Alexa Davalos
Biography
Alexa Davalos, born on May 28, 1982, in Paris, France, is an actress of French-Greek descent. She is the daughter of photographer Jeff Dunas and French actress Elizabeta Davalos, and the granddaughter of American actor Richard Davalos. Alexa grew up in a culturally rich environment, fluently speaking French and Greek. She moved to New York City as a teenager to pursue modeling but eventually shifted her focus to acting, studying at the Flea Theater in Manhattan.
Career Beginnings
Alexa started her acting journey with small roles in the early 2000s. She made her television debut in the series Angel (1999-2004), portraying Gwen Raiden in three episodes. In 2002, she appeared in the short film The Ghost of F. Scott Fitzgerald, which was showcased at the Toronto Film Festival. Her role in this project highlighted her natural talent and set the stage for future opportunities.
Breakthrough and Film Career
Her breakthrough role came in The Chronicles of Riddick (2004), where she starred alongside Vin Diesel as Kyra, a complex character with a fierce personality. This role brought her international recognition and established her as a talented actress in the sci-fi genre. Before this, she played Teddy Sampson in the critically acclaimed HBO movie And Starring Pancho Villa as Himself (2003), opposite Antonio Banderas. The film won several awards, including Best TV Movie at the Critics’ Choice Awards.
In 2008, Alexa starred in Defiance, a historical drama directed by Edward Zwick, sharing the screen with Daniel Craig and Liev Schreiber. Her nuanced portrayal of a resistance fighter during World War II demonstrated her versatility as an actress.
Television Success
Transitioning to television, Alexa delivered a standout performance as Juliana Crain in The Man in the High Castle (2015-2019), an Amazon Prime series based on Philip K. Dick's novel. Her portrayal of a woman caught in a dystopian world ruled by Axis powers earned critical acclaim. More recently, she joined the cast of CBS's FBI: Most Wanted (2021), showcasing her ability to adapt to intense and action-packed roles.
