Abigail Breslin
Birthday:
Birthplace:
New York City, New York, USA
The younger sister of child thespian Spencer Breslin (Disney's the Kid, The Santa Clause 2, The Shaggy Dog), the dynamic young actress Abigail Breslin was born in Manhattan in 1996 and began shooting television commercials at the age of three. In 2001, Tamil-American director and Spielberg protégé M. Night Shyamalan discovered then five-year-old Breslin and brought about her movie debut by casting her in his sci-fi thriller Signs -- the tale of a farmer and pastor (Mel Gibson) who discovers a giant crop circle on his property as an early indicator of an extraterrestrial invasion. Breslin plays Bo Hess, Gibson's paranoiac daughter who is racked by the delusion that she must never drink water, for every glass in the house is now contaminated. The terror evident in this characterization was not unique. From an early age, the pint-sized Breslin became notorious for her preternatural ability to pour an extraordinary amount of emotional intensity into each role, which led to several challenging parts that Breslin pulled off with ease. The first of these turns, 2004's sadly overlooked Keane, is a harrowing drama about a drug- and alcohol-riddled schizophrenic named William Keane (Damian Lewis), obsessed with attempting to find his young daughter, who may never have even existed. Amy Ryan and Breslin play, respectively, Lynn Bedik and Kira Bedik, a mother and daughter who wander into William's life and concurrently raise, within him, a towering fear of himself and the capacity for emotional connection. The New York Post's V.A. Musetto called Breslin "a revelation."After light-hearted turns in Garry Marshall's terribly received Raising Helen (which marked the first onscreen pairing of Breslin and her older brother) and David S. Cass' little-seen domestic comedy Family Plan (2005), Breslin signed on as the central character in Valerie Faris and Jonathan Dayton's Little Miss Sunshine. This road comedy -- about a severely dysfunctional family that bands together and treks off to the titular children's beauty pageant in which young Olive (Breslin) is participating -- unexpectedly dazzled viewers with its acerbic wit, flashes of wild humor, exemplary characterizations, and touching insights into familial relationships, when it premiered in summer 2006. In fact, it became, hands down, one of the most significant sleeper hits of that year. Thanks in no small part to her mature evocation of sweet-natured, pure-hearted Olive (who elevates the film to new levels not only by strengthening family ties, but by performing an outrageous final dance number in the beauty pageant), Breslin became one of the youngest individuals in Hollywood history to receive a Best Supporting Actress nod when the Oscar nominations rolled around in January 2007 -- younger, by seven months, than Tatum O'Neal, during her Oscar win in early 1974. Meanwhile, Breslin signed on for several additional roles alongside her studies. These included Zoe, the niece of Catherine Zeta-Jones's character in Scott Hicks' romantic comedy No Reservations (a remake of the German film Mostly Martha); a sick child befriended by a lonely, itinerant young man (Drew Fuller) in Michael O. Sajbel's The Ultimate Gift; and the confused, inquisitive 11-year-old daughter of a political consultant (Ryan Reynolds) in Adam Brooks' romantic comedy Definitely, Maybe (2008). That same year she had the lead role in the family adventure film Nim's Island, and the title part in Kit Kittredge: An American Girl. The next year she would appear in the comedy Zombieland. In 2011 she provided one of the voices for the Oscar winning animated film Rango, and was one of many in the ensemble cast of New Year's Eve as the independent-minded daughter of Sarah Jessica Parker.
Photos
Highest Rated Movies
Filmography
MOVIES
RATING | TITLE | CREDIT | BOX OFFICE | YEAR |
---|---|---|---|---|
No Score Yet | Untitled Tom McCarthy Project |
|
— | 2020 |
No Score Yet | The Happy Days of Garry Marshall |
|
— | 2020 |
69% | Zombieland: Double Tap |
|
— | 2019 |
53% | Freak Show |
|
— | 2018 |
19% | Dirty Dancing |
|
— | 2017 |
No Score Yet | Yamasong: March of the Hollows |
|
— | 2017 |
50% | Fear, Inc. |
|
— | 2016 |
31% | Final Girl |
|
— | 2015 |
60% | Maggie |
|
$0.2M | 2015 |
25% | Perfect Sisters |
|
— | 2014 |
No Score Yet | Wicked Blood |
|
— | 2014 |
67% | August: Osage County |
|
$29.3M | 2013 |
62% | Ender's Game |
|
$61.7M | 2013 |
56% | Haunter |
|
— | 2013 |
44% | The Call |
|
— | 2013 |
25% | Zambezia |
|
$1.1M | 2013 |
7% | New Year's Eve |
|
$54.6M | 2011 |
56% | Janie Jones |
|
— | 2011 |
88% | Rango |
|
$123.2M | 2011 |
No Score Yet | Quantum Quest: A Cassini Space Odyssey |
|
— | 2010 |
89% | Zombieland |
|
$75.6M | 2009 |
80% | Kit Kittredge: An American Girl |
|
$17.6M | 2008 |
51% | Nim's Island |
|
$48M | 2008 |
70% | Definitely, Maybe |
|
$32M | 2008 |
42% | No Reservations |
|
$43.1M | 2007 |
17% | The Santa Clause 3: The Escape Clause |
|
$84.5M | 2006 |
33% | The Ultimate Gift |
|
$3.5M | 2006 |
91% | Little Miss Sunshine |
|
$59.9M | 2006 |
No Score Yet | Air Buddies |
|
— | 2006 |
No Score Yet | Chestnut: Hero Of Central Park |
|
— | 2006 |
81% | Keane |
|
— | 2005 |
No Score Yet | Family Plan |
|
— | 2005 |
No Score Yet | Famiy Plan |
|
— | 2005 |
No Score Yet | Chestnut: Hero of Central Park |
|
— | 2004 |
25% | Raising Helen |
|
$37.4M | 2004 |
74% | Signs |
|
$228M | 2002 |
TV
RATING | TITLE | CREDIT | YEAR |
---|---|---|---|
No Score Yet |
Harry
2016-2018
|
|
|
41% |
Chelsea
2016-2017
|
|
|
75% |
Scream Queens
2015-2016
|
|
|
No Score Yet |
Late Night With Seth Meyers
2014
|
|
|
No Score Yet |
The View
1997
|
|
|
No Score Yet |
Project Runway All Stars
2012-2019
|
|
|
No Score Yet |
Late Night With Jimmy Fallon
2009-2014
|
|
|
No Score Yet |
The Tonight Show With Jay Leno
1992-2014
|
|
|
No Score Yet |
The Ellen DeGeneres Show
2003
|
|
|
No Score Yet |
Chelsea Lately
2007-2014
|
|
|
31% |
The Jay Leno Show
2009-2010
|
|
|
No Score Yet |
Ghost Whisperer
2005-2010
|
|
|
84% |
Grey's Anatomy
2005
|
|
|
78% |
Law & Order: Special Victims Unit
1999
|
|
|
No Score Yet |
NCIS
2003
|
|
|
20% |
Hack
2002-2004
|
|
|
Quotes from Abigail Breslin's Characters
Will Hayes: | I forgot to tell you the happy ending |
Will Hayes: | I forgot to tell you the happy ending. |
Maya Hayes: | What is it? |
Will Hayes: | You. |
Hailey: | You know, I'm fifteen! |
Kim: | I know, Hailey. |
Hailey: | This is not a training bra! |
Kim: | And this is not "Girls Gone Wild". My Gosh! |
Veronica: | I'm going to enjoy this. |
Veronica: | Well boys, I'm Veronica. |
Barbara Weston: | Holy shit that's Karen! You remember your Aunt Karen? |
Jean Fordham: | Kinda. |
Barbara Weston: | And that must be this year's man! |
Jean Fordham: | (her mother slapped her) I hate you! |
Bill Fordham: | (to Barbara) What's the matter with you? |
Jean Fordham: | (to her mother) Mom, you're such a liar. No, stop, you are. |
Jean Fordham: | Mom, you're such a liar. No, stop, you are. |
Violet Weston: | You know if I ever call my mom a liar if she would knock my goddamn head off my shoulders. |
Ender Wiggin: | If you want, I can go away so you don't have to be embarrassed. |
Valentine Wiggin: | Ender, no one is embarrassed. |
Ender Wiggin: | I'm a third, I should never have been born |
Ender Wiggin: | I'm a third, I should never have been born. |
LIsa: | "Meat is Murder." |
LIsa: | Meat is murder. |
Jordan Turner: | What's your favorite movie? |
Casey Welson: | Bridesmaids. |
Little Rock: | Who's Bill Murray? |
Tallahassee: | I've never hit a kid before. I mean, that's like asking who Gandhi is. |
Little Rock: | Who's Gandhi? |
Little Rock: | Do you have any regrets? |
Himself: | Garfield |
Himself: | Garfield. |
Anna Fitzgerald: | Once upon a time I thought I was put on earth to save my sister. And in the end I couldn't do it. I realize now that wasn't the point. The point was I had a sister. She was fantastic. One day I'm sure I'll see her again. But until then our relationship continues... |
Bo Hess: | There's a monster outside my bedroom. Can I get a glass of water? |
Little Rock: | We are heading towards Fun Land |
Little Rock: | We are heading towards Fun Land. |
Little Rock: | We are heading towards Pacific Play Land. |
Tallahassee: | Ha! That place just blows.. (both girls glare at him), my mind, it is just great. |
Tallahassee: | Ha! That place just blows.. [both girls glare at him] my mind, it is just great. |
Bo Hess: | There's a monster outside my room. Can I have a glass of water? |
Graham Hess: | What's wrong with the water next to your bed? |
Bo Hess: | It tastes old. |
Graham Hess: | Bo! Where's Morgan? Bo? |
Bo Hess: | Are you in my dream, too? |
Graham Hess: | This is not a dream. |
Maya Hayes: | Look. I know love isn't a fairytale. |
Olive: | Grampa won't wake up. |
Janie Jones: | Hey Mr. How about letting go of my dad? |
Witchita: | So do you have any regrets? |
Little Rock: | So do you have any regrets? |
Himself: | "Garfield", maybe. |
Himself: | 'Garfield', maybe. |
Little Rock: | Who's Bill Murray? |
Tallahassee: | I've never hit a kid before. I mean, that's like asking who Gandhi is. |
Little Rock: | Who's Gandhi? |
Will Hayes: | I had two serious girlfriends... and then some other smattering of other women. What? |
Maya Hayes: | Whats the boy word for slut? |
Will Hayes: | Will Hayes: They still haven't come up with one yet. But I'm sure they're working on it. |
Will Hayes: | They still haven't come up with one yet. But I'm sure they're working on it. |
Rango: | What was that for? |
Priscilla: | You're funny-looking. |
Rango: | Well, you're funny-looking too. |
Priscilla: | That's a funny-looking shirt. |
Rango: | That's a funny-looking hat. |
Priscilla: | You've got funny-looking eyes. |
Rango: | You've got a funny-looking face! |
Priscilla: | You're a stranger. Strangers don't last long here. |
Little Rock: | No Twinkies. |
Himself: | Shit Fuck! |
Bo Hess: | There's a monster outside my room, can I have a glass of water? |
Anna Fitzgerald: | Most babies are accidents. Not me. I was engineered. Born to save my sister's life. |