- Sophie Nyweide has died at the age of 24
- The child actress starred alongside Russell Crowe in Noah
- All we know about her cause of death
Sophie Nyweide, best known for her work as a child actor, has died. She was 24 years old.
The Vermont-born actress starred alongside Jessica Alba in An Invisible Sign (2010) and Rusell Crowe in Noah (2014).
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She passed away Monday 14 April, according to an obituary posted online by her family.
The family wrote that Sophie “dreamed (more like demanded!) to be an actor” and “she seemed happiest on a movie set, becoming someone else”.
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“It was a safe place for her and she relished the attention from casts and crews who nourished her talent and her well being”.
What was Sophie Nyweide’s cause of death?
The official cause of Nyweide’s death hasn’t been revealed, but her family stated that the former actress “self-medicated to deal with all the trauma and shame she held inside, and it resulted in her death”.
Her obituary also highlights some of her personal struggles: “Sophie was a kind and trusting girl. Often this left her open to being taken advantage of by others. She wrote and drew voraciously and much of this art depicts the depth she had and it also represents the pain she suffered. Many of her writings and artwork are roadmaps of her struggles and traumas”.
Police in Bennington, Vt. are “looking into a range of possible causes, including foul play,” according to TMZ.
Nyweide was reportedly discovered near a makeshift outdoor structure made from fallen trees at around 4am local time. According to TMZ, a man was present at the time of her death. He is cooperating with authorities and is not considered a person of interest.
Police told TMZ that Nyweide’s autopsy is still pending, and will include a toxicology report.
Nyweide’s family has asked that, in lieu of gifts or flowers, people make a donation to RAINN in Sophie’s name – a charity that supports survivors of sexual violence.
They closed the obituary with this message: “Sophie. A life ended too soon. May it not be in vain. May we all learn from her brief life on earth and do better. Yes, we must all protect our children and do better.”
Sophie Nyweide films
Born in Burlington, Vt in July 2000, Nyweide began her acting career at just six years old when she was cast in the lead role of Bella (2006), starring opposite Tammy Blanchard.
She played Jackie, the daughter of Michelle Williams and Gael García Bernal’s characters, in the 2009 family drama Mammoth, directed by Lukas Moodysson.
She also took on memorable roles in acclaimed films like Margot at the Wedding (2007) and Noah (2014), in which she portrayed the daughter of Russell Crowe and Jennifer Connelly’s characters.
In An Invisible Sign (2010), she portrayed Lisa Venus, a young girl coping with her mother’s terminal illness – a performance she received critical praise for.
Her final film role was in the 2015 short film Born Again, where she portrayed a character named Sophie. Her television appearances included a 2007 episode of Law & Order and a 2015 episode of What Would You Do?, which was her final screen appearance.
