Emmy-nominated actress Elizabeth Reaser was born on June 15, 1975 in Bloomfield, Michigan. Despite working through several odd jobs to sustain her high school education, she aspired to become an actress. She realized her childhood dream when she left Oakland University in Rochester Hills, Michigan after a year, to enroll at the Juilliard School of Drama in New York City; she would eventually graduate with a BFA in Drama in 1999.
Reaser initially struggled to get significant roles, having appeared on theater and at one point, performing for only two audience members. Her big break came when she joined the cast of the daytime drama Guiding Light. She wouldn’t stay long, however; she immediately pursued other opportunities in television and film. After her film debut in 1999, she appeared in releases such as Emmett’s Mark, The Family Stone, Shut Up and Sing, Puccini for Beginners and Purple Violets. Her work in the 2006 independent release Sweet Land earned her an Independent Spirit Award nomination the following year, for Best Female Lead.
Reaser’s television performances also haven’t gone unnoticed. After guest roles in The Sopranos, The Jury, Hack and Law & Order: Criminal Intent, she joined the cast of the short-lived medical drama Saved. She played the role of Alice Alden, a physician at the Good Samaritan Memorial Hospital’s emergency room, who previously had a relationship with paramedic Wyatt Cole (Tom Everett Scott) when they entered medical school.
However, it was Reaser’s portrayal of a pregnant woman with amnesia in the drama series Grey’s Anatomy that got the most notice from critics; it eventually earned her an Emmy nomination for Best Drama Guest Actress in 2005. She then took a role in the short-lived series The Ex List; she played the lead, Bella Bloom, who reassesses her previous relationships after finding out from a psychic that her future husband is among her exes. Before the show was cancelled due to conflicts between crew and failing ratings, she joined the cast of the film Twilight, as Cullen family mother figure Esme Cullen.
Bloomfield, Michigan, USA
Is listed as a vegetarian by PETA.
Once appeared in a play in London for only two audience members.
In preparation for her role on the television drama "Saved", she hung out in an emergency room, researching the behavior of medical staff.
Step-daughter of Bill Davidson.
Stepdaughter of Detroit Pistons owner Bill Davidson.
2006-Jury Award
Best Actress - Sweet Land (2005)
The Twilight Saga: New Moon (2009)(filming).... Esme Cullen
Against the Current (2009).... Liz Clarke
"The Ex List".... Bella Bloom (6 episodes, 2008-2009)
Twilight (2008).... Esme Cullen
"Wainy Days".... Annie (1 episode, 2008)
"Grey's Anatomy".... Jane Doe (17 episodes, 2007-2008)
Purple Violets (2007).... Bernadette
"Standoff".... Anya Reed (1 episode, 2006)
"Saved".... Alice Alden, M.D.... (13 episodes, 2006)
Puccini for Beginners (2006).... Allegra
"Law & Order: Criminal Intent".... Jillian Slaughter (2 episodes, 2002-2006)
Shut Up and Sing (2006).... Julep
The Family Stone (2005).... Susannah Stone Trousdale
Sweet Land (2005).... Young Inge
Stay (2005).... Athena
"The Jury".... Rachel Byrnes (1 episode, 2004)
Mind the Gap (2004).... Malissa Zubach
"Hack".... Elaine Jones (1 episode, 2004)
Emmett's Mark (2002).... Alison Holmes
Thirteen Conversations About One Thing (2001).... Young Woman
The Believer (2001).... Miriam
"The Sopranos".... Stace (1 episode, 2000)
"Sports Theater with Shaquille O'Neal".... Molly
I feel so blessed that I've been able to achieve what I have without a lot of pain and struggle. There are so many actors out there who are immensely talented and some I know are pretty close to starving.
When you know the audiences not only like what you're doing, but that they're also responding, it's as good as it can get for an actor.
I always wanted to be an actor, ever since I can remember. I grew up subjecting my family to really bad shows in the living room. It's what I love to do.
Within any drama in anyone's life, there's always a way to find the humor in it. Without humor no one cares about whatever drama is going on.