Jessica Rothe
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Jessica Ann Rothenberg (born May 28, 1987), known professionally as Jessica Rothe (), is an American actress. After appearing in
independent films An independent film, independent movie, indie film, or indie movie is a feature film or short film that is produced outside the major film studio system in addition to being produced and distributed by independent entertainment companies (or, in ...
and on stage, her
breakthrough Breakthrough or break through may refer to: Arts Books * ''Break Through'' (book), a 2007 book about environmentalism by Ted Nordhaus and Michael Shellenberger * ''Break Through'' (play), a 2011 episodic play portraying scenes from LGBT life * ...
came with playing
Tree Gelbman Theresa "Tree" Gelbman is a Character (arts), fictional character in Christopher Landon (filmmaker), Christopher Landon's slasher film ''Happy Death Day'' (2017) and its sequel, ''Happy Death Day 2U'' (2019). She was created by writer Scott Lobdel ...
in the comedy slasher film ''
Happy Death Day ''Happy Death Day'' is a 2017 American black comedy slasher film directed by Christopher Landon (filmmaker), Christopher Landon and written by Scott Lobdell. It stars Jessica Rothe and Israel Broussard. The film follows college student Tree Gel ...
'' (2017) and its 2019 sequel, which established her as a
scream queen A scream queen (a wordplay on ''screen queen'') is an actress who is prominent and influential in horror films, either through a notable appearance or recurring roles. Scream king is the equivalent for men. Notable scream queen examples include ...
. Rothe has starred in the musical films ''
La La Land ''La La Land'' is a 2016 American musical romantic comedy-drama film written and directed by Damien Chazelle. It stars Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone as a struggling jazz pianist and an aspiring actress who meet and fall in love while pursuing ...
'' (2016) and ''Valley Girl'' (2020), the romantic drama films '' Forever My Girl'' (2018) and ''All My Life'' (2020), and the action thriller film '' Boy Kills World'' (2023). On television, she starred in the
MTV MTV (an initialism of Music Television) is an American cable television television channel, channel and the flagship property of the MTV Entertainment Group sub-division of the Paramount Media Networks division of Paramount Global. Launched on ...
comedy series ''
Mary + Jane Mary Jane may refer to: People * Mary Jane Adams (1840–1902), Irish-born American writer and philanthropist * Mary Jane Aldrich (1833–1909), American temperance reformer, lecturer, and essayist * Mary Jane Alvero (born 1970), Filipino en ...
'' (2016) and the
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science fiction drama series ''
Utopia A utopia ( ) typically describes an imagined community or society that possesses highly desirable or near-perfect qualities for its members. It was coined by Sir Thomas More for his 1516 book ''Utopia (book), Utopia'', which describes a fictiona ...
'' (2020).


Early life

Rothe was born in
Denver, Colorado Denver ( ) is a List of municipalities in Colorado#Consolidated city and county, consolidated city and county, the List of capitals in the United States, capital and List of municipalities in Colorado, most populous city of the U.S. state of ...
, the daughter of Susan and Steve Rothenberg. Rothe's father is
Jewish Jews (, , ), or the Jewish people, are an ethnoreligious group and nation, originating from the Israelites of History of ancient Israel and Judah, ancient Israel and Judah. They also traditionally adhere to Judaism. Jewish ethnicity, rel ...
. Her paternal grandmother Colleen Rothenberg was a
theatre actress An actor (masculine/gender-neutral), or actress (feminine), is a person who portrays a character in a production. The actor performs "in the flesh" in the traditional medium of the theatre or in modern media such as film, radio, and television. ...
who belonged to the Congregation Shomrei Torah synagogue in
Santa Rosa, California Santa Rosa (Spanish language, Spanish for "Rose of Lima, Saint Rose") is a city in and the county seat of Sonoma County, California, Sonoma County, in the North Bay (San Francisco Bay Area), North Bay region of the San Francisco Bay Area, Bay A ...
. Rothe took ballet classes when she was age 8. As a youth, she attended summer theater camps in
Kansas City The Kansas City metropolitan area is a bi-state metropolitan area anchored by Kansas City, Missouri. Its 14 counties straddle the border between the U.S. states of Missouri (9 counties) and Kansas (5 counties). With and a population of more t ...
. Rothe attended
Cherry Creek High School Cherry Creek High School (commonly Cherry Creek, Creek, or CCHS) is the oldest of seven high schools in the Cherry Creek School District in the Denver metropolitan area. It is located in Greenwood Village, Colorado, and is the largest high school ...
and then
Boston University Boston University (BU) is a Private university, private research university in Boston, Massachusetts, United States. BU was founded in 1839 by a group of Boston Methodism, Methodists with its original campus in Newbury (town), Vermont, Newbur ...
, graduating in 2009 with a bachelor's degree in Fine Arts, and during that time she learned to play the
violin The violin, sometimes referred to as a fiddle, is a wooden chordophone, and is the smallest, and thus highest-pitched instrument (soprano) in regular use in the violin family. Smaller violin-type instruments exist, including the violino picc ...
,
tap dance Tap dance (or tap) is a form of dance that uses the sounds of tap shoes striking the floor as a form of percussion; it is often accompanied by music. Tap dancing can also be performed with no musical accompaniment; the sound of the taps is its ow ...
, and make
pottery Pottery is the process and the products of forming vessels and other objects with clay and other raw materials, which are fired at high temperatures to give them a hard and durable form. The place where such wares are made by a ''potter'' is al ...
.


Career


2010–2016: Early work and stage

Rothe began acting under her birth name Jessica Rothenberg, and from 2010 to 2013, made minor appearances in shows such as ''The Onion News Network'' and played supporting roles in
independent film An independent film, independent movie, indie film, or indie movie is a feature film or short film that is film production, produced outside the Major film studios, major film studio system in addition to being produced and distributed by independ ...
s such as '' The Hot Flashes'' and ''
Jack, Jules, Esther and Me ''Jack, Jules, Esther and Me'' is a 2013 coming of age independent film directed by Daniel Poliner. This comedy centers on four young high schoolers on their last weekend before heading off to college and the scheme to win a girl's heart. The f ...
'', among others. She also made her stage debut in 2011, starring in the
David West Read David West Read is a Canadian television writer, playwright, actor and producer. He is known for his work as a writer and executive producer on the television series ''Schitt's Creek'', for which he won an Emmy Award. He is also known for writing ...
play ''The Dream of the Burning Boy''.
Charles Isherwood Charles Splaine Isherwood Jr. (born October 1964) is an American theater critic. Career A graduate of Stanford University, Isherwood wrote for '' Backstage West'' in Los Angeles. In 1993, he joined the staff of '' Variety'', where he was promote ...
of ''
The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''NYT'') is an American daily newspaper based in New York City. ''The New York Times'' covers domestic, national, and international news, and publishes opinion pieces, investigative reports, and reviews. As one of ...
'' wrote that Rothe gave an "impressive" performance. She and the cast of the 2014 series ''Next Time on Lonny'' earned a
Streamy Award The YouTube Streamy Awards, also known as the Streamy Awards or Streamys, are an awards show presented annually by Dick Clark Productions and Tubefilter to recognize excellence in online video, including directing, acting, producing, and wri ...
nomination. In 2015, Rothe had leading roles in the comedy film '' Lily & Kat'', the
Netflix Netflix is an American subscription video on-demand over-the-top streaming service. The service primarily distributes original and acquired films and television shows from various genres, and it is available internationally in multiple lang ...
science fiction pilot ''Parallels'', and the crime drama film '' The Preppie Connection''. That same year, she was cast as Alexis in
Damien Chazelle Damien Sayre Chazelle (; born January 19, 1985) is an American filmmaker. He directed the psychological drama ''Whiplash (2014 film), Whiplash'' (2014), the musical romance ''La La Land'' (2016), the biographical drama ''First Man (film), First ...
's musical film ''
La La Land ''La La Land'' is a 2016 American musical romantic comedy-drama film written and directed by Damien Chazelle. It stars Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone as a struggling jazz pianist and an aspiring actress who meet and fall in love while pursuing ...
''. Rothe was drawn to the role since as a child, "I just thought that living in a world where any moment someone could burst into song and dance would be the dreamiest thing in the world". Released in 2016, the film was a critical and commercial success. In 2016, Rothe had her first leading role in a television series, playing Paige in the
MTV MTV (an initialism of Music Television) is an American cable television television channel, channel and the flagship property of the MTV Entertainment Group sub-division of the Paramount Media Networks division of Paramount Global. Launched on ...
comedy series ''
Mary + Jane Mary Jane may refer to: People * Mary Jane Adams (1840–1902), Irish-born American writer and philanthropist * Mary Jane Aldrich (1833–1909), American temperance reformer, lecturer, and essayist * Mary Jane Alvero (born 1970), Filipino en ...
''. Described as a "weed-comedy" and produced by
Snoop Dogg Calvin Cordozar Broadus Jr. ( ; born October 20, 1971), better known by his stage name Snoop Dogg (previously Snoop Doggy Dogg), is an American rapper, record producer, and actor. Rooted in West Coast hip-hop, he is widely regarded as one of t ...
, the show ran for one season. The show earned mixed reviews, though critics praised the acting of Rothe and her co-star
Scout Durwood Scout Durwood is an American comedian, actress, singer, writer, and director. In 2017, she starred in MTV's scripted comedy series ''Mary + Jane'', and her debut studio comedy album, ''Take One Thing Off'', was released on Blue Élan Records. Her ...
. Daniel Fienberg of ''
The Hollywood Reporter ''The Hollywood Reporter'' (''THR'') is an American digital and print magazine which focuses on the Cinema of the United States, Hollywood film industry, film, television, and entertainment industries. It was founded in 1930 as a daily trade pap ...
'' said that they "have a rapport that feels natural and unforced, even if so much of the rest of the show feels often wildly forced, or at least like its trying too hard."


2017–present: Mainstream breakthrough

In 2017, Rothe starred in the Christopher Landon horror film ''
Happy Death Day ''Happy Death Day'' is a 2017 American black comedy slasher film directed by Christopher Landon (filmmaker), Christopher Landon and written by Scott Lobdell. It stars Jessica Rothe and Israel Broussard. The film follows college student Tree Gel ...
''—originally titled ''Half to Death''—as Theresa "Tree" Gelbman. The character was written with the intention of having more depth than the average slasher character, part of which is reflected through the nickname Tree as "trees need to grow and you see this character go from one person to another". ''Happy Death Day'' was a significant box office success, and was called a "starmaking" film for Rothe. Writing for
RogerEbert.com ''RogerEbert.com'' is an American film review website that archives reviews written by film critic Roger Ebert for the ''Chicago Sun-Times'' and also shares other critics' reviews and essays. The website, underwritten by the ''Chicago Sun-Times ...
, Brian Tallerico said that Rothe was "quite good in a way that makes me eager to see what she does next. Her performance is quite easily the best thing about the movie." Simran Hans of ''
The Guardian ''The Guardian'' is a British daily newspaper. It was founded in Manchester in 1821 as ''The Manchester Guardian'' and changed its name in 1959, followed by a move to London. Along with its sister paper, ''The Guardian Weekly'', ''The Guardi ...
'' described her as "endlessly watchable and witty". Jeannette Catsoulis of ''The New York Times'' called her "unimprovable", "inexhaustable and funny". The character has been called an example of the "
final girl The final girl or survivor girl is a Trope (cinema), trope in horror films (particularly slasher films). It refers to the last girl(s) or woman alive to confront the killer, ostensibly the one left to tell the story. The final girl has been ob ...
" trope, and established Rothe as a
scream queen A scream queen (a wordplay on ''screen queen'') is an actress who is prominent and influential in horror films, either through a notable appearance or recurring roles. Scream king is the equivalent for men. Notable scream queen examples include ...
. She was nominated for a Fright Meter Award and a New Mexico Film Critics Circle Award. In 2018, Rothe played Josie in the romance film '' Forever My Girl'', which she accepted based on the themes of strength and female empowerment. Her sole release of that year, the film received negative reviews from critics. In 2019, Rothe reprised the role of Tree Gelbman in ''
Happy Death Day 2U ''Happy Death Day 2U'' is a 2019 American science fiction black comedy slasher film written and directed by Christopher Landon. A sequel to ''Happy Death Day'' (2017), it stars Jessica Rothe, Israel Broussard, Suraj Sharma, and Steve Zissis. Th ...
'', a direct sequel to ''Happy Death Day''. The film was conceived by Landon before its predecessor was released, and Rothe was initially hesitant feeling that a sequel could potentially retread the original. However, she was convinced by Landon's pitch and believed it "elevates the movie from being a horror movie into a ''
Back to the Future ''Back to the Future'' is a 1985 American science fiction film directed by Robert Zemeckis and written by Zemeckis and Bob Gale. It stars Michael J. Fox, Christopher Lloyd, Lea Thompson, Crispin Glover, and Thomas F. Wilson. Set in 1985 ...
'' type of genre film where the sequel joins us right from where we left off, it explains a lot of things in the first one that didn't get explained, and it elevates everything." It was released to similar financial success. Kimber Myers of the ''
Los Angeles Times The ''Los Angeles Times'' is an American Newspaper#Daily, daily newspaper that began publishing in Los Angeles, California, in 1881. Based in the Greater Los Angeles city of El Segundo, California, El Segundo since 2018, it is the List of new ...
'' called Rothe "one of the most magnetic new actresses on screen, equally capable of showing vulnerability and pain as well as a blithe, easy humor." She earned a second Fright Meter Award nomination. In 2020, Rothe had starring roles in two films: the jukebox musical ''Valley Girl'', a remake of the 1983 film of the same name, and the romantic drama ''All My Life''. ''Valley Girl'' sees Rothe play Julie, who was played by
Deborah Foreman Deborah Lynn Foreman (born October 12, 1962) is an American photographer and actress. She is perhaps best known for her starring role in the 1983 film ''Valley Girl'' opposite Nicolas Cage. She is also regarded as a scream queen and known for p ...
in the original film. In ''All My Life'', she plays Jennifer "Jenn" Carter. Both films garnered a mixed reception from critics, though Rothe's performances earned some praise. Also in 2020, she appeared in four episodes of the
Amazon Prime Video Amazon Prime Video, known simply as Prime Video, is an American subscription video on-demand over-the-top streaming television service owned by Amazon. The service primarily distributes films and television series produced or co-produced by ...
series ''Utopia''. Rothe said that "working with
Gillian Flynn Gillian Schieber Flynn (; born February 24, 1971) is an American author, screenwriter, and producer, best known for her Thriller (genre), thriller and Mystery fiction, mystery novels ''Sharp Objects'' (2006), ''Dark Places (Flynn novel), Dark Plac ...
and the incredible cast in Chicago was a dream job, and I’m so excited for audiences to go through that emotional rollercoaster. It’s unique, fun and tragic all at the same time." Rothe next starred in the crime drama film ''
Body Brokers ''Body Brokers'' is a 2021 American crime drama film written and directed by John Swab and starring Jack Kilmer, Michael Kenneth Williams, Jessica Rothe, Alice Englert, Peter Greene, Frank Grillo, and Melissa Leo. The film concerns a young drug ...
''. She was cast in 2019, and the film was released in 2021, her sole release of that year. Though he gave the film a mixed review, Peter Sobczynski of RoberEbert.com said Rothe and co-star
Melissa Leo Melissa Chessington Leo (born September 14, 1960) is an American actress. She is the recipient of several accolades, including an Academy Award, a Primetime Emmy Award, a Golden Globe Award, a Screen Actors Guild Award, and two Critics' Choice A ...
"do strong work as those who represent the non-exploitative side of the rehabilitation world." In 2022, Rothe replaced actress
Samara Weaving Samara Weaving (born 23 February 1992) is an Australian actress and model. She gained attention for her work in Australian television, appearing on the series '' Out of the Blue'' (2008) and receiving an AACTA Award nomination for playing Ind ...
in the action film '' Boy Kills World''; the film premiered at the
2023 Toronto International Film Festival The 48th annual Toronto International Film Festival was held from September 7 to 17, 2023.Victoria Ahearn"TIFF reveals new programmers and other 2023 festival details" '' Playback'', April 20, 2023. The most noted change from past years was tha ...
, and was theatrically released in April 2024. Lauren Coates of ''
The A.V. Club ''The A.V. Club'' is an online newspaper and entertainment website featuring reviews, interviews, and other articles that examine films, music, television, books, games, and other elements of pop-culture media. ''The A.V. Club'' was created in ...
'' said that Rothe's character was "underwritten and enters the game too late to be effectively used. Her helmet gimmick is mistakenly substituted for a personality—a truly grievous waste of a charming young talent." More positively, Chase Hutchinson of ''
The Seattle Times ''The Seattle Times'' is an American daily newspaper based in Seattle, Washington. Founded in 1891, ''The Seattle Times'' has the largest circulation of any newspaper in the state of Washington and the Pacific Northwest region. The Seattle Time ...
'' said her performance "provided redemption." She reprises the role in a spin-off game, ''Super Dragon Punch Force 3'', released that same month.


Upcoming projects

Rothe will next star in the survival thriller film ''Titan'', alongside
Kiana Madeira Kiana Madeira (born November 4, 1992) is a Canadian actress. She starred as Moe in the Netflix television series '' Trinkets''. Madeira played Deena in the 2021 Netflix horror film Horror is a film genre that seeks to elicit physical or psyc ...
.


Personal life

On February 14, 2019, Rothe announced that she was engaged to actor Eric Clem. They married on September 12, 2020, in
Morrison Morrison may refer to: People * Morrison (surname), people with the Scottish surname Morrison * Morrison Heady (1829–1915), American poet * Morrison Mann MacBride (1877–1938), Canadian merchant Places in the United States * Morrison, Colorad ...
, Colorado.


Filmography


Film


Television


Stage

* ''The Dream of the Burning Boy'' (2011), as Chelsea


Video game

* '' Super Dragon Punch Force 3'' (2024), as Mina Van Der Koy / June 27


Awards and nominations


References


Notes


External links

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Rothe, Jessica 1987 births 21st-century American actresses 21st-century American Jews American film actresses American people of German descent American television actresses Actresses from Denver Boston University College of Fine Arts alumni Jewish American actresses Living people Cherry Creek High School alumni