Abigail Breslin
Encyclopedia
Abigail Kathleen Breslin (born April 14, 1996) is an American teen actress. She is one of the youngest actresses ever to be nominated for an Academy Award.
Breslin appeared in her first commercial when she was only three years old, and in her first movie, Signs
, at the age of five. Her subsequent films include Little Miss Sunshine
, Nim's Island
, Definitely, Maybe
, My Sister's Keeper
; Zombieland
, and Rango
.
, who are also actors. Breslin lives in New York with her family, which her maternal grandparents have described as "very close-knit". She is named after First Lady of the United States
Abigail Adams
.
, directed by M. Night Shyamalan
, where she played Bo Hess, the daughter of the main character, Graham Hess (Mel Gibson
). Signs garnered mostly positive reviews and was a box office success, grossing $408 million worldwide. Breslin's performance in the film was praised by critics. David Ansen of Newsweek
wrote that both she and co-star Rory Culkin
gave "terrifically natural, nuanced performances". In 2004, she appeared in the film Raising Helen
where she and her brother Spencer played siblings. The film received mostly negative reviews. Breslin also had a small role in The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement
. In the independent film Keane
, she played Kira Bedik, a young girl who reminds the mentally disturbed protagonist William Keane (Damian Lewis
) of his abducted daughter. Keane had a limited theatrical release and grossed only $394,390 worldwide but it received positive reviews and Breslin's performance was praised by critics. Meghan Keane of The New York Sun wrote that "the scenes between Mr. Lewis and the charmingly fragile Kira, winningly played by Ms. Breslin, bring a captivating humanity to the film".
Breslin's breakthrough role was in the 2006 comedy-drama Little Miss Sunshine
, where she played Olive Hoover, a beauty pageant contestant, the youngest in a dysfunctional family
on a road trip. She was cast at the age of six, years before filming was started. Her co-stars, Greg Kinnear
and Alan Arkin
, both mentioned that they were "astounded by her seriousness of purpose during shooting". Little Miss Sunshine was a critical and commercial success, grossing $100 million worldwide. Breslin's performance was highly praised; Claudia Puig of USA Today
wrote that "If Olive had been played by any other little girl, she would not have affected us as mightily as it did." Breslin received nominations for the Screen Actors Guild Award and Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress
, becoming the fourth youngest actress to be nominated in that category. Her 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".
Although Jennifer Hudson
won the Oscar, Breslin co-presented with actor Jaden Smith
at the 79th Academy Awards
on February 25, 2007. Breslin was part of the Disney Year of a Million Dreams celebration. Annie Leibovitz
photographed her as Fira from Disney Fairies
with Julie Andrews
as the Blue Fairy from Pinocchio
. On October 27, 2007, Breslin made her stage debut in the play Right You Are (If You Think You Are) in New York City at the Guggenheim Museum starring in an ensemble cast alongside Cate Blanchett
, Dianne Wiest
, Natalie Portman
and Peter Sarsgaard
. 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.
Breslin next appeared in the 2007 romantic comedy No Reservations
, playing the niece of master chef
Kate Armstrong (Catherine Zeta-Jones
). The film garnered mostly negative reviews but was successful commercially, grossing $92 million worldwide. Roger Ebert
wrote that Breslin "has the stuff to emerge as a three-dimensional kid, if she weren't employed so resolutely as a pawn." Also in 2007, she starred in another romantic comedy, Definitely, Maybe
, in which her character is the daughter of a recently divorced father (Ryan Reynolds
). Definitely, Maybe received generally favorable reviews, with Steven Rea of The Philadelphia Inquirer
writing that Breslin is "alarmingly cute – but she backs the cuteness up with serious acting instinct".
In 2008, Breslin starred with Jodie Foster
in the film Nim's Island
as Nim Rusoe, a young girl who lives on a remote tropical island. Nim's Island received mixed reviews but was successful financially, grossing $100 million worldwide. Also in 2008, Breslin appeared in Kit Kittredge: An American Girl
as the title character. The film was based on the American Girl
line of dolls, books, and accessories of which Breslin is a fan. Kit Kittredge: An American Girl garnered favorable reviews and grossed $17 million at the box office. Breslin's performance in the film was praised by critics; Joe Morgenstern
of The Wall Street Journal
wrote that she "carries the event-stuffed story with unflagging grace".
In 2009, Breslin appeared in My Sister's Keeper
, where she played the role of Anna Fitzgerald, a young girl who was conceived to be a donor for her sister, Kate, who suffers from leukemia. Elle
and Dakota Fanning
were slated to play the roles of Anna and Kate respectively; however, Dakota refused to shave her head for the role, so she and Elle were replaced by Sofia Vassilieva
and Breslin. My Sister's Keeper received mixed reviews but was a financial success, grossing $95 million worldwide. James Berardinelli
wrote that Breslin and Vassilieva "display a natural bond one might expect from sisters, and there's no hint of artifice or overacting in either performance". Also in 2009, Breslin appeared in the horror comedy Zombieland
as Little Rock. Director Ruben Fleischer said that "the dream was always to get Abigail Breslin" for the role. The film received positive reviews and was successful at the box office, grossing $102 million worldwide.
With previews beginning in February 2010, she made her Broadway theatre debut as Helen Keller
in The Miracle Worker
at the Circle in the Square Theatre
. Breslin has said that she was honored to play Keller, who is one of her "biggest heroes". The Alliance for Inclusion in the Arts, an advocacy group for blind and deaf actors criticized the play's producers for not casting a deaf or blind actor in the role. Lead producer David Richenthal defended the decision, stating that he needed a well-known actress: "It’s simply naïve to think that in this day and age, you’ll be able to sell tickets to a play revival solely on the potential of the production to be a great show or on the potential for an unknown actress to give a breakthrough performance." Vision-impaired actress Kyra Siegel was cast as Breslin's understudy. Breslin's performance was praised by critics; Frank Scheck of The Hollywood Reporter
wrote that she "well portrays Helen's feral rebelliousness in the play's early sections and is deeply touching as her character's bond with her teacher grows". Ticket sales for the play, however, were considered disappointing, and the show closed in April 2010.
In September 2009, Breslin filmed in Des Moines, Iowa, playing the title character in the film Janie Jones
: a 13-year old girl who is abandoned by her former-groupie mother (Elisabeth Shue
), and informs Ethan Brand (Alessandro Nivola
), a fading rock star, that she is his daughter. The film premiered at the 2010 Toronto International Film Festival
.
Breslin appeared in her first commercial when she was only three years old, and in her first movie, Signs
Signs (film)
Signs is a 2002 American science fiction horror film directed by M. Night Shyamalan. It was adapted from a screenplay also written by Shyamalan. Executive producers for the film comprised Shyamalan, Frank Marshall, Kathleen Kennedy and Sam Mercer. The story focuses on a former preacher named Graham...
, at the age of five. Her subsequent films include Little Miss Sunshine
Little Miss Sunshine
Little Miss Sunshine is a 2006 American comedy-drama film. The road movie's plot follows a family's trip to a children's beauty pageant.Little Miss Sunshine was the directorial film debut of the husband-wife team of Jonathan Dayton and Valerie Faris. The screenplay was written by first-time writer...
, Nim's Island
Nim's Island
Nim's Island is a 2008 Australian adventure-fantasy film directed by Jennifer Flackett and Mark Levin and starring Abigail Breslin, Jodie Foster, and Gerard Butler. The story is based on the book Nim's Island by Wendy Orr. A young girl, Nim, seeks help from the author of her favorite adventure...
, Definitely, Maybe
Definitely, Maybe
Definitely, Maybe is a 2008 romantic comedy film directed by Adam Brooks, and starring Ryan Reynolds, Isla Fisher, Rachel Weisz, Elizabeth Banks, Abigail Breslin and Kevin Kline.-Plot:...
, My Sister's Keeper
My Sister's Keeper (film)
My Sister's Keeper is a 2009 American drama film directed by Nick Cassavetes and starring Cameron Diaz, Abigail Breslin, Sofia Vassilieva, and Alec Baldwin...
; Zombieland
Zombieland
Zombieland is a 2009 American zombie comedy film directed by Ruben Fleischer from a screenplay written by Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick. The film stars Woody Harrelson, Jesse Eisenberg, Emma Stone, and Abigail Breslin as survivors of a zombie apocalypse...
, and Rango
Rango (2011 film)
Rango is a 2011 American computer-animated Western Comedy film directed by Gore Verbinski and produced by Graham King. In the film, a chameleon named Rango accidentally ends up in the town of Dirt, an outpost that is in desperate need of a new sheriff...
.
Personal life
Breslin was born in New York City, the daughter of Kim, who manages her career, and Michael, a telecommunications expert, computer programmer, and consultant. Breslin has two older brothers, Ryan and SpencerSpencer Breslin
Spencer Breslin is an American teen actor and musician.-Early life:Breslin was born in New York City, the son of Kim, a personal manager, and Michael Breslin, a telecommunications expert...
, who are also actors. Breslin lives in New York with her family, which her maternal grandparents have described as "very close-knit". She is named after First Lady of the United States
First Lady of the United States
First Lady of the United States is the title of the hostess of the White House. Because this position is traditionally filled by the wife of the president of the United States, the title is most often applied to the wife of a sitting president. The current first lady is Michelle Obama.-Current:The...
Abigail Adams
Abigail Adams
Abigail Adams was the wife of John Adams, who was the second President of the United States, and the mother of John Quincy Adams, the sixth...
.
Career
Breslin's career began at the age of three, when she appeared in a Toys "R" Us commercial. Her first film role was in the 2002 science fiction thriller SignsSigns (film)
Signs is a 2002 American science fiction horror film directed by M. Night Shyamalan. It was adapted from a screenplay also written by Shyamalan. Executive producers for the film comprised Shyamalan, Frank Marshall, Kathleen Kennedy and Sam Mercer. The story focuses on a former preacher named Graham...
, directed by M. Night Shyamalan
M. Night Shyamalan
Manoj Nelliyattu Shyamalan,known professionally as M. Night Shyamalan, is an Indian-born American screenwriter, film director, and producer known for making movies with contemporary supernatural plots that climax with a twist ending. He is also known for filming his movies in and around...
, where she played Bo Hess, the daughter of the main character, Graham Hess (Mel Gibson
Mel Gibson
Mel Colm-Cille Gerard Gibson, AO is an American actor, film director, producer and screenwriter. Born in Peekskill, New York, Gibson moved with his parents to Sydney, Australia when he was 12 years old and later studied acting at the Australian National Institute of Dramatic Art.After appearing in...
). Signs garnered mostly positive reviews and was a box office success, grossing $408 million worldwide. Breslin's performance in the film was praised by critics. David Ansen of Newsweek
Newsweek
Newsweek is an American weekly news magazine published in New York City. It is distributed throughout the United States and internationally. It is the second-largest news weekly magazine in the U.S., having trailed Time in circulation and advertising revenue for most of its existence...
wrote that both she and co-star Rory Culkin
Rory Culkin
Rory Hugh Culkin is an American actor and is the younger brother of actors Macaulay Culkin and Kieran Culkin.-Personal life:...
gave "terrifically natural, nuanced performances". In 2004, she appeared in the film Raising Helen
Raising Helen
Raising Helen is a 2004 American comedy-drama film directed by Garry Marshall and written by Jack Amiel and Michael Begler. It stars Kate Hudson, John Corbett, Joan Cusack, Hayden Panettiere, Spencer and his sister Abigail Breslin and Helen Mirren...
where she and her brother Spencer played siblings. The film received mostly negative reviews. Breslin also had a small role in The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement
The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement
The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement is the 2004 sequel to 2001's The Princess Diaries.Most of the cast returned from the first film, including Anne Hathaway, Julie Andrews, Héctor Elizondo, and Heather Matarazzo...
. In the independent film Keane
Keane (film)
Keane is a 2004 American drama film written and directed by Lodge Kerrigan. Set in New York City, it focuses on a mentally disturbed man trying to come to terms with the abduction of his daughter several months earlier and the relationship he develops with a young girl and her mother.The film...
, she played Kira Bedik, a young girl who reminds the mentally disturbed protagonist William Keane (Damian Lewis
Damian Lewis
Lewis was born in St John's Wood, London, the son of Charlotte Mary and J. Watcyn Lewis, a City broker. His paternal grandparents were Welsh. His maternal grandfather was Lord Mayor of London Ian Frank Bowater and his maternal grandmother's ancestors include Bertrand Dawson, 1st Viscount Dawson of...
) of his abducted daughter. Keane had a limited theatrical release and grossed only $394,390 worldwide but it received positive reviews and Breslin's performance was praised by critics. Meghan Keane of The New York Sun wrote that "the scenes between Mr. Lewis and the charmingly fragile Kira, winningly played by Ms. Breslin, bring a captivating humanity to the film".
Breslin's breakthrough role was in the 2006 comedy-drama Little Miss Sunshine
Little Miss Sunshine
Little Miss Sunshine is a 2006 American comedy-drama film. The road movie's plot follows a family's trip to a children's beauty pageant.Little Miss Sunshine was the directorial film debut of the husband-wife team of Jonathan Dayton and Valerie Faris. The screenplay was written by first-time writer...
, where she played Olive Hoover, a beauty pageant contestant, the youngest in a dysfunctional family
Dysfunctional family
A dysfunctional family is a family in which conflict, misbehavior, and often abuse on the part of individual members occur continually and regularly, leading other members to accommodate such actions. Children sometimes grow up in such families with the understanding that such an arrangement is...
on a road trip. She was cast at the age of six, years before filming was started. Her co-stars, Greg Kinnear
Greg Kinnear
Gregory "Greg" Kinnear is an American actor and television personality who first rose to stardom in 1991. He has appeared in more than 20 motion pictures, and was nominated for an Academy Award for his role in As Good as It Gets.-Early life:Kinnear was born in Logansport, Indiana, the son of...
and Alan Arkin
Alan Arkin
Alan Wolf Arkin is an American actor, director, musician and singer. He is known for starring in such films as Wait Until Dark, The Russians Are Coming, the Russians Are Coming, The Heart is a Lonely Hunter, Catch-22, The In-Laws, Edward Scissorhands, Glengarry Glen Ross, Marley & Me, and...
, both mentioned that they were "astounded by her seriousness of purpose during shooting". Little Miss Sunshine was a critical and commercial success, grossing $100 million worldwide. Breslin's performance was highly praised; Claudia Puig of USA Today
USA Today
USA Today is a national American daily newspaper published by the Gannett Company. It was founded by Al Neuharth. The newspaper vies with The Wall Street Journal for the position of having the widest circulation of any newspaper in the United States, something it previously held since 2003...
wrote that "If Olive had been played by any other little girl, she would not have affected us as mightily as it did." Breslin received nominations for the Screen Actors Guild Award and Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress
Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress
Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role is one of the Academy Awards of Merit presented annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences to recognize an actress who has delivered an outstanding performance while working within the film industry. Since its inception, however, the...
, becoming the fourth youngest actress to be nominated in that category. Her co-star, Alan Arkin
Alan Arkin
Alan Wolf Arkin is an American actor, director, musician and singer. He is known for starring in such films as Wait Until Dark, The Russians Are Coming, the Russians Are Coming, The Heart is a Lonely Hunter, Catch-22, The In-Laws, Edward Scissorhands, Glengarry Glen Ross, Marley & Me, and...
, did not want her to win the award, specifying that he thought that she has "had enough attention" and "needs to have a childhood".
Although Jennifer Hudson
Jennifer Hudson
Jennifer Kate Hudson is an American recording artist, actress and spokesperson. She came to prominence in 2004 as one of the finalists on the third season of American Idol coming in seventh place...
won the Oscar, Breslin co-presented with actor Jaden Smith
Jaden Smith
Jaden Christopher Syre Smith is an American child actor, rapper, songwriter, dancer, and the son of Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith. He is the elder brother of singer Willow Smith...
at the 79th Academy Awards
79th Academy Awards
The 79th Academy Awards ceremony , honored the best films of 2006 and took place on February 25, 2007 at the Kodak Theatre in Hollywood on ABC. Ellen DeGeneres hosted the ceremony for the first time. The producer was Laura Ziskin. The announcers were Don LaFontaine and Gina Tuttle.The nominees were...
on February 25, 2007. Breslin was part of the Disney Year of a Million Dreams celebration. Annie Leibovitz
Annie Leibovitz
Anna-Lou "Annie" Leibovitz is an American portrait photographer.-Early life and education:Born in Waterbury, Connecticut, Leibovitz is the third of six children. She is a third-generation American whose great-grandparents were Jewish immigrants, from Central and Eastern Europe. Her father's...
photographed her as Fira from Disney Fairies
Disney Fairies
Disney Fairies is a Disney franchise built around the character of Tinker Bell, whom Disney adapted in their 1953 animated film Peter Pan and subsequently adopted as a mascot for the company. In addition to the fictional fairy character created by J. M...
with Julie Andrews
Julie Andrews
Dame Julia Elizabeth Andrews, DBE is an English film and stage actress, singer, and author. She is the recipient of Golden Globe, Emmy, Grammy, BAFTA, People's Choice Award, Theatre World Award, Screen Actors Guild and Academy Award honors...
as the Blue Fairy from Pinocchio
Pinocchio (1940 film)
Pinocchio is a 1940 American animated film produced by Walt Disney and based on the story The Adventures of Pinocchio by Carlo Collodi. It is the second film in the Walt Disney Animated Classics, and it was made after the success of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs and was released to theaters by...
. On October 27, 2007, Breslin made her stage debut in the play Right You Are (If You Think You Are) in New York City at the Guggenheim Museum starring in an ensemble cast alongside Cate Blanchett
Cate Blanchett
Catherine Élise "Cate" Blanchett is an Australian actress. She came to international attention for her role as Elizabeth I of England in the 1998 biopic film Elizabeth, for which she won British Academy of Film and Television Arts and Golden Globe Awards, and earned her first Academy Award...
, Dianne Wiest
Dianne Wiest
Dianne Wiest is an American actress. She has had a successful career on stage, television, and film, and has won two Academy Awards, two Emmy Awards and a Golden Globe Award. Wiest has also been nominated for a BAFTA Award.-Early life:...
, Natalie Portman
Natalie Portman
Natalie Hershlag , better known by her stage name Natalie Portman, is an actress with dual American and Israeli citizenship. Her first role was as an orphan taken in by a hitman in the 1994 French action film Léon, but major success came when she was cast as Padmé Amidala in the Star Wars prequel...
and Peter Sarsgaard
Peter Sarsgaard
John Peter Sarsgaard is an American film and stage actor. He landed his first feature role in the movie Dead Man Walking in 1995. He then appeared in the 1998 independent films Another Day in Paradise and Desert Blue. That same year, Sarsgaard received a substantial role in The Man in the Iron...
. In 2007, Breslin was ranked #8 in Forbes
Forbes
Forbes is an American publishing and media company. Its flagship publication, the Forbes magazine, is published biweekly. Its primary competitors in the national business magazine category are Fortune, which is also published biweekly, and Business Week...
Magazine's list of "Young Hollywood's Top-Earning Stars", having earned $1.5 million in 2006.
Breslin next appeared in the 2007 romantic comedy No Reservations
No Reservations (film)
No Reservations is a 2007 American romantic drama film directed by Scott Hicks. The screenplay by Carol Fuchs is an adaptation of an original script by Sandra Nettelbeck, which served as the basis for the 2001 German film Mostly Martha.-Plot:...
, playing the niece of master chef
Chef
A chef is a person who cooks professionally for other people. Although over time the term has come to describe any person who cooks for a living, traditionally it refers to a highly skilled professional who is proficient in all aspects of food preparation.-Etymology:The word "chef" is borrowed ...
Kate Armstrong (Catherine Zeta-Jones
Catherine Zeta-Jones
Catherine Zeta-Jones, CBE, is a British actress. She began her career on stage at an early age. After starring in a number of United Kingdom and United States television films and small roles in films, she came to prominence with roles in Hollywood movies such as the 1998 action film The Mask of...
). The film garnered mostly negative reviews but was successful commercially, grossing $92 million worldwide. Roger Ebert
Roger Ebert
Roger Joseph Ebert is an American film critic and screenwriter. He is the first film critic to win a Pulitzer Prize for Criticism.Ebert is known for his film review column and for the television programs Sneak Previews, At the Movies with Gene Siskel and Roger Ebert, and Siskel and Ebert and The...
wrote that Breslin "has the stuff to emerge as a three-dimensional kid, if she weren't employed so resolutely as a pawn." Also in 2007, she starred in another romantic comedy, Definitely, Maybe
Definitely, Maybe
Definitely, Maybe is a 2008 romantic comedy film directed by Adam Brooks, and starring Ryan Reynolds, Isla Fisher, Rachel Weisz, Elizabeth Banks, Abigail Breslin and Kevin Kline.-Plot:...
, in which her character is the daughter of a recently divorced father (Ryan Reynolds
Ryan Reynolds
Ryan Rodney Reynolds is a Canadian film and television actor, best known for his roles in such films as National Lampoon's Van Wilder, Waiting..., The Amityville Horror, Just Friends, Definitely, Maybe, The Proposal, Buried, X-Men Origins: Wolverine, and Green Lantern.One of his best known...
). Definitely, Maybe received generally favorable reviews, with Steven Rea of The Philadelphia Inquirer
The Philadelphia Inquirer
The Philadelphia Inquirer is a morning daily newspaper that serves the Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, metropolitan area of the United States. The newspaper was founded by John R. Walker and John Norvell in June 1829 as The Pennsylvania Inquirer and is the third-oldest surviving daily newspaper in the...
writing that Breslin is "alarmingly cute – but she backs the cuteness up with serious acting instinct".
In 2008, Breslin starred with Jodie Foster
Jodie Foster
Alicia Christian "Jodie" Foster is an American actress, film director, producer as well as a former child actress....
in the film Nim's Island
Nim's Island
Nim's Island is a 2008 Australian adventure-fantasy film directed by Jennifer Flackett and Mark Levin and starring Abigail Breslin, Jodie Foster, and Gerard Butler. The story is based on the book Nim's Island by Wendy Orr. A young girl, Nim, seeks help from the author of her favorite adventure...
as Nim Rusoe, a young girl who lives on a remote tropical island. Nim's Island received mixed reviews but was successful financially, grossing $100 million worldwide. Also in 2008, Breslin appeared in Kit Kittredge: An American Girl
Kit Kittredge: An American Girl
Kit Kittredge: An American Girl is a 2008 American comedy-drama film directed by Patricia Rozema. The screenplay by Ann Peacock focuses on the American Girl character Kit Kittredge, who lives in Cincinnati, Ohio during the Great Depression...
as the title character. The film was based on the American Girl
American Girl
American Girl is a line of dolls, books, and accessories.American Girl may also refer to:* American Girl , a magazine published by the American Girl company* American Girl , a 2002 American film...
line of dolls, books, and accessories of which Breslin is a fan. Kit Kittredge: An American Girl garnered favorable reviews and grossed $17 million at the box office. Breslin's performance in the film was praised by critics; Joe Morgenstern
Joe Morgenstern
Joe Morgenstern is a Pulitzer Prize-winning film critic for The Wall Street Journal.-Career:Morgenstern graduated from Lehigh University in 1953. His first journalism experience was as news clerk at the New York Times...
of The Wall Street Journal
The Wall Street Journal
The Wall Street Journal is an American English-language international daily newspaper. It is published in New York City by Dow Jones & Company, a division of News Corporation, along with the Asian and European editions of the Journal....
wrote that she "carries the event-stuffed story with unflagging grace".
In 2009, Breslin appeared in My Sister's Keeper
My Sister's Keeper (film)
My Sister's Keeper is a 2009 American drama film directed by Nick Cassavetes and starring Cameron Diaz, Abigail Breslin, Sofia Vassilieva, and Alec Baldwin...
, where she played the role of Anna Fitzgerald, a young girl who was conceived to be a donor for her sister, Kate, who suffers from leukemia. Elle
Elle Fanning
Mary Elle Fanning , credited as Elle Fanning, is an American actress. She is the younger sister of actress Dakota Fanning and mainly known for her starring roles in Phoebe in Wonderland, Somewhere, Super 8 and We Bought a Zoo which will receive a theatrical release on December 23,...
and Dakota Fanning
Dakota Fanning
Hannah Dakota Fanning , better known as Dakota Fanning, is an American actress. Fanning's breakthrough performance was in I Am Sam in 2001. As a child actress, she appeared in high-profile films such as Man on Fire, War of the Worlds, and Charlotte's Web...
were slated to play the roles of Anna and Kate respectively; however, Dakota refused to shave her head for the role, so she and Elle were replaced by Sofia Vassilieva
Sofia Vassilieva
Sofia Vladimirovna Vassilieva is an American actress. She is best known for playing the children's book heroine Eloise, in two made-for-television movies, Ariel Dubois in the Emmy-winning TV series Medium, and the cancer patient Kate Fitzgerald in the 2009 film adaption of My Sister's Keeper by...
and Breslin. My Sister's Keeper received mixed reviews but was a financial success, grossing $95 million worldwide. James Berardinelli
James Berardinelli
James Berardinelli is an American online film critic.-Personal life:Berardinelli was born in New Brunswick, New Jersey and spent his early childhood in Morristown, New Jersey. At the age of nine years, he relocated to the township of Cherry Hill, New Jersey...
wrote that Breslin and Vassilieva "display a natural bond one might expect from sisters, and there's no hint of artifice or overacting in either performance". Also in 2009, Breslin appeared in the horror comedy Zombieland
Zombieland
Zombieland is a 2009 American zombie comedy film directed by Ruben Fleischer from a screenplay written by Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick. The film stars Woody Harrelson, Jesse Eisenberg, Emma Stone, and Abigail Breslin as survivors of a zombie apocalypse...
as Little Rock. Director Ruben Fleischer said that "the dream was always to get Abigail Breslin" for the role. The film received positive reviews and was successful at the box office, grossing $102 million worldwide.
With previews beginning in February 2010, she made her Broadway theatre debut as Helen Keller
Helen Keller
Helen Adams Keller was an American author, political activist, and lecturer. She was the first deafblind person to earn a Bachelor of Arts degree....
in The Miracle Worker
The Miracle Worker (play)
The Miracle Worker is a three-act play by William Gibson adapted from his 1957 Playhouse 90 teleplay of the same name. It is based on Helen Keller's autobiography The Story of My Life.-Plot:...
at the Circle in the Square Theatre
Circle in the Square Theatre
The Circle in the Square Theatre is a legitimate Broadway theatre in midtown Manhattan on 50th Street in the Paramount Plaza building.The original Circle in the Square was founded by Paul Libin, Theodore Mann and Jose Quintero in 1951 and was located at 5 Sheridan Square in Greenwich Village...
. Breslin has said that she was honored to play Keller, who is one of her "biggest heroes". The Alliance for Inclusion in the Arts, an advocacy group for blind and deaf actors criticized the play's producers for not casting a deaf or blind actor in the role. Lead producer David Richenthal defended the decision, stating that he needed a well-known actress: "It’s simply naïve to think that in this day and age, you’ll be able to sell tickets to a play revival solely on the potential of the production to be a great show or on the potential for an unknown actress to give a breakthrough performance." Vision-impaired actress Kyra Siegel was cast as Breslin's understudy. Breslin's performance was praised by critics; Frank Scheck of The Hollywood Reporter
The Hollywood Reporter
Formerly a daily trade magazine, The Hollywood Reporter re-launched in late 2010 as a unique hybrid publication serving the entertainment industry and a consumer audience...
wrote that she "well portrays Helen's feral rebelliousness in the play's early sections and is deeply touching as her character's bond with her teacher grows". Ticket sales for the play, however, were considered disappointing, and the show closed in April 2010.
In September 2009, Breslin filmed in Des Moines, Iowa, playing the title character in the film Janie Jones
Janie Jones (film)
Janie Jones is a 2010 American film by writer/director David M. Rosenthal. It stars Alessandro Nivola, Elizabeth Shue, Brittany Snow, and Abigail Breslin as the eponymous Janie Jones. The film makes extensive use of original music created by Gemma Hayes and Eef Barzelay and sung and played by...
: a 13-year old girl who is abandoned by her former-groupie mother (Elisabeth Shue
Elisabeth Shue
Elisabeth Judson Shue is an American actress and producer, most famous for her roles in the films The Karate Kid, Adventures in Babysitting, Cocktail, Back to the Future Parts II and III and Leaving Las Vegas, for which she won five acting awards and was nominated for an Academy Award, a Golden...
), and informs Ethan Brand (Alessandro Nivola
Alessandro Nivola
Alessandro Antine Nivola is an American actor, perhaps best known for his roles in the films Best Laid Plans, Jurassic Park III, Face/Off, and the first two films of the Goal! trilogy.-Personal life:...
), a fading rock star, that she is his daughter. The film premiered at the 2010 Toronto International Film Festival
2010 Toronto International Film Festival
The 35th annual Toronto International Film Festival, was held in Toronto, Ontario, Canada between September 9 and September 19, 2010. The opening night gala presented Score: A Hockey Musical, a Canadian comedy-drama musical film. Last Night closed the festival on September 19.2010 TIFF included...
.
Filmography
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2002 | Signs Signs (film) Signs is a 2002 American science fiction horror film directed by M. Night Shyamalan. It was adapted from a screenplay also written by Shyamalan. Executive producers for the film comprised Shyamalan, Frank Marshall, Kathleen Kennedy and Sam Mercer. The story focuses on a former preacher named Graham... |
Bo Hess | Nominated – Phoenix Film Critics Society Award for Best Youth Actress Phoenix Film Critics Society The Phoenix Film Critics Society is an organization of film reviewers from Phoenix-based publications.In December of each year, the PFCS meets to vote on their Phoenix Film Critics Society Awards for films released in the same calendar year.Categories of awards include:* Best Actor The Phoenix... Nominated – Young Artist Award for Best Performance in a Feature Film Young Actress Age Ten or Under Young Artist Award The Young Artist Award is an accolade bestowed by the Young Artist Foundation, a non-profit organization founded in 1978 to recognize and award excellence of youth performers, and to provide scholarships for young artists who may be physically and/or financially challenged.The Young Artist... |
| 2004 | Raising Helen Raising Helen Raising Helen is a 2004 American comedy-drama film directed by Garry Marshall and written by Jack Amiel and Michael Begler. It stars Kate Hudson, John Corbett, Joan Cusack, Hayden Panettiere, Spencer and his sister Abigail Breslin and Helen Mirren... |
Sarah Davis | |
| The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement is the 2004 sequel to 2001's The Princess Diaries.Most of the cast returned from the first film, including Anne Hathaway, Julie Andrews, Héctor Elizondo, and Heather Matarazzo... |
Parade Girl Carolina | ||
| Keane Keane (film) Keane is a 2004 American drama film written and directed by Lodge Kerrigan. Set in New York City, it focuses on a mentally disturbed man trying to come to terms with the abduction of his daughter several months earlier and the relationship he develops with a young girl and her mother.The film... |
Kira Bedik | ||
| Chestnut: Hero of Central Park Chestnut: Hero Of Central Park Chestnut: Hero of Central Park is a 2004 American family film, starring Makenzie Vega, Abigail Breslin, Christine Tucci, Justin Louis, Tony Alcantar, Irene Olga López, Ethan Phillips, Irene Karas, Barry Bostwick and directed by Robert Vince, about a Great Dane who is adopted by two orphan girls in... |
Ray | ||
| 2005 | Family Plan | Nicole | Television film |
| 2006 | Little Miss Sunshine Little Miss Sunshine Little Miss Sunshine is a 2006 American comedy-drama film. The road movie's plot follows a family's trip to a children's beauty pageant.Little Miss Sunshine was the directorial film debut of the husband-wife team of Jonathan Dayton and Valerie Faris. The screenplay was written by first-time writer... |
Olive Hoover | Critics Choice Award for Best Young Actress Critics Choice Award for Best Cast Iowa Film Critics Award for Best Actress Las Vegas Film Critics Society Award for Best Youth in Film Las Vegas Film Critics Society Awards 2006 The 10th Las Vegas Film Critics Society Awards, honoring the best in film for 2006, were given by the Las Vegas Film Critics Society on 18 December 2006.-Top 10 Films:# The Departed... Phoenix Film Critics Society Award for Best Youth Actress Phoenix Film Critics Society The Phoenix Film Critics Society is an organization of film reviewers from Phoenix-based publications.In December of each year, the PFCS meets to vote on their Phoenix Film Critics Society Awards for films released in the same calendar year.Categories of awards include:* Best Actor The Phoenix... Phoenix Film Critics Society Award for Best Cast Phoenix Film Critics Society Award for Best Cast The Phoenix Film Critics Society Award for Best Cast is an annual award given by the Phoenix Film Critics Society.-2000s:*2001: The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring... Screen Actors Guild Award for Best Cast Tokyo International Film Award for Best Actress Tokyo International Film Festival Tokyo International Film Festival is a film festival established in 1985. The event was held biannually from 1985 to 1991 and annually thereafter... Young Artist Award for Best Performance in a Feature Film Young Actress Age Ten or Under Young Artist Award The Young Artist Award is an accolade bestowed by the Young Artist Foundation, a non-profit organization founded in 1978 to recognize and award excellence of youth performers, and to provide scholarships for young artists who may be physically and/or financially challenged.The Young Artist... Nominated – Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role is one of the Academy Awards of Merit presented annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences to recognize an actress who has delivered an outstanding performance while working within the film industry. Since its inception, however, the... Nominated – BAFTA Award for Best Supporting Actress BAFTA Award for Best Actress in a Supporting Role Best Actress in a Supporting Role is a British Academy Film award presented annually by the British Academy of Film and Television Arts to recognize an actress who has delivered an outstanding supporting performance in a film... Nominated – Empire Award for Best Female Newcomer Empire Awards An Empire Award is an accolade bestowed by Empire, Britain's biggest selling film magazine, to recognize excellence of professionals in the locale and global film industry. The awards are voted for by readers of the magazine and in an annual ceremony, the Empire Awards, the winners are presented... Nominated – Gotham Award for Best Ensemble Cast Gotham Awards The Gotham Awards is an annual ceremony of awards presented to the makers of independent films which takes place in New York City... Nominated – Gotham Award for Breakthrough Award Gotham Awards The Gotham Awards is an annual ceremony of awards presented to the makers of independent films which takes place in New York City... Nominated – MTV Movie Award for Best Breakthrough Performance MTV Movie Award for Best Breakthrough Performance This is a following list of the MTV Movie Award winners and nominees for Best Breakthrough Performance. In many years, the awards were split into Male and Female categories... Nominated – Satellite Award for Best Actress in a Supporting Role Nominated – Screen Actors Guild Award for Best Supporting Actress Nominated – Chicago Film Critics Association Award for Best Supporting Actress Chicago Film Critics Association Award for Best Supporting Actress The Chicago Film Critics Association Award for Best Supporting Actress is an annual award given by the Chicago Film Critics Association.-1980s:-1990s:-2000s:-2010s:-References:... |
| Imaginary Friend | Hally | ||
| The Ultimate Gift The Ultimate Gift The Ultimate Gift is a film based on author Jim Stovall's bestselling novel released on March 9, 2007 in 816 theaters in the USA. The film was not well attended in the USA and produced low box office receipts, though DVD sales were quite high in relation to its theatrical receipts.-Plot:When his... |
Emily Rose | ||
| The Santa Clause 3: The Escape Clause The Santa Clause 3: The Escape Clause The Santa Clause 3: The Escape Clause is a 2006 American film, the sequel to The Santa Clause and The Santa Clause 2. This is the third and final film in the trilogy. This film was also scheduled as a Disney Channel Original Movie.... |
Trish | ||
| Air Buddies Air Buddies Air Buddies is the sixth film in the Air Bud series and the first in the direct to video spin-off series Air Buddies, which follows the life of a lonely teenager and his dog who has the uncanny ability to play every sport. The film was released on December 12, 2006... |
Rosebud (voice) | ||
| 2007 | No Reservations No Reservations (film) No Reservations is a 2007 American romantic drama film directed by Scott Hicks. The screenplay by Carol Fuchs is an adaptation of an original script by Sandra Nettelbeck, which served as the basis for the 2001 German film Mostly Martha.-Plot:... |
Zoe Armstrong | Nominated – Critics Choice Award for Best Young Actress Nominated – Young Artist Award for Best Performance in a Feature Film Leading Young Actress Young Artist Award The Young Artist Award is an accolade bestowed by the Young Artist Foundation, a non-profit organization founded in 1978 to recognize and award excellence of youth performers, and to provide scholarships for young artists who may be physically and/or financially challenged.The Young Artist... |
| 2008 | Definitely, Maybe Definitely, Maybe Definitely, Maybe is a 2008 romantic comedy film directed by Adam Brooks, and starring Ryan Reynolds, Isla Fisher, Rachel Weisz, Elizabeth Banks, Abigail Breslin and Kevin Kline.-Plot:... |
Maya Hayes | |
| Nim's Island Nim's Island Nim's Island is a 2008 Australian adventure-fantasy film directed by Jennifer Flackett and Mark Levin and starring Abigail Breslin, Jodie Foster, and Gerard Butler. The story is based on the book Nim's Island by Wendy Orr. A young girl, Nim, seeks help from the author of her favorite adventure... |
Nim Rusoe | Nominated – Teen Choice Award for Movie Actress – Adventure | |
| Kit Kittredge: An American Girl Kit Kittredge: An American Girl Kit Kittredge: An American Girl is a 2008 American comedy-drama film directed by Patricia Rozema. The screenplay by Ann Peacock focuses on the American Girl character Kit Kittredge, who lives in Cincinnati, Ohio during the Great Depression... |
Kit Kittredge | Nominated – Young Artist Award for Best Performance in a Feature Film Leading Young Actress Young Artist Award The Young Artist Award is an accolade bestowed by the Young Artist Foundation, a non-profit organization founded in 1978 to recognize and award excellence of youth performers, and to provide scholarships for young artists who may be physically and/or financially challenged.The Young Artist... |
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| 2009 | My Sister's Keeper My Sister's Keeper (film) My Sister's Keeper is a 2009 American drama film directed by Nick Cassavetes and starring Cameron Diaz, Abigail Breslin, Sofia Vassilieva, and Alec Baldwin... |
Anna Fitzgerald | Young Artist Award for Best Performance in a Feature Film Leading Young Actress Young Artist Award The Young Artist Award is an accolade bestowed by the Young Artist Foundation, a non-profit organization founded in 1978 to recognize and award excellence of youth performers, and to provide scholarships for young artists who may be physically and/or financially challenged.The Young Artist... |
| Zombieland Zombieland Zombieland is a 2009 American zombie comedy film directed by Ruben Fleischer from a screenplay written by Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick. The film stars Woody Harrelson, Jesse Eisenberg, Emma Stone, and Abigail Breslin as survivors of a zombie apocalypse... |
Little Rock | Nominated – Detroit Film Critics Society Award Detroit Film Critics Society The Detroit Film Critics Society is a film critic organization in Detroit, Michigan, United States.-2007 Awards:The nominees for the Detroit Film Critics Society Awards 2007 were announced on 15 December and the winners were announced on 21 December 2007.-Best Actor:**George Clooney - Michael... for Best Ensemble Cast |
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| 2010 | Quantum Quest: A Cassini Space Odyssey Quantum Quest: A Cassini Space Odyssey Quantum Quest: A Cassini Space Odyssey is a 2010 animated educational sci-fi adventure film, written by Harry 'Doc' Kloor and directed by Kloor and Dan St. Pierre, as a science fiction film that takes the viewer on an atomic adventure in space.The voice cast originally included Christian Slater,... |
Jeana | Voice |
| Janie Jones Janie Jones (film) Janie Jones is a 2010 American film by writer/director David M. Rosenthal. It stars Alessandro Nivola, Elizabeth Shue, Brittany Snow, and Abigail Breslin as the eponymous Janie Jones. The film makes extensive use of original music created by Gemma Hayes and Eef Barzelay and sung and played by... |
Janie Jones | ||
| 2011 | Rango Rango (2011 film) Rango is a 2011 American computer-animated Western Comedy film directed by Gore Verbinski and produced by Graham King. In the film, a chameleon named Rango accidentally ends up in the town of Dirt, an outpost that is in desperate need of a new sheriff... |
Priscilla | Voice |
| The Wild Bunch | Daisy | ||
| New Year's Eve New Year's Eve (film) New Year's Eve is an upcoming romantic comedy film directed by Garry Marshall. Like Valentine's Day, Marshall's previous film, it depicts a series of holiday vignettes of the state of several romances.-Cast:... |
In production |
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2002 | What I Like About You What I Like About You (TV series) What I Like About You is an American television sitcom set mainly in New York City, following the lives of two sisters, Valerie Tyler and Holly Tyler . The series ran on The WB Television Network from September 20, 2002, to March 24, 2006, with a total of 86 episodes produced... |
Josie | Episode: "The Teddy Bear" |
| Hack | Kayla Adams | Episode: "Domestic Disturbance" | |
| 2004 | Law & Order: Special Victims Unit Law & Order: Special Victims Unit Law & Order: Special Victims Unit is an American police procedural television drama series set in New York City, where it is also primarily produced... |
Patty Branson | Episode: "Birthright" |
| NCIS NCIS (TV series) NCIS, formerly known as NCIS: Naval Criminal Investigative Service, is an American police procedural drama television series revolving around a fictional team of special agents from the Naval Criminal Investigative Service, which conducts criminal investigations involving the U.S... |
Sandy Watson | Episode: "See No Evil" | |
| 2006 | Ghost Whisperer Ghost Whisperer Ghost Whisperer is an American television supernatural drama, which ran on CBS from September 23, 2005 to May 21, 2010.The series follows the life of Melinda Gordon , who has the ability to see and communicate with ghosts... |
Sarah Applewhite | Episode: "Melinda's First Ghost" |
| Grey's Anatomy Grey's Anatomy Grey's Anatomy is an American medical drama television series created by Shonda Rhimes. The series premiered on March 27, 2005 on ABC; since then, seven seasons have aired. The series follows the lives of interns, residents and their mentors in the fictional Seattle Grace Mercy West Hospital in... |
Megan Clover | Episode: "Sometimes a Fantasy Sometimes a Fantasy (Grey's Anatomy) "Sometimes a Fantasy" is the third episode of the third season of the ABC series, Grey's Anatomy. The episode was written by Debora Cahn and was directed by Adam Arkin. It originally aired on October 5, 2006, running for 43:12 min.-Starring:... " |
Awards and nominations
| Award | Year | Category | Result | Role |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Academy Awards Academy Awards An Academy Award, also known as an Oscar, is an accolade bestowed by the American Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences to recognize excellence of professionals in the film industry, including directors, actors, and writers... |
2006 | Best Actress in a Supporting Role | Olive Hoover in Little Miss Sunshine Little Miss Sunshine Little Miss Sunshine is a 2006 American comedy-drama film. The road movie's plot follows a family's trip to a children's beauty pageant.Little Miss Sunshine was the directorial film debut of the husband-wife team of Jonathan Dayton and Valerie Faris. The screenplay was written by first-time writer... |
|
| Alliance of Women Journalists (EDA Awards) | 2006 | Best Breakthrough Performance for a Young Actress | ||
| BAFTA Awards | 2007 | Best Actress in a Supporting Role | ||
| Chicago Film Critics Association Awards | 2006 | Best Supporting Actress | ||
| Critics Choice Awards | 2007 | Best Young Actress | ||
| Best Ensemble Cast (Shared with cast) | ||||
| 2008 | Best Young Actress | Zoe Armstrong in No Reservations No Reservations (film) No Reservations is a 2007 American romantic drama film directed by Scott Hicks. The screenplay by Carol Fuchs is an adaptation of an original script by Sandra Nettelbeck, which served as the basis for the 2001 German film Mostly Martha.-Plot:... |
||
| Empire Awards Empire Awards An Empire Award is an accolade bestowed by Empire, Britain's biggest selling film magazine, to recognize excellence of professionals in the locale and global film industry. The awards are voted for by readers of the magazine and in an annual ceremony, the Empire Awards, the winners are presented... |
2006 | Best Female Newcomer | Olive Hoover | |
| Gotham Awards Gotham Awards The Gotham Awards is an annual ceremony of awards presented to the makers of independent films which takes place in New York City... |
2006 | Breakthrough Actor | ||
| Iowa Film Critics Awards | 2006 | Best Supporting Actress | ||
| MTV Movie Awards 2007 MTV Movie Awards The 2007 MTV Movie Awards took place on June 3, 2007 at Gibson Amphitheatre in Universal City, California and were hosted by Sarah Silverman. The ceremony featured performances by Rihanna featuring Jay-Z, who performed "Umbrella", and Amy Winehouse, who performed "Rehab"... |
2007 | Best Breakthrough Performance | ||
| Online Film Critics Awards | 2006 | Best Supporting Actress | ||
| Las Vegas Film Critics Society Awards | 2006 | Youth in Film | ||
| Phoenix Film Critics | 2006 | Best Performance by a Youth in a Lead or Supporting Role – Female | ||
| 2003 | Best Performance by a Youth in a Lead or Supporting Role – Female | Bo Hess in Signs Signs (film) Signs is a 2002 American science fiction horror film directed by M. Night Shyamalan. It was adapted from a screenplay also written by Shyamalan. Executive producers for the film comprised Shyamalan, Frank Marshall, Kathleen Kennedy and Sam Mercer. The story focuses on a former preacher named Graham... |
||
| Satellite Awards Satellite Awards The Satellite Awards are an annual award given by the International Press Academy. The awards were originally known as the Golden Satellite Awards.- Film :*Best Actor – Drama*Best Actor – Musical or Comedy*Best Actress – Drama... |
2006 | Best Actress in a Supporting Role | Olive Hoover | |
| Screen Actors Guild (SAG) Screen Actors Guild Awards A Screen Actors Guild Award is an accolade given by the Screen Actors Guild to recognize outstanding performances by its members. The statuette given, a nude male figure holding both a mask of comedy and a mask of tragedy, is called "The Actor"... |
2007 | Supporting Actress | ||
| Cast in a motion picture (Shared with cast) | ||||
| St. Louis Film Critics | Best Supporting Actress | |||
| Teen Choice Awards Teen Choice Awards The Teen Choice Awards, are an annual awards show that air on the Fox cable channel, that honor the year's biggest biggest achievements in music, movies, sports, television, fashion and more, voted by teen viewers aged 14 through 17. Winners receive an authentic full size surfboard designed with... |
2008 | Choice Movie Actress: Action Adventure | Nim Rusoe in Nim's Island | |
| Tokyo International Film Festival Tokyo International Film Festival Tokyo International Film Festival is a film festival established in 1985. The event was held biannually from 1985 to 1991 and annually thereafter... |
2006 | Best Actress | Olive Hoover | |
| Women Film Critics Circle Awards | 2006 | Best Young Actress | ||
| Young Artist Award Young Artist Award The Young Artist Award is an accolade bestowed by the Young Artist Foundation, a non-profit organization founded in 1978 to recognize and award excellence of youth performers, and to provide scholarships for young artists who may be physically and/or financially challenged.The Young Artist... |
2003 | Best Performance in a Feature Film Young Actress Age Ten or Under | Bo Hess | |
| 2007 | Best Performance in a Feature Film Young Actress Age Ten or Under | Olive Hoover | ||
| 2008 | Best Performance in a Feature Film Leading Young Actress | Zoe Armstrong | ||
| 2009 | Best Performance in a Feature Film Leading Young Actress | Kit Kittredge in Kit Kittredge: An American Girl Kit Kittredge: An American Girl Kit Kittredge: An American Girl is a 2008 American comedy-drama film directed by Patricia Rozema. The screenplay by Ann Peacock focuses on the American Girl character Kit Kittredge, who lives in Cincinnati, Ohio during the Great Depression... |
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| 2010 | Best Performance in a Feature Film Leading Young Actress | Anna Fitzgerald in My Sister's Keeper My Sister's Keeper My Sister's Keeper is a 2004 novel written by New York Times Best Selling author Jodi Picoult. It tells the story of 13-year-old Anna, who litigates her parents for medical emancipation when she is expected to donate a kidney to her sister Kate, who is dying from leukemia.-Plot:The story takes... |