Why Riley In The Last Of Us Looks So Familiar
Contains spoilers for "The Last of Us" Season 1, Episode 6 — "Kin"
If there was any time for a reprieve from the relentlessness of HBO's "The Last of Us," that moment is probably now. Season 1, Episode 6 "Kin" resulted in Joel (Pedro Pascal) taking a nasty piece of wood to the abdomen. As the episode ends on a song that is a grieving rendition of Depeche Mode's "Never Let Me Down Again," Ellie (Bella Ramsey) wonders if her newly adopted father will survive. Judging from almost every encounter the duo has had in the past, the odds don't exactly look good in Ellie's eyes.
So now is the time to take a breather in an episode featuring Ellie's backstory. Raised in the FEDRA-run military school, we see her day-to-day. Being born in a QZ left Ellie little room for any freedom, but she does form a friendship with Firefly recruit, Riley. While the Fireflies are dubbed a terrorist organization, Riley is important to Ellie and those are people who are few and far between. For such an important role, this new character could only be left in the hands of a professional. The young actor who plays Riley has already appeared in so many high-profile projects that she should be a familiar face to any film and television aficionado.
She took on a classic franchise in A Wrinkle In Time
As a child, Storm Reid was no stranger to acting in feature films, as her early career included an appearance in the Academy Award-winning historical drama "12 Years a Slave." But appearing as the star of "A Wrinkle In Time" set her up for success in her future endeavors. Already set up to be a massive film for audiences, "A Wrinkle In Time" is known to many because it is based on a classic science fiction children's book. Written in the 1960s by Madeleine L'Engle, the story was the start of a five-book series about young Meg Murray (Reid) and her search for her missing father. With a stacked cast of Chris Pine, Oprah Winfrey, and Reese Witherspoon (among many others), the film about Meg trying to find her father through time and space was a worthy adaptation. 2018's feature film wasn't the first time the book was adapted, but it did break many barriers in the process. With "Selma" director Ava DuVernay at the helm, the film poses an alternate perspective to a book that was released over half a century ago.
Casting Reid in the lead role contrasted with previous adaptations but was a significant step for representation. Even though DuVernay theorized that not everyone would appreciate the casting of a young girl of color, many found merit in the final product. Despite the fact that the film received mixed reviews, it remains a beautiful and sweeping story that stays true to the book.
Reid would later reunite with DuVernay in 2019 for the director's acclaimed limited series "When They See Us" based on the tragedy of the Central Park Five. In that project, she played Lisa, the real-life girlfriend of Korey Wise.
She was an innocent bystander in The Invisible Man
The Universal Monster universe never really took off, but Leigh Whannell deserves respect for his updated version of classic movie monster with "The Invisible Man." Starring Elisabeth Moss, the 2020 film follows Cecilia's attempts to rid herself of abusive tech genius boyfriend, Adrian (Oliver Jackson-Cohen).
Her abuse is so severe that she doesn't believe it when she is told that Adrian has died from suicide. Unfortunately for her and everyone around her, she is proven right when Adrian resurfaces with technology that allows him to be invisible. Everyone around her suffers, especially Sydney (Storm Reid), the daughter of Cecilia's friend James (Aldis Hodge). Adrian hits Sydney when only Cecilia is in the room, framing her for the attack. Sydney is the ultimate innocent in the situation, unable to understand what happened to her. Cecilia eventually gets the better of her traumatizing ex at the end of "The Invisible Man," but not before the damage is done. Reid doesn't have a large amount of screen time, but she does exemplary work with what she has. She displays heartbreaking emotion in one of the most uncomfortable scenes in the film.
If you or someone you know is dealing with domestic abuse, you can call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1−800−799−7233. You can also find more information, resources, and support at their website.
If you or anyone you know is having suicidal thoughts, please call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline by dialing 988 or by calling 1-800-273-TALK (8255).
She brought depth to Bloodsport in The Suicide Squad
DC's soft reboot of 2016's "Suicide Squad" came with many surprises, both delightful and heartwrenching. After his Marvel tenure, James Gunn arrived in the director's chair to keep what worked from the previous film and set everything else on fire. In a wise move, he kept Margot Robbie as Harley Quinn and Joel Kinnaman as Rick Flagg for an all-new adventure. Removing the Joker (Jared Leto) from "The Suicide Squad" and his controversial relationship with Harley, Gunn instead went for a universal story about the power of family.
At the center of this story is Bloodsport (Idris Elba), who is in prison for trying to kill Superman. As if that were enough to prove he is no hero, he also happens to be a terrible father. Because of his past with his father, he pushes away his daughter, Tyla (Storm Reid), when she visits him in prison. But underneath it all, he does care for her. Amanda Waller (Viola Davis) blackmails Bloodsport into joining the Suicide Squad because of Bloodsport's love for his daughter. And through all his trials and fighting a giant starfish, he takes one step closer to being a worthy father. In the final scenes, Tyla sees that he has helped save the world and can finally be proud that he is her father. Though this a comic book film with many familiar tropes, emotional resonance is one of its shining accomplishments.
She is best known for playing Rue's sister in Euphoria
HBO's hit teen drama may be called "Euphoria," but there is very little of that in the series itself. Starring Zendaya as the drug-addicted high schooler Rue, the series focuses on the sharpest experiences of growing up. Relationships are at the center of the series whether it be with Rue's romantic drama or the conflict that she has with her family. In Season 2, Rue has a dramatic relapse which culminates in a harrowing scene between her and her sister, Gia (Storm Reid). While the sisters have had a profound bond during the scope of the show, the two have a fight that shakes the foundation of their relationship. At such a young age, Reid demonstrates that she has an acting range on par with her Emmy-winning co-star. Reid credits this with her offscreen relationship with Zendaya.
"It's important to have some conversations and get to know a person before you are doing these emotional scenes with a person. You have to depict that you know somebody, so you should know them," Reid told Elle Australia. This dynamic helped mold the connection between Rue and Gia, resulting in one of Reid's proudest moments. She told Collider that the scene in question was a shining achievement for the young actor. And with so much impressive work under her belt, that is an accomplishment.
If you or anyone you know needs help with addiction issues, help is available. Visit the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration website or contact SAMHSA's National Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357).