Evan Rachel Wood

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Evan Rachel Wood

Wood at the Toronto Film Festival, 2007
Born September 7, 1987 (1987-09-07) (age 21)
Raleigh, North Carolina
Years active 1994 – present

Evan Rachel Wood (born September 7, 1987)[1] is an American actress and singer.

Wood began her acting career in the late 1990s, appearing in several television roles, including American Gothic and Once and Again. She made her debut as a leading film actress in 2002's Little Secrets, and became well known after her transition to a more adult oriented Golden Globe-nominated role in the critically acclaimed Thirteen (2003).[2]

Wood continued acting in mostly independent films, including Pretty Persuasion (2005), Down in the Valley (2006), Running With Scissors (2006), and in the big studio production Across the Universe (2007). Wood's acting has drawn critical praise and has been described by The Guardian newspaper as being "wise beyond her years" and as "one of the best actresses of her generation".[3] Her relationship with singer Marilyn Manson has received considerable media coverage.

Contents

[edit] Biography

[edit] Early life and family

Wood was born in Raleigh, North Carolina, the daughter of Sara Lynn Moore, an actress, director and acting coach, and Ira David Wood III, an actor, singer, theater director and playwright.[3] Wood's brother, Ira David Wood IV, is also an actor. Wood has another brother, Dana. Her paternal aunt, Carol Winstead Wood, is a Hollywood production designer.[4]

Evan Rachel Wood is Jewish.[5][6] She has described the music of The Beatles as being a major part of her life since her first family Christmas.[7] Wood and her brothers were actively involved in Theatre In The Park, a community theater directed by her father, while growing up; she played the Ghost of Christmas Past in a production of A Christmas Carol at the theater when she was several months old, and later starred as Helen Keller alongside her mother (who played Annie Sullivan) in a production of The Miracle Worker, under her father's direction.[8][9]

[edit] Acting career

Wood began her career appearing in several made-for-television films from 1994 and onwards, also playing an occasional role in the television series American Gothic. In 1996, Wood's parents separated and later divorced, and Wood moved with her mother to her mother's native Los Angeles County, California.[3][10] After a one-season role on the television drama, Profiler, Wood was cast in the supporting role of Jessie Sammler on the television show Once and Again. Wood's first major screen role was in the low-budget 1998 film Digging to China, which also starred Kevin Bacon and Mary Stuart Masterson. Wood remembers the role as initially being "hard," but notes that it eventually led to her decision that acting is something she "might never want to stop doing."[3] In 2002, Wood played a supporting role in the film S1m0ne, which starred Al Pacino. Wood's breakthrough movie role followed with the somewhat controversial 2003 independent film Thirteen. The film garnered strong critical acclaim, and her performance was nominated for a Golden Globe Award as Best Actress - Drama and for a Screen Actors Guild (SAG) Award for Best Actress. During the time of Thirteen's release, Vanity Fair named Wood as one of the It Girls of Hollywood, and she appeared, along with the other actresses, on the magazine's July 2003 cover.[11] A supporting role opposite Cate Blanchett and Tommy Lee Jones, in Ron Howard's The Missing, followed the same year.

In 2005, she appeared in The Upside of Anger, opposite Kevin Costner and Joan Allen, a well-reviewed film in which Wood played one of several sisters dealing with their father's absence.[3] Her next two starring roles were in the dark independent films, Pretty Persuasion (also 2005), in which she played a villainous, sexually active high-schooler, and Down in the Valley, in which her character falls in love with an older man posing as a cowboy (Edward Norton). Wood has commented on her choice of sexually themed roles, saying that she is not aiming for the "shock factor" in her film choices.[3] In 2005, Wood starred in the music videos for Bright Eyes' "At the Bottom of Everything" and Green Day's "Wake Me Up When September Ends." In September of 2006, she received Premiere magazine's "Spotlight Award for Emerging Talent."[12] Later that year, Wood appeared with an all-star ensemble cast in the film Running With Scissors. Also in 2006, she was described by The Guardian as being "wise beyond her years" and as "one of the best actresses of her generation."[3]

Wood with Michael Douglas in 2007's King of California
Wood with Michael Douglas in 2007's King of California

Wood has roles in two films released in September, 2007: King of California and Across the Universe, a musical directed by Julie Taymor and set in Liverpool, United Kingdom, New York City, and Vietnam; Wood sang musical numbers live during filming in the latter film. Starring in 2008's Vadim Perelman-directed The Life Before Her Eyes, Wood played a younger version of Uma Thurman's character; Wood has stated that she intends the film to be the last time she plays a teenager.[13] Next, Wood will provide the voice of an alien in the animated film Terra, will play writer Anne Brontë in the film Brontë, and will be involved in the film Phantasmagoria: The Visions of Lewis Carroll.[10][13] Wood has stated that she prefers music to movies and is planning to launch a singing career. Wood and Across the Universe co-star Jim Sturgess are reported to be involved in the upcoming Julie Taymor Broadway production of a Spider-Man musical adaptation. Music for the show will be composed and written by Bono and The Edge of the band U2.[14]

[edit] Personal life

Evan Rachel Wood in 2005
Evan Rachel Wood in 2005

Wood was home-schooled for most of her schooling years and received her high school diploma at age fifteen.[15] She has a black belt in Tae Kwon Do and enjoys singing, having recorded the song "Christmas Isn't Christmas Without You."


Wood also described herself as being "laid-back" and "not a party girl," citing her choice to stay away from what is considered a typical Hollywood lifestyle.[3] In 2006 Wood, who was described by The Guardian as an "Anglophile," dated her "Wake Me Up When September Ends" music video co-star, English actor Jamie Bell.[3][13] She is also a friend of actor Joseph Gordon-Levitt.[3]

In 2007, Wood's relationship with Marilyn Manson became public. The two met at a party at the Chateau Marmont Hotel; Wood has stated that she was attracted to Manson's frequent use of black eye liner and has described their relationship as "healthy and loving."[16] Two portraits of Wood, painted by Manson, have been exhibited at the Celebritarian Corporation Gallery of Fine Art. Wood is also the inspiration behind Manson's song "Heart-Shaped Glasses" and appeared with Manson in the song's music video. Manson has said that Wood's appearance in the film was the highest-paid music video role ever.[13]

[edit] Music

On October 24, 2007, Entertainment Weekly announced that Evan Rachel Wood will sign a record deal with Interscope Records. As of 2008, she is currently working on her long-anticipated debut album.

[edit] Filmography

Year Title Role Notes
1998 Practical Magic Kylie Owens
Digging to China Harriet Frankovitz limited release
1999 Down Will Come Baby Robin Garr made-for-television
2002 Little Secrets Emily Lindstrom
S1m0ne Lainey Christian
2003 The Missing Lily Gilekson
Thirteen Tracy Louise Freeland Golden Globe nomination
2005 Pretty Persuasion Kimberly Joyce limited release
The Upside of Anger Lavender 'Popeye' Wolfmeyer
2006 Running with Scissors Natalie
Down in the Valley Tobe limited release
Asterix and the Vikings Abba (English Dub) limited release
Shark Bait Chordelia (Voice) Also known as The Reef
2007 King of California Miranda
Across the Universe Lucy Carrigan
Terra Mala (voice)
2008 The Life Before Her Eyes Young Diana limited release
The Wrestler Stephanie awaiting release
2009 Whatever Works Melodie post-production
Phantasmagoria: The Visions of Lewis Carroll Alice rumored

[edit] Television

Year Title Role Notes
1999 - 2002 Once and Again Jessie Sammler TV series (main character)

[edit] References

Wikimedia Commons has media related to:
  1. ^ "Biography". The Official Evan Rachel Wood Fansite (2002). Retrieved on 2007-08-28.
  2. ^ "Wood re-lives high school bullying for inspiration", DailyIndia.com (2006-06-17). Retrieved on 2006-06-17. 
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h i j O'Toole, Lesley (2006-06-24). "Distress princess", Guardian Unlimited. Retrieved on 2006-06-24. 
  4. ^ McDowell, Robert W. (December, 2004). "PREVIEW: Theatre in the Park Preview: A Christmas Carol, Starring David Wood as Scrooge, Will Have New Scenery and New Choreography", Classical Voice of North Carolina. Retrieved on 2007-10-04. 
  5. ^ Nikki Reed and Evan Rachel Wood both mentioned that they are Jewish on the Thirteen DVD commentary, between the 10:00 and 11:00 minute mark
  6. ^ Bloom, Nate (2007-06-18). "Celebrity Jews in the news - 13 GOING ON 30", The Jewish News Weekly of Northern California. Retrieved on 2006-06-12. 
  7. ^ "'Thirteen' no more: Evan Rachel Wood grows up", CNN.com (2007-09-12). Retrieved on 2006-11-08. 
  8. ^ Celeb Spotlight: Evan Rachel Wood
  9. ^ Evan Rachel Wood lives life to the full
  10. ^ a b Dicker, Ron (2007-09-16). "Two Postcards From Toronto: Evan Rachel Wood, Emile Hirsch Give Hollywood A Glimpse Of Its Future", Hartford Courant. Retrieved on 2007-09-16. 
  11. ^ Woolcott, James "Teen Engines: Riding with the Kid Culture" (July 2003) p. 157
  12. ^ From correspondents in California (2006-09-22). "Cate Blanchett gets Hollywood gong", The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved on 2006-09-21. 
  13. ^ a b c d Maher, Kevin (2007-09-27). "Evan Rachel Wood's hard day’s night", Times Online. Retrieved on 2007-09-27. 
  14. ^ Karakaya, Jenny (2007-09-24). "Across the Universe Interviews with Jim Sturgess and Julie Taymor", New York Post. Retrieved on 2007-10-05. 
  15. ^ Pilcher, Bradford R. (9/10, 2006). "Evan Rachel Wood", American Jewish Life Magazine. Retrieved on 2007-01-15. 
  16. ^ Herald wire services (2007-07-12). "They owe it all to eyeliner", Boston Herald. Retrieved on 2007-07-12. 

[edit] External links

Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Evan_Rachel_Wood"
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