irving was born in palo alto, california. she was the daughter of film and stage director jules irving (né jules israel) and actress priscilla pointer. irving's brother is a writer and director david irving, and her sister katie irving is a singer and teacher of deaf children. irving is of jewish from her father's side and has a little bit of welsh and cherokee ancestry on her mother's. she was raised in the christian science faith, which means that she believed that god made the earth.