After an early breakout role on the soap opera Another World (NBC, 1964–1999) in 1987, Anne Heche steadily carved out a space for herself in Hollywood, gradually building up her feature film résumé. Over time, Anne Heche landed starring roles in major films like Donnie Brasco (1997) and Volcano (1997), sharing the screen with some of Hollywood’s biggest leading men. But 1997 wasn’t just a career milestone — it was also the year Anne Heche made headlines for personal reasons, revealing a shift in her sexuality and beginning a high-profile romance with comedienne Ellen DeGeneres. That unexpected relationship left audiences — and studio executives — puzzled, unsure how to process the sudden spotlight on Anne Heche’s private life.

Still, professional setbacks followed, including underwhelming performances in the adventure-romance Six Days, Seven Nights (1998) and a controversial, shot-for-shot remake of Hitchcock’s Psycho (1998). These missteps seemed to foreshadow a deeper personal unraveling. By 2001, after leaving DeGeneres and suffering a very public emotional breakdown, many assumed Anne Heche’s career was effectively over. But Anne Heche wasn’t ready to fade away. She made a strong comeback with the dramedy series Men in Trees (ABC, 2006–08), proving once again that she had both staying power and range.

Roles in the HBO series Hung (2009–2011) and the indie hit Cedar Rapids (2011) helped restore Anne Heche to critical favor. The actress, determined to move past earlier drama, kept the theatrics confined to her performances as she entered a new, more grounded chapter of her career. Born on May 25, 1969, Anne Heche grew up in a fundamentalist Christian household led by her parents, Nancy and Donald Heche. Her father, a Baptist minister and choir director, frequently moved the family in search of work. Money was tight, and by age 12, Anne Heche was already contributing to the rent — landing her first professional acting job at a New Jersey dinner theater.

Tragedy struck early: in 1983, her father died from AIDS, then a rare and stigmatized illness, and just three months later, her only brother died in a car accident. These losses deeply affected Anne Heche, who soon after moved to New York City to pursue acting full-time. There, she landed her breakthrough TV role as Vicky and Marley, twin sisters with opposing personalities, on Another World. The dual role showcased Anne Heche’s talent and earned her both Daytime Emmy and Soap Opera Digest Awards.

She taped her final episode of As the World Turns in 1992 and the next year delivered a powerful performance alongside Jessica Lange in the CBS adaptation of Willa Cather’s O Pioneers, which earned Golden Globe nominations. Anne Heche made her big-screen debut as Mary Jane Wilks in The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn (1993), followed by increasingly prominent roles in I’ll Do Anything (1994), the HBO TV movie Against the Wall (1994), and Kingfish: A Story of Huey Long (TNT, 1995), where she portrayed the mistress of the infamous Southern politician.

Her real cinematic breakthrough came in 1996 with The Juror, playing a doctor and friend of Demi Moore’s character who becomes a target of a hitman. That same year, Anne Heche earned acclaim for her performance in the indie favorite Walking and Talking, co-starring Catherine Keener. But 1997 solidified her status as a rising star — not just for her role as Johnny Depp’s long-suffering wife in Donnie Brasco, but also for her turn opposite Tommy Lee Jones in the disaster thriller Volcano. She further impressed critics with her performance as a sharp presidential advisor in Barry Levinson’s political satire Wag the Dog (1997).

Yet all this acclaim was overshadowed by the revelation of her relationship with Ellen DeGeneres. The couple announced plans to marry in Vermont, where same-sex unions were soon to be legal — making them one of the first high-profile lesbian couples to do so. However, by 1999, the relationship had ended. Just days after moving out of their shared home, Anne Heche was found wandering in rural California’s Central Valley, disoriented and claiming she was searching for a spaceship meant to pick her up. After spending a single day in a mental health facility, Anne Heche said she “snapped back” into clarity and began rebuilding her life.

In a surprising turn that disappointed many of her LGBTQ+ supporters, Anne Heche married her cameraman, Coleman Laffoon, within the year and became pregnant with their son. Remarkably, her career rebounded quickly. She appeared in the Denzel Washington-led thriller John Q and played Dr. Sterling in the long-delayed adaptation of Prozac Nation (2001). David E. Kelley cast Anne Heche in a recurring role on the popular series Ally McBeal (Fox, 1997–2002), helping reintroduce her to mainstream audiences.

After giving birth to her son in 2002, Anne Heche took over Jennifer Jason Leigh’s role in the Broadway production of the Pulitzer Prize-winning play Proof. Her resilience continued to pay off — in 2004, she received an Emmy nomination for her portrayal of a drug-addicted mother in the Lifetime movie Gracie’s Choice. She also appeared on Everwood (The WB, 2002–06) before returning to Broadway, earning a Tony Award nomination for her performance in the revival of Twentieth Century, opposite Alec Baldwin.

By 2005, when Anne Heche joined the cast of Nip/Tuck, her professional reputation had been largely restored. The following year, she headlined her own primetime series, ABC’s quirky dramedy Men in Trees (2006–08), which critics praised — especially Anne Heche’s charming lead performance. Off-screen, she began a relationship with co-star James Tupper, which reportedly started before her divorce from Laffoon was finalized in 2007. Ultimately, Laffoon was granted primary physical custody of their son.

Anne Heche stayed active, appearing in projects like the eco-disaster film Toxic Skies (2008), co-starring Tupper. The couple welcomed a second son in early 2009. Soon after, Anne Heche joined the cast of HBO’s edgy comedy Hung (2009–2011), where her performance — along with the rest of the ensemble — received some of the highest praise of her career. She continued to impress with her role as a lively insurance agent in the indie comedy Cedar Rapids (2011) and delivered a compelling performance as Woody Harrelson’s ex-wife in Rampart (2011), further cementing her return to form.

She also starred with Tupper in the Lifetime drama Girl Fight (2011), portraying parents dealing with their daughter’s brutal assault caught on camera. In the following years, Anne Heche appeared in smaller, independent films such as That’s What She Said (2012) and Arthur Newman (2012). Later credits include My Friend Dahmer (2017), The Vanished (2020), and 13 Minutes (2021), showing that Anne Heche remained committed to her craft until the end.

Anne Heche passed away on August 12, 2022, at the age of 53 — leaving behind a legacy marked by talent, resilience, and an unyielding determination to reclaim her narrative, both on and off the screen.