Which films did Sophie Nyweide act in? Career explored as 'Bella' child star dies at 24

Sophie Nyweide died at the age of 24 on April 14, 2025, in Bennington, Vermont. She was a former child actress and was known for her roles in films like Mammoth (2009), Noah (2014), and Bella (2006).

According to the Bennington Police Department, she was found lifeless on a riverbank near a makeshift shelter in Manchester, Vermont. The investigation is still underway as the police have not ruled out foul play, reported TMZ.

Her family announced her death in an obituary published online on April 17, 2025. They described her as a “beloved daughter, granddaughter, sister, friend, and new aunt" who was "creative, athletic, and wise beyond her years.”

No cause of death has been revealed yet. Her mother, Shelly Gibson, took to Instagram to pay her tribute and wrote:

“RIP, my Sophie. She graced us for far too short a time. My daughter was a light for all who met her. For those us of who were truly close with Sophie, we are gutted and will need a long time to get over her passing. I know I never will. God I love my daughter. I want her back. Fly high sweetheart - you always could.”

All you need to know about Sophie Nyweide’s life and career

According to a report in the Hollywood Reporter, Sophie Nyweide was born on July 8, 2000, in Burlington, Vermont. Since the age of four, she was inspired to become an actress.

“She dreamed (more like demanded!) to be an actor, without ever knowing her mother was an actor, so she did that too with an ease we all marveled about. She seemed happiest on a movie set, becoming someone else. It was a safe place for her and she relish from the casts and crews who nourished her talent and her well-being,” her obituary stated.

Her mother, Shelly Gibson, who owned the Village Picture Shows Cinema in Manchester, said in an interview:

"Sophie saw so many movies here. Really I think it was the movie theater" that inspired her to want to act. "She grew up in this movie theater and slept in the movie theater and had a little bed in the projection booth and watched many movies."

She is famously known for playing the daughter of Michelle Williams and Gael García Bernal’s characters in the 2009 film Mammoth. She bagged her first role in Bella (2006). It was co-written and directed by Alejandro Gómez Monteverde. She appeared in the 2007 episode of Law & Order, followed by films And Then Came Love and New York Serenade.

She starred in the 2010 rom-com, An Invisible Sign, with Jessica Alba. In 2014, she was cast alongside Russell Crowe, Emma Watson, and Logan Lerman in Noah. Her last acting appearance was in a 2015 episode of the reality series What Would You Do?

Her obituary hinted at her personal struggles.

"Sophie was a kind and trusting girl. Often this left her open to being taken advantage of by others. She wrote and drew voraciously, and much of this art depicts the depth she had, and it also represents the pain she suffered. Many of her writings and artwork are roadmaps of her struggles and traumas.” It said.

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The actress reportedly succumbed to self-medication to “deal with all the trauma and shame she held inside, and it resulted in her death,” her obituary added.

However, no official reason behind her demise has yet been revealed by the police authorities.

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