Actress Nikki Reed has been showing off her acting chops for a little more than a decade. Reed broke onto the scene at just 15 years-old when she appeared in the controversial teenage coming of age film, Thirteen. The film, which was based on Reed’s own experiences as a thirteen year old, dealt with topics such as drug abuse, sex harm, and underage sexual behavior. However, even with its questionable content, the film received critical acclaim upon its release at the 2003 Sundance Film Festival, and also helped launch Reed’s career as a serious young star. In the years since her acting debut, Reed has gone on to have a very successful acting career and has starred in several noteworthy productions including the extremely popular Twighlight saga. However, even with a career that has forced Reed to live most of her life in the spotlight, there are still many things about 26 year-old actress that many fans may be unaware of. Here are five things you probably didn’t know about Nikki Reed.
5. Nikki Reed may have banned from the set of the popular show Vampire Diaries.
Apparently vampires don’t always look out for each other. After her breakup with Ian Somerhalder who plays Damon Salvatore on the CW’s popular series Vampire Diaries, rumors began circulating that Nikki Reed had been banned from the show’s set. Many sources attributed Reed’s ban to her and Somerhalder’s shameless displays of public affection which apparently made another one of the show’s stars, Nina Dobrev, very uncomfortable. Dobrev’s discomfort may have stemmed from the fact that she and Somerhalder had once shared a romance of their own. According to reports, Vampire Diaries producers feared that if Reed continued to be present on the show’s set, Dobrev may decide to leave the cast. A source stated: “Ian and Nikki’s relationship is causing a lot of drama, to the point where the producers have asked Ian not to bring Nikki to set when Nina is there…They are very worried about losing her, and they are worried that the show would fall apart without her…”
4. Nikki Reed is a singer.
In 2011, Reed released an EP with her then husband, Paul McDonald, titled Now That I’ve Found You. A song from the couple’s EP was featured on the soundtrack for The Twighlight Saga: Breaking Dawn – Part 2. While some may have seen the release as a sudden career move, Reed insists that she has always enjoyed singing. During an interview with Rolling Stone, Reed discussed the EP and also shared that pursuing her musical interests forced her to overcome her fear of singing in public. Reed stated: “The only way I can perform these songs is blocking everything else out and thinking about just what they mean to me when I’m singing them to Paul.” Unfortunately, the couple split in 2014, right around the time their full length album was released.
3. Nikki Reed never planned on being an actress.
Nikki Reed made her film debut in the controversial 2003 film, Thirteen. Although her role in the film is what helped her build a solid foundation for a successful acting career, Reed originally only planned on working with the film as a writer. However, she was persuaded into playing the film’s lead role when producers felt uncomfortable giving the role to any other young actress because of the film’s controversial autobiographical content. During an interview, Reed said that her relationship with Catherine Hardwicke is what has helped her see herself as an actress. During an interview with backstage.com, Reed stated: “My connection with acting and my love for it developed from my relationship with Catherine and her wisdom and insight…She kept me out of trouble by putting me in acting classes. But I was not expecting to be in the film. I was only a writer. I was helping with auditions with girls and reading with them. Then the producers called and said, ‘You have to take this part. There’s nobody fit for this role but you.’” Reed continued, “…clearly I couldn’t escape the passion. There was just always something very freeing about having the ability to really express yourself and find some sort of connection, heal yourself, work through your own life with acting.”
2. Nikki Reed is an animal rights activist.
Nikki Reed, a dog lover herself, is also a very involved animal rights activist who has worked closely with the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA). In the fall of 2014, the group honored Reed with the ASPCA Compassion Award for her contributions to animal welfare. During her acceptance speech, Reed stated: “I’m very honored to be receiving this award, but the person who should really be receiving it is my mother. I grew up with a mom who allowed any and everything to come into the house.”
1. Nikki Reed has her own jewelry line.
In 2012, Nikki Reed released her own line of jewelry called Mattlin Era. According to Reed, her great-grandmother was a jewelry designer, and although the two were never able to meet, Reed wanted to follow the family footsteps. During an interview, Reed shared: “My mom and I would make bracelets and necklaces, and I would sell it in the first, second, and third grades because that was my lunch money. Everyone in my family has some kind of artistic tendency. My great-grandmother was a jewelry designer and her daughter was a ceramic tile muralist. The name Mattlin is my grandmother’s maiden name, and she made ceramic tile murals. She had an underwater collection that inspired a lot of pieces. Although she died before I had a chance to meet her, it’s still very much a part of my family.” Mattlin Era, which consists of rings, earrings, brackets, and necklaces, is very affordable – even for those who haven’t starred in several Hollywood films. Since releasing her own line, Reed has also teamed up with 7 For All Mankind, and L.A. based boutique, to design another line.
(Photo by Jonathan Leibson/Getty Images for Heifer International)
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