Summer Bishil Bio

Summer Bishil was born in Pasadena, California. She and her family moved overseas when she was only three. Summer was a student at British as well as American schools during the time her family moved abroad. She returned to her home town of Pasadena just before her birthday of 14. In love with the idea of becoming an actress since the age of five, Summer took her first acting class at 14. Nine months later, she signed with an agent and an manager and began to pursue her dream full-time. She attends college on off days, working on her degree. She was among the stars who were young in Vanity Fair’s August 2008 cover issue, "Hollywood’s New Wave: Hollywood's Hottest Kids in Hollywood". Bishil started taking acting classes when she was 14. Within one year, Bishil was signed to an employment contract by a management or agency. Bishil's first performance was on the short-lived Nickelodeon television show Just for Kicks, followed by appearances on other children's shows.Bishil's debut performance was the lead actress in Alan Ball's film Towelhead in 2007 as an adaptation of the novel with the same title. Dana Stevens, a Slate critic, claimed that "Her performance in a movie that for all its good intentions feels thoroughly phony, mildly embarrassing, and like an extended PSA concerning inappropriate touching is the most authentic thing." Bob Strauss, who writes for a variety of Los Angeles newspapers, states that Bishil, "...is one of the best natural actresses in film to appear in recent years." Gary Goldstein in a September 12 Los Angeles Times review of the movie Towelhead said that "...newcomer Summer Bishil turns in a strong, nimble, thrilling performance as Jasira. She filmed Wayne Kramer’s Crossing Over project in 2009 with Harrison Ford and Ray Liotta. Jay Reiner of the Associated Press liked her portrayal. She was selected to play Azula in M. Night Shyamalan’s film The Last Airbender (2010). The sequel never produced.