Reiko Aylesworth
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| Reiko Aylesworth | |
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| Born | Reiko Aylesworth December 9, 1972 Evanston, Illinois, U.S. |
| Years active | 1993–Present |
Reiko Aylesworth (born December 9, 1972 in Evanston, Illinois)[1][2] is an American film and television actress, probably best known for her work on the television series 24. She is of Dutch, Welsh, and Japanese ancestry.[3] Aylesworth living in Springfield, Illinois, from 1987 to 1988 before moving to Seattle, Washington. She went on to attend the University of Washington and spent several years studying neuroscience before deciding on a full time career in acting. [4]
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[edit] Biography
[edit] Career
Beginning her career on the soap opera One Life to Live, Aylesworth also had minor roles in Random Hearts, and You've Got Mail. After guest starring roles in Law & Order, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, Now and Again, The West Wing, and Ed, Aylesworth was part of the 2001 series All Souls, which was canceled during its first season. In 2002, Aylesworth was cast in the series The American Embassy—in which her character replaces one killed during the pilot—that also failed to gain an audience.
In 2001, Aylesworth had auditioned for the part of Nina Myers on FOX Network's 24 but lost to Sarah Clarke. In 2002, she auditioned once again, this time for the role of Kate Warner, but lost to Sarah Wynter. The producers, however, asked her to join the cast as recurring character Michelle Dessler, a CTU agent.
Her character quickly developed a relationship with fellow agent Tony Almeida (Carlos Bernard), and became a firm fan favorite.[5] By the third season, Aylesworth had become a main cast member married to Bernard's character. By the end of that season, the writers decided to have major cast changes, including the departure of her character. However, fan forums lit up with people asking for her to stay.[citation needed] In the twelfth episode of the fourth season, Aylesworth returned, now as a high-ranking bureaucrat in the organization, and remained until the end of the season. However, her character was killed in the first episode of season 5.
Aylesworth also had a much-publicized guest starring role on CSI which was initially rumored to be a regular role. However, after fired cast members Jorja Fox and George Eads were rehired, and with the offer to return to 24, Aylesworth's role lasted only one episode.
Since her departure from 24, Aylesworth has guest starred on the short-lived series Conviction, appeared on stage in The Fearless and Expats, filmed a supporting role in Kevin Costner’s Mr. Brooks, and has starred in the independent thriller The Killing Floor. Aylesworth was also originally cast as Dr. Adrienne Holland in the series 3 lbs. However, 3 lbs was not picked up at the time. When CBS finally decided to pick up the series for a late fall 2006 start, the leading roles were all recast. It is not known if Aylesworth simply declined to star in the new series due to commitments elsewhere or if she was not offered the role again.
On 25 September 2006, it was announced that Aylesworth was chosen for one of the two lead roles in Aliens vs. Predator: Requiem. She was cast as Kelly O'Brien, a pilot and soldier. In January 2007, Aylesworth had a guest role in two episodes of the new ABC comedy, The Knights of Prosperity in which she played the head of Mick Jagger’s security company.
In September 2007, it was reported that Aylesworth would appear in five episodes of the upcoming season of ER, playing hospital chaplain Julia Dupree. Her storyline was to have originally lasted for 5 episodes [6] and found Julia attracting the lustful attention of Dr. Gates (John Stamos). The role was extended for two additional episodes, but was brought to a quick conclusion due to the suspension of filming as a result of the WGA strike.
Currently, Aylesworth has two independent films due out in 2008, Buzzkill[7] and The Understudy [8] and began filming a third, The Assistants, in May, 2008. Independent productions such as these, along with The Killing Floor and No Deposit, No Return, remain one of Aylesworth’s preferred types of film. [9]
[edit] Filmography
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1993–94 | One Life to Live | Rebecca Lewis | TV series |
| 1996 | Lifestories: Families in Crisis | Rita | TV episode ("Someone Had to Be Benny") |
| 1997 | Childhood's End | Laurie Cannon | Feature film |
| 1997 | Law & Order | Tiffany Sherman | TV episode ("We Like Mike") |
| 1998 | A Will of Their Own | Annie Jermaine | TV miniseries |
| 1998 | You've Got Mail | Thanksgiving Guest | Feature film |
| 1999 | Random Hearts | Mary Claire Clark | Feature film |
| 1999 | Now and Again | Dr. Taylor | TV episode ("By the Light of the Moon") |
| 1999 | Man on the Moon | Mimi | Feature film |
| 2000 | No Deposit, No Return | Feature film | |
| 2000 | Sherman’s March | Becca Coltrane | TV film |
| 2000 | The West Wing | Janine | TV episode ("Lies, Damn Lies and Statistics") |
| 2000 | Law & Order: Special Victims Unit | A.D.A. Erica Alden | TV episodes ("Contact", "Remorse", and "Slaves") |
| 2001 | All Souls | Philomena Cullen, M.D. | TV episodes ("Spineless", "The Deal", "Bad Blood", "Running Scared", and "One Step Closer to Roger") |
| 2002 | Ed | Kate Harrison | TV episode ("Ends and Means") |
| 2002 | The American Embassy | Liz Shoop | TV series (Credited in the main cast in the pilot, but only appears in episodes "China Cup," "Driven," "Long Live the King," "Agent Provocateur," and "Walking on the Moon.") |
| 2002–06 | 24 | Michelle Dessler | TV series (All episodes, Season 2 and 3; Episodes 12-24, Season 4; Episode 1, Season 5.) |
| 2003 | The Dead Zone | Natalie Connor | TV episode ("Deja Voodoo") |
| 2003 | North of Providence | Little Girl Voice | Short film |
| 2004 | The Last Full Measure | Mother | Short film |
| 2004 | CSI: Crime Scene Investigation | Chandra Moore | TV episode ("Viva Las Vegas") |
| 2005 | Shooting Vegetarians | Daisy | Feature film (filmed 1999–2000, released on DVD in 2005) |
| 2005 | Fathers and Sons | Business Woman | TV film |
| 2005 | Crazylove | Letty Mayer | Feature film |
| 2005 | 3 lbs | Dr. Adrienne Holland | Unaired TV series pilot (Series recast) |
| 2006 | Magma: Volcanic Disaster | Natalie Sheppard | TV film |
| 2006 | 24: The Game | Michelle Dessler | Video game voice-over |
| 2006 | Conviction | Julie Phelps | TV episode ("Deliverance") |
| 2007 | The Knights of Prosperity | Simone Cashwell | TV episodes ("Operation: Seduce Simone" and "Operation: Fighting Shape") |
| 2007 | The Killing Floor | Audrey Levine | Feature film |
| 2007 | First | Angelina Marveau | Short film |
| 2007 | Mr. Brooks | Sheila | Feature film |
| 2007 | Aliens vs. Predator: Requiem | Kelly O'Brien | Feature film |
| 2007 | ER | Julia Dupree | TV series (recurring in season 14, seven episodes) |
| 2008 | The Understudy | Chief Kinsky | Feature film |
| 2008 | Buzzkill | Sara | Feature film |
| 2008 | The Assistants | Feature film |
[edit] Theatre
| Year | Theater/Festival | Location | Production | Role |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1988 | Springfield Theatre Centre | Springfield, Illinois | West Side Story | Consuelo |
| 1992 | Seattle Children’s Theatre | Seattle | Invisible Friends | Lucy Baines |
| 1992–93 | Intiman Theatre Company | Seattle | Peter Pan | Wendy |
| 1993 | New York City | The Gut Girls | ||
| 1994 | Jewish Theater of New York | New York City | One Hundred Gates | |
| 1996 | Philadelphia Festival Theater George Street Playhouse |
Philadelphia New Brunswick, N.J. |
Cheap Sentiment | Meg Van Dyke |
| 1996 | Primary Stages Theatre | New York City | Missing / Kissing: Missing Marisa / Kissing Christine | Server in "Kissing" |
| 1997 | American Place Theatre | New York City | Robbers | Lucinda |
| 2002 | McCarter Theatre Center | Princeton, N.J. | Humpty Dumpty | Spoon |
| 2005 | Williamstown Theatre Festival | Williamstown, Mass. | Top Girls | Lady Nijo/Win |
| 2006 | 2006 Summer Play Festival | New York City | The Fearless | Meg |
| 2007 | The New Group | New York City | Expats | Karina |
[edit] References
- ^ Carlos Bernard: Biography. TV Guide. “born in the same [Evanston] hospital as Reiko Aylesworth”
- ^ Dahl, Steve (May 24, 2005). Episode: "May 24, 2005". Dahl.com. “She was born in the same hospital as her "24" co-star Carlos Bernard”
- ^ Jonathan Reiner, "Reiko & Famous," Soap Opera Weekly, (21 June 1994).
- ^ Dollarhide, Barbara. "Faces to Watch – Hot New Talents Make Contributions to the Arts." Seattle Times. (3 January 1993).
- ^ Reiko Aylesworth, “Meeting Michelle,” Interview by Tara DuLullio, (Titan Magazines), 24: The Official Magazine, (January/February 2007), 49.
- ^ Reiko Aylesworth - Entertainment News, Players, Media - Variety
- ^ BuzzKill (2008)
- ^ The Understudy (2008)
- ^ Reiko Aylesworth, “An Evening with Reiko Aylesworth,” (Hoogland Center for the Arts. Springfield, Illinois, February 4, 2007).
