Summer Bishil Bio

Summer Bishil was born in Pasadena, California. When she turned three years older, her family members moved to the United States. Summer attended American and British schools as her family was living overseas. They returned to Pasadena just before her 14th birthday. Passionate about the idea of becoming an actress from at the age of 5, Summer took her first acting class when she was 14 years old. Nine months later she made an agreement with an agent as well as a manager, and then began her career full time. When she isn't working,, she attends college and is working towards completing her degree. She was named one of the "Ten Actors To Watch" by Variety (2007). Nominated for Best Actress – Spirit Award. At the age of 14, Bishil began to take acting classes. In just one year she signed a contract with an agent and manager. The first time she appeared in the brief-lived Nickelodeon television show Just for Kicks, followed by appearances on other children's shows.Bishil's debut performance was the lead character in Alan Ball's film, Towelhead in 2007, a film adaptation of the novel with the same name. Dana Stevens, a critic for Slate she said that Bishil's performance was "the most true thing" in the film, which had the best intentions, but appeared to be fake and somewhat embarrassing. It was like an extended PSA about inappropriate touching. Bob Strauss, a Los Angeles journalist for a newspaper, said that Bishil "...is among the best natural actors of recent times. Gary Goldstein in a September 12 Los Angeles Times review of the film Towelhead, stated that, "...newcomer Summer Bishil turns in a strong, nimble, thrilling performance in the role of Jasira. "In 2009, she filmed Wayne Kramer's project, Crossing Over, starring Harrison Ford, Ray Liotta and Ashley Judd, a portrayal which garnered praise from Associated Press's Jay Reiner. She was selected to play Azula in M. Night Shyamalan's 2010 film The Last Airbender. This was to be the primary subject of the planned but never made sequel.