Lisa Marie

Lisa Marie Smith, known professionally as Lisa Marie and sometimes referred to as Lisa Marie Burton, is an American actress, model, and producer born on December 5, 1968. She is best known for her roles in films directed by Tim Burton, including her portrayals of Vampira in the 1994 biopic Ed Wood, the Martian Girl in Mars Attacks! in 1996, Lady Crane in Sleepy Hollow in 1999, and Nova in the 2001 film Planet of the Apes.

Marie was born in Piscataway, New Jersey, where she was raised by her father and grandparents. During her youth, she learned classical piano and spent eight years studying ballet at the New Jersey Ballet. At the age of 15, she moved to New York City to pursue studies in theatre, dance, and music.

Her career began in modeling, where she served as a model for prints by photographer Robert Mapplethorpe. She was featured as the "Obsession Girl" in photographer Bruce Weber's advertising campaign for designer Calvin Klein's Obsession perfume. Marie also appeared in ad campaigns for Equinox Gyms, Timex commercials, and Malcolm McLaren's vogueing project. In 1989, she was featured on McLaren's song "Something's Jumpin' in Your Shirt" from the album Waltz Darling.

Marie made early film appearances in Weber's Chet Baker documentary Let's Get Lost and Woody Allen's Alice, and she starred in Matthew Modine's directorial debut, If... Dog... Rabbit.... She hosted the short film series Exposure on the Sci-Fi Channel from 2000 to 2002. As a model, she appeared in publications such as Maxim, Playboy, and Esquire. Additionally, her own photography has been published and exhibited, including side-by-side photo features with Tim Burton in Vanity Fair.

During her decade-long personal and professional relationship with Burton, Marie acted as his primary muse and appeared in key roles in his films. Her performance as 1950s television horror host Vampira in Ed Wood led to a special music video release on a Special Edition DVD. Her features reportedly served as the uncredited basis for the character Sally in the 1993 stop-motion film The Nightmare Before Christmas, and director Henry Selick noted her positive influence on Burton's health. While playing the Martian Girl in Mars Attacks!, she wore a tight costume that required her to be sewn into it, alongside a heavy wig; her pet Chihuahua, adopted as a stray in Tokyo, also appeared in the film.

Following her work with Burton, Marie continued acting in feature films. She appeared in Rob Zombie's 2012 movie The Lords of Salem. In 2015, she starred in the horror film We Are Still Here, which was filmed in Palmyra and Shortsville, New York, alongside cast members Barbara Crampton, Andrew Sensenig, Larry Fessenden, Monte Markham, and Susan Gibney.