Byrdie Bell is an actress and model currently residing in New York City

New York City

New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...

 known for her independent film career, international magazine spreads, and distinctive style.

Early life and family

Born in Chicago

Chicago

Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...

, Illinois, Bell lived in both London and New York before the age of thirteen. She descends from a long line of "Evelyn Byrds", the first of whom was the eldest daughter of Colonel William Byrd II

William Byrd II

Colonel William Byrd II was a planter, slave-owner and author from Charles City County, Virginia. He is considered the founder of Richmond, Virginia.-Biography:...

, the founder of Richmond, VA. Her Mother, Evelyn Byrd Lorentzen, is the granddaughter of Øivind Lorentzen

Øivind Lorentzen

-Pre-war life and career:He was born in Holmestrand as a son of ship-owner Hans Ludvig Lorentzen and Thala Margrethe Bredrup . His family lived in Argentina and Brazil between 1891 and 1895. Lorentzen finished his secondary education in 1901, and studied shipbuilding at Berlin Institute of...

 whose son Erling Lorentzen

Erling Lorentzen

Erling Sven Lorentzen is a Norwegian businessman who has lived in Brazil for decades.He was born in Oslo as a son of Øivind Lorentzen and Ragna Nilsen...

 is related through marriage to the Norwegian royal family

Norwegian Royal Family

The Royal Family of Norway is the family of King Harald V of Norway. In Norway there is a distinction between the Royal House and the Royal Family. The Royal House includes only the King and his spouse, the Queen, the King's eldest son with spouse, being the Crown Prince and Crown Princess, and the...

. Her father, Theodore Augustus Bell, III

Ted Bell

Ted Bell is an American author of suspense novels such as Hawke and Assassin, Pirate, and Spy. He is best known for his New York Times Bestselling series of spy thriller novels featuring the character Alex Hawke. Before becoming a novelist, he was President and Chief Creative Officer of the Leo...

, is a best-selling author whose maternal grandfather, George Blaine Howell, inspired the character of Thurston Howell, III on Gilligan's Island

Gilligan's Island

Gilligan's Island is an American television series created and produced by Sherwood Schwartz and originally produced by United Artists Television. The situation comedy series featured Bob Denver; Alan Hale, Jr.; Jim Backus; Natalie Schafer; Tina Louise; Russell Johnson; and Dawn Wells. It aired for...

.

Bell began her professional acting training at the young age of fourteen. After studying intensively at schools such as Herbert Berghof

Herbert Berghof

Herbert Berghof was an Austrian American actor, director and acting coach. He co-founded HB Studio in New York City with his wife Uta Hagen in 1945...

 and the British American Drama Academy

British American Drama Academy

The British American Drama Academy is a drama school in the United Kingdom.Background=The British American Drama Academy was founded in 1983 to enable students from around the world to study classical theatre with leading actors and directors of the British theatre...

, Bell graduated from the Stella Adler Conservatory program and continues to study at Black Nexxus

Black Nexxus

Black Nexxus is an acting studio run by Susan Batson. It has campuses in Los Angeles, California and New York City, New York.- Notable students :* Jordan Bayne* Juliette Binoche* George Carr* Sean Combs* Jennifer Connelly* Tom Cruise* Jamie Foxx...

 with Susan Batson. She is currently enrolled at New York University.

Career

Professionally, Bell has been featured in major motion pictures as well as award-winning independent films and music videos. After working with directors like Michael Patrick King

Michael Patrick King

Michael Patrick King is an American director, writer and producer for television shows.-Life and career:King was born to an Irish American family in Scranton, Pennsylvania and was raised as a Roman Catholic...

, Antonio Campos

António Campos

António Campos was one of the pioneer filmmakers of visual anthropology in Portugal. Mainly using pure documentary techniques, he shot ethnographic films and tried docufiction...

 and Morgan J. Freeman

Morgan J. Freeman

Morgan J. Freeman is an American film director. In 1997, his debut feature, Hurricane Streets, became the first narrative film to win three awards at the Sundance Film Festival...

, she shared the spotlight in Martin Scorsese

Martin Scorsese

Martin Charles Scorsese is an American film director, screenwriter, producer, actor, and film historian. In 1990 he founded The Film Foundation, a nonprofit organization dedicated to film preservation, and in 2007 he founded the World Cinema Foundation...

's Rolling Stones documentary Shine a Light

Shine a Light

Shine a Light is the second full length album released by the Constantines, and their first to be released internationally on the Sub Pop record label. It was the first album to feature keyboard player Will Kidman as a member of the band...

 and is releasing two independent films; Blinders and Tragic Fairytale in 2011.

Aside from acting, Bell has been a fashion model since the age of eighteen. She has appeared on the covers and in the pages of magazines around the world, including Vogue

Vogue (magazine)

Vogue is a fashion and lifestyle magazine that is published monthly in 18 national and one regional edition by Condé Nast.-History:In 1892 Arthur Turnure founded Vogue as a weekly publication in the United States. When he died in 1909, Condé Montrose Nast picked up the magazine and slowly began...

, Vogue Nippon, V Magazine, Harper’s Bazaar, Russian Harpers Bazaar, L’ Official, Muse

Muse

The Muses in Greek mythology, poetry, and literature, are the goddesses who inspire the creation of literature and the arts. They were considered the source of the knowledge, related orally for centuries in the ancient culture, that was contained in poetic lyrics and myths...

, Paper Planes, and Dossier Journal

Dossier Journal

Dossier Journal is an independently published and owned bi-annual arts and culture journal. Content draws upon a wide range of subjects, including fashion features, art and photography portfolios, fiction, poetry, critical essays, interviews, recipes, crossword puzzles, articles on film,...

. In 2010, she was recognized in The New York Times

The New York Times

The New York Times is an American daily newspaper founded and continuously published in New York City since 1851. The New York Times has won 106 Pulitzer Prizes, the most of any news organization...

 "Nifty 50" as one of America's Top 50 up-coming Talents. She has also modeled in campaigns for Hogan, NAHM, Rad Hourani, Meredith Kahn, and Club Monaco

Club Monaco

Club Monaco is a mid-priced, high-end casual clothing retailer owned by Polo Ralph Lauren. With more than 69 stores in North America, the retailer has locations in Canada, Hong Kong, Macao, Taiwan, South Korea, China, the United Arab Emirates, Malaysia, Indonesia, Singapore, Saudi Arabia, United...

. In September 2011, her unique style propelled her to become a featured editor for Piperlime

Piperlime

Piperlime is a San Francisco, California-based online retail company. Founded as a spin-off in 2006 by Gap Inc., Piperlime offers a selection of footwear and handbags for women, men and children...

.