 | The verifiability of the claims made in this article is disputed.(May 2020) |
Riley Weston | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born | August 25, 1966 |
| Occupations |
|
| Years active | 1987–present |
| Website | www.rileyweston.com |
Riley Weston (born August 25, 1966) [1] is an American actress and writer. Weston became embroiled in a debate about ageism in Hollywood after it was discovered that she lied about her age to get work in the entertainment industry.
"...she changed her name to Riley Elizabeth Weston (she declines to give her real surname but says her birth name is Kimberlee)" [2] — Los Angeles Times
Weston graduated from Arlington High School outside of Poughkeepsie. [3]
"After graduating in 1984, she moved to LA and started calling herself Kimberlee Kramer—it sounded more actressy, she felt, than Kimberlee Seaman." — Bernard Weinraub, Cosmopolitan January 1999 [4]
Beginning in 1987, Weston carved out a career as a film and television actor, working steadily throughout her twenties in a series of mostly small bit parts. Her credits included the sitcoms Growing Pains , Who's the Boss? and 3rd Rock From The Sun , and the film Sister Act 2: Back in the Habit . Through about 1996, she was credited in her appearances as "Kimberlee Kramer".
In May 1997, and by now using the name Riley Weston, she began claiming her date of birth as 1979 in order to be considered for further acting roles. [5] The deception was assisted by her slight build, at 4 feet 11 inches (1.50 m) tall and weighing 93 pounds (42 kg). [6]
"...her reason for lying about her age had nothing to do with scoring a writing job on the hot new teen show airing on the WB and was rooted in her acting dream...it was her choice to lie about her age to get acting gigs that caused the problem." [7]
In 1998, she began drafting screenplays and marketing herself to television studios as a recent high school graduate. [8] [9] She was soon hired by the WB Network as a writer for the show Felicity after they saw one of her scripts about teenage sisters. [6] Hailed as a child prodigy and "wunderkind", by publications such as Entertainment Weekly , [10] which included her in its October 1998 list of the "100 Most Creative People in Entertainment", which described her as an up-and-coming 19-year-old. Shortly thereafter, she was offered a half-million dollar screenwriting deal with Disney. [11] Series co-creator Matt Reeves cast her as a teenage character in one episode. [10]
After Entertainment Tonight began working on a segment about Weston, her real identity and age emerged [12] [13] This occurred after Daily Variety published an October 15, 1998 article reporting that it had obtained court documents showing that Weston had changed her name in 1997 from Kimberlee Elizabeth Kramer, and had been born in 1966 rather than 1979. The day the report was published, Weston admitted that she lied to nearly every individual and entity she interacted with professionally, including her agents, attorneys, colleagues, Disney, and the media. Only her family and manager/ex-husband knew her true identity, a ruse she was able to maintain for as long as she did because, as she explained, "I don't have a lot of friends." She also created false identification documents, wore baggy clothes typically worn by teenagers at the time, brought her mother to meetings, and made comments more common to teens, such as working as a babysitter and having a crush on popular teen idol Jonathan Taylor Thomas. [14]
Weston apologized for her deception, telling Daily Variety, "I take full responsibility. I'm completely sorry. I never meant to hurt anyone." She also explained her rationale for lying about her age, stating that it was "accepted practice for actresses to lie about their age", owing to "age bias" in the entertainment industry. Weston elaborated: [14]
"I wanted to have a job. I wanted to work as an actor, but if I'd go into a casting office to play a 15-year-old, and they’d say, 'How old are you?' and I said 30, they’d laugh. No one believes I'm 32...If they based (the deal) on my age, there’s an age problem in Hollywood. They bought into this, and there's something hugely wrong with it. Look at what I had to do. Someone has to put a stop to it. If I were getting a job in any other industry, do you think anyone would care how old I am or how I look?" [14]
She also stated that she changed her name partially for "security reasons" due to harassment by a stalker she had faced beginning in 1993. [14]
Weston left Felicity in the middle of the first season after her contract had expired and was not renewed. Series co-creator Matt Reeves explained during a 2021 interview with Entertainment Weekly, "People thought that we let her go because of it. None of that was true at all. The story was blown so crazy out of proportion from the perspective of our relationship with Riley. We did discover that she was not telling us the truth, but it was after she had already finished her term. When you sign somebody on as a staff writer in those days, you had a number of scripts that you signed them to do. We just put her on the show because we thought, 'Well, let's just let her do what we know she really wants to do as well, which is to be an actor.' It got turned into a scandal that I'm not sure ever was. We liked her writing. That's all." [10]
Weston settled in Tennessee, where she writes and performs country songs, often at the Nashville's Bluebird Café. [10] She also continues to work as an actress, voiceover artist,[ citation needed ] and author. Weston's first novel, Before I Go, was published in September 2006. The book earned Weston a 2007 Independent Publisher (IPPY) award for Storyteller of the Year. [15] Her debut novel received the 2007 New York Book Festival Grand Prize and was named Best Fiction. [16]
She wrote the television film Apples, Orchards & Romance, which would air in September 2023 on Great American Family. She also wrote a song for the film, and at the time, was working on her first Christmas album. [10]
Molly Kathleen Ringwald is an American actress, writer, and translator. She began her career as a child actress on the sitcoms Diff'rent Strokes and The Facts of Life before being nominated for a Golden Globe for her performance in the drama film Tempest (1982). Ringwald became a teen idol following her appearances in filmmaker John Hughes' teen films Sixteen Candles (1984), The Breakfast Club (1985), and Pretty in Pink (1986). These films led to the media referring to her as a member of the "Brat Pack." Her final teen roles were in For Keeps and Fresh Horses.
Dawson's Creek is an American teen drama television series about the lives of a close-knit group of friends in the fictional town of Capeside, Massachusetts, beginning in high school and continuing into college. It ran for six seasons, from January 20, 1998, to May 14, 2003. The series starred James Van Der Beek as Dawson Leery; Katie Holmes as his best friend and love interest, Joey Potter; Joshua Jackson as their friend Pacey Witter; and Michelle Williams as Jen Lindley, a New York City transplant to Capeside. The show was created by Kevin Williamson and premiered on The WB as a mid-season replacement. It was produced by Columbia TriStar Television and was filmed in Wilmington, North Carolina. The series ended on May 14, 2003. A total of 128 episodes were produced, spanning six seasons.
Traci Elizabeth Lords, is an American actress and singer. She entered the porn industry using a fake birth certificate to conceal that she was two years under the legal age of 18. Lords starred in pornographic films and was one of the most sought-after actresses in that industry during her career. When the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) acted on an anonymous tip that Lords was a minor during her time in the industry, and that pornographers were distributing and selling these illegal images and videotapes, the resulting fallout led to prosecution of those responsible for creating and distributing the tapes, but the prosecutions fell through when it was revealed she was using a real federal passport as her proof of age along with a fake birth certificate and fake California drivers license. In addition, all of her porn films, and the September 1984 edition of Penthouse were banned as child pornography. Her last porn movie was filmed two days after her 18th birthday, by her own company.
Keri Lynn Russell is an American actress. She played the title role in the drama series Felicity (1998–2002), which won her a Golden Globe Award, and later portrayed Elizabeth Jennings in the spy thriller series The Americans (2013–2018), which earned her nominations for several Primetime Emmy and Golden Globe Awards. For playing the title role in the political drama series The Diplomat (2023–present), she received further Primetime Emmy and Golden Globe nominations. She has also received a record seven nominations for the Critics' Choice Television Award for Best Actress in a Drama Series.
Felicity is an American drama television series created by J. J. Abrams and Matt Reeves and produced by Imagine Television and Touchstone Television for The WB. Brian Grazer and Ron Howard were executive producers through Imagine Entertainment.
Mission Hill is an American adult animated sitcom created by Bill Oakley and Josh Weinstein for The WB. It originally aired for five episodes from September 21, 1999, to July 16, 2000; unaired episodes were burnt off on Cartoon Network's Adult Swim from May 26 to August 11, 2002. The series follows Andy French, a retail worker who lives with roommates Jim and Posey as well as their dog, Stogie. Andy's lifestyle is taken for a turn when his younger brother Kevin moves in with him.
Felicity Kendall Huffman is an American actress. She is best known for her role as Lynette Scavo in the ABC comedy-drama Desperate Housewives and her role as a transgender woman in the film Transamerica (2005). Over her career she has received numerous accolades including a Primetime Emmy Award and a Golden Globe Award as well as a nomination for an Academy Award.
Willa Joanna Chance Holland is an American actress and model. She is best known for her roles as Kaitlin Cooper in the Fox teen drama The O.C., Aqua in Kingdom Hearts, and Thea Queen in The CW series Arrow as well as its spin-off The Flash.
Dawn Leslie Steel was an American film studio executive and producer. She was one of the first women to run a major Hollywood film studio, rising through the ranks of merchandising and production to head Columbia Pictures in 1987.
"The Chinese Restaurant" is the 11th episode of the second season of the American sitcom Seinfeld, and the 16th episode overall. Originally aired on NBC on May 23, 1991, the episode revolves entirely around Jerry and his friends Elaine Benes and George Costanza waiting for a table at a Chinese restaurant, on their way to see a special one-night showing of Plan 9 from Outer Space. George tries to use the phone but it is constantly occupied, Elaine struggles to control her hunger, and Jerry recognizes a woman but is unsure where he has seen her before.
Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles is an American science fiction drama television series. It aired on Fox from January 13, 2008 to April 10, 2009, spanning 31 episodes across two seasons. It is a spin-off from the Terminator film series, disregarding the events of Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines and picking up shortly after Terminator 2: Judgment Day. The series revolves around the lives of Sarah Connor and her son John, who work to prevent the creation of Skynet, an artificially intelligent computer system that will eventually launch a nuclear war on humans.
Lisa Marie Presley was an American singer and songwriter. She was the only child of singer and actor Elvis Presley and actress Priscilla Presley, as well as the sole heir to her father's estate after her grandfather and her great-grandmother died. Her musical career consisted of three studio albums: To Whom It May Concern (2003), Now What (2005) and Storm & Grace (2012), with To Whom It May Concern being certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America. Presley also released non-album singles, including duets with her father using archival recordings.
Paris-Michael Katherine Jackson is an American model, actress, and singer. She is the second child and only daughter of Michael Jackson and Debbie Rowe.
Good Luck Charlie is an American sitcom that aired on Disney Channel from April 4, 2010, to February 16, 2014. The series' creators, Phil Baker and Drew Vaupen, wanted to create a program that would appeal to entire families, not just children. It focuses on the Duncan family of Denver as they adjust to the births of their fourth and fifth children, Charlotte "Charlie" and Toby. In each episode, Teddy Duncan adds to a video diary that contains advice for Charlie about their family and life as a teenager. Teddy tries to show Charlie what she might go through when she is older for future reference. Each video diary ends with Teddy saying the eponymous phrase, "Good luck, Charlie".
Rachel Barbra Berry is a fictional character and one of the two main protagonists, alongside Mr. Schue in the Fox musical comedy-drama series Glee. The character is portrayed by actress Lea Michele, and appears in Glee from its pilot episode, first broadcast on May 19, 2009. Rachel was developed by Glee creators Ryan Murphy, Brad Falchuk and Ian Brennan. She is the glee club star of the fictional William McKinley High School in Lima, Ohio, where the show is set. Her storylines have seen her suffer peer alienation due to her Broadway ambitions and over-eager personality, but she is very kind-hearted and willing to help even if people do not need it and develop romantic feelings for Jesse St. James, a member of rival glee club Vocal Adrenaline, but primarily for quarterback and glee club co-captain Finn Hudson, to whom she eventually becomes engaged. Hudson later dies in season 5, with his cause of death not being revealed. This was due to his actor, Cory Monteith, passing away in real life, which led to his character being killed off. Berry later reconciles with her ex boyfriend, Jesse St. James in season 6. In the series finale, it’s revealed that Berry married St. James, and became a Surrogate for friends Kurt Hummel and Blaine Anderson.
Crystal Marie Reed is an American actress. She came to prominence playing Allison Argent in the series Teen Wolf (2011–2014). She departed the series after the third season but made a guest appearance in the fifth season as Allison's ancestor Marie-Jeanne Valet. Reed went on to reprise her role as Allison Argent in the reunion film Teen Wolf: The Movie (2023).
Rowan Blanchard is an American actress and activist. She began acting as a child, and played Rebecca Wilson in the action film Spy Kids: All the Time in the World (2011). She rose to prominence after playing Riley Matthews on the Disney Channel series Girl Meets World (2014–2017), which earned her nominations at the Kids' Choice, Teen Choice, and Young Artist Awards. She then starred in the TNT/AMC series Snowpiercer (2020–2024) and the Hulu coming-of-age film Crush (2022).
Emily Bett Rickards is a Canadian actress. She is known for her role as Felicity Smoak on The CW series Arrow, her first television credit. She has also reprised the role in the Arrowverse shows The Flash, Legends of Tomorrow and Supergirl and voiced the character on the animated web series Vixen.
Alexander Deans is a Canadian-British inventor, engineer, and physician. He became Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II's Youth Leader for Canada at Buckingham Palace. At age 12, he created the "iAid", a navigation device for the blind which won the Canada-Wide Science Fair in the intermediate category and several awards at the 2014 Intel International Science and Engineering Fair.
Felicity Megan Smoak, also known by her code name Overwatch, is a fictional character in The CW's Arrowverse franchise. The character was first introduced in 2012 in the first season of the television series Arrow, which is based on the DC Comics character Green Arrow. The series follows the story of billionaire Oliver Queen, who returns home after five years supposedly stranded on a remote Pacific island and becomes a vigilante on a quest to save his city. Felicity is based on the comic book character of the same name, created by Gerry Conway and Rafael Kayanan and was adapted for television by Greg Berlanti, Marc Guggenheim and Andrew Kreisberg. Felicity was portrayed by Canadian actress Emily Bett Rickards between 2012 and 2020. Initially cast as a one-episode guest star in the first season of Arrow, she returned as a recurring character in the same season, and was promoted to series regular from season two. Rickards stepped away from the show at the end of season seven, but returned in a guest capacity for the finale of Arrow's eighth and final season. She has also featured in the spin-off shows The Flash, Legends of Tomorrow and web series Vixen, as well as appearing in Supergirl. The character appears in the Lego Batman 3: Beyond Gotham video game as part of the Arrow DLC pack, and is one of the protagonists of the Arrow and The Flash tie-in novels and comics.
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
