Isabelle Fuhrman

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Isabelle Fuhrman
Fuhrman in 2010
Born (1997-02-25) February 25, 1997 (age 27)
EducationStanford University Online High School
OccupationActress
Years active2001–present
Parent

Isabelle Fuhrman (born February 25, 1997[1]) is an American actress. She is best known for her role as Esther in the horror film Orphan (2009) and its prequel Orphan: First Kill (2022). She also portrayed Clove in the dystopian adventure film The Hunger Games (2012), and Alex in the independent film The Novice (2021).

Early life[edit]

Fuhrman was born in Washington, D.C., the daughter of Elina Fuhrman (née Kozmits), a journalist, author, wellness activist, and founder of the vegan soup company Soupelina, and Nick Fuhrman, a one-time Wisconsin political primary candidate for U.S. House of Representatives, and business consultant.[2][3] Her father, who is of Irish descent, was adopted by a Jewish family. Her mother is a Russian Jewish immigrant from Soviet Moldova.[4] Isabelle Fuhrman has an older sister who was born in 1993. She and her family moved to Atlanta in 1999 when her mother joined CNN.[5] She attended the Buckley School, a private school in Sherman Oaks for high school. Fuhrman also briefly attended the RADA, and briefly was a student at The Westminster Schools in Atlanta.[6] She graduated from Stanford University Online High School in 2015.[7][8]

Career[edit]

Fuhrman's acting career began at age seven, when a casting director from Cartoon Network spotted her while she was waiting for her older sister Madeline and cast her for one of the shows, Cartoon Fridays.[9] Her early credits include Grace O'Neil in the pilot episode of the 2006 television series Justice, and a number of national commercials for such brands as Pizza Hut and K-Mart. In 2007, she made her film debut in the controversial drama feature Hounddog.[10]

Fuhrman's performance as Gretchen Dennis (also known as Girl Ghost) opposite Jennifer Love Hewitt in a 2008 episode of Ghost Whisperer earned her a Young Artist Award nomination.[11] Also in 2008, Fuhrman was cast in the movie Orphan alongside Vera Farmiga and Peter Sarsgaard following an exhaustive nationwide search of young actresses to portray the lead in the three-way collaboration between Warner Bros., Appian Way Productions, and Dark Castle Entertainment.[12][13][14][15] It was released in 2009 to commercial success and Fuhrman's acting was praised.[16] She also appeared in comedy skits on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno.[13]

In 2011, Fuhrman played Angie Vanderveer in the dark comedy Salvation Boulevard (based on the novel by Larry Beinhart), with an ensemble cast that included Pierce Brosnan and Marisa Tomei. It premiered at the Sundance Film Festival.[17]

In 2012, Fuhrman voiced the genetically enhanced assassin Victoria in Hitman: Absolution.[18] In the same year she played Clove, a career tribute who tries to kill the main character, Katniss, in the film The Hunger Games.[19] She originally auditioned to play Katniss, but was too young to play the part; she was 14 at the time. She received a call-back to audition for Clove and got the part.[20] On May 15, 2012, it was announced that Fuhrman would star in the remake of the 1977 horror classic Suspiria;[21] however, it was later announced that the production was stuck in legal woes and that the film would not be made.[22]

On May 24, 2013, Fuhrman was cast as Max in Dear Eleanor (2016),[23] directed by Kevin Connolly. In 2014, Fuhrman was cast in the film Cell, an adaptation by Stephen King.[24] In 2015, she was cast in a "major recurring role" on the Showtime drama series Masters of Sex, playing Tessa, the daughter of Virginia Johnson (Lizzy Caplan).[25] Fuhrman was also cast as the lead in the independent drama Hellbent.[26]

In 2021, Fuhrman starred as Alex in Lauren Hadaway's directorial debut The Novice. Her performance gained critical praise, with critics calling Fuhrman's turn "a Daniel Day-Lewis transformation" and "the year's best performance".[27] For The Novice, she won the Tribeca Film Festival Award for Best Actress, and was nominated for the Independent Spirit Award for Best Female Lead.[28][29] It was announced in 2020 that Fuhrman would reprise her role as Esther in an Orphan prequel;[30] the film, titled Orphan: First Kill, was released in August 2022, with Fuhrman's performance again being lauded.[31][32]

In September 2022, Fuhrman joined the cast of the Kevin Costner-directed western film Horizon: An American Saga and Face, a film directed by Justine Bateman.[33][34]

Philanthropy[edit]

Fuhrman was approached by Save the Children in 2010, to be a celebrity advocate for their "Caps for Good" project. She and several volunteers with Save the Children have helped knit hundreds of baby caps in an effort to reduce the death rate of newborns in developing countries.[35] Fuhrman is on the advisory board of the Love & Art Kids Foundation, a Los Angeles based non-profit organization.[36]

Filmography[edit]

Film[edit]

Year Title Role Notes
2007 Hounddog Grasshopper
2009 Orphan Esther
2010 Sammy's Adventures: The Secret Passage Hatchling Shelly Voice role
2011 Salvation Boulevard Angie
From Up on Poppy Hill Sora Matsuzaki Voice role
2012 The Hunger Games Clove
2013 Don't Let Me Go Michelle
After Earth Rayna Uncredited[37]
2014 All the Wilderness Val
The Snow Queen 2 Alfida Voice role (English version)
2016 Cell Alice Maxwell
Dear Eleanor Max the Wax
1 Night Bea
2018 Down a Dark Hall Izzy
Good Girls Get High Morgan
Hellbent Danni Frost
2020 Tape Pearl
2021 The Novice Alex
The Last Thing Mary Saw Eleanor
Escape Room: Tournament of Champions Claire Extended edition version[38]
2022 Orphan: First Kill Leena Klammer / Esther
2023 Sheroes Ezra
2024 Horizon: An American Saga – Chapter 1 Diamond Kittredge Post-production
Horizon: An American Saga – Chapter 2 Post-production
TBA Unit 234 Laurie Saltair Post-production[39]
TBA Wish You Were Here[40] Charlotte Post-production

Television[edit]

Year Title Role Notes
2006 Justice Grace O'Neil Episode: Pilot
2008 Ghost Whisperer Gretchen Dennis Episode: "Pieces of You"
2010 Pleading Guilty Carrie Television film
2011 The Whole Truth Lyric Byrne Episode: "Perfect Witness"
2013, 2020 Adventure Time Shoko Voice role; episodes: "The Vault", "Together Again"
2015 Masters of Sex Tessa Johnson Recurring role, 8 episodes

Video games[edit]

Year Title Role Notes
2007 Disney Princess: Enchanted Journey Heroine Voice role
2012 Hitman: Absolution Victoria Voice role
2016 Let It Die Mushroom Magistrate Voice role
2016 Sid Meier's Civilization VI Quote Technology quote[citation needed]

Stage[edit]

Year Title Role Stage Notes
2017 All the Fine Boys Emily Pershing Square Signature Center February 14 – March 26, 2017
2019 Mac Beth Macbeth Lucille Lortel Theatre May 7 – June 9, 2019

Awards and nominations[edit]

Year Award Category Work Result Refs
2009 Young Artist Awards Best Performance in a TV Series – Guest Starring Young Actress Ghost Whisperer Nominated
2009 Dublin Film Critics' Circle Awards Best Actress – 4th place Orphan Won
2009 Fright Meter Awards Best Actress Orphan Won
2010 Fangoria Chainsaw Awards Best Supporting Actress Orphan Nominated
2014 Behind the Voice Actors Awards Best Vocal Ensemble in an Anime Feature Film/Special From Up on Poppy Hill Nominated
2016 Madrid International Film Festival Best Lead Actress Don't Let Me Go Nominated
2021 Tribeca Film Festival Best Actress in a Leading Role The Novice Won
2022 Independent Spirit Awards Best Female Lead The Novice Nominated

References[edit]

  1. ^ "This Day in Horror: Happy Birthday Isabelle Fuhrman". Dread Central. February 25, 2020.
  2. ^ "Madison.com Madison WI news sports entertainment". M.host.madison.com. Retrieved July 23, 2012.[permanent dead link]
  3. ^ "Page 13, Wisconsin State Journal, November 8, 1990". Archived from the original on July 11, 2012. Retrieved July 23, 2012 – via NewspaperARCHIVE.com.
  4. ^ Applebaum, Stephen (August 19, 2022). "'I love playing villains; I try to understand them' says actress Fuhrman". The Jewish Chronicle. Retrieved September 17, 2022.
  5. ^ Moe, Doug (October 18, 2001). "She doesn't fear the unknown". The Capital Times (Madison, Wisconsin). Capital Newspapers. Archived from the original on November 2, 2012. Retrieved March 13, 2009.
  6. ^ "Isabelle Fuhrman". Twitter. Archived from the original on April 25, 2016. Retrieved August 31, 2014.
  7. ^ "Isabelle Fuhrman: 'The Hunger Games" Knife Assassin". Yahoo movies. March 26, 2012. Archived from the original on September 4, 2014. Retrieved August 31, 2014.
  8. ^ Tishgart, Sierra (March 21, 2012). "Isabelle Fuhrman on Playing Clove in The Hunger Games, Dressing for the Red Carpet, and Pulling Pranks on Set". Teen Vogue. Archived from the original on September 5, 2017. Retrieved August 13, 2020.
  9. ^ Block, Jenny (July 26, 2012). "Isabelle Fuhrman's Sister Madeline Is Kickstarting Her Music Career". Huffingtonpost. Archived from the original on November 13, 2013. Retrieved July 3, 2013.
  10. ^ Catsoulis, Jeannette (September 18, 2008). "Dreaming of Elvis, Living a Nightmare". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved September 26, 2022.
  11. ^ a b "30th Annual Young Artist Awards - Nominations / Special Awards". July 19, 2011. Archived from the original on July 19, 2011. Retrieved September 25, 2022.
  12. ^ Mayberry, Carly (December 10, 2007). "Warners horror: 'Orphan' adopts young Fuhrman". The Hollywood Reporter. Associated Press. Archived from the original on December 11, 2015. Retrieved November 28, 2015.
  13. ^ a b "Isabelle Fuhrman- Biography". Yahoo! Movies. Archived from the original on November 4, 2013. Retrieved July 3, 2013.
  14. ^ Stephenson, Hunter (August 3, 2009). "Will Esther Become a New Horror Icon? Orphan Has Makings of a Cult Sleeper". slashfilm.com. Archived from the original on November 3, 2013. Retrieved July 3, 2013.
  15. ^ "Warner Bros. Pictures and Dark Castle Entertainment Present ORPHAN". Business Wire. July 14, 2009. Archived from the original on November 5, 2013. Retrieved July 3, 2013.
  16. ^ "Audiences scream for Isabelle Fuhrman's Orphan". September 19, 2009. Archived from the original on September 19, 2009. Retrieved September 26, 2022.
  17. ^ LaPorte, Nicole (January 29, 2011). "Isabelle Fuhrman Shines in 'Salvation Boulevard'". The Daily Beast. Archived from the original on March 4, 2016. Retrieved November 28, 2015.
  18. ^ "Hitman: Absolution Cast Revealed". square-enix-games.com. Retrieved September 25, 2022.
  19. ^ Vary, Adam (March 23, 2012). "'The Hunger Games': Isabelle Fuhrman on becoming Clove, and what she wants to see in 'Catching Fire' and 'Mockingjay'". Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on October 14, 2014. Retrieved July 3, 2013.
  20. ^ Wilkinson, Amy (March 22, 2012). "'Hunger Games' Actress Isabelle Fuhrman Wanted To Play Katniss". MTV News. Archived from the original on November 4, 2013. Retrieved July 3, 2013.
  21. ^ "The Hunger Games and Orphan Star Isabelle Fuhrman Set for Suspiria | Horror Movie, DVD, & Book Reviews, News, Interviews at Dread Central". Dreadcentral.com. May 15, 2012. Archived from the original on August 22, 2012. Retrieved July 23, 2012.
  22. ^ Sara, Castillo (January 28, 2013). "Looks Like 'Suspiria' Remake Slashed". Fearnet.com. Archived from the original on March 10, 2013. Retrieved July 3, 2013.
  23. ^ Tomasi, Rollo (May 24, 2013). "Dear Eleanor (2014): Isabelle Fuhrman cast in Eleanor Roosevelt Film". FilmBook. Archived from the original on July 4, 2015. Retrieved November 28, 2015.
  24. ^ McNary, Dave (February 6, 2014). "Berlin: Isabelle Fuhrman, Stacy Keach Join Stephen King Adaptation 'Cell'". Variety. Archived from the original on December 8, 2015. Retrieved November 28, 2015.
  25. ^ Andreeva, Nellie (April 17, 2015). "Isabelle Fuhrman Joins 'Masters Of Sex'". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on December 12, 2015. Retrieved November 28, 2015.
  26. ^ McNary, Dave (February 18, 2015). "Isabelle Fuhrman, Martin Henderson to Star in 'Hellbent' (EXCLUSIVE)". Variety. Archived from the original on December 8, 2015. Retrieved November 28, 2015.
  27. ^ "Novice, the".
  28. ^ a b Tangcay, Brent Lang,Jazz; Lang, Brent; Tangcay, Jazz (December 14, 2021). "Indie Spirit Awards 2022: Full List of Nominations". Variety. Retrieved September 25, 2022.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  29. ^ a b "The 2021 Tribeca Festival Announces Award Winners". Tribeca. June 17, 2021. Retrieved September 25, 2022.
  30. ^ "Isabelle Fuhrman will reprise her role in Orphan in an upcoming prequel". December 11, 2020. Archived from the original on September 14, 2021. Retrieved September 14, 2021.
  31. ^ "Orphan: First Kill (2022)". Rotten Tomatoes. Fandango Media. Retrieved August 19, 2022.
  32. ^ Wax, Alyse (August 15, 2022). "'Orphan: First Kill': Esther's Back and She Hasn't Aged a Day | Review". Collider. Retrieved September 25, 2022.
  33. ^ DeVore, Britta (September 6, 2022). "Isabelle Fuhrman Joins Kevin Costner's Western 'Horizon'". Collider. Retrieved September 25, 2022.
  34. ^ Grobar, Matt (September 16, 2022). "Mary-Louise Parker, Carrie-Anne Moss, Isabelle Fuhrman & Liana Liberato Set For Justine Bateman's Film 'Face' Based On Her Bestseller". Deadline. Retrieved September 25, 2022.
  35. ^ "Teen Star Isabelle Fuhrman: Knitting Caps For Good". Craft Ideas Weekly. December 21, 2010. Archived from the original on February 21, 2012. Retrieved February 2, 2012.
  36. ^ "Love & Art Children's Foundation | children's art |".
  37. ^ "Isabelle Fuhrman On For After Earth". Empire. December 2012. Retrieved September 25, 2022.
  38. ^ Sneider, Jeff (October 3, 2019). "Isabelle Fuhrman Joins Taylor Russell, Logan Miller in Escape Room 2". Collider. Retrieved September 25, 2022.
  39. ^ Grobar, Matt (April 22, 2022). "Isabelle Fuhrman Boards Thriller 'Unit 234' From Director Andy Tennant". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved January 2, 2023.
  40. ^ [https://deadline.com/2024/02/julia-stiles-movie-wish-you-were-here-casts-isabelle-fuhrman-more-1235835801/ Julia Stiles Wraps On Directorial Debut ‘Wish You Were Here’; Isabelle Fuhrman, Mena Massoud, Jennifer Grey, Kelsey Grammer & More Star ]
  41. ^ "2009 Fright Meter Awards". Retrieved September 25, 2022.

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