Rachel Miner
Miner in Rosemont, Illinois in October 2012
Born (1980-07-29) July 29, 1980
Manhattan, New York City, New York, U.S.
OccupationActress
Years active1989–present
Spouse
​
​
(m. 1998; div. 2002)​
RelativesWorthington Miner (grandfather)
Frances Fuller (grandmother)

Rachel Miner (born July 29, 1980)[1] is an American actress. She played Michelle Bauer on the television soap opera Guiding Light (1990–95). She made her film debut in Woody Allen's Alice (1990), and later earned critical acclaim for her leading role in Bully (2001). Her other film credits include The Black Dahlia and Penny Dreadful (both 2006). She is also known for her portrayal of the demon Meg on the television series Supernatural (2005–20).

Early life and career

A third-generation actor and Manhattan native, Miner is the daughter of director and producer Peter Miner and the granddaughter of director/producer Worthington Miner and actress Frances Fuller.[2][3] She attended New York's Professional Children's School.[4] In a 1993 interview, Miner named Jodie Foster as the actress she most admired, and expressed the hope that she might have the opportunity to tackle a similar range of roles.[2]

Film and television

Miner's television credits include Vickie in Shining Time Station: 'Tis a Gift (1990), Michelle Bauer on Guiding Light (1990–1995), a guest starring role as Laurel in a Sex and the City episode, "Twenty-something Girls vs. Thirty-something Women" and Astrid in NY-LON.

In 2001, she starred in Bully. The plot follows several young adults in South Florida who enact a murder plot against a mutual friend who has emotionally, physically and sexually abused them for years. The film itself was based on the July 15, 1993 murder of Bobby Kent.[5] Bully received mixed reviews from critics and has a "Rotten" rating of 54% on Rotten Tomatoes based on 91 reviews with an average score of 5.7 out of 10. The film holds a score of 45 out of 100 on Metacritic, based on 26 critics indicating 'Mixed or average reviews'.[6] Miner won an award at the Stockholm Film Festival for Best Actress.[7]

In 2005, Miner portrayed a young woman on a journey to discover who she is and why multiple enemies want her dead in the action film Circadian Rhythm. The movie was critically ignored, and was poorly received in its few reviews. One reviewer stated that the film was a "directionless jumble of boring scenes strung together tenuously by a plot that feels like they were making it up as they went along," and that watching the film's allegedly ‘wire-fu’ fight scenes was akin to "being over at a friend's house when they’re getting yelled at by their parents."[8]

She appeared in 12 episodes of the 2007 television series Californication, as Dani California, a reference to a character appearing in several songs by the Red Hot Chili Peppers. In 2008, she appeared in "The Sacrifice", an episode of Fear Itself.[9] That same year she was also cast as the second lead in the psychological thriller The Butterfly Effect 3: Revelations. The movie was filmed in Michigan and concluded filming in October 2008.[10] It debuted at After Dark Horrorfest III, a horror film festival held in January 2009.[11] The film was released on DVD on March 31, 2009.

From 2009 to 2013, Miner took over the role of Meg, a recurring antagonist and demon in Supernatural. The writers wanted Meg's original actress Nicki Aycox to reprise the role in later seasons, but ultimately cast Miner for storyline purposes. The character was eventually killed off later.[12] Tim Janson of Mania gave Miner's portrayal of Meg a positive review, saying no one played Meg "with such dripping sarcasm as Rachel Miner". He felt she "always adds spice when she appears".[13] Similarly, Diana Steenbergen of IGN felt Miner played the role "with vicious flair" and "[conveyed] Meg's brutality well, right from the beginning".[14] As time passed, she noted that the actress "has done well taking over the role".[15][16][17] In 2020, Miner returned to Supernatural during the fifteenth season playing the character of a cosmic entity known as the Empty that takes Meg's physical appearance. Miner reappeared later in the season, reprising the role of the Empty.

In 2010, Miner starred alongside James Franco in the Grasshopper segment of Love & Distrust.[18] The next year she was cast as Sgt. Hannah in the horror film 51,[19] which began filming in April 2011 in Louisiana.[20] The film was released in limited theaters as part of "After Dark Originals".[21][22]

Charity work

Since September 2017, Miner has been the executive director of the non-profit organization Random Acts, Inc.[23]

Personal life

In 1998, she married Home Alone actor Macaulay Culkin, when they were both 18.[24][25] The couple separated in 2000[26] and divorced in 2002.[27] In 2000, Miner dated Brad Renfro during and after production of Bully.

Miner has been a vegetarian since age 9.[2][4]

Miner was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in 2010.[28] She has since become an advocate for representation of disabled characters.[29]

Filmography

Film

Year Title Role Notes
1990 Alice 12-year-old Alice
1990 Shining Time Station: 'Tis A Gift Vickie TV Movie
1997 Henry Fool Girl in Library No. 3
1999 Joe the King Patty
2001 Bully Lisa Connely Won – Stockholm Film Festival for Best Actress
2004 Haven Eva
2005 Man of God Karen Cohen Direct to-DVD
2005 Little Athens Allison Direct to-DVD
2005 Circadian Rhythm Sarah
2006 Fatwa Cassie Davidson Direct to-DVD
2006 Love & Debate Sophia Direct to-DVD
2006 The Black Dahlia Martha Linscott
2006 Onion Underwater Tara Short film
2006 Grasshopper Terri Short film
2006 Penny Dreadful Penny Deerborn
2006 The Still Life Robin
2007 Cult Mindy Direct to-DVD
2007 The Blue Hour Julie
2007 The Memory Thief Mira Direct to-DVD
2007 Tooth & Nail Neon Direct to-DVD
2008 Hide Betty
2008 The Butterfly Effect 3: Revelations Jenna Reid Direct to-DVD
2009 Life of Lemon Esther Direct to-DVD
2010 The Love Affair Karen Hall Short film
2010 Love & Distrust Terri Direct to-DVD
2011 51 Sgt. Hannah TV Movie
2012 In Their Skin Jane

Television

Year Title Role Notes
1990–1995 Guiding Light Michelle Bauer Recurring character
Won – Young Artist Award for Best Young Actress in a Daytime Series (1992, 1994)
Nominated – Young Artist Award for Best Young Actress in a Daytime Series (1993, 1995)
Nominated – Soap Opera Digest Award for Outstanding Child Actor (1993, 1994)
Nominated – Daytime Emmy for Outstanding Younger Leading Actress in a Drama Series (1995)
1995 American Experience Various characters Episode: "The Orphan Trains"
1999 Sex and the City Laurel Episode: "Twenty-Something Girls vs. Thirty-Something Women"
2004 NY-LON Astrid
2005 Bones Mary Costello Episode: "The Girl in the Fridge"
2006 Medium Emilia 'Lia' Purcell Episode: "Lucky in Love"
2006 CSI: Crime Scene Investigation Valerie Whitehall Episode: "Rashomama"
2006 Without a Trace Julia Martic Episode: "Damage Done"
2007–2008 Californication Dani Recurring character
2008 Fear Itself Chelsea Episode: "The Sacrifice"
2008 The Cleaner Sarah Gibbons Episode: "The Eleventh Hour"
2008 Life Squeaky Uhry Episode: "Canyon Flowers"
2009 CSI: Miami Tammy Witten Episode: "Presumed Guilty"
2009–2013, 2020 Supernatural Meg 7 Episodes
The Empty 3 episodes
2009 Psycho Girlfriend Meagan Episode: "The New Girl"
2009–2010 The Online Gamer Beth 2 episodes
2010 Cold Case Anna Coulson Episode: "Two Weddings"
2010 No Ordinary Family Rebecca Jessup Episode: "No Ordinary Quake"
2010 Terriers Eleanor Gosney 2 episodes
2010 Army Wives Jasmine Wilkes Episode: "Deadly Force"
2011 Criminal Minds Molly Grandin Episode: "Today I Do"
2011–2012 Sons of Anarchy Dawn Trager 2 episodes
2020 Chicago Fire Jennifer Davis Episode: "Protect a Child"

Music videos

References

  1. ↑ "Your Horoscope: Birthday Star". Montreal Gazette. July 29, 2021. p. A15. ProQuest 2566128856. Actress Rachel Miner was born in New York City on this day in 1980. This birthday star has portrayed Meg Masters on the long-running CW series 'Supernatural' since 2009. She has also appeared on episodes of 'Chicago Fire,' Monsters and Fables,' and 'Sons of Anarchy.' On the big screen, Miner's film work includes roles in 'In Their Skin,' 'Frank the Bastard' and 'The Butterfly Effect 3: Revelations.'
  2. 1 2 3 Reichardt, Nancy M. (November 14, 1993). "Miner's found her golden opportunity". Austin American Statesman. p. 50. ProQuest 256338028. Her father is Peter Miner, a longtime director on One Life to Live. [...] 'I've been working with my acting teacher, Karen Anthony, for a long time.' [...] My parents don't dictate to me,' says Miner. 'They don't treat me like a kid. We discuss everything, and they let me make my own decisions.' Perhaps the best example of this "supervised freedom" is the way they dealt with Rachel's decision - at age 9 - to become a vegetarian. 'I love animals and want to work with them when I grow up,' Miner says. 'They give so much; I want to give back. I knew I didn't want to eat them. But my mom was worried I wouldn't get enough protein, so she researched it to see how to do it right.' Miner names Jodie Foster as her favorite actress. She admires Foster because 'you can always tell in Jodie Foster's eyes that she's worked out the whole character's past. It is not as if the character was born when the movie started. I would also like to get to play the variety of parts that she gets to play.'
  3. ↑ Flint, Peter B. (December 20, 1980). "FRANCES FULLER, ACTRESS, IS DEAD; SHE HEADED ACADEMY OF DRAMA: [obituary]". The New York Times. p. B49. ProQuest 424026032. Frances Fuller, an actress and former president and director of the American Academy of Dramatic Arts, died Thursday evening at her West Side home. She was 73 years old. [...] Miss Fuller was president and director of the Academy from 1954 to 1964, continuing as director until 1974. In the last six years, she was co-chairman of the school with her husband, Worthington Miner, the stage director and producer and a pioneer of television drama. [...] Besides her husband, she leaves a son, Peter Miner of Manhattan, who is a television director; two daughters, Margaret Rawson of Brooklyn and Mary Elizabeth Miner of Manhattan, and seven grandchildren.
  4. 1 2 Saffian, Sarah (July 23, 2001). "Home alone". Us Weekly. pp. 50, 51. ProQuest 236457020. Miner met Culkin at New York's Professional Children's School, a private high school geared toward young performers, in 1997. [...] [W]hen she's home in New York, she shares her apartment with three formerly stray cats. A vegetarian since age 9, Miner is passionate about animal rights and has so far rescued and found owners for 16 cats and dogs. 'At one point, I think she had 20 animals - cats, birds, reptiles,' says friend Natalie Portman, who costarred with Miner on Broadway in The Diary of Anne Frank. 'She's really happiest taking care of others.'
  5. ↑ State of Florida vs. Marty Puccio, CASE NO. 86,242 Archived June 7, 2011, at the Wayback Machine (official court documents). Florida State University Archives; accessed August 4, 2017.
  6. ↑ "Bully", Metacritic.com; retrieved November 30, 2014.
  7. ↑ Kilian, Michael (June 14, 2002). "Rachel Miner holds on the child in her". Knight Tribune News Service. p. 1. ProQuest 457251808. She won Best Actress award at last year's Stockholm Film Festival for her starring role as a teen-age murderess in the independent true-crime flick "Bully," a film most teens would consider a love story gone wrong but most parents would view as a terrifying horror movie. It's just now out on video, providing Miner with a little more fame, if not so much fortune.
  8. ↑ "Circadian Rhythm". teleport-city.com. November 18, 2010. Retrieved December 21, 2016.
  9. ↑ New TV series dresses up local landmarks in fear and blood, canada.com, June 4, 2008.
  10. ↑ Verrier, Richard (October 1, 2008). "Hollywood on the Huron: Michigan now a film mecca". Los Angeles Times.
  11. ↑ "8 Films to Die For". Horrorfestonline.com. Retrieved August 4, 2017.
  12. ↑ "'Grey's Anatomy,' 'Once Upon a Time,' and more in the Spoiler Room". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved December 6, 2019.
  13. ↑ "Answerbag.com". Mania.com. Archived from the original on February 1, 2014. Retrieved August 29, 2015.
  14. ↑ "Supernatural: "Sympathy for the Devil" Review". IGN. September 11, 2009. Retrieved August 29, 2015.
  15. ↑ "Supernatural: "Caged Heat" Review". IGN. December 4, 2010. Retrieved August 29, 2015.
  16. ↑ Farley, Jordan (March 26, 2013). "Supernatural 8.17 "Goodbye Stranger" REVIEW". Sfx.co.uk. Retrieved August 29, 2015.
  17. ↑ "The family business: Let's talk about 'Supernatural's' 'Abandon All Hope...' – The Watcher". Featuresblogs.chicagotribune.com. November 20, 2009. Retrieved August 29, 2015.
  18. ↑ "LOVE & DISTRUST". Archived from the original on February 1, 2014. Retrieved June 14, 2013.
  19. ↑ "SyFy and After Dark Films Unite for Saturday Original Movie Franchise". Broadway World. April 1, 2010. Retrieved September 16, 2010.
  20. ↑ "After Dark Films heads to 'Area 51'". March 16, 2010.
  21. ↑ "After Dark Originals: First Details on 'Banshee' and '51'". BloodyDisgusting. April 2010.
  22. ↑ Melissa Girmonte (April 25, 2010). "Bruce Boxleitner Slated to Star in SyFy's '51'". Airlock Alpha. Retrieved August 4, 2017.
  23. ↑ "Our Staff | Random Acts". Random Acts. Retrieved May 20, 2018.
  24. ↑ Respers France, Lisa (March 21, 2018). "Macaulay Culkin gets real personal". CNN. Retrieved November 27, 2022.
  25. ↑ "He's not home alone now (teen actors Rachel Miner and Macaulay Culkin, both 17, announce their marriage intentions)". Highbeam.com. April 13, 1998. Archived from the original on June 24, 2011. Retrieved August 7, 2009.
  26. ↑ Tyrangiel, Josh (August 14, 2000). "People: August 14, 2000". Time. Archived from the original on March 9, 2008. Retrieved February 21, 2010.
  27. ↑ Friedman, Roger (August 20, 2002). "Macaulay Culkin's Happy 'Ending'". Fox News. Retrieved February 21, 2010.
  28. ↑ "It's a wonderful life: Rachel Miner on acting, activism and reassessing her strength". hypable.com. August 22, 2017. Retrieved April 4, 2018.
  29. ↑ "JaxCon 2018 Ladies of Supernatural Full Panel". YouTube. December 11, 2018. Archived from the original on December 12, 2021. Retrieved June 18, 2019.
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