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Former child actress Sophie Nyweide dies aged 24

Sophie Nyweide during a press conference for the movie Mammoth at the Berlinale - Sunday 8 Feb. 2009
Sophie Nyweide during a press conference for the movie Mammoth at the Berlinale - Sunday 8 Feb. 2009 Copyright  AP Photo
Copyright AP Photo
By David Mouriquand
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“Sophie. A life ended too soon. May it not be in vain," reads the obituary for the young actress, who starred in 'Noah' and the Berlinale-premiering film 'Mammoth'.

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Former child actress Sophie Nyweide has died, aged 24.

Nyweide, who starred alongside Jessica Alba in 2010’s An Invisible Sign and Russell Crowe in 2014’s Noah, has died at the age of 24.  

No cause of death has yet been given. Her mother, former actress Shelly Gibson, told The Hollywood Reporter that “police there are investigating.” 

Nyweide died in Bennington, Vermont, on Monday 14 April, her family wrote in an online obituary

“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.” 

The obituary continued: “Many of her writings and artwork are roadmaps of her struggles and traumas. 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.”

Sophie Nyweide (bottom centre) at the premiere of the Competition movie Mammoth at the Berlinale - 2009
Sophie Nyweide (bottom centre) at the premiere of the Competition movie Mammoth at the Berlinale - 2009 AP Photo

Nyweide got her first acting job in the 2006 film Bella, followed by an episode of Law & Order and roles in And Then Came Love and Margot at the Wedding.  

She played the daughter of Gael García Bernal and Michelle Williams’ characters in the 2009 film Mammoth.

“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,” the obituary reads. 

Her family have asked people to donate to RAINN in Nyweide’s name.

Additional sources • Hollywood Reporter

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