Alexandra (Xan) Katherine Cassavetes was born on September 21, 1965, in Los Angeles, California, United States. She is the daughter of acclaimed Greek-American actor-director John Cassavetes and award-winning actress Gena Rowlands. Her grandmother, Katherine Cassavetes, was also a notable actress. Alexandra has two siblings: Zoe Cassavetes, a screenwriter and director, and Nick Cassavetes, an actor-director best known for directing films such as The Notebook.
Of Greek and Welsh descent, Alexandra holds American nationality. She attended an Episcopalian school during her early academic years, although specific details about her education remain limited.
Growing up in a family deeply ingrained in the film industry, Alexandra was inspired by her parents’ success and creativity. This familial influence played a significant role in her decision to pursue a career in film and acting. She made her acting debut at a young age and continued the family tradition in Hollywood, even after her father's death in February 1989 due to cirrhosis of the liver.
As an actress, Alexandra appeared in a few film projects. She is credited with a role in A Woman Under the Influence (1974) as Adrienne Jensen and appeared in Love Streams (1984) as a backup singer. In 2000, she acted in a short film titled Dust.
In 2004, Alexandra Cassavetes transitioned into directing with the documentary Z Channel: A Magnificent Obsession. The film explored the cultural impact of Z Channel, one of the first pay cable TV stations in the U.S. The documentary received critical acclaim and was screened out of competition at the Cannes Film Festival, solidifying her directorial credibility.
Expanding her creative contributions to film, Alexandra also established herself as a writer-director. In 2012, she wrote and directed her first dramatic feature film, Kiss of the Damned, a stylized vampire romance that blended elements of horror and romantic drama. The film marked her debut in narrative features and highlighted her unique vision and auteur sensibility. It earned her a nomination at the Strasbourg European Fantastic Film Festival in 2013, where she was also honored for her work as a feature film director.
For her work on Kiss of the Damned, Alexandra received nominations at several international film festivals. These included the Neuchâtel International Fantastic Film Festival, the Oldenburg International Film Festival, and the Sitges - Catalonian International Film Festival. Her ability to bring a fresh, stylized approach to genre filmmaking was widely recognized within these festivals.
Alexandra has been married twice. Her first marriage was to Buck Wylde Murphy on May 20, 1990. The couple eventually divorced after several years; the reasons for their separation have not been publicly disclosed. In 1995, she married Rick Ross—an independent filmmaker and music industry producer. Together, they had two children, Veronica and John Ross. Alexandra and Rick divorced in 2005 after ten years of marriage.
Known for her privacy, Alexandra tends to keep her personal life out of the public eye. There is no publicly available information about her current relationship status.
| Birth Date: | 21 Sep, 1965 |
| Age: | 54 yrs |
| Occupations: | Screenwriter Actor Film director |
| Citizenship: | United States of America |
| Birth Place: | Los Angeles |
| Gender: | Female |
| Description: | American actress and director |
| Net Worth 2021: | 3 million |
