Rachel Nichols (actress)

Rachel Nichols

Nichols at a premiere for G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra in July 2009
Born Rachel Emily Nichols
January 8, 1980 (1980-01-08) (age 31)
Augusta, Maine, U.S.
Occupation Actress, model
Years active 2000–present
Spouse Scott Stuber (2008–2009) (filed for divorce)

Rachel Emily Nichols (born January 8, 1980) is an American actress and model. Nichols began modeling while attending Columbia University in New York in the late 1990s. She transitioned into television and film acting in the early 2000s; she had a bit part in the romantic drama film Autumn in New York (2000) and a one-episode role in the fourth season of Sex and the City (2002).

Her first major role was in the comedy film Dumb and Dumberer: When Harry Met Lloyd (2003). She starred in the crime drama television series The Inside (2005), though it was cancelled after one season. Nichols gained recognition playing Rachel Gibson in the final season of the serial action television series Alias (2005–2006) and for her role in the horror film The Amityville Horror (2005).

Nichols' first starring film role was in the horror–thriller P2 (2007). She had a supporting role in the coming-of-age film The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants 2 (2008) and appeared in Star Trek (2009), the eleventh film of the science fiction franchise of the same name. She starred in the action film G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra (2009) and will star in the sword and sorcery film Conan.

Contents

Early life, college and modeling

Rachel Nichols was born in Augusta, Maine, to Jim, a schoolteacher,[1] and Alison Nichols. She attended Cony High School, where she competed in the high jump.[2] Nichols said in an interview that she was not "the hot chick in high school" and her mother would euphemistically refer to her as "'a late bloomer', which meant that I had uncontrollable arms and legs, I had very long appendages. I took several years of very highly structured dance classes for me to be able to control myself."[3] Upon graduating in 1998, she enrolled at Columbia University in New York City, aiming for a career as a Wall Street analyst. She was noticed by a modeling agent during lunch one day and was and invited to work in Paris; she eventually paid her tuition with the proceeds from her modeling work.[1] She worked on advertising campaigns for Abercrombie & Fitch, Guess?, and L'Oreal;[4] she also hosted several MTV specials.[5] Nichols studied economics and psychology,[6] as well as drama, graduating from Columbia in 2003[2] with a double major in math and economics.[7][8]

Acting career

Nichols had done commercial work and had a bit part as a model in the romantic drama film Autumn in New York (2000)[5] when her modelling agent helped her get a one-episode role in the fourth season of Sex and the City (2002). She later said she had "never really done a proper audition before", and added that "I had such fun [filming on set], that day actually made me want to pursue [acting] more seriously."[9] Later that year she was cast in her first major film role as Jessica, a dogged student newspaper reporter, in Dumb and Dumberer: When Harry Met Lloyd (2003). Although the film was panned by critics,[10] making it was a learning experience for Nichols. She said, "I was a sponge for the entire time I was in Atlanta [during filming] and freely admitted that I had no idea what was going on. I had never done a big film before, I had never been the lead in a film before and any advice anyone wanted to give me, I was more than willing to take."[3] The following year, Nichols played a member of a high school debate team in the independent film Debating Robert Lee (2004) and had a two-episode role in the crime drama television series Line of Fire (2004), which was cancelled after 11 of 13 produced episodes were broadcast. By August 2004, she was cast in supporting roles in the horror films The Amityville Horror (2005) and The Woods (2006).[11]

In late February 2004, Nichols was cast in a starring role in a then-untitled drama pilot for the Fox Broadcasting Company (Fox). According to Variety, her character was to be "a DEA agent who goes undercover at a high school".[12] Todd and Glenn Kessler were developing the series, ultimately titled The Inside. The pilot they produced did not satisfy studio executives, however, and Angel writer Tim Minear was brought in to create a new pilot for the series in late September 2004, replacing the Kesslers as executive producer and showrunner.[13] The Inside was originally supposed to air midseason, but the new pilot itself was reshot and the series was pushed back. The new concept made Nichols' character a rookie FBI agent assigned to the FBI's Los Angeles Violent Crimes Unit. The series premiered in June 2005 and critical reception was mixed; it had been scheduled opposite the popular Dancing with the Stars on ABC, and due to low ratings six of the 13 produced episodes were aired.[14] It was not picked up for further episodes.

Following The Inside, Nichols found work on the fifth season of the serial action series Alias in 2005, being cast that July.[4] Nichols starred as Rachel Gibson, a computer expert who thought she was working for the CIA when in fact she was working for a dangerous terrorist organization—a situation similar to that of the series' main character Sydney Bristow (Jennifer Garner) the first season. Discovering the truth, Gibson joins the real CIA and becomes Bristow's protégé. Of working on Alias, Nichols said that "to say it's the nicest set on the planet is an understatement".[15] Her role involved multiple fight sequences, as did Garner's. Nichols worked with Garner's personal trainer;[15] she said she "already knew that [Garner's] job was extremely hard. But I didn't know how difficult it was until I started training for just one fight."[16] Nichols was being groomed to replace Garner as the main character due to the latter's pregnancy,[1] which had been written into the storyline. But Alias was cancelled in November 2005, making its fifth season its final.[17] "I think everybody knew that the show wouldn't work without Jennifer", Nichols said, "But still, they were grooming me, so it was heartbreaking when it happened."[1]

She had a small role in the romantic drama Shopgirl (2005) and played the babysitter of George and Kathy Lutz's children in The Amityville Horror (2005). For the latter role she was nominated for the Teen Choice Award for Choice Movie Scream Scene[18] and the MTV Movie Award for Best Frightened Performance.[19] She later revealed that she almost did not audition for the film due to her fear of dogs. "[Producer] Michael Bay has these gigantic [dogs]. [...] And, when I went to audition for The Amityville Horror, I went into his offices and literally these three huge dogs were there, and I almost turned around. I was like, 'No, I'm not going to read for this film.' I actually used the dogs in my audition to think of what would scare me the most."[20] The Amityville Horror received generally negative reviews from critics,[21] but was a commercial success.[22]

The Woods, which had been shelved for some 18 months,[23] was released directly to DVD in October 2006.[24] Nichols had a small part in the drama film Resurrecting the Champ (2007), in which she played the assistant to a sportswriter who believes he's found a former boxing legend living homeless on the streets. Also that year, Nichols had a bit part in the fact-based political drama Charlie Wilson's War (2007) and was cast in a new science fiction drama television series Them,[25] which was ultimately not picked up by Fox.[26]

Nichols starred in the horror–thriller P2 (2007), playing a businesswoman who becomes trapped inside a public parking garage with a deranged security guard. About the dress her character wears for much of the film, Nichols said, "When I read the script originally, it wasn't a dress, it was a small nightgown with no bra or underwear. Then I read the first scene where she gets wet, and I went: 'OK, this has got to be altered!'"[1] Nichols said in an interview that among the rules established in her contract were: "I will not get wet and show nipples" in addition to no nudity.[27] A bra was sewn into the "Marilyn Monroe dress" she wore in the film. She said, "I wasn't going to run around for two months without a bra, I thought that was inappropriate. But in place of the nipples there's clearly a lot of cleavage. So we made a compromise."[27] P2 was generally disliked by critics.[28] Reviewer James Berardinelli said "[Nichols'] performance is admirable, although one wonders whether she was cast more for her physical assets than her acting ability."[29] John Anderson of Variety wrote that "Nichols is in territory well trod over the years by everyone from Fay Wray and Grace Kelly to Heather Lagenkamp, the terrified but gutsy heroine, who in this case has been chloroformed and put into a sheer white evening dress by her abductor—who must have anticipated that his captive would try to escape in an elevator, which he could then fill with water. (Nichols' considerable physical attributes, henceforth, seem to occupy most of the screen.) She's sympathetic, hysterical when required and likeable."[30]

Nichols had a supporting role in The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants 2 (2008), playing a jealous friend of co-star America Ferrera's character. Overall, the film was well-received by critics.[31] Roger Ebert commented that "Rachel Nichols as Julia proves a principle that should be in the Little Movie Glossary: If a short, curvy, sun-kissed heroine [Ferrera] has a tall, thin blond as a roommate, that blond is destined to be a bitch. No way around it."[32] Stephen Holden, writing for The New York Times, similarly said, "It falls to Ms. Nichols to play the movie's designated blond baddie, a cold, arrogant vixen who tries to undermine [Ferrera's character's] triumphs in romance and onstage."[33] Nichols was cast in Star Trek (2009) in November 2007, but due to the project's secrecy her role was initially unknown even to her; she said that month she did not even know her character's name. It was speculated that she would play Janice Rand,[34] but she would actually play an Orion cadet at Starfleet Academy, as revealed by TrekMovie.com the following month.[35]

Nichols was cast as Shana "Scarlett" O'Hara in the live-action film adaptation of the G.I. Joe franchise G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra (2009) in late 2007.[8] She later said that she accepted director Stephen Sommers' offer for the role without having read the actual script. "I’d heard from other people that the script was quite good. And then when I finally got to read it myself... I really, really liked it.... I liked that there were two kick-ass female roles. And I liked the fact that it wasn't just a big action movie.... And there was comedy in it. I was genuinely really happily surprised when I read the script."[36] She put on approximately 15 pounds (6.8 kg) of muscle for the role and trained in mixed martial arts with co-star Sienna Miller for some of the film's action sequences.[36] Nichols was burned by a flame during the filming of a fight scene with Miller.[37] Like The Amityville Horror, G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra was not well-received by critics overall,[38] but performed well at the box office.[39] Richard Corliss of Time wrote that "Nichols, playing the brainiac 'Scarlett' O'Hara, has an appealing manner and comely biceps" and took notice of her "savory girl fight with Sienna Miller, as the mostly villainous Baroness."[40]

Variety reported in October 2009 that Nichols had been cast to star in The Loop, in which she would play "a librarian who joins a highway patrolman to uncover the mysteries behind the cryptic sayings spoken by an ancient parrot."[41] She starred in the 2010 independent crime drama film Meskada, which premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival and has no domestic distributor as of April 2010.[42] Nichols was cast in Conan by March 2010.[43]

Personal life

Nichols married film producer Scott Stuber on July 26, 2008, in Aspen, Colorado. Nichols allowed her hair to its natural blond color for the ceremony, as it had been dyed red for her consecutive roles in Star Trek and G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra. She later noted that it was the first time she had ever dyed her hair.[2] The couple honeymooned in Bora Bora, going "deep underground": "We checked e-mail one day", she said.[2] They were working on building a home in Cabo San Lucas shortly after their honeymoon.[2] In February 2009, Nichols and Stuber separated due to irreconcilable differences.[44]

Nichols said in September 2008 that "[t]he modeling shoes have been hung up. We now move on to endorsements."[2]

Filmography

Year Title Role Notes
2000 Autumn in New York Model at Bar
2002 Sex and the City Alexa Episode: "A 'Vogue' Idea"
2003 Dumb & Dumberer: When Harry Met Lloyd Jessica
2004 Debating Robert Lee Trilby Moffat
A Funny Thing Happened at the Quick Mart Jennifer Short film
Line of Fire Alex Myer Episode: "Eminence Front, Part 1"
Episode: "Eminence Front, Part 2"
2005 The Amityville Horror Lisa Nominated – MTV Movie Award for Best Frightened Performance
Nominated – Teen Choice Award for Choice Movie Scream Scene
Mr. Dramatic Girl at Bar
The Inside Special Agent Rebecca Locke Television series
Shopgirl Trey's Girlfriend
2005–2006 Alias Rachel Gibson
2006 The Woods Samantha Wise Released direct-to-video
2007 Them Donna Shaw Television pilot
Resurrecting the Champ Polly
P2 Angela Bridges
Charlie Wilson's War Suzanne
2008 The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants 2 Julia Beckwith
2009 Star Trek Gaila
U.S. Attorney Eve Chase Television pilot[45]
G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra Shana "Scarlett" O'Hara
For Sale by Owner Anna Farrier
2010 Meskada Leslie Spencer
Ollie Klublershturf vs the Nazis Daniella Short film; post-production
2011 Conan Tamara filming

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 Maher, Kevin (April 24, 2008). "The dress code in Rachel Nichols's new film P2 is ... bloody formal". The Times. http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/tol/arts_and_entertainment/film/article3801897.ece. Retrieved July 28, 2010. 
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 Adams, Betty (September 1, 2008). "Newlywed Rachel Nichols' career on the fast track". Morning Sentinel. http://www.onlinesentinel.com/archive/rising-starnewlywed-rachel-nichols_-career-on-the-fast-track.html. Retrieved July 28, 2010. 
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 Kuhn, Sarah (June 9, 2003). "An Interview with Rachel Nichols". IGN. http://movies.ign.com/articles/423/423254p1.html. Retrieved July 28, 2010. 
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 Saney, Daniel (July 29, 2005). "Rachel Nichols heads for 'Alias'". Digital Spy. http://www.digitalspy.com/ustv/news/a23065/rachel-nichols-heads-for-alias.html. Retrieved July 28, 2010. 
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 "Celeb of the Day: Rachel Nichols". IGN. June 9, 2003. http://movies.ign.com/articles/423/423096p1.html. Retrieved July 28, 2010. 
  6. ↑ McGarrigle, Dale (June 11, 2005). "'Inside' Job Model - Actress Nichols goes from modeling in Augusta to starring in a new Fox crime drama". Bangor Daily News: 1. 
  7. ↑ Seipp, Catherine (June 9, 2005). "Summer Tube". National Review Online. http://old.nationalreview.com/seipp/seipp200506090749.asp. Retrieved July 28, 2010. 
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 Campbell, Christopher (December 19, 2007). "'G.I. Joe' Casts Scarlett and Storm Shadow?". Cinematical. http://www.cinematical.com/2007/12/19/g-i-joe-casts-scarlett-and-storm-shadow/. Retrieved July 28, 2010. 
  9. ↑ Johnson, Tim (August 7, 2009). "Exclusive : Nichols wants more Sex". Moviehole.net. http://www.moviehole.net/200920188-exclusive-nichols-wants-more-sex. Retrieved July 28, 2010. 
  10. ↑ "Dumb and Dumberer: When Harry Met Lloyd reviews". Metacritic.com. http://www.metacritic.com/video/titles/dumbanddumberer. Retrieved July 29, 2010. 
  11. ↑ Feiwell, Jill (August 1, 2004). "Rachel Nichols". Variety. http://www.variety.com/article/VR1117908539.html. Retrieved July 28, 2010. 
  12. ↑ Schneider, Michael (February 22, 2004). "ABC paints fresco pilot". Variety. http://www.variety.com/article/VR1117900564.html. Retrieved July 27, 2010. 
  13. ↑ Adalian, Josef (September 27, 2004). "'Inside' finds a leading man". Variety. http://www.variety.com/article/VR1117911034.html. Retrieved July 27, 2010. 
  14. ↑ Cortez, Carl (August 3, 2005). "Exclusive: TIM MINEAR TALKS THE BEGINNING AND END OF THE INSIDE - PART 2". iFMagazine.com. http://ifmagazine.com/feature.asp?article=1312. Retrieved July 27, 2010. 
  15. ↑ 15.0 15.1 O'Hare, Kate (November 9, 2005). "Rachel Nichols Flies 'Solo' on 'Alias'". Zap2It. http://tv.msn.com/tv/article.aspx?news=206493. Retrieved July 27, 2010. 
  16. ↑ Guthrie, Marisa (October 27, 2005). "ROOKIES FACE TOUGH 'ALIAS' ASSIGNMENT". New York Daily News. http://www.nydailynews.com/archives/entertainment/2005/10/27/2005-10-27_rookies_face_tough__alias__a.html. Retrieved July 28, 2010. 
  17. ↑ Schneider, Michael (November 27, 2005). "'Alias' is calling it quits". Variety. http://www.variety.com/article/VR1117933558.html. Retrieved July 28, 2010. 
  18. ↑ "The Teen Choice Awards (2005) Nominees & Winners". Fox.com. http://www.fox.com/tca2005/nominees.htm. Retrieved July 28, 2010. 
  19. ↑ "2006 MTV Movie Awards". MTV. http://www.mtv.com/ontv/movieawards/2006/. Retrieved July 28, 2010. 
  20. ↑ Topel, Fred (November 6, 2007). "Interview: Rachel Nichols on P2". CanMag. http://www.canmag.com/nw/9516-p2-rachel-nichols. Retrieved July 28, 2010. 
  21. ↑ "The Amityville Horror reviews". Metacritic.com. http://www.metacritic.com/film/titles/amityvillehorror. Retrieved July 29, 2010. 
  22. ↑ "The Amityville Horror (2005)". BoxOfficeMojo.com. http://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=amityvillehorror05.htm. Retrieved July 29, 2010. 
  23. ↑ Weinberg, Scott (July 24, 2006). "Let's All Take a Trip to The Woods (FINALLY!)". Cinematical. http://www.cinematical.com/2006/07/24/lets-all-take-a-trip-to-the-woods-finally/. Retrieved July 28, 2010. 
  24. ↑ Kernion, Jette (September 30, 2006). "FF Review: The Woods". Cinematical. http://www.cinematical.com/2006/09/30/ff-review-the-woods/. Retrieved July 28, 2010. 
  25. ↑ Adalian, Josef; Michael Schneider (February 17, 2010). "CW picks up 'M.I.L.F. and Cookies'". Variety. http://www.variety.com/article/VR1117959654.html. Retrieved July 27, 2010. 
  26. ↑ Variety Staff (January 29, 2007). "Fox pickups". Variety. http://www.variety.com/article/VR1117958299.html. Retrieved July 27, 2010. 
  27. ↑ 27.0 27.1 Rotten, Ryan (October 12, 2007). "Exclusive Interview: P2's Rachel Nichols". ShockTillYouDrop.com. http://www.shocktillyoudrop.com/news/topnews.php?id=1586. Retrieved July 27, 2010. 
  28. ↑ "P2 reviews". Metacritic.com. http://www.metacritic.com/video/titles/p2. Retrieved July 29, 2010. 
  29. ↑ Berardinelli, James (2007). "Review: P2". ReelViews.net. http://www.reelviews.net/movies/p/p2.html. Retrieved July 29, 2010. 
  30. ↑ Anderson, John (November 8, 2007). "P2 Review". Variety. http://www.variety.com/review/VE1117935359.html. Retrieved July 28, 2010. 
  31. ↑ "The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants 2 reviews". Metacritic.com. http://www.metacritic.com/film/titles/sisterhood2. Retrieved July 29, 2010. 
  32. ↑ Ebert, Roger (August 5, 2008). "The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants 2". rogerebert.com. http://rogerebert.suntimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080804/REVIEWS/488565436. Retrieved July 29, 2010. 
  33. ↑ Holden, Stephen (August 6, 2008). "Four Jills in Jeans (One Pair) Go to College, Find Romance (or Not), Stay Connected". The New York Times. http://movies.nytimes.com/2008/08/06/movies/06pant.html. Retrieved July 29, 2010. 
  34. ↑ Sciretta, Peter (November 8, 2007). "Star Trek Casting: Rachel Nichols, Jennifer Morrison and Winona Ryder". /Film. http://www.slashfilm.com/2007/11/08/star-trek-casting-rachel-nichols-jennifer-morrison-and-winona-ryder/. Retrieved July 28, 2010. 
  35. ↑ Pascale, Anthony (December 17, 2007). "Nichols Is An Orion + Morrison Is Kirk’s Mom". TrekMovie.com. http://trekmovie.com/2007/12/17/nichols-is-an-orion-morrison-is-winona-kirk/. Retrieved July 28, 2010. 
  36. ↑ 36.0 36.1 Fischer, Paul (August 6, 2009). "Exclusive Interview: Rachel Nichols for "GI Joe: The Rise of Cobra"". Dark Horizon. http://www.darkhorizons.com/interviews/1459/rachel-nichols-for-gi-joe-the-rise-of-cobra-. Retrieved July 28, 2010. 
  37. ↑ Carroll, Larry (March 10, 2009). "Sienna Miller Describes 'Really Good Girl Fight' In 'G.I. Joe: Rise Of Cobra'". MTV. http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1606632/20090309/story.jhtml. Retrieved July 28, 2010. 
  38. ↑ "G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra reviews". Metacritic.com. http://www.metacritic.com/film/titles/gijoeriseofcobra. Retrieved July 29, 2010. 
  39. ↑ "G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra (2009)". BoxOfficeMojo.com. http://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=gijoe.htm. Retrieved July 29, 2010. 
  40. ↑ Corliss, Richard (August 7, 2009). "G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra: Straight to Self-Parody". Time. http://www.time.com/time/arts/article/0,8599,1915188,00.html. Retrieved July 29, 2010. 
  41. ↑ Kroll, Justin (October 12, 2009). "Rachel Nichols joins 'The Loop'". Variety. http://www.variety.com/article/VR1118009867.html. Retrieved July 27, 2010. 
  42. ↑ Willmore, Alison (April 23, 2010). "Review: "Meskada," murder and manufacturing in a small town". IFC.com. http://www.ifc.com/blogs/indie-eye/2010/04/meskada.php. Retrieved July 28, 2010. 
  43. ↑ McNary, Dave (March 16, 2010). "'Conan' rounds out cast". Variety. http://www.variety.com/article/VR1118016554.html. Retrieved July 27, 2010. 
  44. ↑ "Actress Rachel Nichols & Producer Scott Stuber Split". People Magazine. February 27, 2009. http://www.people.com/people/article/0,,20261929,00.html. Retrieved July 27, 2010. 
  45. ↑ "CBS TV pilots: 2009-2010". Variety. February 19, 2009. http://www.variety.com/article/VR1118000334.html. Retrieved July 29, 2010. 

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