Bijou Phillips - daughter to musician John Phillips, leader of the Mamas and the Papas, and Genevivieve Waite - spent her childhood in New York, California and South Africa. She excelled at equestrienne sport but spent little time in formal schooling.

At 13, she became a model to escape boarding school, which she hated. She was on the cover of 'Interview' magazine and shortly thereafter became the youngest model to ever appear on the cover of Vogue (the Italian edition). She appeared in several campaigns for Calvin Klein and became an infamous party girl in New York from the ages of 14 to 16, but spent less than four years modeling because she thought the industry was exploitive and creepy.

She went in her fathers footsteps and acquired a record deal with Almo Sounds at 17. Her debut album I'd Rather Eat Glass came out in 1999.

Bijou was cast in Black and White by director James Toback after being introduced to her by Leonardo DiCaprio, and she's been in many movies since then. Bij has said that she enjoys acting but that she doesn't really consider herself an actress or think she's very good at it - a belief challenged by critics.

x Named after the song "My Petite Bijou" by Lambert, Hendricks and Ross. Bijou means jewel in french.

x Her friends call her 'Bij.'

x She was legally emancipated from her parents when she was 14.

x Her godfather was Andy Warhol.

x Half sister of Chynna Phillips, Mackenzie Phillips and Jeffrey Phillips. Sister of Tamerlane Phillips.

x Half-sister-in-law of William Baldwin.

x Aunt of Jameson Leon Baldwin and Shane Fontayne Jr.

x Has a frog tattooed on her ankle (pic) and the word 'Daddy' in flowery script on the upper part of one buttock (pic).

x As a child, she was a equestrienne champion.

x Is engaged to actor Danny Masterson (March 14, 2009). They've been together since 2004.

x Was dating Sean Lennon for 3 years, they lived togher in West Village. The relationship ended when Sean found out Bij cheated on him with Lennon's lifelong friend Max LeRoy. (LeRoy died in a motorcycle accident in 2005, before the two men were able to reconcile.)

x Is close friends with sisters, Nicky and Paris Hilton.

x Attended the impromptu wedding of Nicky Hilton in August of 2004.