Biography
Date of Birth
17 December 1990, Streatham, London, England, UK
Birth Name
Rachel Clare Hurd-Wood
Height
5' 7" (1.7 m)
Mini Biography
Rachel Clare Hurd-Wood is an English actress and model, best known for her roles as Wendy Darling in Peter Pan (2003), Corrie McKenzie in Tomorrow, When the War Began (2010), and Sibyl Vane in Dorian Gray (2009). She was born on 17 August 1990 in the Streatham district of South London, England, as daughter of Philip and Sarah Hurd-Wood. Hurd-Wood's career in acting started in 2002 when she was picked for the role of Wendy Darling, after her grandparents spotted a television clip that said P.J. Hogan was searching for a "young English rose" for the feature film Peter Pan. She traveled to Gold Coast, Australia for eight months for filming. Her performance received good reviews and was nominated for a Saturn Award for Best Performance by a Younger Actor, and a Young Artist Award for Best Performance in a Feature Film - Leading Young Actress. Hurd-Wood portrayed the character Imogen Helhoughton in the 2004 TV film Sherlock Holmes and the Case of the Silk Stocking, as a 13-year-old victim of a serial killer. Also in 2004, she had a major role of Betsy Bell in the thriller An American Haunting, as a girl who is haunted and tormented by an unrelenting demon. Hurd-Wood was nominated for the 2006 Teen Choice Awards in the category Movie - Choice Scream for her role. In 2005 she appeared in an adaptation of the best-selling novel by German writer Patrick Süskind, Perfume: The Story of a Murderer. Set in 18th century France, Hurd-Wood portrayed Laura Richis, the red-headed virgin daughter of a politically connected merchant played by Alan Rickman. She had her brunette hair dyed red. She was nominated for the "Best Supporting Actress" award at the 33rd Saturn Awards by The Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy and Horror Films for her role. The year 2007 saw Hurd-Wood starring as a waitress in the music video for the song "A Little Bit" by Madeleine Peyroux. In the 2008 film Solomon Kane, she played Meredith Crowthorn, a Puritan captured by a band of marauders who killed her family and whom Kane sought to rescue. Her younger brother Patrick appears in the film as her brother Samuel. During filming, Hurd-Wood studied for her GCSE A-levels at Godalming College in Surrey. Later in the year she acted in the film Dorian Gray based on the Oscar Wilde novel, The Picture of Dorian Gray. She was in the small but key role of the young budding actress Sibyl Vane, with whom Gray falls in love. She was studying in the first year of the linguistics course at UCL while working in this film. In her first contemporary role, Hurd-Wood was cast as Corrie Mackenzie, one of the principal characters in the 2009 Australian action-adventure film Tomorrow, When the War Began, based on the novel by John Marsden. At this point, she discontinued studying for a Linguistics degree to concentrate full-time on acting. Hurd-Wood portrayed the lead character Mae-West O'Mara in the 2010 film Hideaways, narrating a story to her six-year-old daughter, about the strange powers of the men in the Furlong family. Her performance was well-received by critics. Later in the year, she played the younger version of the character Isabel, played by Jenny Agutter, in the short film The Mapmaker. Also in the same year, she was featured in the music video for "Revolver" by Warehouse Republic. In 2014, Hurd-Wood played the female lead role of Elisabeth James in the film Highway to Dhampus, a story about the effect foreigners in Nepal and Nepali expatriates have on the locals.
Trivia
When she was younger, she was jealous of the character Wendy Darling in the Disney film Peter Pan (1953), because that Wendy got to sword-fight and fly.
She found out about the role of Wendy Darling in Peter Pan (2003) after her grandparents saw an advert on television. They contacted Rachel's mother and when she came home from school one day her mother started measuring her, when she found Rachel was in the height requirements, she said Rachel could audition.
She has often said she does not plan on continuing to have a career of being an actress. In 2003/2004, she said she loves dolphins and hopes to become a marine biologist. In a September/October 2009 interview with Little White Lies magazine, she said she wants to teach, do speech therapy, or work with autistic children, in which she also stated, "It was never my goal to be an actor".
Older sister of Patrick Hurd-Wood.
Daughter of Philip Hurd-Wood and Sarah Hurd-Wood.
She attended Rodborough Technology College from 2001-2006. The school is located in Milford, Surrey, England.
Has English and Irish ancestry.
Studying Linguistics at University College London. [2009]
Her father Philip Hurd-Wood is a voice-over artist and actor. Her mother Sarah is a housewife.
Born in Streatham, England before moving to Surrey, England with her parents when she was eight years old.
Ranked as having one of the "Most Beautiful Famous Faces" for 3 consecutive years by "The Annual Independent Critics List of the 100 Most Beautiful Famous Faces From Around the World". She was ranked #54 in 2010, #16 in 2009, and #36 in 2008.
London, England: Living and working. [May 2012]
Rachel Hurd-Wood posed for the publicity and poster material for Volstead Putsch, an underground bohemian party organised by The Triumvirate of Fez at the London's Volstead Club in 2008.[42] The same year she posed for Raw Riddim Records promoting their merchandise such as chains, t-shirts, hoodies, etc.
Hurd-Wood had considered becoming a marine biologist because of her love for dolphins. She gave up on the idea when she discovered that it would require studying science because she thought she was not very good at it.
She was a member of the international expert jury panel for "European debuts" at the "52nd International Film Festival for Children and Youth" at the Zlin Film Festival held from 27 May 2012 to 3 June 2012 at Zlin in the Czech Republic.
In 2009 Rachel Hurd-Wood was cast as Corrie Mackenzie, one of the principal characters in the Australian action-adventure film Tomorrow, When the War Began, based on the novel by John Marsden.That novel was one of the books she read while being tutored for the filming of Peter Pan.
Has one son name Liam (b. 18 August 2017).
Trademarks:
Blue eyes
Quotes
First acting experience - so that was just, incredible, I never thought that I'd get it, I really didn't. I still can't believe it - you know, it just seems so weird, and seeing it up on the big screen. I kind of disassociate the finished product to when we were actually filming because the two seem so different.
It's like a dream ... one minute I am walking across the playground to maths and next, I'm flying to Hollywood to meet the world's press.
'English Rose' - what does that actually mean? That I am pale? That I am English, maybe? They are going to say that about any actress from this country!
I've been a victim in every film I have done so far. It would be nice to play someone who doesn't get killed for once. Then again, I am getting really good at screaming and fake tears...
[When asked if she would have become an actor had it not been for her lucky break at age 11 as Wendy in Peter Pan (2003)]: Probably not. I want to teach or do speech therapy [she is currently doing a linguistics degree], maybe working with autistic children. It was never my goal to be an actor. If my career ends here then fine. It's just a path in life and I've had a damn good time.
[When asked if she was worried on the effect of being touted as the next big thing by critics on her acting profile after the hype of Perfume: The Story of a Murderer (2006)]: I'm not bothered with my profile. Although I had auditions [after Perfume] my heart wasn't really in it. My primary focus has always been on school. I wouldn't describe myself as an actor. I'd describe myself as a student.
[on being typecast in period pieces]: I'm sick of having red hair but people seem to like that aesthetic. I would really like to play someone contemporary as I've done lots of period pieces. I would love to play an American bimbo or a grimy Londoner. But I'm probably more suited in people's minds to playing a corseted victim. They think, 'Oh right, she's pale, she looks like she couldn't really fight back.'
