Summer Bishil Bio

Summer Bishil was born in Pasadena, California. Her family and she moved overseas when she was only three. Summer was a student at British and American schools, while her family was living abroad. She returned to her home town of Pasadena just shy of her 14th birthday. Summer, who had been fascinated by the thought that she would become an actor from the age five years old was the first student to take her first acting class when she was 14. Nine months later, she signed with an agent and a manager , and started to pursue her dream full-time. She is currently working towards her degree at college in her spare time. Named one of the "Ten Actors to Watch" by Variety (2007). Nominated for Best Actress – Spirit Award. Bishil started acting lessons at the age of fourteen. In just one year Bishil was offered a contract by a manager or agency. Bishil's first performance was on the brief-lived Nickelodeon show Just for Kicks, followed by appearances on a variety of other children's shows.Bishil's most memorable performance was as the lead actress in Alan Ball's film Towelhead in 2007, a film adaptation of the novel with the same name. Dana Stevens, a Slate critic, stated that "Her performance in a movie which, for all its good intentions feels thoroughly phony as well as embarrassing and as if it were an extended PSA regarding inappropriate touching is the most honest thing." Bob Strauss, who writes for several Los Angeles newspapers, states that Bishil, "...is one of the best natural actors to come out in recent times." Gary Goldstein, in a September 12, Los Angeles Times, review of Towelhead said that Summer Bishil ("...newcomer) provides a compelling and captivating performance as Jasira. "In 2009, she filmed Wayne Kramer's new project, Crossing Over, starring Harrison Ford, Ray Liotta and Ashley Judd, a portrayal that garnered some positive attention from Associated Press's Jay Reiner. The film was a part she was cast to play Azula in M. Night Shyamalan's film The Last Airbender, and was planned to be the main focus of the planned , but never produced sequel.