Ione Skye

Skye was born Ione Skye Leitch in Hampstead, London, the daughter of folk singer-songwriter Donovan and model Enid Karl (née Stulberger). Her father is Scottish-born with some Irish ancestry and grew up in England. Her mother is an American who was raised in the Bronx, New York City, and is Jewish. Her second name comes from the Isle of Skye. She is the younger sister of Camp Freddy singer Donovan Leitch. Skye's parents were separated at the time of her birth, and she was raised by her mother, having little to no contact with her father.

Skye grew up primarily in Los Angeles and San Francisco, and also spent time in Connecticut. She attended Immaculate Heart High School and Hollywood High School in Los Angeles.Skye made her film debut with a supporting role in River's Edge in 1986, followed by a role as the title character in The Rachel Papers (1989). She played Diane Court, a withdrawn high school valedictorian, in the 1989 film Say Anything..., the feature film debut of director Cameron Crowe; the film attained a cult following and lent Skye international recognition.

In 1992, she played the role of Eleanor Grey on the short-lived television series Covington Cross, starred in Allison Anders's debut feature film Gas Food Lodging (which also featured Skye's brother Donovan Leitch), and had a supporting role in the Stephen La Rocque film Samantha. She subsequently had supporting roles as Elise in the comedy Wayne's World (1992) and the Mike Figgis-directed drama One Night Stand (1997).

She later appeared in the music video for the Harvey Danger song "Sad Sweetheart of the Rodeo." In 2007, Skye had a small, well-received part in the David Fincher film Zodiac.

In an interview with mondo-video.com in December 2010, Skye said she had not paid perfect attention to her career arc over the years, saying she "never struck when the iron was hot" when it came to going after big Hollywood roles in her 20s.

In 2013, she appeared in a supporting part in the independent horror film Haunt, with Jacki Weaver. In 2016, Skye directed the music video for the Against Me! single "333". The same year, she appeared in the short film Kitty, directed by Chloë Sevigny.