Abigail Breslin
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Abigail Breslin | |
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| Birth name | Abigail Kathleen Breslin |
| Born | April 14, 1996 (age 10) New York City, New York |
| Other name(s) | Abbie |
| Notable roles | Bo Hess in Signs (2002) Olive Hoover in Little Miss Sunshine (2006) |
| Academy Awards | |
|---|---|
| Nominated: Best Supporting Actress 2007 Little Miss Sunshine |
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Abigail Kathleen Breslin (born April 14, 1996[1]) is an Academy Award-nominated American actress. The fourth youngest actress to be nominated for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress, Breslin is known for her role in the film Little Miss Sunshine, as well as for several supporting parts in other Hollywood films.
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[edit] Biography
[edit] Personal life
Breslin was born in New York City, New York to Kim, who manages Abigail's career, and Michael Breslin, a computer programmer and consultant.[2] Her maternal grandparents, Catherine and Lynn Blecker, are from New Jersey, and now live in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania.[3][4] She has two older brothers, Ryan and Spencer Breslin, who is also an actor. Breslin lives in New York with her family, which her maternal grandparents have described as "very close-knit".[4][3] She is named after First Lady of the United States Abigail Adams[5] and collects American Girl dolls and stuffed animals; she also has two dogs and a cat.[4]
[edit] Career
Breslin has appeared in the films Signs (2002), Raising Helen (in which Breslin and her brother Spencer played siblings), The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement, Keane, Chestnut: Hero of Central Park, and The Family Plan. She has also appeared on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno five times.
In 2006, Breslin starred in the comedy Little Miss Sunshine, playing a beauty pageant contestant, the youngest in a dysfunctional family on a road trip. Her co-stars, Greg Kinnear and Alan Arkin, both mentioned that they were "astounded by her seriousness of purpose during shooting".[6] For her performance, Breslin received a Screen Actors Guild Award Nomination, as well as an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actress (on January 23, 2007). At the time of her nomination and at the age of ten years old, Breslin became the fourth youngest actress to be nominated for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress. The three actresses younger than Breslin to receive the nomination were Tatum O'Neal, Mary Badham, and Quinn Cummings. Breslin's co-star, Alan Arkin, did not want her to win the award, specifying that he thought that she has "had enough attention" and "needs to have a childhood".[7] Although Breslin did not win the Oscar, she co-presented with Jaden Smith at the 79th Academy Awards on February 25, 2007.
In 2007, Breslin was ranked #8 in Forbes Magazine's list of "Young Hollywood's Top-Earning Stars", having earned $1.5 million in 2006.[8] Breslin's most recent role is in the drama The Ultimate Gift, playing a terminally ill girl. The film was shot in the fall of 2005 in Charlotte, North Carolina[9] and opened on March 9, 2007. Reviewer Ann Hornaday of The Washington Post described Breslin's performance as "captivating",[10] while Steve Persall of the St. Petersburg Times commented that Breslin "isn't a fluke, but will require smarter scripts until she matures".[11] Breslin will next appear in the romantic comedies No Reservations, in which she will play the niece of a chef, and Definitely, Maybe, in which her character will be the daughter of a single father.[12]
[edit] Filmography
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2002 | Signs | Bo Hess | |
| 2004 | Chestnut: Hero of Central Park | Ray | direct-to-video |
| Raising Helen | Sarah Davis | ||
| The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement | Parade Girl Carolina | ||
| 2005 | The Family Plan | Nicole Dobson | made-for-television |
| Keane | Kira Bedik | limited release | |
| 2006 | Little Miss Sunshine | Olive | Received an Oscar nomination |
| The Santa Clause 3: The Escape Clause | Trish | ||
| Air Buddies | Rosebud (voice) | direct-to-video | |
| 2007 | The Ultimate Gift | Emily | released March 9, 2007 |
| No Reservations | Zoe | Completed | |
| 2008 | Definitely Maybe | Mya | Post-production |
[edit] TV guest appearances
- 2007 Academy Awards presenting the awards with Jaden Smith for Best Animated Short and Best Live-Action Short
- 2006 Video Music Awards presenting the award with Fergie for Best New Artist
- Ghost Whisperer playing Sarah Applewhite in episode: "Melinda's First Ghost"
- NCIS playing Sandy Watson in episode: "See No Evil"
- Law and Order: Special Victims Unit playing Patty Branson in episode: "Birthright"
- What I Like About You playing Josie in episode: "Teddy Bear"
- Hack (TV series) playing Kayla Adams in episode "Domestic Disturbance"
- Grey's Anatomy playing Megan Clover in episode 303 "Sometime a Fantasy" (2006)
[edit] Footnotes
- ^ McGee, Celia. "The Sundance Kid", Sunday Now, 2006. Retrieved on 2007-03-12.
- ^ Rosen, Steve. "It’s our job to tell kids about work", The Kansas City Star, 2007-03-11. Retrieved on 2007-03-12.
- ^ a b Stauffer, Cindy. "A little ray of sunshine", Lancaster Online, 2007-02-26. Retrieved on 2007-03-12.
- ^ a b c Todd, Jennifer. "Proud couple watches granddaughter at Oscars", Lancaster Online, 2007-02-26. Retrieved on 2007-03-12.
- ^ Breslin, Abigail. "THE THINGS THEY SAY 4130", Contact Music, 2007-02-25. Retrieved on 2007-03-12.
- ^ Puig, Claudia. "Abigail: 'Little Miss Sunshine' highlights her winning ways", USA Today, 2006-12-21. Retrieved on 2007-03-12.
- ^ andPOP Staff. "Arkin Wanted Breslin To Lose Academy Award", andPOP, 2007-02-18. Retrieved on 2007-03-12.
- ^ Zap2It.com. "Olsens top young rich list", JAM! Movies, 2007-02-28. Retrieved on 2007-03-12.
- ^ Toppman, Lawrence. "FILM GETS GALA PREMIERE", The Charlotte Observer, 2007-03-08. Retrieved on 2007-03-12.
- ^ Hornaday, Ann. "Sentimental story showcases Oscar nominee's acting gifts", ContraCostaTimes, 2007-03-10. Retrieved on 2007-03-12.
- ^ Persall, Steve. "‘Gift’ teaches big lessons", Telegram.com, 2007-03-10. Retrieved on 2007-03-12.
- ^ Strickler, Jeff. "What's next for the nominees", Star Tribune, 2007-02-26. Retrieved on 2007-03-12.
[edit] External links
- Abigail Breslin at the Internet Movie Database
- Abigail Breslin at TV.com
- Abby-Breslin.net | Abigail Online
- WHP-CBS: Local grandparents of Oscar nominee (video interview with maternal grandparents)
