Synopsis

Shannon Marie Kahololani Sossamon, famously known as Shannyn Sossamon is an American on-screen actress and musician. Her first motion picture role was in “A Knight’s Tale” (2001), for which she earned several MTV Movie Awards nominations and public attention. She then made her appearances in comedies like  “40 Days and 40 Nights” and “The Rules of Attraction”, both in 2002. Additionally, she appeared in “The Order”, “Kiss Kiss Bang Bang” and “The Holiday”.

In 2006, Sossamon received a wide critical acclaim for her appearance in “Wristcutters: A Love Story”, which won her a starring role on CBS “Moonlight” from 2007 to 2008. She subsequently featured the horror revamp “One Missed Call” in 2008. She then appeared in a number of independent films, such as “Life Is Hot in Cracktown” in 2009; “Road to Nowhere” in 2010; “The Day” in 2011; and “The End of Love” in 2012. She has also worked on several TV shows as well, as in the first season of ABC’s drama “Mistresses” in 2013. Shannon portrayed Pandora in the third season of FOX’s “Sleepy Hollow”.

Background

Shannon Sossamon, who attributes her striking looks to a blend of English, French, Hawaiian, Dutch, Irish, Filipino, and German descent, was born on 3 October 1978 in Honolulu, Hawaii.  She is the daughter of Todd Lindberg and Sherry Sossamon, a nurse. She has a younger sister named Jenny Lee Lindberg, a singer(b. 1981). At the age of one, Shannyn and her family relocated to another district: Reno, Nevada. At the age of 5, Shannon’s parents divorced; she and her sister were then raised by her mother. Later, her mother married Randy Goldman, a salesperson, and manager of an auto dealership

In 1995, Shannon cleared out from her hometown to Los Angeles after graduating from Galena High School, to pursue dance. Instead, she started working as a model for TV commercials. Later, she began deejaying as a side interest with her then boyfriend in the local clubs.

Shannyn Sossamon and Carla Gugino at the 2015 Winter TCA Tour

Rise to Mainstream

It was in 1999 when Shannon was helping a friend D.J. at a birthday party for Gwyneth Paltrow that changed her life. Francine Maisler, a director known for films like “The Usual Suspects” (1995), spotted Shannon. Shortly thereafter, she found herself with the sponsorship of an influential Hollywood individual and won a role in “A Knight’s Tale” after she auditioned in 2001. Subsequently, she developed a true friendship with her Australian co-star Heath Ledger during filming.

Since then, she showed up in various independent films, such as “Road to Nowhere” (2010), and “Man Without a Head” as well as in “Wristcutters: A Love Story” in 2006 and “40 Days and 40 Nights” opposite Josh Hartnett. She also appeared in Roger Avary-directed “The Rules of Attraction”. Other credits include “Kiss Kiss Bang Bang”, “Life Is Hot in Cracktown” and “The Holiday.”

Shannyn Sossamon Short Hair

Music Career & Other Ventures

From 2004 to 2008, Shannon provided vocals and drums to Warpaint as a musician before she decided to focus more on acting. Sossamon’s sole recording with the band is the 2009 EP, Exquisite Corpse. In 2010, she created an online video project which was released through Maudegone Theater.

Other than acting, Sossamon keeps on studying music and dance. In the wake of having Audio Science, she started playing guitar frequently, as she wanted to establish a band with her sister Jenny Lee Lindberg, who played bass. Shortly, they joined Los Angeles-based indie rock and the psychedelic band “Warpaint.” As every one of the band was playing the guitar toward the starting, Shannyn turned into the drummer for the group.

Warpaint Band

Her recording with Warpaint, until she exited the group to concentrate on her acting profession was “Exquisite Corpse, EP” in 2009. Regardless of her musical work, Sossamon has clarified she rarely calls herself a musician, as she does not “practice or play nearly as much as the great ones do. Most of my days and thoughts are taken up by stories, feelings, and pictures. Music is present in them, too, but always having to do with a picture. When I work with musicians, I actually just see them as actors or performers, in general, that day. I don’t separate them from the duties they are to perform that day”.

Sossamon and ex-boyfriend Tygh Runyan at Road To Nowhere – the Premiere 67th Venice Film Festival

Personal life

Shannyn was in a relationship with author and children’s book illustrator Dallas Clayton from 2002 to 2004. The couple has a son named Audio Science Clayton (b. May 29, 2003).  Though she conceded not being prepared for having a baby, she focused on her pregnancy and parenthood, dropping aside acting more or less for the following couple of years. In March 2012, Sossamon declared that she had brought forth her second child, Mortimer. In 2015, Sossamon expressed amid a meeting with Details magazine that she was in a “committed relationship” with the child’s biological father.

Sossamon with her son, Audio Science.

Relationship & Net Worth

Shannyn Sossamon has been in relationships with Paolo Keppella (1998 – 1999), Eugene Goreshter (2006), Tygh Runyan (2010), André Benjamin and was rumored to have hooked up with Joaquin Phoenix (2005 – 2006).

Her son Mortimer Sossamon

According to the media, Shannyn has a net worth of $3 million dollars. Currently, she lives with her family in Los Feliz area of L.A.