Maggie Grace

Maggie Grace
Grace in 2018
Born Margaret Grace Denig
(1983-09-21) September 21, 1983
Worthington, Ohio, United States
Occupation Actress, model
Years active 2001–present
Spouse(s)
Brent Bushnell (m. 2017)
Relatives Marissa Denig (sister)
Nick Palatas (brother in law)

Maggie Grace (born Margaret Grace Denig; September 21, 1983), is an American actress and model. She is best known for her roles as Shannon Rutherford on the ABC television series Lost and Kim Mills in the Taken trilogy. She has also appeared in The Twilight Saga as Irina. Originally from Worthington, Ohio, she went on to earn a Young Artist Award nomination in 2002 with her portrayal of 15-year-old murder victim Martha Moxley in the television movie Murder in Greenwich. In 2004, Grace was cast as Shannon Rutherford in the television series Lost, on which she was a main cast member for the first two seasons, winning a Screen Actors Guild Award shared with the ensemble cast. Leaving the series, Grace was keen to work more prominently in film. She appeared in The Jane Austen Book Club (2007), and opposite Liam Neeson as Kim Mills in Taken in 2008. She reprised the role of Kim in Taken 2 (2012) and Taken 3 (2015).

She played the lead role, Alice, in Malice in Wonderland, a modern take on Lewis Carroll's novel Alice's Adventures in Wonderland. Grace reprised the role of Shannon in two more episodes of Lost, including the series finale. In 2013, she appeared in the sixth season of Californication. She portrayed Faith, a groupie and a muse to the stars, who captures the eye of Hank Moody, played by David Duchovny. She joined the cast of the series Fear The Walking Dead in 2018 as a character named Althea.

Early life

Margaret Grace Denig was born on September 21, 1983, in Worthington, Ohio, the daughter of Valinn (née Everett) and Fred Denig, who ran a family jewelry business.[1] Her family lived in a 200-year-old house, the first saltbox house in central Ohio.[2] She attended Worthington Christian Schools from kindergarten through ninth grade and briefly attended Thomas Worthington High School,[3] where she began acting in school plays and community theater,[4] including a 2000 Gallery Players production of The Crucible, at a local Jewish Community Center (though she is not Jewish).[5][6] As a kid Grace was a big reader and a self described "Shakespeare nerd"[7] telling the LA Times that at age 13, she "was really into Jane Austen, kind of like how some kids are into Star Trek.[7]

Career

Grace acquired an agent within a week of relocating to Los Angeles and enrolled in acting classes.[6] She landed her first role in Rachel's Room, a 2001 web-based video series about the affairs inside a teenage girl's bedroom that was created by Dawson's Creek executive producer Paul Stupin.[8] Her next role was on the 2002 television series Septuplets, which was cancelled before the first episode had aired.[1] Her breakout role was on 2002's television movie Murder in Greenwich, based on the true story of 15-year-old Martha Moxley's murder. She was nominated for a Young Artist Award for her portrayal of Moxley in the Best Performance in a TV Movie, Miniseries or Special – Leading Young Actress category, but lost to Clara Bryant for Tru Confessions.[9] She went on to feature in minor roles on the television series CSI: Miami, The Lyon's Den, Miracles, Like Family, Cold Case and Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, and the films Twelve Mile Road and Creature Unknown.

Grace at the New York premiere of Won't Back Down, September 2012

In mid-2004, Grace's agent sent her the script for the pilot episode of Lost; she was given the role of Shannon Rutherford after a successful audition.[1] She was nominated in 2005 for a Teen Choice Award for Choice TV Breakout Performance – Female for her role on Lost, but lost to Desperate Housewives' Eva Longoria.[10] She lived in Hawaii during the filming of the show's first season, and signed on to star opposite Tom Welling in The Fog, a 2005 remake of the 1980 horror film of the same name, as a character originally played by Jamie Lee Curtis.[11] Though the filming of Lost was supposed to have ended before The Fog began, the productions coincided due to Lost's extended season finale[4] and Grace flew between the two sets, on the Hawaiian island of Oahu and on Bowen Island in British Columbia, Canada.[2]

After ranking at #27 on Maxim's Hot 100 list of 2005,[12] she returned for Lost's second season. Her character was killed in the season's eighth episode, "Collision", when the series' writers began to feel that the character's "story avenues [were] limited". Executive producer Carlton Cuse said that Grace's departure from the show was "sort of a win-win" as she was eager to enter a full-time career in film.[13] After leaving the series, she nevertheless joined the other principal Lost cast members of season 2 onstage at the 12th Screen Actors Guild Awards where Lost won the award for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series.[14]

Maggie Grace at the 2007 Toronto International Film Festival

Variety reported in May 2005 that Grace was in negotiations to play X-Men character Kitty Pryde in the 2006 film X-Men: The Last Stand,[15] but in July, auditions were reportedly being held for her replacement.[16] The role ultimately went to Ellen Page,[17] and Grace later revealed that she had never been contacted about the role and was surprised to read that she was up for the part in question.[18] Grace's next role was in the 2007 independent film Suburban Girl, alongside Sarah Michelle Gellar and Alec Baldwin.[19] In 2007, she starred in The Jane Austen Book Club, based on Karen Joy Fowler's novel of the same name. She is a fan of Jane Austen and had read Fowler's novel when it was released in 2004. When she was given the film's script, she met with the director Robin Swicord, with whom she says she "geeked out", and was given the role of Allegra, an openly lesbian 20-year-old.[20]

After the filming of The Jane Austen Book Club was completed, Grace briefly returned to Hawaii to shoot a guest spot on the Lost season 3 episode "Exposé".[20] She starred in the 2008 thriller film Taken with Liam Neeson, who was at the top of a list of male actors Grace wished to work with that she had written just two months before she was cast.[21] She played the lead in Simon Fellows' 2009 Malice in Wonderland, a modern adaptation of Lewis Carroll's Alice's Adventures in Wonderland.[22] In 2010, Grace starred in the drama Flying Lessons,[23] and appeared opposite Tom Cruise and Cameron Diaz in James Mangold's film Knight and Day,[24] as well as in Faster, with Dwayne Johnson.[25] Grace's busy schedule prevented her from returning as Shannon in "LA X", the season premiere for Lost's sixth and final season,[26] but she eventually returned for the series finale "The End".[27] In September 2010, it was revealed that Grace was chosen to play Irina in The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part 1 and 2.[28]

In December 2012, it was announced Grace would be making her Broadway debut in Picnic. The play opened for previews on December 14, running at the American Airlines Theatre. Sebastian Stan co-stars with Grace in the Pulitzer Prize winning play.[29]

She also made her first appearance as a guest star in the Showtime Series Californication in January 2013, in which she plays a groupie and muse to the rock and roll world as well as the personal interest of Hank Moody, starring David Duchovny.

In 2018, she joined the cast of Fear the Walking Dead.

Personal life

While still working on Lost, Grace and Ian Somerhalder adopted a feral cat named Roo which they found "literally dying" in the jungle on the set. She said that the cat is now her "travel buddy."[30] In February 2017, Grace became engaged to Brent Bushnell.[31] They were married on May 28, 2017.[32]

Grace often credits her mother as her source of inspiration. When asked about her closest friend, she said that she and her mother were more like sisters and that she is "lucky to have an exceptionally cool mom."[33] She is a self-proclaimed Anglophile, having written to a pen pal in the Lake District from the age of eight, having first visited England at 13 years of age, and admiring a number of English poets, including William Shakespeare.[34] She calls herself very clumsy, claiming to "trip over my legs all the time,"[35] and was jokingly nicknamed "Maggie Graceless" by one of her former castmates.[36]

Filmography

Film

Year Title Role Notes
2002 Shop Club
2004 Creature Unknown Amanda
2005 The Fog Elizabeth Williams
2007 Suburban Girl Chloe
2007 The Jane Austen Book Club Allegra
2008 Taken Kim Mills
2009 Malice in Wonderland Alice
2010 Flying Lessons Sophie Conway
2010 Knight and Day April Havens
2010 The Experiment Bay
2010 Faster Lily
2011 The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part 1 Irina
2012 Lockout Emilie Warnock
2012 The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part 2 Irina
2012 Taken 2 Kim Mills
2012 Decoding Annie Parker Sarah
2014 We'll Never Have Paris Kelsey
2014 About Alex Siri
2015 Taken 3 Kim Mills
2015 Unity Narrator Documentary
2016 The Choice Stephanie Parker
2016 Showing Roots Violet
2017 The Scent of Rain and Lightning Laurie
2017 Aftermath Christina
2018 The Hurricane Heist Casey
2018 Supercon Allison

Television

Year Title Role Notes
2002 Septuplets Hope Wilde Unknown episodes
2002 Murder in Greenwich Martha Moxley Television film
2003 Twelve Mile Road Dulcie Landis Television film
2003 CSI: Miami Amy Gorman Episode: "Spring Break"
2003 The Lyon's Den Haley Dugan Episode: "Beach House"
2003 Miracles Hannah Cottrell Episode: "Mother's Daughter"
2004 Cold Case Renee Episode: "Volunteers"
2004 Oliver Beene Elke 8 episodes
2004 Like Family Mary Episode: "My Two Moms"
2004 Law & Order: Special Victims Unit Jessie Dawning Episode: "Obscene"
2004–2006, 2010 Lost Shannon Rutherford 32 episodes
2013 Californication Faith 10 episodes
2013 The Following Sarah Fuller Episode: "Pilot"
2013 Susanna Susanna 12 episodes
2013 When Calls the Heart Aunt Elizabeth Television film[37]
2015 Masters of Sex Dr. Christine Wesh Episode: "Three's a Crowd"
2018–present Fear the Walking Dead Althea 12 episodes

References

  1. 1 2 3 Keck, William (October 18, 2005). "She's not lost in a fog". USA Today. Retrieved January 8, 2009.
  2. 1 2 Barker, Lynn (October 12, 2005). "Maggie Grace: "Lost" in The Fog". TeenHollywood.com. Retrieved January 8, 2009.
  3. ↑ Graham, Caroline (November–December 2005). "Finding Grace". CityScene.
  4. 1 2 King, Susan (September 11, 2005). "The island life seems to suit her just fine". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on May 11, 2011. Retrieved April 2, 2016.
  5. ↑ Foley, Kristen M. (February 2005). "Lost Girl". C: The Columbus Magazine.
  6. 1 2 Sells, Mark (January 2009). "Maggie Grace". The Reel Deal. Retrieved July 12, 2013.
  7. 1 2 King, Susan (January 8, 2015). "'Shakespeare nerd' Maggie Grace has been 'Taken' by the action genre". latimes.com. Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on January 12, 2015. Retrieved April 2, 2016.
  8. ↑ Marlowe, Chris (September 10, 2001). "Stupin Gets Raw In 'Room' With An Internet View". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on December 4, 2007. Retrieved January 8, 2009.
  9. ↑ Eric Goldman (March 29, 2003). "24th Annual Young Artist Awards Nominations". Young Artist Awards. Archived from the original on January 10, 2016. Retrieved January 8, 2009.
  10. ↑ "The Teen Choice Awards – Nominees". 20th Century Fox. 2005. Archived from the original on February 5, 2008. Retrieved March 6, 2008.
  11. ↑ Otto, Jeff (October 4, 2005). "Set Visit: The Fog". IGN. Retrieved January 8, 2009.
  12. ↑ "MAXIM MAGAZINE Unveils Their "Hot 100" for 2005; Eva Longoria Crowned #1 This Year". Business Wire. May 10, 2005. Archived from the original on May 26, 2012. Retrieved January 8, 2009.
  13. ↑ Malcom, Shawna (November 29, 2005). "Has Lost Seen the Last of Shannon?". TV Guide.
  14. ↑ Eric Goldman (January 31, 2006). "'Lost's' killed-off actors get to share in glory". Honolulu Star-Bulletin. Retrieved January 8, 2009.
  15. ↑ IGN FilmForce (May 18, 2005). "Grammer, Grace in X3". IGN. Retrieved January 8, 2009.
  16. ↑ Saney, Daniel (July 6, 2005). "Maggie Grace quits 'X-Men 3'". Digital Spy. Retrieved January 8, 2009.
  17. ↑ IGN FilmForce (July 27, 2005). "Exclusive: The New Kitty Pryde". IGN. Retrieved January 8, 2009.
  18. ↑ Russo, Tim (May 2006). "Freaks & Cliques". Premiere.
  19. ↑ Dodd, Stacy (February 19, 2007). "Maggie Grace". Variety. Retrieved January 8, 2009.
  20. 1 2 Douglas, Edward (October 4, 2007). "Exclusive: Actress Maggie Grace". ComingSoon.net. Retrieved January 8, 2009.
  21. ↑ Gallagher, Brian (May 8, 2009). "EXCLUSIVE: Maggie Grace Dishes on Being Taken". MovieWeb.com. Retrieved May 11, 2009.
  22. ↑ Perry, Byron (August 13, 2007). "Maggie Grace". Variety. Retrieved January 8, 2009.
  23. ↑ Kay, Jeremy (May 21, 2010). "New Films acquires Flying Lessons, Saving Grace B Jones". ScreenDaily. Retrieved January 11, 2011.
  24. ↑ Pedersen, Nicole (August 27, 2009). "Maggie Grace Joins Tom Cruise and Cameron Diaz in James Mangold's WICHITA". Collider. Retrieved January 11, 2011.
  25. ↑ Siegel, Tatiana (January 7, 2010). "Actresses circle 'Faster'". Variety. Retrieved February 23, 2010.
  26. ↑ Santos, Kristin Dos (February 14, 2010). "On the First Day of Lost-mas: Sawyer Is Kissing Who?! Maggie Grace Is Where?". E! Online. Retrieved December 21, 2009.
  27. ↑ Jeff Jensen and Dan Snierson (February 17, 2010). "'Lost' exclusive: Maggie Grace, a.k.a. Shannon, returns this season". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved January 11, 2011.
  28. ↑ Sperling, Nicole (September 27, 2010). "Maggie Grace to play villain Irina in 'Breaking Dawn'". Entertainment Weekly.
  29. ↑ "'Picnic' Starring Maggie Grace, Sebastian Stan Opens January 13". Broadway Tour. December 14, 2012. Retrieved January 8, 2013.
  30. ↑ "Lost in love: TV show's stars hit it off in Hawaii". iVillage. October 18, 2006. Archived from the original on December 2, 2008. Retrieved January 8, 2009.
  31. ↑ Fernandez, Alexia (February 7, 2017). "Lost Actress Maggie Grace Is Engaged to Boyfriend Brent Bushnell". People. Retrieved September 4, 2017.
  32. ↑ Cuccinelli, Jamie (May 30, 2017). "Lost Star Maggie Grace Is Married! Here's What We Know About Her California Wedding". Brides. Retrieved September 4, 2017.
  33. ↑ Cleeve, Dan (March 2006). "Maggie Grace". CosmoGirl.
  34. ↑ Bang Media (September 8, 2008). "'Anglophile' Maggie Grace". Monsters and Critics. Archived from the original on May 12, 2011. Retrieved January 8, 2009.
  35. ↑ "Maggie Grace's clumsy leg". AskMen.com. December 28, 2005. Retrieved 2009-01-08.
  36. ↑ Smith, Ryan (October 1, 2007). "Bold prints for fall". OK!.
  37. ↑ "Hallmark Channel Original Series 'When Calls the Heart' to Premiere January 11th". Tvbythenumbers.zap2it.com. Retrieved June 18, 2014.

This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.