Alison Pill | |
|---|---|
 Pill in 2019 | |
| Born | (1985-11-27)November 27, 1985 (age 39) Toronto, Ontario, Canada |
| Alma mater | Vaughan Road Academy |
| Occupation | Actress |
| Years active | 1995–present |
| Spouse | [1] |
| Children | 1 |
Alison Pill (born November 27, 1985)[2] is a Canadian actress. A formerchild actress, Pill began her career at age 12, appearing in numerous projects before transitioning to adult roles with a breakthrough role in the television seriesThe Book of Daniel (2006). That same year, she made herBroadway debut inThe Lieutenant of Inishmore (2006) earning a nomination forTony Award for Best Featured Actress in a Play. Pill's other notable stage roles include inBlackbird (2007),Mauritius (2007),The Miracle Worker (2010),The House of Blue Leaves (2011), andThree Tall Women (2018).
Pill had prominent roles in the filmsConfessions of a Teenage Drama Queen (2004),Plain Truth (2004),Dan in Real Life (2007),Milk (2008),Midnight in Paris (2011),Hail, Caesar! (2016), andVice (2018). From 2012 to 2014 she played Maggie Jordan inAaron Sorkin'sHBO drama seriesThe Newsroom and acted in the television seriesIn Treatment (2009),The Pillars of the Earth (2010),American Horror Story: Cult (2017),Star Trek: Picard (2020–2022),Devs (2020), andThem (2021). She is also known for her role asKim Pine in the filmScott Pilgrim vs. the World (2010) and theNetflix animated seriesScott Pilgrim Takes Off (2023).
Pill was born inToronto,Ontario, Canada. Her father, a professional engineer, isEstonian.[3][4] Pill attendedVaughan Road Academy,[5] in its Interact program, designed for studying dance, music, athletics, and theatre.[6]
Pill decided to become an actor when she was 10 years old. As a member of theToronto Children's Chorus, she was chosen to narrate one of their performances. Her mother tried to discourage Pill by getting her a job as a background performer on the seriesKung Fu: The Legend Continues. By the time she was 11, she had played a guest role on an episode of the children's seriesThe New Ghostwriter Mysteries. At 12, she landed roles in two TV movies and a mini-series, a guest appearance on the TV seriesPsi Factor and voiced the character "Cornflower" on the animated seriesRedwall (1999–2001). After roles in two more television movies, she landed her first feature film role, a small-budget Canadian movie calledThe Life Before This in 1999, followed by the role of Jacob's older sister Marfa inJacob Two Two Meets the Hooded Fang. Pill played roles in four more TV movies before the age of fourteen. The next year, she landed a small role inSkipped Parts in 2000 starringDrew Barrymore andMischa Barton, then appeared in four more TV movies and features that year, including playingFarrah Fawcett's daughter in the TNT network movieBaby and a lead role in the Canadian filmThe Dinosaur Hunter, which was originally intended to be shown at a dinosaur museum and on a provincial education channel, but which made its way to theBurbank International Film Festival, winning Pill an award for Best Child Actress.
She landed the role of young Lorna in theABC-TV biopicLife with Judy Garland: Me and My Shadows in 2001, based on the memoir by Garland's daughter,Lorna Luft. That year, Pill also played Sissy Spacek's daughter in the TV flickMidwives.[7] In 2003, she playedKatie Holmes's sister in the indie featurePieces of April. Pill won the lead in the CTV-TV movieFast Food High, about a teenager who gets a job at a fast food restaurant and tries to set up a union. She also landed a supporting role inConfessions of a Teenage Drama Queen in 2003, starringLindsay Lohan. Pill ventured off into stage acting, with theNew York City staging ofNone of the Above as the first item in her theatre credentials. In 2006, she starred as Grace Webster in the short-livedNBC dramaThe Book of Daniel. That same year, she made herBroadway debut playing Mairead inMartin McDonagh's black comedy playThe Lieutenant of Inishmore for which she was nominated for theTony Award for Best Featured Actress in a Play.[8]
Because of her busy work schedule, Pill's schooling was done through a program for children in the entertainment industry. Since graduating from high school, Pill moved to New York to pursue a career in theatre, but continued to work in movies such asDan in Real Life in 2007. She returned to Broadway in theTheresa Rebeck playMauritius (2007) acting alongsideF. Murray Abraham,Bobby Cannavale, andDylan Baker.[9] John Lahr ofThe New Yorker praised Pill describing her as "excellent" adding, "It says something about the appeal of Alison Pill—an actress with a big future—that her compelling combination of ferocity and fragility carries the audience beyond the inconsistencies of the story."[10] That same year she acted in theManhattan Theatre Club production of theDavid Harrower playBlackbird starring alongsideJeff Daniels. The production was directed byJoe Mantello and was helmed at New York City Center's Stage I.[11] For her performance she received theDrama League Award,Lucille Lortel Award, andOuter Critics Circle Awards nominations. This was followed byThe Distance From Here,On the Mountain,.[12]
Pill had a major supporting role as campaign managerAnne Kronenberg in the 2008 filmMilk. In 2009, she performed withErin Hill & her Psychedelic Harp playing theTwilight Zone-inspired "Meredith Moon" and "The Real North Pole" sci-fi Christmas Harp.[13] Pill was cast as April onIn Treatment. In 2009 she replacedElliot Page in a role inJack & Diane[14] but due to postponement of the project neither ended up in it by the time it ran in 2012. She later playedKim Pine in the movieScott Pilgrim vs. the World, as well as inScott Pilgrim vs. the Animation. She portrayedEmpress Maud in the miniseriesThe Pillars of the Earth. In theatre, Pill starred withAbigail Breslin in the Broadway revival of theWilliam Gibson playThe Miracle Worker (2010),[15] David Rooney ofVariety wrote, "Pill has demonstrated her skill at animating prickly contemporary women who can go from sullen vulnerability into bellicose attack mode in a flash. She's no less convincing as 20-year-old Boston-Irish Sullivan, hired in 1887 by the Keller family in Alabama to serve as governess to Helen, left deaf and blind by an illness in her infancy".[16]
The following year she acted in another Broadway revival, theJohn Guare playThe House of Blue Leaves withBen Stiller,Edie Falco,Jennifer Jason Leigh, andThomas Sadoski.[17] In the play she portrayed a kindly, partially deaf actress. She received positive reviews withEntertainment Weekly describing her as "delightfully daffy", andThe Hollywood Reporter declaring, "Pill's funny-sad ethereal performance exposes the cultivated poise and glamour of Hollywood as another empty fantasy".[18][19] She appeared inWoody Allen's acclaimed romantic comedyMidnight in Paris (2011) portrayingZelda Fitzgerald alongsideTom Hiddleston asF. Scott Fitzgerald. The following year she reunited with Allen playing Hayley inTo Rome with Love (2012).[20] She has starred in short films includingDenise in 2012 withChris Messina andSanta Baby; she sang and danced inSanta Baby. In 2016, she appeared inCover Up bySatya Bhabha withJason Ritter, to be released at theLA Shorts Fest, andWoman in Deep, where she played a woman who calls a suicide prevention hot line and is put on hold, directed byJanicza Bravo.[21]
From 2012 until its ending in 2014, she was in theHBO political drama seriesThe Newsroom portraying journalist Maggie Jordan at a fictional cable news show.[22][23] In aGeffen Playhouse production ofWait Until Dark (2013), Pill starred as a blind woman who must fend for her life. Myron Meisel ofThe Hollywood Reporter compared Pill's performance favorably to previous actors who played the role such asLee Remick andAudrey Hepburn, writing "the reliably talented Pill instills [the role] with a distinctive individuality."[24]
She starred inBong Joon-ho's post-apocalyptic filmSnowpiercer, alongsideChris Evans andTilda Swinton, which was released in 2013.[25] Pill appeared inCooties (2014) starringElijah Wood.[26] InZoom, Pill played Emma, an aspiring comic book artist.
She acted in theCoen Brothers comedyHail, Caesar! (2015) playing Eddie Mannix's wife.[27] Pill starred inGoon: Last of the Enforcers as Eva Glatt, Glatt's love interest in first movieGoon, now married to Glatt. Pill was part of the cast ofThe Family as Willa Warren. In 2016, Pill co-starred withJessica Chastain in the EuropaCorp thrillerMiss Sloane.[28] In 2017, she joinedAmerican Horror Story: Cult, starring as Ivy Mayfair-Richards, one of the main characters of the storyline.[29] In 2018 she played formerVice PresidentDick Cheney's daughterMary in the Oscar-nominated filmVice.[30] That same year she acted in the Broadway revival of theEdward Albee memory playThree Tall Women acting alongsideGlenda Jackson andLaurie Metcalf.[31]
In 2020, she was part of the TV seriesDevs directed byAlex Garland onFX on Hulu, playing Katie, the chief designer of the Devs system. In 2021, she starred in the filmAll My Puny Sorrows withSarah Gadon, as twoMennonite sisters who leave their religious lives behind. Alison wonBest Actress in a Canadian Film byVancouver Film Critics Circle for her role in the movie.[32] Pill was also part of the TV seriesThem, playing Betty Wendell. For the first two seasons ofStar Trek: Picard, she played scientist Dr. Agnes Jurati.[33] Pill returned to Broadway playing Sonya in the 2024 revival of theAnton Chekov playUncle Vanya starring oppositeSteve Carell,William Jackson Harper,Jayne Houdyshell, andAlfred Molina atLincoln Center.[34] David Cote ofThe Observer hailed her performance writing, "Pill proves to be the evening's MVP" adding, "[She] embodies that brokenness with a palpable heat I wish could have ignited everything around her".[35]
Pill was engaged to actorJay Baruchel from 2011 to 2013. Baruchel made their engagement public when he thanked Pill as his fiancée during an acceptance speech at theGenie Awards inOttawa, Ontario.[36] Baruchel alluded to their break-up in aTwitter posting on February 16, 2013.[37]
Pill married actorJoshua Leonard May 24, 2015,[38][39] They have a daughter, Wilder, born November 19, 2016.[40]
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1999 | The Life Before This | Jessica | |
| Jacob Two Two Meets the Hooded Fang | Shapiro / Emma | ||
| 2000 | Skipped Parts | Chuckette Morris | |
| 2002 | A.W.O.L. | Patient | Short film |
| Perfect Pie | Marie (age 15) | ||
| 2003 | Pieces of April | Beth Burns | |
| Fast Food High | Emma Redding | ||
| 2004 | Confessions of a Teenage Drama Queen | Ella Gerard | |
| The Crypt Club | Liesl | Short film | |
| 2005 | Dear Wendy | Susan | |
| 2007 | Dan in Real Life | Jane Burns | |
| Working in the Theatre | Self | Documentary | |
| 2008 | Milk | Anne Kronenberg | |
| 2009 | The Awakening of Abigail Harris | Abigail Harris | Short film |
| One Way to Valhalla | Dale | ||
| 2010 | Goldstar, Ohio | Kendra Harper | Short film |
| EMGOD | Alison | Short film | |
| Scott Pilgrim vs. the Animation | Kimberly "Kim" Pine (voice) | Short film | |
| Scott Pilgrim vs. the World | Kimberly "Kim" Pine | ||
| 2011 | Midnight in Paris | Zelda Fitzgerald | |
| Portraits in Dramatic Time | Self | ||
| Goon | Eva | ||
| 2012 | To Rome with Love | Hayley | |
| Denise | Denise | Short film | |
| Santa Baby | Alice | Short film | |
| 2013 | Snowpiercer | Pregnant Teacher | |
| 2014 | Cooties | Lucy McCormick | |
| 2015 | Zoom | Emma Boyles | |
| 2016 | Hail, Caesar! | Mrs. Mannix | |
| Woman in Deep | Birdie | Short film | |
| Cover Up | Emma | Short film | |
| Miss Sloane | Jane Molloy | ||
| 2017 | Goon: Last of the Enforcers | Eva Glatt | |
| 2018 | Ideal Home | Melissa Enright | |
| Vice | Mary Cheney | ||
| 2019 | The Most Magnificent Thing | Mom (voice) | Short film |
| 2020 | We Are Animals | Self[41] | Documentary |
| 2021 | The Same Storm | Bridget Salt | |
| 2022 | All My Puny Sorrows | Yolandi "Yoli" Von Riesen[42] | |
| 2023 | Eric Larue | Lisa Graff[43] | |
| 2024 | Trap | Rachel | |
| Young Werther | Charlotte[44] |
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1997 | The New Ghostwriter Mysteries | Lucy | Episode: "Moving Parts" |
| 1998 | Fast Track | Alexa Stokes | Episode: "Real Time" |
| Psi Factor: Chronicles of the Paranormal | Sophie Schulman | Episode: "The Night of the Setting Sun" | |
| The Last Don II | Bethany | Episode: "1.1" | |
| Anatole | Paulette (voice) | 5 episodes | |
| Degas & the Dancer | Marie van Goethem | Television film | |
| Stranger in Town | Hetty | Television film | |
| 1999 | Locked in Silence | Lacey | Television film |
| God's New Plan | Samantha Hutton | Television film | |
| Different | Sally Reed | Television film | |
| What Katy Did | Katy Carr | Television film | |
| Dear America: A Journey to the New World | Remember Patience Whipple | Television film | |
| A Holiday Romance | Fern | Television film | |
| Redwall | Cornflower (voice) | 13 episodes | |
| Poltergeist: The Legacy | Paige | Episode: "Forget Me Not" | |
| 2000 | Traders | Andrea Exter | Episode: "Hawks" |
| Redwall: The Movie | Cornflower (voice) | Television film | |
| The Dinosaur Hunter | Julia Creath | Television film | |
| The Other Me | Allana Browning | Television film | |
| Baby | Larkin Malone | Television film | |
| 2001 | Life with Judy Garland: Me and My Shadows | YoungLorna Luft | Television film |
| Midwives | Constance "Connie" Danforth | Television film | |
| What Girls Learn | Tilden | Television film | |
| Anne of Green Gables: The Animated Series | Victoria (voice) | Episode: "Butterflies!" | |
| 2002 | The Pilot's Wife | Mattie Lyons | Television film |
| An Unexpected Love | Samantha Mayer | Television film | |
| 2004 | A Separate Peace | Beth | Television film |
| Plain Truth | Katie Fisher | Television film | |
| 2006 | The Book of Daniel | Grace Webster | 8 episodes |
| Law & Order: Criminal Intent | Lisa Ramsey | Episode: "Wrongful Life" | |
| 2008 | CSI: Crime Scene Investigation | Kelsey Murphy | Episode: "Woulda, Coulda, Shoulda" |
| 2009 | In Treatment | April | Recurring role, 7 episodes |
| 2010 | The Pillars of the Earth | Princess Maude | Miniseries, 8 episodes |
| 2012–14 | The Newsroom | Margaret "Maggie" Jordan | Main role, 25 episodes |
| 2014 | 7p/10e | Alison | Episode: "Day 16" |
| Therapy | Lucy | Episode: "1.1" | |
| Dinner with Friends with Brett Gelman and Friends | Herself | Television short | |
| 2016 | The Family | Willa Warren | 12 episodes |
| 2017 | American Horror Story: Cult | Ivy Mayfair-Richards | Main role, 9 episodes |
| 2018 | The Emperor's Newest Clothes | Thomasina (voice) | Television short |
| 2020–22 | Star Trek: Picard | Dr. Agnes Jurati | Main role, 20 episodes |
| 2020 | Devs | Katie | Miniseries, 8 episodes |
| 2021 | Them | Elizabeth "Betty" Wendell | 8 episodes |
| 2022 | Archer | Alessia (voice) | 3 episodes |
| 2023 | Hello Tomorrow! | Myrtle Mayburn | 10 episodes |
| Scott Pilgrim Takes Off | Kimberly "Kim" Pine (voice) | Main role[45] | |
| 2025 | RoboGobo | Farmer Faye[46] | |
| Unspeakable: The Murder of JonBenét Ramsey | Linda Arndt[47] |
| Year | Title | Artist(s) |
|---|---|---|
| 2004 | "Drama Queen (That Girl)" | Lindsay Lohan |
| 2010 | "Lewis Takes Off His Shirt" | Owen Pallett |
| "Medicine" | Nick Casey | |
| 2020 | "Eat It (We're All In This Together)" | David Cross featuring"Weird Al" Yankovic[48] |
| Year | Title | Role | Website |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 | Honest Phone Sex for Married Couples | Wife | Funny or Die |
| Angel and Demon | Demon | WeatherFrom | |
| 2018 | George's Cheese/Pizza Revenge | Mother Porpoise[49] | Story Pirates |
| 2020 | Fight of the Century | Narrator | Simon & Schuster |
| Skin Trade | Nick | Geffen Playhouse | |
| The Homebound Project | C.A. Johnson[50] | The Homebound Theater | |
| The Line | Jennifer[51] | The Public Theater | |
| Scott Pilgrim vs. the World Water Crisis | Kim Pine / Vegan Police | Water For People | |
| My Mouth Ran Away | Mother Porpoise[52] | Story Pirates | |
| Raising Arizona | Edwina "Ed"[53] | Pandemic Players | |
| 2022 | The Doctor Is In | Dr. Kate Spencer (voice)[54] | Echoverse |
| The Rubber Room | Lindsey Whittle[55] | SiriusXM |
| Year | Title | Role | Venue | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2003 | None of the Above | Jamie | Ohio Theatre, West Village | [56] |
| 2004 | The Distance from Here | Jenn | MCC Theater, Off-Broadway | [57] |
| 2005 | On the Mountain | Jaime | Playwrights Horizons, Off-Broadway | [58] |
| 2006 | The Lieutenant of Inishmore | Mairead | Lyceum Theatre, Broadway | [59] |
| 2007 | Blackbird | Una | Manhattan Theatre Club, Off-Broadway | [60] |
| Mauritius | Jackie | Samuel J. Friedman Theatre, Broadway | [61] | |
| 2008 | Reasons to Be Pretty | Steph | Lucille Lortel Theatre, Off-Broadway | [62] |
| 2010 | The Miracle Worker | Anne Sullivan | Circle in the Square Theatre, Broadway | [63] |
| This Wide Night | Marie | Peter Jay Sharp Theatre | [64] | |
| 2011 | The House of Blue Leaves | Corrinna Stroller | Walter Kerr Theatre, Broadway | [65] |
| 2013 | Wait Until Dark | Susan | Geffen Playhouse, Los Angeles | [66] |
| 2018 | Three Tall Women | C | John Golden Theatre, Broadway | [67][68] |
| 2024 | Uncle Vanya | Sonya | Vivian Beaumont Theatre, Broadway | [69] |
| Title | Year | Album |
|---|---|---|
| "We Are Sex Bob-Omb" | 2010 | Scott Pilgrim vs. the World: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack |
| "Garbage Truck" | ||
| "Threshold" | ||
| "Summertime" | ||
| "Indefatigable" |
| Year | Award | Category | Work | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | Burbank International Children's Film Festival | Best Child Actress Performance | The Dinosaur Hunter | Won | [70][71] |
| Young Artist Award | Best Performance in a TV Movie or Pilot – Supporting Young Actress | Degas and the Dancer | Nominated | ||
| 2001 | Best Ensemble in a TV Movie | The Other Me | Nominated | ||
| 2002 | Best Performance in a TV Movie or Special – Leading Young Actress | What Girls Learn | Nominated | ||
| 2003 | Gemini Awards | Best Performance in a Children's or Youth Program or Series | The Dinosaur Hunter | Nominated | [72] |
| 2004 | Drama Desk Award | Outstanding Ensemble Performance | The Distance From Here | Won | [73] |
| 2005 | Lucille Lortel Awards | Outstanding Featured Actress | On the Mountain | Nominated | [74] |
| 2006 | Tony Award | Best Featured Actress in a Play | The Lieutenant of Inishmore | Nominated | [75] |
| 2007 | Outer Critics Circle Award | Outstanding Actress in a Play | Blackbird | Nominated | [73] |
| Drama League Award | Distinguished Performance | Nominated | [73] | ||
| 2008 | Lucille Lortel Award | Outstanding Lead Actress | Nominated | [76] | |
| 2009 | Screen Actors Guild Award | Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture | Milk | Nominated | [77] |
| Gold Derby Awards | Ensemble Cast | Nominated | |||
| 15th Critics' Choice Awards | Best Acting Ensemble | Won | |||
| Online Film & Television Association Award | Best Supporting Actress in a Drama Series | In Treatment | Nominated | ||
| 2010 | Detroit Film Critics Society Awards | Best Ensemble | Scott Pilgrim vs. the World | Nominated | [78] |
| 2011 | Drama League Award | Distinguished Performance | This Wide Night | Nominated | |
| Gemini Awards | Best Performance by an Actor in a Featured Supporting Role in a Dramatic Program or Mini-Series | The Pillars of the Earth | Nominated | [79] | |
| Phoenix Film Critics Society Awards | Best Ensemble Acting | Midnight in Paris | Nominated | ||
| Screen Actors Guild Awards | Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture | Nominated | |||
| 2012 | Gold Derby Awards | Ensemble Cast | Nominated | ||
| 2013 | Vancouver Film Critics Circle Award | Best Supporting Actress in a Canadian Film | Goon | Nominated | |
| 2014 | San Diego International Film Festival | Virtuoso Award for Best Breakthrough Performance | The Newsroom | Awarded | |
| 2018 | Critics' Choice Movie Awards | Best Acting Ensemble | Vice | Nominated | |
| Detroit Film Critics Society | Best Ensemble | Won | [80] | ||
| Seattle Film Critics Society | Best Ensemble Cast | Nominated | [81] | ||
| 2022 | Vancouver Film Critics Circle Award | Best Actress in a Canadian Film | All My Puny Sorrows | Won | [82] |
| Festival du Film Canadien de Dieppe | Best Actress | Won | [83] | ||
| Tell-Tale TV Awards | Favorite Performer in a Network Sci-fi / Fantasy / Horror Series | Star Trek: Picard | Nominated | [84] | |
| Favorite Ensemble Cast in a Sci-fi/Fantasy/Horror Series | Nominated | ||||
| 2024 | Vancouver Film Critics Circle Award | Best Supporting Actress in a Canadian Film | Young Werther | Nominated | [85] |
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