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Thirteen
Background:
"I had hoped that girls all over the world would relate to
'Thirteen' (2003), but I had no idea that girls I was sitting next to
went through the same things I did." Nikki Reed
At the age of 14, Nikki Reed made an impressive Hollywood debut
while co-starring as Evie Zamora, opposite fellow newcomer Evan
Rachel Wood and Oscar-winner Holly Hunter, in the award-winning
coming-of-age drama, “Thirteen” (2003), which she also
co-wrote with first-time director Catherine Hardwicke.
She has since starred in such films as "Lords of Dogtown"
(2005), "American Gun" (2005), "Mini's First Time"
(2006) and "Cherry Crush" (2007) and guest-starred in a
2006 episode of FOX's legal-themed series "Justice." She
joined the cast of the FOX teen drama "The O.C." in a
recurring role of Sadie Campbell in 2006.
Next, the 5' 7½'' budding actress will star in the upcoming
films "Familiar Strangers," "Privileged," "Chain
Letter," and Hardwicke's upcoming film adaptation of Stephenie
Meyer's best-selling young adult vampire novel, "Twilight,"
in which she will portray Rosalie Hale, a beautiful vampire who is
also a member of the Cullen family.
“People tend to get nervous when they're working with first
time writer-directors because we've all had our share of bad
experiences when you work with someone who is too close to the
material and can't really pull themselves away.” Nikki Reed
Rebellious Nik
Childhood and Family:
“I think my mother is my biggest influence. There are so
many things I hate about her but at the same time, I’m thankful
for her. All I know is that when I’m a parent I want to be just
like my mom. I can talk to my mom more than any of my friends could
talk to their parents.” Nikki Reed
In West Los Angeles, California, Nicole Elizabeth Reed was born on
January 17, 1988. Her father, Seth Reed, is an architect-turned-art
director of Jewish heritage, while her mother, Cheryl Houston, is a
hairdresser with Italian and Cherokee Native American ancestry.
Nikki's parents divorced when she was just two years old and she was
raised primarily in her father's Jewish religion although she
primarily lived with her mother in Culver City, California, where her
mother still resides. She has an older brother named Nathan August
Reed, who was born on November 23, 1986.
Nikki, nicknamed “Nik,” attended Palms Middle School,
in Los Angeles, California. At age 14, she moved out on her own and
has noted that during this time she "grew up very fast,"
was "mature and responsible," as well as a "shy kid"
and a "bookworm" who experimented with drugs, alcohol and
sex. Catherine Hardwicke, who had dated Nikki's father for several
years, later tried to find positive creative outlets for her
rebellious surrogate daughter and the two began collaborating on a
screenplay for Nikki's first film, “Thirteen” (2003).
Following the success of “Thirteen,” Nikki returned to
high school, but dropped out again after a year because "mothers
[who] were sneaking into the school at lunchtime to confront and
harass me about the film." She was subsequently home-schooled
and eventually received her high school diploma.
"I didn't know when I finished ‘Thirteen’ (2003)
that I wanted to be an actress. I went back to high school and then I
realized I missed it. I had fallen in love with being on the set."
Nikki Reed
Nikki loves to go horseback-riding and is close friends with
“Thirteen” co-star Evan Rachel Wood. She divides her time
between New York City and Los Angeles.
Mini's First Time
Career:
A rebellious preteen, Nikki Reed found a positive creative outlet
when she collaborated with her father's ex-girlfriend Catherine
Hardwicke to co-write the screenplay for an autobiographical film
based on Reed's experiences as a 13-year-old, "Thirteen"
(2003). Written within six days, the film caused controversy upon its
release.
However the film was well received and earned Reed, who also
starred as Evie Zamora, the most popular and attractive girl at
school who led Evan Rachel Wood's straight-A student character into a
world of sex, drugs, and crime, an Independent Spirit Award for Best
Debut Performance and a Nantucket Film Festival Award for Best
Feature Screenplay. That same year, she was named One to Watch –
Female at the Young Hollywood Awards. Additionally, Holly Hunter, who
played Wood's mother, was nominated for 2003 Academy Award for Best
Actress in a Supporting Role, and both Hunter and Wood were nominated
for Golden Globes, respectively for Best Supporting Actress and Best
Actress in a Drama.
After appearing in Jefery Levy's independent drama "Man of
God" (2005), Reed was reunited with Hardwicke to play Tony
Alva's sister Kathy in the 2005 film "Lords of Dogtown.”
That same year, she appeared in Santana/Steven Tyler’s music
video "Just Feel Better" and co-starred with Linda
Cardellini, Tony Goldwyn, Marcia Gay Harden, Donald Sutherland, and
Forest Whitaker, in the IFC project "American Gun," written
and directed by Aric Avelino.
Reed then played the title role of a rebellious L.A. teenager in
writer/director Nick Guthe's dark comedy, "Mini's First Time"
(2006). About her character in the film, Reed explained, “Mini
comes from a very troubled place. Her mother is an alcoholic and a
drug addict. Basically, it's the theory of a human being raised
without any sort of affection.”
She also said, “I just kind of loved the idea of playing a
character that was so different than myself. It's actually the
opposite. I grew up with very little money but with a mother who
always over loved and was overly affectionate with my brother and I.
So, I just thought that was something I could not relate to at all
with where she was coming from, but it was something that I wanted to
play.”
Meanwhile, TV viewers could catch Reed in an episode of FOX's
legal-themed series "Justice." She then joined the cast of
the FOX teen drama "The O.C.," in a recurring role of Sadie
Campbell, Johnny Harper's (played by Ryan Donowho) cousin and a new
love interest for Ryan Atwood (played by Benjamin McKenzie).
2007 saw Reed co-star with Jonathan Tucker in Nicholas DiBella's
drama/thriller film, "Cherry Crush.”
Reed has completed her new film, "Familiar Strangers,"
directed by Zackary Adler in which she will co-star with Shawn
Hatosy, DJ Qualls, and Tom Bower. She is currently filming
"Privileged," a teen drama by Jonah Salander featuring Adam
Butcher, Julian Morris, Tatyana Ali, and Brenda Strong, and "Chain
Letter," a suspense horror by Deon Taylor in which she will act
opposite Keith David, Brad Dourif, and Bai Ling.
She was reunited with "Thirteen" (2003) and "Lords
of Dogtown" (2005) director Hardwicke in her upcoming film
adaptation of Stephenie Meyer's best-selling young adult vampire
novel, "Twilight," where she will portray Rosalie Hale, a
beautiful vampire who is also a member of the Cullen family.
“I went through what I went through too young. Emotionally,
it was really hard juggling all these things I was going through.”
Nikki Reed
Awards:
Independent Spirit: Best Debut Performance, "Thirteen,"
2004
Nantucket Film Festival: Screenwriting Award - Best Feature
Screenplay, "Thirteen," 2003
Young Hollywood: One to Watch - Female, 2003
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