Former child star Sophie Nyweide dies aged 24
The star's family announced her death.
Former child star Sophie Nyweide has died at the age of 24, as her family pays tribute.
The star was best known for playing the daughter of Michelle Williams and Gael García Bernal’s characters in the 2009 romantic drama Mammoth when she was just a child.
Around the same time, she also appeared in Bella, An Invisible Sign, and later, Noah.
A tribute from her family detailed: ‘Sophie was a kind and trusting girl. Often this left her open to being taken advantage of by others.
‘She wrote and drew voraciously, and much of this art depicts the depth she had, and it also represents the pain she suffered. Many of her writings and artwork are roadmaps of her struggles and traumas.
‘Even with those roadmaps, diagnoses and her own revelations, those closest to her, plus therapists, law enforcement officers and others who tried to help her, are heartbroken their efforts couldn’t save her from her fate.
Nyweide worked opposite big stars in Mammoth, a Swedish English-language romantic drama (Picture: Mammoth) The actress starred in Mammoth (2009) with Gael Garcia Bernal and Michelle Williams. (Picture: Mammoth)The obituary didn’t specify her cause of death but highlighted that she was troubled.
‘She self-medicated to deal with all the trauma and shame she held inside, and it resulted in her death. She repeatedly said she would ‘handle it’ on her own and was compelled to reject the treatment that might possibly have saved her life.’
‘Sophie. A life ended too soon. May it not be in vain. May we all learn from her brief life on earth and do better. Yes, we must all protect our children and do better.’
Nyweide in 2009 at the 59th Berlin International Film Festival in 2009 (Picture: Arno Burgi/EPA/REX/Shutterstock)The obituary also highlighted her love of her acting career: ‘She dreamed (more like demanded!) to be an actor, without ever knowing her mother was an actor, so she did that too with an ease we all marvelled about.
‘She seemed happiest on a movie set, becoming someone else. It was a safe place for her and she relish from the casts and crews who nourished her talent and her well being.’
The star came to fame as a child (Picture: Pascal Le Segretain/Getty Images)The obituary detailed that Nyweide died on Monday, April 14, when she was just 24.
She was born in Burlington, Vermont, and she spent most of her life in Vermont and New York City.
The obituary asked that in lieu of gifts or flowers, they would ask people to make a donation to RAINN in Sophie’s name, a charity that supports survivors of sexual violence.
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