INDIE SPOTLIGHT: Elizabeth Olsen

If you watch a lot of TV, you've probably been bombarded with spots for the new film Silent House starring a fresh-faced but somehow familiar Elizabeth Olsen. You've probably wondered "why does that chick look so familiar?"* It's because the bears a striking resemblance to her older sisters, Mary Kate and Ashley Olsen, the twins who rose to fame in the 90s playing Michelle on Full House. The Olsen twins went on to sell books, fragrances, clothing and accessories to teen girls, resulting in their net worth of around $100 million.

While the Olsen twins are undeniable moguls, their younger (and arguably more talented) sister is making a name for herself as a serious actress. I first saw her in Martha Marcy May Marlene, an oddly titled film about a girl struggling to adapt to normalcy after escaping a dangerous and abusive cult.




After the trauma she encountered, Martha suffers from paranoia and hallucinations. The film blurs the lines between what is real and what she's imagining. Critics lauded Olsen for her subtle yet powerful performance, and the list of award nominations she received is quite impressive:

*via Wikipedia. Click to enlarge.

A graduate of the Tisch School of the Arts at NYU and the Atlantic Theater Company Acting School in NYC, Elizabeth seemed intent on being taken seriously as an actress and not simply riding her sisters' coattails.

Her new film Silent House is a horror film that uses the gimmick of "real time," suggesting you will watch every moment of the 88 minutes of horror that "befell Sarah Murphy and her father," minute by minute.



Her next few films have her starring opposite Robert DeNiro, Jane Fonda, Catherine Keener and Cillian Murphy. There's no doubt that her star is on the rise. If you haven't seen Martha Marcy May Marlene, I recommend checking it out. It's currently available at the Redbox kiosks or Blockbuster (what gives, Netflix?!).


*It could also be because while on-screen she also resembles a young Maggie Gyllenhaal, another great indie film actress.