Some of this article's listed sources may not be reliable. Please help improve this article by looking for better, more reliable sources. Unreliable citations may be challenged and removed. (March 2021) (Learn how and when to remove this template message)
Lili Simmons
Born
Lili Marie Simmons

(1993-07-23) July 23, 1993 (age 30)
Cardiff-by-the-Sea, California, U.S.
OccupationActress/Model
Years active2010–present
RelativesCurt Simmons (grandfather)

Lili Marie Simmons (born July 23, 1993) is an American actress and model known for her role as Rebecca Bowman in the Cinemax series Banshee (2013–2016).[1]

Early life

Simmons was born and raised in Cardiff-by-the-Sea in San Diego County, California.[2][3] At age 15, Simmons was discovered by talent manager Kate Linden.[4]

Career

Simmons began her career as a Ford Model,[5] also modelling for Bebe Stores, Roxy, J.C. Penney and Saturn.[6]

She moved into acting in 2010 on the web series Hollywood Is Like High School with Money, based on the book of the same name, playing Quinn Whitaker.[7][8] She also appeared in an episode of the Disney XD sitcom Zeke and Luther and then in the 2011 Disney Channel Original Movie Geek Charming. Also that year, she had a small role in an episode of the sitcom Mr. Sunshine.

In 2012, Simmons starred in the film Fat Kid Rules the World, and guest starred in an episode of Jane by Design. In 2013, she appeared in an episode of Vegas and began playing Rebecca Bowman, a rebellious Amish girl on the Cinemax series Banshee.[9] She originally auditioned for the role of Deva Hopewell, but: "They said, 'She's too old or too sexy' or whatever". While in Philadelphia for her grandmother's funeral, the producers asked her to go back to New York to read for Rebecca, after which she won the role.[10] In March that year, she appeared in a pictorial in Maxim magazine.[11]

In 2014, Simmons began recurring roles on Hawaii Five-0, and the series True Detective.[12] In April 2016, she was cast in what had been stated would be a recurring role in another series, Westworld, though she appeared in only one episode during the first season.[13] In February 2017, Simmons was cast in a season-long arc on the fifth season of the Showtime drama series Ray Donovan, playing Natalie James, "the star of a big movie franchise".[14]

In April 2019, it was confirmed by actress Camren Bicondova that Simmons was cast to replace her in the role of the adult Selina Kyle / Catwoman for the series finale of Gotham, at her request to "give the torch to someone else for her adult self", which was respected by the Fox Broadcasting Company, Warner Bros. Television, and the series' producers. Bicondova and Simmons met beforehand and collaborated on the characterization. Showrunner John Stevens described casting Simmons as "a stroke of incredible good fortune", as well as praising her as "an incredible actress and looks like she could be Cam's sister."[15][16]

Filmography

Film

Year Title Role Notes
2012 Fat Kid Rules the World Isabel
2015 Bone Tomahawk Samantha O'Dwyer
2016 Dirty Lies Michelle
Robyn Hood: I Love NY Robyn Hood Short film[17]
2017 Deux Face Sand Short film
Bad Match Riley
2021 Sound of Violence Marie Sotker
2022 Double Down South Diana Lead role

Television

Year Title Role Notes
2010 Zeke and Luther Mia Episode: "Sludge"
2011 Mr. Sunshine Hot Teenage Girl Episode: "Employee of the Year"
Geek Charming Lola Television film
2012 Jane by Design Piper Grace Episode: "The Teen Model"
2013 Vegas Fay Binder Episode: "Road Trip"
2013–2016 Banshee Rebecca Bowman Main role, 32 episodes
2014 True Detective Beth 2 episodes
2014–2017 Hawaii Five-0 Amber Vitale / Melissa Armstrong Recurring role, 6 episodes
2017 Ray Donovan Natalie James Recurring role (season 5), 8 episodes
2016; 2018; 2022 Westworld New Clementine / Sophia Episodes: "Trace Decay", "Akane no Mai", "Well Enough Alone"
2018 Law & Order: Special Victims Unit Gina Goodrich Episode: "Accredo"
The Purge Lila Stanton Main role
2019 Gotham Adult Selina Kyle Episode: "The Beginning..."
2022–present Power Book IV: Force Claudia Flynn Main role

Web

Year Title Role Notes
2010 Hollywood Is Like High School with Money Quinn Whitaker 9 episodes
2013–2016 Banshee Origins Rebecca Bowman 3 episodes

References

  1. ^ Simmons, Lili [@Liliflower33] (May 27, 2015). "To correct IMDB and Wikipedia, my birthday is July 23rd 1993. NOT 1992 I'm 21 and will be 22 in July. Thanks guys!😜" (Tweet). Retrieved May 5, 2017 – via Twitter.
  2. ^ Simmons, Lili [@Liliflower33] (October 1, 2013). "Love my home town. #cardiffbythesea #bornandraised #socalgirl #cardiffkook" (Tweet). Retrieved November 10, 2016 – via Twitter.
  3. ^ "Lili Simmons". Ladygunn. April 20, 2016. Retrieved September 28, 2016.
  4. ^ ozzy (2023-07-18). "Lili Simmons: Actress, Model, Singer". Fashion Republic Magazine. Retrieved 2024-01-20.
  5. ^ "New Faces at Ford by Jason Lee Parry". Fashion Gone Rogue. May 31, 2010. Retrieved January 25, 2014.
  6. ^ "Lili Simmons". Pop Tower. Archived from the original on February 2, 2014. Retrieved January 25, 2014.
  7. ^ "Hollywood Is Like High School with Money". Alloy Entertainment. Archived from the original on April 23, 2012. Retrieved January 25, 2014.
  8. ^ "Hollywood Is Like High School with Money". TV.com. Archived from the original on October 9, 2015. Retrieved January 25, 2014.
  9. ^ "Exclusive: Disney Channel Starlet Takes Racy Turn in Cinemax Drama Series Banshee". tvline.com. April 10, 2012. Retrieved January 25, 2014.
  10. ^ "Higher Power". tvline.com. Retrieved January 25, 2014.
  11. ^ "Lili Simmons Talks "Banshee" and Being Nude In Front of America". Maxim. 22 July 2013. Retrieved January 25, 2014.
  12. ^ Levine, Stuart (January 30, 2013). "Simmons added to HBO's 'True Detective' cast". Variety. Retrieved January 25, 2014.
  13. ^ "Lili Simmons Joins 'Westworld' As HBO Drama Series Resumes Production". Deadline. April 6, 2016. Retrieved September 28, 2016.
  14. ^ Sandberg, Bryn Elise (February 13, 2017). "'Ray Donovan' Adds Trio to Season 5 (Exclusive)". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved May 5, 2017.
  15. ^ Bicondova, Camren [@camren] (April 19, 2019). "#Gotham My heart. 🙏🏽❤️ https://t.co/0TopulDoHK" (Tweet). Retrieved December 25, 2020 – via Twitter.
  16. ^ "'Gotham' Boss Explains Why Batman Was Barely in the Series Finale". The Hollywood Reporter. April 25, 2019.
  17. ^ "Watch 'Banshee' Star Lili Simmons in Zenescope's New 'Robyn Hood' (Exclusive Video)". The Wrap. 13 October 2016. Retrieved 13 November 2016.

External links

Authority control databases
Categories