Amy Smart's early life was marked by her birth in Topanga Canyon, California, a place where her mother, Judy, worked at a museum, and her father, John Boden Smart, a salesman, raised her. With German, English, and Irish ancestry, Smart's heritage played a significant role in shaping her identity.
Smart's entry into the entertainment industry was marked by her supporting roles in the 1999 teen films "Varsity Blues" and "Outside Providence". Her first notable appearance was in the 1997 TV-movie, "The Last Time I Committed Suicide", which premiered at the Sundance Film Festival alongside Keanu Reeves. Her early work also included appearances in "Starship Troopers" alongside Casper Van Dien and "How to Make the Cruelest Month", where she played the role of Dot, a charming and seductive character.
Smart's early career was also marked by appearances in films such as "Campfire Tales" and "Dee Snider's Strangeland", the latter being a thriller about an internet stalker. Her breakout role came with her appearance in "Varsity Blues", where she played Jules Harbor, a character who longs to escape her small town's high school football-obsessed culture.
Her next notable role was in "Outside Providence", where she played the upper-class love interest of Shawn Hatosy's character. The film was based on Peter Farrelly's novel and followed the story of a working-class teen sent to a prep school after getting into trouble at home.
