Giovanni Ribisi
(Kip Raines)

Giovanni Ribisi was so inspired by his role as a young car thief that according to premiere.com he "rebuilt a car into a hot rod with his own hands." Perhaps his ability to sink himself into the part made Ribisi the filmmakers' first choice for the role.

Ribisi began his acting career at the age of nine appearing in commercials and then in television series, including regular roles on My Two Dads and The Wonder Years. He later graduated into more high-profile guest appearances on such hit series as The X-Files, Chicago Hope and Friends. Although his 1995 film debut in Wes Craven's The Outpost received little notice, the following year, his role in Tom Hanks' That Thing You Do brought the talented Ribisi into the spotlight. As the young medic in Steven Spielberg's acclaimed Saving Private Ryan, Ribisi proved the depth of his talent and secured his status as an up-and-coming star. He has since appeared in numerous films, including The Other Sister, The Mod Squad, The Virgin Suicides, The Gift and 2002's Heaven. In 2003, Ribisi will be seen in Basic, Cold Mountain, Love's Brother, Lost in Transition and I Love Your Work.