Rachel Nichols (actress) facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Rachel Nichols
Nichols in 2012
Born	(1980-01-08) January 8, 1980 (age 45) Augusta, Maine, U.S.
Other names	Rachel Kershaw
Alma mater	Columbia University
Occupation	Actress, model
Years active	2000–present
Spouse(s)	Scott Stuber ​ ​ (m. 2008; div. 2009)​ Michael Kershaw ​ (m. 2014)​

Rachel Nichols (born January 8, 1980) is an American actress and model. She started her career as a model in the late 1990s while studying at Columbia University in New York City. By the early 2000s, she began acting. Her early roles included a part in the movie Autumn in New York (2000) and an episode of Sex and the City (2002).

Rachel Nichols became more widely known after starring in the comedy Dumb and Dumberer: When Harry Met Lloyd (2003). She gained even more recognition for her role as Rachel Gibson in the TV action series Alias (2005–2006) and for her part in the horror film The Amityville Horror (2005). She later took on leading roles in movies like the thriller P2 (2007) and the science-fiction action films Star Trek (2009) and G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra (2009). Rachel has also starred in the TV series Continuum (2012–2015) and had important roles in shows like Criminal Minds and The Librarians.

Early Life and Starting as a Model

Rachel Nichols was born in Augusta, Maine. Her parents are Jim, a schoolteacher, and Alison Nichols. She went to Cony High School, where she was good at the high jump. Rachel once shared that when she was younger, her mom used to say she was "a late bloomer." This meant her arms and legs were a bit clumsy. She took dance classes to learn how to control her movements better.

After finishing high school in 1998, she went to Columbia University in New York City. She planned to work as a financial analyst on Wall Street. However, a modeling agent discovered her during lunch one day. She was invited to work as a model in Paris. The money she earned from modeling helped her pay for her college tuition. She worked for famous brands like Abercrombie & Fitch, Guess, and L'Oréal. She also hosted some shows for MTV. Rachel studied economics, psychology, and drama. She graduated from Columbia in 2003 with degrees in mathematics and economics. By 2008, she had stopped modeling to focus on acting.

Acting Career

Early Roles (2000–2004)

Rachel Nichols first appeared in commercials. She had a small part as a model in the movie Autumn in New York (2000). Her modeling agent helped her get a one-episode role in Sex and the City (2002). She later said that filming that episode was so much fun, it made her want to become a serious actress.

Later in 2002, she got her first big movie role as Jessica in Dumb and Dumberer: When Harry Met Lloyd (2003). Jessica was a determined student newspaper reporter. Even though critics didn't like the movie much, Rachel learned a lot from it. She said she was like a "sponge" and was eager to learn everything about making a big film. The next year, she played a high school debate team member in Debating Robert Lee (2004). She also had a two-episode role in the TV crime drama Line of Fire (2004). By August 2004, she was cast in supporting roles in the horror films The Amityville Horror (2005) and The Woods (2006).

In 2004, Rachel was chosen for a new TV show pilot for Fox. Her character was a DEA agent working undercover at a high school. The show was eventually called The Inside. Rachel's character became a new FBI agent in Los Angeles. The series started in June 2005, but it didn't get many viewers and was canceled after only six episodes aired.

Becoming Well-Known (2005–2009)

After The Inside, Rachel Nichols joined the TV action series Alias in 2005. She played Rachel Gibson, a computer expert who thought she was working for the CIA. She later found out she was working for a dangerous criminal group. Rachel Gibson then joined the real CIA and became a student of the main character, Sydney Bristow (Jennifer Garner). Rachel said working on Alias was amazing. Her role involved many fight scenes, and she trained hard for them. Alias was canceled in November 2005, which was sad for Rachel because she was being prepared to take over as the main character.

In 2005, Rachel had a small role in the movie Shopgirl. She also played a babysitter in The Amityville Horror. For The Amityville Horror, she was nominated for a Teen Choice Award and an MTV Movie Award for her performance. She shared that she almost didn't audition for the movie because she was scared of the producer's big dogs! The Amityville Horror was not liked by critics, but it made a lot of money.

The Woods, another horror film, was released directly to DVD in October 2006. Rachel had a small part in the drama Resurrecting the Champ (2007). She played an assistant to a sportswriter. Also in 2007, she had a small role in the political drama Charlie Wilson's War.

Her first main role in a movie was in the 2007 horror-thriller P2. She played a businesswoman trapped in a parking garage with a dangerous security guard. Critics generally didn't like P2, and it didn't do well at the box office.

Rachel Nichols had a supporting role in The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants 2 (2008). She played a jealous friend of one of the main characters. This movie was well-liked by critics. She was cast in Star Trek (2009) in November 2007. Because the project was very secret, she didn't even know her character's name at first. She ended up playing Gaila, an Orion cadet at Starfleet Academy.

Rachel Nichols at a premiere for G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra, July 2009

In late 2007, Rachel was cast as Shana "Scarlett" O'Hara in the movie G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra (2009). She accepted the role without reading the script because she heard it was good. She liked that the movie had two female roles and wasn't just action, but also had comedy. She gained about 15 pounds of muscle for the role and trained in mixed martial arts with her co-star Sienna Miller for the fight scenes. Rachel even got burned by a flame during a fight scene with Sienna Miller. Like The Amityville Horror, G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra didn't get good reviews from critics, but it made a lot of money. After G.I. Joe, Rachel's next movie was the horror film For Sale by Owner, which was released directly to DVD.

2010s Acting Roles

In 2010, Rachel Nichols starred as a police detective in the crime drama Meskada. This movie was shown at the Tribeca Film Festival. In the 3-D fantasy film Conan the Barbarian, Rachel played Tamara, a martial arts expert and a priestess who becomes the love interest of the main character. She did her own stunts in the action scenes. The movie was filmed in Bulgaria and released in August 2011. It didn't do well at the box office and received negative reviews.

Rachel first appeared in three episodes of the CBS TV series Criminal Minds. She was then made a regular cast member, playing Ashley Seaver, an FBI cadet. This casting change caused some discussion among fans because she was brought in to replace other actresses. However, viewers eventually grew to like her character. Rachel later left the show.

Rachel then starred in the independent romantic comedy A Bird of the Air (2011). She played a librarian who helps a highway patrolman solve mysteries related to an old parrot. She described the movie as a "quirky, edgy love story" and felt it was a different kind of role for her.

In Continuum, a Canadian science fiction TV series, Rachel Nichols played Kiera Cameron, a police officer from the year 2077. Kiera travels back in time to 2012 to fight a group of rebels. The series started in May 2012 and was very popular. Continuum ran for four seasons until October 2015. Rachel won a Constellation Award and was nominated for two Saturn Awards for her role in the show.

Rachel Nichols starred with Tyler Perry in the thriller Alex Cross (2012). She played a colleague of a psychologist and police lieutenant. Like Conan, this movie also received negative reviews and didn't make much money.

In the independent film Raze (2013), Rachel appeared alongside Zoë Bell. They played women forced to fight each other for the entertainment of rich people. Rachel was also an executive producer for the film. She liked the movie's message about female "empowerment," saying, "Give us a challenge and we'll meet it. We're stronger than you think we are." Raze premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival.

She then starred with Nicolas Cage in the action thriller Rage (2014). She played the wife of a former criminal who seeks justice after their daughter is kidnapped. In 2014, she appeared in an episode of Witches of East End and had a recurring role in Rush. The next year, she got a recurring role in the fourth season of Chicago Fire.

Rachel Nichols starred in the science-fiction thriller Pandemic (2016). She played a doctor leading a group to find survivors after a worldwide pandemic. In Inside (2016), Rachel played a pregnant woman whose home is invaded by a mysterious woman trying to steal her baby. The movie was released in Spain in 2017 and in the United States in 2018. Rachel then had another recurring role on TV in the fourth season of The Librarians. She played a former guardian who is sent back in time. For her performance, she was nominated for a Saturn Award.

In 2019, Rachel Nichols appeared in five episodes of the series The Man in the High Castle. She played Martha Stroud, a bodyguard.

Personal Life

Rachel Nichols married film producer Scott Stuber on July 26, 2008, in Aspen, Colorado. For the wedding, Rachel let her hair return to its natural blond color, as it had been dyed red for her roles in Star Trek and G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra. Seven months later, in February 2009, Rachel and Scott separated.

On December 30, 2013, Rachel Nichols announced her engagement to Michael Kershaw, a real estate developer. They got married in September 2014.

Filmography

Film

Television

Awards and Nominations

Images for kids

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  Nichols in 2012

See also

In Spanish: Rachel Nichols para niños