Claire Danes Biography: TV Series, Films, Husband, Net Worth, Siblings, Height, Parents, Age, Kids

Claire Catherine Danes is a celebrated American actress known for her influential roles as Angela Chase in My So-Called Life and Carrie Mathison in Homeland.

Her ability to dive into complex characters, from a troubled teen to a bipolar CIA agent, has earned her Emmys and Golden Globes.

Claire’s a proud American whose New York City roots and artistic family shaped her into a Hollywood star.

Profile

• Full Name: Claire Catherine Danes
• Stage Name: Claire Danes
• Born: April 12, 1979
• Age: 46 years old
• Birthplace: Manhattan, New York City, New York, USA
• Nationality: American
• Occupation: Actress, Voice Actress, Producer
• Height: 5 feet 5 inches (165 cm)
• Religion: Atheist
• Parents: Mr. Christopher Danes, Mrs. Carla Danes
• Siblings: Asa Danes
• Spouse: Hugh Dancy (m. 2009)
• Children: Cyrus Michael Christopher Dancy, Rowan Dancy
• Relationship: Married
• Net Worth: $30 million to $35 million

Early Life

Claire Danes was born on April 12, 1979, in Manhattan, New York City. Her dad, Christopher Danes, was a photographer and computer consultant, and her mom, Carla Danes, was a sculptor and printmaker who ran a toddler daycare called “Danes Tribe” in their SoHo loft.

Claire’s ethnicity is mostly German and British, and she describes herself as “WASPy as you can get.” Raised as an atheist, she wasn’t tied to religion. She grew up with her older brother, Asa, now a lawyer. Living in an artist’s loft on Crosby Street, Claire was surrounded by creativity.

Education

Claire attended P.S. 3 and P.S. 11 for elementary school and the Professional Performing Arts School for junior high in New York City. She went to the New York City Lab School for Collaborative Studies, where she was classmates with Morena Baccarin, and spent one year at The Dalton School.

After moving to Santa Monica, California, for My So-Called Life, she graduated from Lycée Français de Los Angeles in 1997. In 1998, she enrolled at Yale University as a psychology major but dropped out after two years to focus on acting.

Career

Claire started acting at 12, landing a role in a 1992 Law & Order episode as a teen murderer. In 1994, she made her film debut as Beth March in Little Women and starred as Angela Chase in My So-Called Life, winning a Golden Globe at 15. The show’s cult status grew despite its cancellation after 19 episodes.

In 1996, she played Juliet in Baz Luhrmann’s Romeo + Juliet opposite Leonardo DiCaprio, earning praise as “the Meryl Streep of her generation.” She starred in The Rainmaker (1997), Les Misérables (1998), and Brokedown Palace (1999) before taking a break for Yale.

She returned with The Hours (2002) and Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines (2003). Other films include Shopgirl (2005), Stardust (2007), and A Kid Like Jake (2018).

In 2007, she debuted on Broadway as Eliza Doolittle in Pygmalion. Her role as Temple Grandin in the 2010 HBO film earned her an Emmy and a Golden Globe.

From 2011 to 2020, she starred as Carrie Mathison in Homeland, winning two Emmys and two Golden Globes. In 2022, she starred in The Essex Serpent and Fleishman Is in Trouble. Claire’s a proud American whose versatile career spans TV, film, and theatre.

Social Media

• Facebook: Claire Danes

Personal Life

Claire, 46, has been married to British actor Hugh Dancy since 2009, after meeting on the set of Evening (2007). They have two sons, Cyrus (born 2012) and Rowan (born 2018), and a daughter born in 2023. Her height is 5 feet 5 inches (165 cm), and she’s known for her blonde hair and gray eyes.

Previously, she dated Ben Lee (1997–2003) and Billy Crudup (2003–2006). Claire’s fluent in French and Italian, loves reading, and supports environmental causes. She’s a skilled dancer, trained in modern dance since childhood.

Net Worth

Claire Danes’ net Worth is estimated at $30 million to $35 million. Her wealth comes from Homeland, where she earned $250,000–$450,000 per episode, plus films like Romeo + Juliet ($147 million gross), The Hours ($108 million), and Terminator 3 ($433 million).

Her Broadway work, Temple Grandin, and endorsements also add to her fortune. Her consistent career and high-profile roles keep her financially secure.

Filmography (Selected):

• Little Women (1994) – Beth March
• Home for the Holidays (1995) – Kitt Larson
• Romeo + Juliet (1996) – Juliet Capulet
• The Rainmaker (1997) – Kelly Riker
• Les Misérables (1998) – Cosette
• Princess Mononoke (1999) – San (voice, English dub)
• Brokedown Palace (1999) – Alice Marano
• The Mod Squad (1999) – Julie Barnes
• The Hours (2002) – Julia Vaughan
• Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines (2003) – Kate Brewster
• Stage Beauty (2004) – Maria
• Shopgirl (2005) – Mirabelle Buttersfield
• The Family Stone (2005) – Julie Morton
• Stardust (2007) – Yvaine
• Evening (2007) – Ann Grant
• The Flock (2007) – Allison Lowry
• Me and Orson Welles (2008) – Sonja Jones
• As Cool as I Am (2013) – Lainee Diamond
• Brigsby Bear (2017) – Emily
• A Kid Like Jake (2018) – Alex Wheeler

TV (Selected):

• Law & Order (1992) – Tracy Brandt (1 episode)
• Lifestories: Families in Crisis (1994) – Katie Leiter (1 episode)
• My So-Called Life (1994–1995) – Angela Chase
• Temple Grandin (2010) – Temple Grandin
• Homeland (2011–2020) – Carrie Mathison
• Master of None (2015) – Nina (1 episode)
• Portlandia (2017) – Joan (1 episode)
• The Essex Serpent (2022) – Cora Seaborne
• Fleishman Is in Trouble (2022) – Rachel Fleishman