Aux âmes bien nées...

Summer Phoenix


Studio Magazine, October 2000


In English : filmography - Esther Kahn, the movie - This Is Our Youth, the play
articles (page 1] - articles (page 2) - articles (page 3) - gallery

In French : Summer Phoenix - filmo - Esther Kahn, le film - articles - galerie


On this page :
Updates - Biography - Links


Updates



In short

She started at a very young age, in an advirtising for Kodak. She later appeared in several TV series and movies - you gotta see her in "Murder, she wrote" or "Kate's secret" (check the filmo page).

At 8 she decided to stop, and it's not until she turned 16 years old that she came back to the movie business. In 1998, she attended courses at the New York Film Institute.
  • Within these last years she appeared in indie movies such as "Arresting Gena", "Salt Lake City Punk", "Girl". She also played in a music video for the band "Catherine Wheel".

    She briefly came back to T.V. to play in the "live" episode of E.R.. - where I actually saw her for the first time. Her first part in a major-produced movie was in Roberto Rodriguez's "The Faculty".


    Her first movie as the leading actress, "Esther Kahn", was in competition at the Cannes Film Festival 2000. And if the movie left some people perplexed at the showings, her performance in it has been acclaimed by most. I've translated in English articles about her published in France after the movie was shown in Cannes.

    Esther Kahn is a mysterious character, described as "closed on herself, a stone" by the director. As she discovers theater, though, she opens up to the world, to the point of being able to give more on stage as an actress than any other one. A very challenging character for an actress, and a very tough shooting in London with a part-English, part-American, part-French cast.

    More details on my "Esther Kahn" page.


    In interviews, Summer appeared as sweet, shy (very shy when confronted to journalists but not half as much in a face-to-face chat. It's really nice for an actress and you don't wonder any longer how she gives so much intensity to her characters : she's just very sensitive) and thoughtful.

    She often stands in movies as the outsider girl, the one who doesn't conform to the rules, or the one who thinks by herself - see the way her character, Brandy, questions the punk attitude's deep reasons in "SLC Punk!".

    Update : for the French release of "Esther Kahn", Summer appeared with blond short hair, not as shy with journalists (or is she more nervous with journalists than in general? I couldn't blame her for that), and definitely radiant. It's nice to see her happy, I hope the movie will do great and she'll get more parts in which she can express herself.

    On a more personal note, thank you for having given your voice, energy and devotion to Esther Kahn, Summer.


    Links...

    For constantly updated information on her career, check her page at the Internet Movie Database :
    Summer Phoenix (IMDB)

    Other websites :

    If you have any comment, e-mail me at d_raven23@hotmail.com.