Renee Olstead

Renee Olstead

Olstead at WonderCon, April 2015
Background information
Born (1989-06-18) June 18, 1989
Kingwood, Texas, U.S.
Origin Houston, Texas, U.S.
Genres Jazz
Occupation(s) Actress, singer
Instruments Vocals
Years active 1995–present
Labels Renee, 143, Reprise

Renee Olstead (born June 18, 1989) is an American actress and singer. Active since childhood as an actress, she is best known for her roles in the TV sitcoms Still Standing as Lauren Miller and The Secret Life of the American Teenager as Madison Cooperstein. In addition, she has recorded four studio albums, primarily of jazz music.

Early life and career

Olstead was born in Kingwood, Texas, to Christopher Eric Olstead and Rebecca Lynn Jeffries. Olstead is of Norwegian ancestry.[1][2][3] As a child actress, she made films and commercials from age eight onwards. She also attended Centre Stage theatrical school and is mentioned on their website's list of alumni.

From 2002 to 2006, she appeared in the TV sitcom Still Standing as middle sister Lauren Miller. Olstead was presented with the Young Artist Award for Best Performance in a TV Series (Comedy) - Supporting Young Actress for Still Standing in 2002. She also had a small part in the 2004 film 13 Going on 30. She co-starred in the ABC Family series The Secret Life of the American Teenager, about fifteen-year-old Amy Juergens's struggle through her unexpected pregnancy and how it affected her peers. Olstead played the character Madison Cooperstein, one of Amy's best friends.

In 2004, Olstead released a self-titled album of jazz songs and pop standards for Warner Bros. Records to good reviews. Since her previous releases had limited distribution, this album was considered her official debut. She subsequently performed in Berlin during the Live 8 concert on July 2, 2005.[4]

Olstead also recorded with trumpeter Chris Botti on his 2005 album To Love Again: The Duets and appeared on the 2006 DVD Chris Botti Live with Orchestra and Special Guests. Her singing style is influenced by such great jazz vocalists as Ella Fitzgerald and Sarah Vaughan. Reportedly, her musical talent was discovered by composer David Foster, who produced her 2004 album. She later performed with him on The Oprah Winfrey Show.

A follow-up album entitled Skylark, also produced by Foster, was originally announced for release in 2005, but it was subsequently pushed back several times, with release dates in the summer of 2006 and early 2007 being mentioned on online retailers such as Amazon.com. It was then scheduled for a June 2008 release, but was delayed once again.[5] It was finally released on January 27, 2009, nearly four years after it was originally announced.

On September 14, 2011, as the result of a criminal complaint initially made by actress Scarlett Johansson, the FBI announced it was investigating the alleged hacking of celebrity cellphone and email accounts and the dissemination of explicit nude photographs of Johansson and approximately 50 other celebrities, including Olstead. As a result of the investigation, 35-year-old Christopher Chaney of Jacksonville, Florida, was arrested in October 2011.[6] Prosecutors are seeking $160,000 restitution to victims ($76,000 for Olstead herself), in addition to a 71-month sentence.[7][8][9][10]

Olstead is a vegan.[11] She appeared in a PETA ad, Fish Are Friends Not Food, urging her fans to become vegan themselves.[12][13] In 2012, Olstead joined PETA's campaign to free the elephant Mali from captivity at the Manila Zoological and Botanical Garden, where she has been alone for the last three decades.

Olstead most recently starred as Kaitlan in the 2013 supernatural thriller The Midnight Game[14] and as Jess Felton in the 2014 technology-themed thriller film Unfriended.[15]

Personal life

Renee is married to pianist Tommy King, and legally took his last name.[16]

Discography

Filmography

Year Title Role Notes
1995 Streets of Laredo Marci Fant TV miniseries
1995 Deadly Family Secrets Emily Pick TV movie
1996 Ceftin Wiz Kids Katie TV movie
1996 Santa, NASA & the Man in the Moon Renee Olstead TV movie
1996 Cadillac Ranch Young Mary Katherine
1997 Out There Megan Tollman TV movie
1997 Usher, TheThe Usher Little Girl Short film
1998 Touched by an Angel Bits Episode: "Doodlebugs"
1998 Reunited Ami Beck 5 episodes
1999 Insider, TheThe Insider Deborah Wigand
1999 Chicken Soup for the Soul Lauren Episode: "Where's My Kiss, Then?"
1999 End of Days Amy
1999 Providence Little Girl Episode: "Home for the Holidays"
2000 Geppetto Featured TV movie
2000 Space Cowboys Little Girl
2002 My Guide to Becoming a Rock Star Selma Episode: "Fame"
2002 She Spies Amy Divornak Episode: "Poster Girl"
2002–2006 Still Standing Lauren Miller 86 episodes
2003 Scorched Girl Scout
2003 Fillmore! Lucille (voice) Episode: "South of Friendship, North of Honor"
2004 13 Going On 30 Becky
2007 Super Sweet 16: The Movie Sky Storm
2007 Point of Entry Melinda TV movie
2008–2013 Secret Life of the American Teenager, TheThe Secret Life of the American Teenager Madison Cooperstein 89 episodes
2011 Bling Ring April TV movie
2013 The Midnight Game Kaitlan Feature film
2014 Unfriended Jess Feature film (originally titled Cybernatural)
2015 The Murder Pact Annabel TV Movie

Awards

Awards
Year Result Award Category Nominated Work
2003 Nominated Young Artist Awards Best Performance in a TV Series (Comedy or Drama): Leading Young Actress Still Standing
2006 Won Young Artist Awards Best Performance in a TV Series (Comedy): Supporting Young Actress

References

  1. ↑ Marit AaVebenstad. "Veslevoksen jazz-prinsesse". VG.
  2. ↑ http://www.aftenposten.no/kul_und/musikk/article827311.ece
  3. ↑ "En vaskeekte barnestjerne". dagbladet.no.
  4. ↑ "LIVE 8 Concerts – Live 8". live8live.com.
  5. ↑ "Video interview: David Foster on Tom Green's House Tonight". www.davidfoster.info.
  6. ↑ "Computer hacker who leaked nude photos of Scarlett Johansson 'will be ordered to pay her $66,000 and spend five years in jail'". Daily Mail. London.
  7. ↑ "L.A. Now". Los Angeles Times. June 26, 2012.
  8. ↑ "FBI Investigating Alleged Nude Scarlett Johansson Photo Hack". Fox News. September 14, 2011. Retrieved September 14, 2011.
  9. ↑ Derschowitz, Jessica (September 14, 2011). "Scarlett Johansson taps FBI over allegedly hacked nude photos". CBS News. Retrieved September 14, 2011.
  10. ↑ D'Zurilla, Christie (September 14, 2011). "Scarlett Johansson enlists FBI over allegedly hacked naked photos". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved September 14, 2011.
  11. ↑ "Why I Decided To Go Vegan". The Huffington Post.
  12. ↑ "Renee Olstead PETA2 Ad Says Fish Aren't Food". vegetarianstar.com.
  13. ↑ "'Secret Life' Star Urges Fans to Get Hooked on Kindness and Go Vegan". Benzinga.
  14. ↑ "Play The Midnight Game at Home". Dread Central.
  15. ↑ "Unfriended". BD.
  16. ↑ http://www.fashionnstyle.com/articles/63522/20150604/unfriended-star-renee-olstead-one-to-watch-exclusive-interview.htm
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