# Elizabeth Reaser

Elizabeth Ann Reaser (born July 2, 1975) is an American film, television, and stage actress. Her work includes the films Stay, The Family Stone, Sweet Land, Against the Current, The Twilight Saga, Young Adult, and Ouija: Origin of Evil, and the TV series Saved, Grey's Anatomy, The Ex-List, The Good Wife, True Detective, The Handmaid's Tale, and The Haunting of Hill House.

## Early life and education

Reaser was born in the affluent Detroit suburb of Bloomfield Hills. Her parents are Karen Davidson (née Weidman) and John Reaser. She is the middle of three sisters. In 1995, her mother married billionaire businessman William Davidson.
Reaser attended both the Academy of the Sacred Heart in Bloomfield Hills and Avondale High School in Auburn Hills where she graduated in 1993. After high school, she attended Oakland University for one year, then attended the Juilliard School's Drama Division (1995–1999, Group 28), where she graduated with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in 1999.

## Career

Reaser prepared for her role on Saved by spending time in an emergency room, observing the behavior of medical staff. In October 2004, Interview magazine hailed her as one of the "14 To Be" emerging creative women. Her work in the film Sweet Land earned the "Jury Award" at the Newport Beach Film Festival and a nomination for the Independent Spirit Award "Best Female Lead" award. Reaser earned a Primetime Emmy Award nomination for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series for her recurring guest appearance throughout 2007 and 2008 on the television series Grey's Anatomy.
Reaser is best known for her portrayal of Esme Cullen in the film Twilight, and its follow-ups The Twilight Saga: New Moon in 2009, The Twilight Saga: Eclipse in 2010, and parts one (2011) and two (2012) of The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn.
Reaser appeared on the CBS' legal drama, The Good Wife in October 2010.
Reaser appeared in Season 3 of The Handmaid's Tale on Hulu.

## Filmography
### Film

| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 2001 | The Believer | Miriam | |
| 2001 | Thirteen Conversations About One Thing | Young Woman In Class | |
| 2002 | Emmett's Mark | Alison Holmes | |
| 2004 | Mind the Gap | Malissa Zubach | |
| 2005 | Stay | Athena | |
| 2005 | Sweet Land | Young Inge | |
| 2005 | The Family Stone | Susannah Stone Trousdale | |
| 2006 | The Wedding Weekend | Julep | |
| 2006 | Puccini for Beginners | Allegra | |
| 2007 | Purple Violets | Bernadette | |
| 2008 | Twilight | Esme Cullen | |
| 2009 | Against the Current | Liz Clark | |
| 2009 | The Twilight Saga: New Moon | Esme Cullen | |
| 2010 | The Twilight Saga: Eclipse | Esme Cullen | |
| 2011 | The Art of Getting By | Charlotte Howe | |
| 2011 | The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn – Part 1 | Esme Cullen | |
| 2011 | Young Adult | Beth Slade | |
| 2012 | Liberal Arts | Ana | |
| 2012 | The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn – Part 2 | Esme Cullen | |
| 2015 | One & Two | Elizabeth | |
| 2015 | Hello, My Name Is Doris | Dr. Edwards | |
| 2016 | Ouija: Origin of Evil | Alice Zander | |
| 2018 | Nightmare Cinema | Helen | "This Way to Egress" segment |
| 2020 | Embattled | Susan Boykins | |
| 2023 | Dark Harvest | Donna Shepard | |
| 2024 | The Uninvited | Rose | |

### Television

| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 1998 | Sports Theater with Shaquille O'Neal | Molly | Episode: "Scrubs" |
| 2000 | The Sopranos | Stace | Episode: "D-Girl" |
| 2002 | Law & Order: Criminal Intent | Serena Whitfield | Episode: "The Insider" |
| 2004 | Hack | Elaine Jones | Episode: "Extreme Commerce" |
| 2004 | The Jury | Rachel Byrnes | Episode: "Pilot" |
| 2006 | Law & Order: Criminal Intent | Jillian Slaughter | Episode: "Proud Flesh" |
| 2006 | Saved | Alice Alden, M.D. | 13 episodes |
| 2006 | Standoff | Anya Reed | Episode: "Heroine" |
| 2007–2008 | Grey's Anatomy | Ava / Rebecca Pope | 18 episodes |
| 2008 | Wainy Days | Annie | Episode: "The Waindow" |
| 2008 | The Ex List | Bella Bloom | 13 episodes |
| 2010–2012 | The Good Wife | Tammy Linnata | 7 episodes |
| 2013 | Bonnie and Clyde: Dead and Alive | P.J. Lane | 2 episodes |
| 2014 | True Detective | Laurie Perkins | Episode: "The Secret Fate of All Life" |
| 2015 | Mad Men | Diana Baur | 2 episodes |
| 2016–2019 | Easy | Andi | 5 episodes |
| 2017 | Manhunt: Unabomber | Ellie Fitzgerald | 8 episodes |
| 2017 | Law & Order True Crime: The Menendez Murders | Pam Bozanich | 7 episodes |
| 2018 | The Haunting of Hill House | Adult Shirley Crain | 8 episodes |
| 2019 | The Handmaid's Tale | Mrs. Winslow | 3 episodes |
| 2020 | 50 States of Fright | Sara | 2 episodes |
| 2021 | Impeachment: American Crime Story | Kathleen Willey | 2 episodes |

### Theater

| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 1999 | Sweet Bird of Youth | Heavenly | La Jolla Playhouse |
| 2000 | The Hologram Theory | Mimi | Blue Lights Theatre Company |
| 2001 | Blackbird | Froggy | Bush Theatre |
| 2001 | Closer | Alice | Portland Center Stage |
| 2002 | Stone Cold Dead Serious | Shaylee Ledbetter / Sharice | American Repertory Theater |
| 2003 | The Winter's Tale | Perdita | Classic Stage Company |
| 2005 | Top Girls | Patient Griselda / Nell / Jeanine | Williamstown Theatre Festival |
| 2012 | How I Learned to Drive | Li'l Bit | Second Stage Theatre |
| 2014 | Conviction | No Name | Bay Street Theater |
| 2015 | The Money Shot | Karen | Lucille Lortel Theater |
| 2015 | Permission | Cyndy | Lucille Lortel Theater |

## Awards and nominations

List of awards and nominations :
| Year | Award | Category | Title of work | Result |
| 2006 | Newport Beach Film Festival | Jury Award – Best Actress (Feature Film) | Sweet Land | Won |
| 2007 | Independent Spirit Award | Best Female Lead | Sweet Land | Nominated |
| 2007 | Primetime Emmy Award | Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series | Grey's Anatomy | Nominated |
| 2008 | Screen Actors Guild Award | Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series | Grey's Anatomy | Nominated |
| 2009 | Prism Award | Best Performance in a Drama Multi-Episode Storyline | Grey's Anatomy | Nominated |