Elizabeth Gillies
Gillies in July 2015
Born
Elizabeth Egan Gillies

(1993-07-26) July 26, 1993
Haworth, New Jersey, U.S.
Other namesLiz Gillies
Occupations
  • Actress
  • singer
Years active2005–present
Spouse
​
(m. 2020)​
Musical career
Genres
Instrument(s)Vocals
Labels

Elizabeth Egan Gillies[1] (born July 26, 1993[2][3]) is an American actress and singer. She gained prominence for her starring roles as Jade West in the Nickelodeon series Victorious (2010–2013), and as Fallon Carrington on The CW revival of Dynasty (2017–2022).

Gillies made her Broadway debut at age 15 in the musical 13, playing the character of Lucy.[4] She made her first television appearance in The Black Donnellys (2007), later starring as Jade West in the Nickelodeon series Victorious (2010–2013). She provided the voice of Daphne in Nickelodeon's Winx Club (2011–2014), and she had a main role in the FX comedy series Sex & Drugs & Rock & Roll (2015–2016). Gillies starred as billionaire heiress and energy executive Fallon Carrington in The CW's series Dynasty (2017–2022), a reboot of the 1980s series of the same name.[5] She has also appeared in various feature and television films, including the horror film Animal (2014), the television film Killing Daddy (2014), the comedy film Vacation (2015), and the black comedy thriller film Arizona (2018).

Gillies made her debut as a singer on Victorious with the song "Give It Up" in 2011, singing alongside Ariana Grande. She released other songs while on the show, including "You Don't Know Me" and "Take a Hint", singing alongside Victoria Justice, both songs being part of the Victorious soundtrack. Her debut album, We Wish You the Merriest, a collection of Christmas duets with Seth MacFarlane, was released in November 2023.[6]

Early life

Elizabeth Egan Gillies was born in Haworth, New Jersey, on July 26, 1993, to Dave and Lorrie Gillies. She has one younger brother (b. 1996).[7] Gillies has stated that she has Irish ancestry, and an Italian grandmother and great-grandmother.[3][8] She left high school in her freshman year to pursue acting and participated in an online high school program.[9]

Career

2005–2009: Early work

Gillies' acting career began at age 12 when she started going to local open casting calls. She quickly began appearing in commercials for companies such as Virgin Mobile.[10] Gillies' first television role was as a recurring character in three episodes of The Black Donnellys.[11] She has stated that she was not allowed to watch the finished show in its entirety because her parents felt it was not appropriate for her at the time.

In 2008, she played small roles in The Clique, Harold, and Locker 514. That year she was also cast as Lucy in a Goodspeed production of Jason Robert Brown's new musical 13, alongside her future Victorious co-star, Ariana Grande. Later that year, 13 moved to Broadway, which made it the first Broadway production to have a cast and band entirely made up of teenagers.[4] Gillies remained with the production until its closure on January 4, 2009.[12]

2010–2014: Victorious and breakthrough

In 2010, Gillies was cast as bad girl and occasional antagonist Jade West in the Nickelodeon television show Victorious, a sitcom revolving around teenagers at a performing arts high school in Hollywood,[13] which marked her second time working alongside 13 co-star Grande.[14][15] Regarding her Victorious character, Gillies said "It's wonderful. I love playing Jade. I always say she's not so much the 'mean' girl, but the 'bad' girl in so many ways. She has a lot of human qualities to her – she's not just completely sociopathic. She's sweet with her boyfriend. It's nice to play a character with some depth."[16] The show premiered on March 27, 2010. During her time on Victorious, Gillies was featured in several songs on the soundtracks Victorious and Victorious 2.0, including "Give It Up" (duet with Grande), and "Take a Hint" (duet with Victoria Justice). She also wrote and recorded the song "You Don't Know Me" for an episode of Victorious,[17] and it was later featured in Victorious 3.0.[18][19]

Gillies at the 2012 Primetime Creative Arts Emmys

She lent her talents to other Nick shows, voicing the character of Daphne on the Nickelodeon revival of Winx Club[20] and recording Winx Club's official song, "We Are Believix".[21] She also appeared in an episode of Big Time Rush and as a contestant on BrainSurge and Figure It Out. Beginning in 2012, Gillies began playing small guest roles outside Nickelodeon. Notable appearances include White Collar and The Exes. In July 2012, it was reported that Gillies was working on an alternative rock album.[22][23] Victorious ended on February 2, 2013, after four seasons. Following the cancellation of the series, Gillies took some time off from acting.

In 2013, she was cast as Courtney in the musical adaptation of Jawbreaker and participated in a reading of the show in Manhattan.[24] The musical did not end up being taken to Broadway. On December 10, 2013, Gillies recorded a duet of "Santa Baby" with Grande for the latter's Christmas Kisses EP.[25] In 2014, Gillies appeared in the horror film Animal as Mandy and the Lifetime movie Killing Daddy, playing Callie Ross. Animal was filmed in the summer of 2013 in Manchester, Connecticut, and was produced by Drew Barrymore. The film also features Gillies' former Winx Club co-star Keke Palmer and was released on iTunes June 17, 2014.[26]

2015–present: Further acting

In 2015, Gillies was cast as Heather in the remake of Vacation. The film received a wide release on July 29, 2015. She was then cast in the comedy series Sex & Drugs & Rock & Roll as Gigi, an aspiring singer and daughter of a former rock star named Johnny Rock (portrayed by the show's creator, Denis Leary).[27] The show premiered on July 16, 2015, to mixed reviews,[28] but Gillies' performance as Gigi was well received.[29] On September 9, 2016, FX declined to renew the show for a third season, effectively canceling the series.[30]

In 2017, Gillies was cast as Fallon Carrington in The CW television series Dynasty, a reboot of the 1980s series of the same name.[5][31][32] After Nicollette Sheridan left the role of Fallon's mother, Alexis Carrington, near the end of the second season, Gillies began playing the character temporarily, as well as continuing to portray Fallon.[33][34] In 2018, Gillies starred in the dark-comedy thriller film Arizona as Kelsey.[35] It was first premiered at the 2018 Sundance Film Festival, and later attained a theatrical release, as well as being released direct-to-video.[36][37]

In 2019, Gillies, alongside Matt Bennett, made a surprise appearance during the November 19 show of her Victorious co-star Grande's Sweetener World Tour in Atlanta, in which Grande and Bennett performed "I Think You're Swell", while Grande and Gillies performed "Give It Up", both songs from Victorious.[38] In 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic, Gillies collaborated with Seth MacFarlane on a series of songs, eight in total, on an album entitled Songs from Home.[39] In 2021, it was announced Gillies would voice the titular character in the 2022 superhero feature Catwoman: Hunted.[40]

Personal life

Gillies met American music producer Michael Corcoran on the set of the Nickelodeon show Victorious, when she was 19 and he was 40. The pair soon began dating in late 2012. On August 8, 2020, Gillies married Corcoran at a private ceremony in Chesterfield Township, New Jersey. They reside in Atlanta, Georgia.[41]

Filmography

Film

Year Title Role Notes
2008 Harold Evelyn Taylor
2008 The Clique Shelby Wexler Direct-to-video film
2011 The Death and Return of Superman Eradicator folks Short film
2012 Winx Club: The Secret of the Lost Kingdom Daphne Voice role (English dub)
2014 Animal Mandy
2015 Vacation Heather
2018 Arizona Kelsey [35]
2022 Catwoman: Hunted Catwoman Voice role[40]
TBA Spread Ruby Post-production; also executive producer[42]

Television

Year Title Role Notes
2007 The Black Donnellys Young Jenny 3 episodes
2009 The Battery's Down Bat Mitzvah Guest Episode: "Bad Bad News"
2010–2013 Victorious Jade West Main role
2011 iCarly Crossover special: "iParty with Victorious"
Big Time Rush Heather Fox Episode: "Big Time Secret"
2011–2014 Winx Club Daphne Voice role; 24 episodes
2012 White Collar Chloe Woods Episode: "Upper West Side Story"
2013 The Exes Tracy Cooper Episode: "Prelude to a Kiss"
2014 Sam & Cat Jade West Episode: "#TheKillerTunaJump: #Freddie #Jade #Robbie"
Killing Daddy Callie Ross Television film
2015–2016 Sex & Drugs & Rock & Roll Gigi Main role
2015 The Penguins of Madagascar Singer Voice role; episode: "The Penguin Who Loved Me"
American Dad! Lena Horne Voice role; episode: "A Star Is Reborn"
2017–2022 Dynasty Fallon Carrington / Alexis Carrington (2019) Main role; director, 2 episodes
2018 Robot Chicken Sun Baby, Marie "Slim" Browning Voice role; episode: "Gimme That Chocolate Milk"
2019 Welcome to the Wayne Parana Sycamore Voice role; episode: "That's Squidjit Bowling"
2020 Make It Work! Herself Television special
2022 Family Guy Alana Voice role; episode: "All About Alana"
The Orville Dinal Episode: "Mortality Paradox"

Music videos

Year Title Artist
2010"Freak the Freak Out"Victoria Justice
2011"Beggin' on Your Knees"
"All I Want Is Everything"
"Take a Hint"Victoria Justice and herself
"Time in the Day"Mikey Deleasa
2012"Time of Our Life"Big Time Rush
"Make It in America"Victoria Justice
"We Are Believix"Herself
"You Don't Know Me"
2013"Right There"Ariana Grande
2015"Die Trying"Herself
2016"Bang Bang"
2018"Thank U, Next"[43]Ariana Grande
2020"Stuck With U"Ariana Grande featuring Justin Bieber

Theater

Year Title Role Notes
2008–2009 13 Lucy Original Broadway cast
2013 Jawbreaker: The Musical Courtney Workshop reading

Concerts

Date Venue
December 5, 2023 Seth MacFarlane and Liz Gillies "We Wish You The Merriest" McCallum Theatre in Palm Desert
December 30, 2023 An Evening with Seth MacFarlane and Liz Gillies The Smith Center in Las Vegas

Discography

References

  1. ↑ Brantley, Ben (October 6, 2008). "Stranger in Strange Land: The Acne Years". The New York Times. Retrieved September 15, 2011.
  2. ↑ Gillies, Elizabeth [@LizGillies] (July 25, 2011). "Enjoying the last few hours of my childhood! Tomorrow I am a legal adult!" (Tweet). Retrieved January 22, 2017 – via Twitter.
  3. 1 2 Zutter, Natalie (March 13, 2011). "Interview: Broadway Star and 'Victorious' Mean Girl Elizabeth Gillies Couldn't Handle Bieber Fans". Alloy. Archived from the original on August 27, 2017. Retrieved August 21, 2018. But my Italian grandmother and great-grandmother weren't having any of it; they have their traditional Italian meal, and I had to watch this gorgeous food be consumed by my family. Lasagna, meatballs, and I'm just sitting there...
  4. 1 2 Diamond, Robert (August 14, 2008). "13 A New Musical Announces Its Teenage Cast and Band". BroadwayWorld.
  5. 1 2 Wagmeister, Elizabeth (February 10, 2017). "CW's Dynasty Reboot Casts Elizabeth Gillies in Starring Role". Variety. Retrieved May 13, 2017.
  6. ↑ Woerner, Meredith (September 28, 2023). "Seth MacFarlane & Liz Gillies Debut Holiday Album". Variety. Archived from the original on September 28, 2023. Retrieved October 20, 2023.
  7. ↑ Gillies, Elizabeth [@LizGillies] (April 24, 2016). "My platinum blonde, bowl-cut-haired little brother is now a fully grown TWENTY YEAR OLD MAN. Can't believe it. Happy Bday @GeorgeGillies3 :)" (Tweet). Retrieved January 22, 2017 – via Twitter.
  8. ↑ Gillies, Elizabeth [@LizGillies] (March 17, 2015). "I'm Irish AF btw" (Tweet). Retrieved June 11, 2018 – via Twitter.
  9. ↑ "Kidsday interviews actress Elizabeth Gillies", Newsday, October 26, 2011. Accessed December 17, 2019. "[Q] How do you balance your schoolwork and acting? [A] It’s hard. It’s very tricky. I had to leave high school freshman year, but I didn’t want to leave school in general because I want to have an education. It’s important. I’m doing online school."
  10. ↑ Rohan, Virginia (July 20, 2011). "TV Mean Girl: Haworth's Elizabeth Gillies talks iParty with Victorious". Bergen.com. Archived from the original on October 17, 2014. Retrieved June 26, 2015. Elizabeth Gillies is not a diva. She just plays one on TV. The Haworth teen is nothing but charming as she chats on the phone about Jade, the gifted character with attitude she plays on Nickelodeon's Victorious.
  11. ↑ Dixon, Marcus James (March 7, 2020). "10 Reasons We Love Elizabeth Gillies, From 'Dynasty' To 'Victorious'". GoldDerby. Retrieved October 10, 2021.
  12. ↑ Gans, Andrew; Jones, Kenneth (November 21, 2008). "New Musical 13 to Close on Broadway in January 2009". Playbill. Retrieved September 21, 2016.
  13. ↑ Nesvig, Kara (January 21, 2020). "Liz Gillies Is Game for a "Victorious" Reboot, But Only If It's the Same Cast". Teen Vogue. Retrieved October 10, 2021.
  14. ↑ "Elizabeth Gillies – Broadway Cast & Staff". www.ibdb.com. Retrieved October 10, 2021.
  15. ↑ Gray, Delilah (May 12, 2021). "Inside Elizabeth Gillies And Ariana Grande's Friendship". TheList.com. Retrieved October 10, 2021.
  16. ↑ Orenstein, H. (July 27, 2012). "Elizabeth Gillies, Victorious Star, On Playing The Bad Girl And Being The Nice Girl". HuffPost. Retrieved September 21, 2016.
  17. ↑ Mulvaney, Nicole (November 13, 2012). "J-14 Exclusive: Liz Gillies Talks the End of 'Victorious' and New Music". J-14.com. Archived from the original on December 12, 2013. Retrieved December 6, 2013.
  18. ↑ "Victorious 3.0 Track List". Archived from the original on October 2, 2013.
  19. ↑ Gillies, Liz [@LizGillies] (October 16, 2012). "Everyone make sure to pre-order the Victorious3.0 soundtrack! Excited to have a song I wrote on there" (Tweet). Retrieved October 16, 2012 – via Twitter.
  20. ↑ "Viacom Press - Nickelodeon Winx Club". ViacomCBS. The series features the voices of some of Nick's biggest stars including ... Elizabeth Gillies (Victorious) as Daphne
  21. ↑ "Nick.com - Listen to the Winx Club Theme Song!". Nick.com. July 27, 2012. Archived from the original on October 3, 2012.
  22. ↑ Gillies, Liz [@LizGillies] (March 7, 2012). "@LizGOnline I know! I've been crazy busy writing original music so I haven't had any time do covers, but I promise I'll do one very soon :)" (Tweet). Retrieved July 27, 2012 – via Twitter.
  23. ↑ Orenstein, Hannah (July 27, 2012). "Liz Gillies Interview". HuffPost.
  24. ↑ Gans, Andrew (September 26, 2013). "Readings of Jawbreaker: The Musical, with Diana DeGarmo, Kate Flannery, Elizabeth Gillies, Presented Sept. 26-27". Playbill. Retrieved April 8, 2022.
  25. ↑ Boardman, Madeline (December 10, 2013). "Ariana Grande Does 'Santa Baby' With Liz Gillies". HuffPost. Retrieved December 18, 2013.
  26. ↑ Ng, Philiana (July 25, 2013). "Drew Barrymore's 'Animal' Sets Ensemble Cast (Exclusive)". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved August 7, 2013.
  27. ↑ Patten, Dominic (June 30, 2014). "FX Orders Denis Leary's Sex&Drugs&Rock&Roll To Series". Deadline Hollywood.
  28. ↑ Lowry, Brian (July 14, 2015). "TV Review: Sex & Drugs & Rock & Roll". Variety. Retrieved October 10, 2021.
  29. ↑ Paskin, Willa (July 15, 2015). "FX's New Show Proves the Ghosts of Rock 'n' Roll Past Are Less Cool Than We Think They Are". Slate Magazine. Retrieved October 10, 2021.
  30. ↑ Ausiello, Michael (September 9, 2016). "Sex&Drugs&Rock&Roll Cancelled at FX". TVLine. Retrieved September 21, 2016.
  31. ↑ Petski, Denise (February 10, 2017). "Elizabeth Gillies Joins The CW's Dynasty Reboot; William Miller Cast In Searchers". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved May 13, 2017.
  32. ↑ Holloway, Daniel (May 10, 2017). "Dynasty Reboot, Military Drama Valor Land Series Orders at CW". Variety. Retrieved May 13, 2017.
  33. ↑ Swift, Andy (April 20, 2019). "Dynasty's New Alexis Revealed: Who's Taking Over for Nicollette Sheridan?". TVLine. Retrieved April 20, 2019.
  34. ↑ Swift, Andy (April 26, 2019). "Dynasty's Elizabeth Gillies on Her 'Wild' Transformation From Fallon to Alexis: 'It Was Crazy, But I Love a Challenge'". TVLine. Retrieved May 4, 2019.
  35. 1 2 Nicholson, Amy (January 28, 2018). "'Arizona' Review". Variety.
  36. ↑ McNary, Dave (May 1, 2018). "Danny McBride's Comedy 'Arizona' Bought for Summer Release". Variety. Retrieved January 2, 2020.
  37. ↑ Kiefer, Halle (August 13, 2018). "Danny McBride Is Out for Homeowner's Revenge in Housing Crisis Thriller Arizona". Vulture. Retrieved January 2, 2020.
  38. ↑ Aniftos, Rania (November 20, 2019). "Ariana Grande & Liz Gillies Recreated a 'Victorious' Scene Onstage & We Were Suddenly Transported to 2010". Billboard. Retrieved November 20, 2019.
  39. ↑ "Liz Gillies and Seth MacFarlane: Songs from Home". All Music. Retrieved August 22, 2022.
  40. 1 2 Couch, Aaron (August 17, 2021). "'Catwoman: Hunted' Sets Voice Cast (Exclusive)". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved October 10, 2021.
  41. ↑ Macon, Alexandra (September 16, 2020). "Actress Elizabeth Gillies Drove an RV to Her Wedding At a Charming Farm in New Jersey". Vogue. Retrieved September 16, 2020.
  42. ↑ "Tubi's 'Spread' Starring Elizabeth Gillies & Harvey Keitel Begins Production". September 22, 2022. Retrieved October 25, 2022.
  43. ↑ Aiello, McKenna (November 30, 2018). "All the Celebrity Cameos in Ariana Grande's Thank U, Next Music Video". E! News. Retrieved November 30, 2018.
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Elizabeth Gillies.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.