Home / Arts and Entertainment / Artist's Loft: Claire Danes' Unconventional NYC Childhood
Artist's Loft: Claire Danes' Unconventional NYC Childhood
28 Jan
Summary
- Danes' parents were artists in New York's Bowery.
- Jean-Michel Basquiat resided in her childhood building.
- She wanted a suburban life with cousins.
Actress Claire Danes shared details of her unconventional upbringing in New York City during an appearance on the podcast "Good Hang with Amy Poehler." Born in 1979, Danes grew up in a loft building on Crosby Street, which her artist parents purchased in the late 1960s.
The residence offered unique amenities like a swing and a trapeze, allowing Danes to roller skate indoors. Despite these artistic surroundings, she confessed to experiencing shame about her unusual childhood.
Danes recalled that the celebrated artist Jean-Michel Basquiat lived in her building. She remembers him as a very sweet, charming, and tender individual.
She also mentioned that artist Keith Haring was often around. Danes described her youth in the 1970s and 1980s New York as a world apart from today's city, noting it was also a period marked by violence and the presence of the mafia.
