Rachel Hurd-Wood

2.1. Background

Rachel Clare Hurd-Wood was born in the Streatham district of South London, England. Her parents are Philip and Sarah Hurd-Wood. Philip Hurd-Wood is involved in performing, writing scripts, and doing voice-overs for commercials; he even appeared as a guest in a Christmas party scene in her film An American Haunting. Rachel lived in London until the age of eight, after which her family moved to a Victorian cottage located in Godalming, Surrey.

She has a younger brother, Patrick Hurd-Wood, who has also appeared alongside her in films. He played one of the sleeping children in the "I Do Believe In Fairies" scene in Peter Pan and later took on the role of Samuel Crowthorn opposite his sister, Meredith Crowthorn, in Solomon Kane. During her school years, Rachel joined a drama club and participated in its stage production during her second year. A persistent false rumor about her being the niece of actor Hugh Laurie was dispelled by Hurd-Wood herself in multiple interviews, where she clarified that her actual uncle resides in Wales and is an artist.

2.2. Education

Rachel Hurd-Wood attended Rodborough Technology College in Milford, Surrey, from 2001 to 2006. While filming Peter Pan in Australia between 2002 and 2003, a period that spanned eight to nine months, she received private tutoring lessons to maintain her education. Following this, she attended Godalming College from 2006 to 2008, where she pursued her A-Levels in Art, English Literature, Psychology, and Philosophy.

Before dedicating herself fully to acting, Hurd-Wood explored other potential career paths. Driven by her fondness for dolphins, she initially considered becoming a marine biologist. However, she abandoned this idea upon realizing that the field would require extensive study in science, a subject she felt she was not proficient in. She also developed an interest in working with children who have special needs or disabilities. In 2008, Hurd-Wood began studying linguistics at University College London (UCL). She ultimately left the course after one year, making the decision to fully concentrate on her acting career, especially prior to traveling to Australia for the filming of Tomorrow, When the War Began.

3.1. Acting career

Rachel Hurd-Wood's acting career began in 2002 when she was selected for the role of Wendy Darling in the feature film Peter Pan. Her grandparents noticed a television advertisement by director P.J. Hogan seeking a "young English rose" for the part. The role required her to travel to Gold Coast, Australia, for eight months of filming. Her performance garnered positive reviews, leading to nominations for a Saturn Award for Best Performance by a Younger Actor and a Young Artist Award for Best Performance in a Feature Film - Leading Young Actress.

In 2004, she portrayed Imogen Helhoughton in the television film Sherlock Holmes and the Case of the Silk Stocking, playing a 13-year-old victim of a serial killer. That same year, she took on the significant role of Betsy Bell in the thriller An American Haunting, where she depicted a girl tormented by an unrelenting demon. Her portrayal received considerable acclaim, with critics noting her "radiant approaching womanhood and animal terror" and calling her performance "fantastic and nuanced," remarking that she "essentially carries the entire movie." For this role, Hurd-Wood was nominated for a 2006 Teen Choice Award in the "Movie - Choice Scream" category.

In 2005, Hurd-Wood appeared in Perfume: The Story of a Murderer, an adaptation of the best-selling novel by German writer Patrick Süskind. Set in 18th-century France, she played Laura Richis, the red-headed virgin daughter of a politically connected merchant portrayed by Alan Rickman. For this role, her natural brunette hair was dyed red. She earned a nomination for "Best Supporting Actress" at the 33rd Saturn Awards by The Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy and Horror Films.

The year 2007 saw Hurd-Wood featured in two music videos: she appeared as a waitress in "A Little Bit" by Madeleine Peyroux and alongside the musicians in "Fatherhood/Motherhood" by Ox.Eagle.Lion.Man. In the 2008 film Solomon Kane, she played Meredith Crowthorn, a Puritan captured by marauders. Her character's family is killed, and Solomon Kane seeks to rescue her. Her younger brother, Patrick, also appeared in the film as her character's brother, Samuel. Later that year, she acted in Dorian Gray, based on the Oscar Wilde novel The Picture of Dorian Gray. She took on the small but crucial role of Sibyl Vane, a young, budding actress with whom Gray falls in love. She was studying linguistics at UCL during the production of this film.

In 2009, Hurd-Wood took on her first contemporary role as Corrie Mackenzie, one of the main characters in the Australian action-adventure film Tomorrow, When the War Began. The film was based on the novel by John Marsden, a book she had actually read during her tutoring for Peter Pan. At this point in her career, she made the decision to discontinue her linguistics degree to fully concentrate on acting. She learned an Australian accent for the role, and the film went on to become the highest-grossing movie in Australia that year.

In 2010, she starred as Mae-West O'Mara in Hideaways, narrating a story to her six-year-old daughter about the strange powers possessed by the men in the Furlong family. Her performance was widely praised by critics, who described her as "charismatic" and "the heart and soul of the film," with one reviewer stating, "If the film works it's due in large part to her stellar performance." Another commented on her instant chemistry with co-star Harry Treadaway, noting their romance as the film's core. Later in 2010, she played a younger version of the character Isabel, portrayed by Jenny Agutter, in the short film The Mapmaker. She was also featured in the music video for "Revolver" by Warehouse Republic.

In 2011, Hurd-Wood played the role of the babysitter in a teaser for a proposed feature-length film, Let's Go Play at the Adams, based on the book of the same name by Mendal Johnson. She also appeared as the daughter of the character Teddy in the short film It Ends Here, directed by her friend Zimon Drake. In 2012, Hurd-Wood took on the female lead role of Elisabeth James in the film Highway to Dhampus, which tells a story about the impact of foreigners and Nepali expatriates on local communities in Nepal. Later that year, she narrated an advertisement and mini-film for her fashion-designer friend, Matthew Williamson. In 2013, she starred alongside singers Tyler James and Kano in the music video for the single "Worry About You" (feat. Kano) by Tyler James, appearing as James' girlfriend.

Her more recent roles include Kate Campbell in two episodes of the British TV series Home Fires in 2015, and Alba in the film Second Origin also in 2015. She played Darcy in Beautiful Devils (2017) and Kendra in For Love or Money (2019). From 2017 to 2018, she had a main role as Rachel Maddox in the BBC Three television series Clique. In 2024, she appeared as Katherine Thorn in The First Omen.

3.2. Other professional activities

Beyond her acting roles, Rachel Hurd-Wood has also engaged in modeling and contributed to the film community as a jury member. In 2008, she posed for publicity and poster materials for Volstead Putsch, an underground bohemian party organized by The Triumvirate of Fez at the Volstead Club in London. The same year, she modeled for Raw Riddim Records, promoting their merchandise which included chains, T-shirts, and hoodies.

In 2012, from May 27 to June 3, Hurd-Wood served as a member of the international expert jury panel for the "European debuts" section at the 52nd International Film Festival for Children and Youth, held at the Zlín Film Festival in Zlín, Czech Republic. Her participation in such events highlights her engagement with the broader film industry.

3.3. Charity work and public activities

Rachel Hurd-Wood has actively supported various charitable organizations, leveraging her public profile to contribute to meaningful causes. On December 9, 2003, at the world charity premiere of Peter Pan in London, she signed a card for World Famous StarCards, a charity dedicated to supporting the Great Ormond Street Hospital (GOSH) Children's Charity. Her autographed card was later auctioned in 2009 and, according to Paul Brett, the founder of StarCards, it topped the chart as the most popular signing.

On December 20, 2009, Hurd-Wood joined fellow celebrity supporters, including Keeley Hawes, Matthew MacFadyen, and Max Clifford, for an event organized by the charity Shooting Star CHASE. This initiative brought together over 50 children with life-limiting illnesses and their families. In collaboration with Coca-Cola and the Merlin Group (operators of attractions like Alton Towers, Chessington World of Adventures, and the London Eye), the charity transformed Christopher's (CHASE) Hospice in Guildford, Surrey, into a winter wonderland, providing the children with a special Christmas surprise. Her involvement underscores her commitment to supporting vulnerable children and their families.

5.1. Film

5.2. Television

5.3. Music video appearances