The Early Show

Christina Ricci 'Cursed'

By Tatiana Morales

February 23, 2005 / 12:40 PM EST / CBS

Christina Ricci is no stranger to the supernatural, having starred in big screen versions of "The Addams Family," "Casper," and "Sleepy Hollow."

Her latest film film, "Cursed," finds her fighting a new beast.

"I was really, really excited" to get the call from director Wes Craven to do this film, Ricci tells The Early Show co-anchor Harry Smith.

"I just finished doing 'Monster,' and it was heavier. I came back to L.A., and they're, like, "Oh, there's this Wes Craven murder film,' " Ricci says. "And I thought, 'Oh, cool. I'd do that kind of movies in that kind of genre. I should probably work for him.' "

Craven and writer Kevin Williamson, the creators of "Scream," teamed up once again to offer in "Curse" a twist on classic monster fables, unleashing omens into the modern world.

So how does Ricci make it real?

"You can make the expression, and the feeling will follow," she explains. "If you're running and screaming, you generally follow through with being scared."

It is called acting, Smith points out and acting is something Ricci is good at. Her work perhaps contributed to the victory of Charlize Theron at the Academy Awards for "Monster," Smith says

"No. She was incredible," Ricci says. "Just seeing what she went through and what she committed to, and how she's just amazing. I helped out."

Does she have any Oscar favorites this year?

"I love Johnny (Depp for "Finding Neverland."). I hope Johnny wins this. He's such a great actor. And I love Cate Blanchett, and I think it is ridiculous that she has never won an Academy Award."

Some Facts About Christina Ricci

The youngest of four children, Ricci was born Feb. 12, 1980, in Santa Monica, Calif.

She made her screen debut at the age of 9 in "Mermaids."

In 1991, Ricci played Wednesday Addams in "The Addams Family"; she also starred in "The Hard Way."

In 1993, Ricci reprised her role of Wednesday in "Addams Family Values."

In 1995, the actress got to play a "normal" character in "Casper."

In 1997, Ricci co-starred in Ang Lee's "The Ice Storm" as the troubled and sexually precocious daughter of Kevin Kline and Joan Allen.

In 1999, Ricci appeared opposite Johnny Depp in Tim Burton's "Sleepy Hollow."

In 2001, she took on her first project as a producer with "Prozac Nation;" she also starred in the film, based on the book by Elizabeth Wurtzel. The film premiered at the Toronto film festival and was never released in theaters.

In 2002, Ricci again produced and starred in the film "Pumpkin," a satire about a sorority girl who falls for a disabled man. She also worked in the indie thrillers "Miranda" and "the Gathering." And was part of the final season of TV's "Ally McBeal" (Fox, 1997-2002) as the provocative young attorney Liza Bump.

In 2003, she returned to the big screen as a neurotic actress who intentionally or unintentionally tortures smitten writer Jason Biggs in writer-director Woody Allen's "Anything Else." She also had a turn in "I Love Your Work," the directorial debut of her then-beau, actor Adam Goldberg. And she received praise for her work in "Monster," based on the life of drifter and female serial killer Aileen Wournos (Charlize Theron).

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