Sophie Nyweide - the former child actress best known for starring as Michelle Williams’ daughter in the 2009 film Mammoth - has tragically died at the age of 24.
.jpg_ovPLPe?tr=w-683,cr-0.0.683.1025&config=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)
The heartbreaking news was confirmed by her family in an online obituary, which stated that she passed away on April 14, per the Daily Mail.
“Sophie was a kind and trusting girl,” her loved ones wrote. “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.”
Nyweide had a remarkable career before even hitting double digits — appearing in seven films by her 10th birthday. But behind the promising talent was a young woman fighting private battles that would ultimately claim her life.
“Many of her writings and artwork are roadmaps of her struggles and traumas,” her obituary explained. “Even with those roadmaps, diagnoses and her own revelations, those closest to her, plus therapists, law enforcement officers and others who tried to help her, are heartbroken their efforts couldn’t save her from her fate.”
They revealed that Sophie had “self-medicated to deal with all the trauma and shame she held inside,” and that “resulted in her death.”
Despite their continued support, her family said she “repeatedly said she would ‘handle it’ on her own and was compelled to reject the treatment that might possibly have saved her life.”
Her family urged those mourning her passing to consider donating to RAINN — the Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network — in Sophie’s name, calling on the world to “do better", the Mirror adds.
“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.”
From Projection Booth to the Big Screen
Sophie’s passion for acting emerged early — and it wasn’t just a phase.
She was born on July 8, 2000, and raised in a movie theater, where her mother Shelly Gibson - an actress herself - worked, per E! News.
“She grew up in this movie theatre and slept in the movie theatre and had a little bed in the projection booth and watched many movies,” Gibson said in a 2010 interview with The Times Argus.
Her daughter added: “I kept wondering what would it be like if I could see myself on that screen. What would it feel like to be doing this? Would it be hard, would it be easy? I wanted to try it.”
Sophie’s acting debut came in 2006 when she landed the lead in Bella, a film directed by Alejandro Gómez Monteverde and starring Eduardo Verastegui and Tammy Blanchard.
The film won the People’s Choice Award at the Toronto International Film Festival.
From there, her résumé quickly filled up. She appeared in Law & Order, And Then Came Love, Margot at the Wedding, New York City Serenade, and An Invisible Sign alongside Jessica Alba.
In the 2010 movie, she played the daughter of a terminally ill woman — a performance that drew critical acclaim. “The film’s best performance comes from a 10-year-old,” wrote New York Times critic Jeannette Catsoulis in 2011. “Playing a near-motherless tyke, little Sophie Nyweide (who looks like a diminutive Emily Watson and already has five films under her belt) should have a glowing future.”
Her final on-screen appearance came in 2015, on ABC’s hidden camera show What Would You Do?
‘She Danced as She Moved’
Beyond acting, Sophie’s family described her as “creative, athletic and wise beyond her years.” She was a competitive snowboarder from the age of five, and her obituary read: “Sophie accomplished so much in the time she danced upon earth — literally — she danced as she moved!”
They said she was an “eager adventurer” who embraced different cultures and languages, made friends effortlessly, and always saw “the good in everyone.” “Her ‘family’ wasn’t just her immediate family,” they noted. “It also included the families of those closest to her.”
Still, the film set was where she found the most peace. “She seemed happiest on a movie set, becoming someone else,” her loved ones shared. “It was a safe place for her and she relish from the casts and crews who nourished her talent and her well being.”
Her mother, Shelly Gibson — known for her roles in Dust to Malibu, St. Elsewhere, and All My Children — paid tribute over the weekend, sharing a moving message with a photo of her daughter.
“RIP, my Sophie. She graced us for far too short a time. My daughter was a light for all who met her. For those us of who were truly close with Sophie, we are gutted and will need a long time to get over her passing. I know I never will. God I love my daughter. I want her back. Fly high sweetheart — you always could.”
Our thoughts go out to Nyweide's family, loved ones, and fans at this time.
If you or someone you know has been sexually assaulted, please contact the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673) or rainn.org in the US, or contact rapecrisis.org.uk or call 0808 500 2222 in the UK.