, and filmed the documentary Dear Albania for the Travel Channel.

In December 2025, following an eight-year hiatus from acting, she publicly confirmed her retirement from camera work in favor of her new profession as a counselor and mental health advocate.