Early life and education

Reaser was born in Bloomfield, Michigan, an affluent Detroit suburb, the daughter of Karen Davidson (née Weidman) and John Reaser. Elizabeth was the middle of three sisters. In 1995, her mother Karen married billionaire businessman William Davidson.

Reaser attended the Avondale High School in Auburn Hills. After high school, she attended Oakland University for one year, then attended the Juilliard School's Drama Division (1995-1999, Group 28) where she graduated with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in 1999.

Career

Reaser prepared for her role on Saved by spending time in an emergency room, observing the behavior of medical staff. In October 2004, Interview magazine hailed her as one of the "14 To Be" emerging creative women. Her work in the film Sweet Land earned the "Jury Award" at the Newport Beach Film Festival and a nomination for the Independent Spirit Award "Best Female Lead" award. Reaser earned a Primetime Emmy Award nomination for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series for her recurring guest appearance throughout 2007 and 2008 on the television series Grey's Anatomy.

Reaser played the role of Esme Cullen in the movie Twilight, The Twilight Saga: New Moon in 2009 and The Twilight Saga: Eclipse in 2010. She reprised the role in parts one and two of The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn.

Reaser appeared on the CBS' legal drama, The Good Wife in October 2010.

Filmography

Film

Year	Title	Role	Notes
2001	Believer, TheThe Believer	Miriam
2001	Thirteen Conversations About One Thing	Young Woman in Class
2002	Emmett's Mark	Alison Holmes
2004	Mind the Gap	Malissa Zubach
2005	Stay	Athena
2005	Sweet Land	Young Inge
2005	Family Stone, TheThe Family Stone	Susannah Stone Trousdale
2006	Shut Up and Sing	Julep
2006	Puccini for Beginners	Allegra
2007	Purple Violets	Bernadette
2008	Twilight	Esme Cullen
2009	Against the Current	Liz Clark
2009	Twilight Saga: New Moon, TheThe Twilight Saga: New Moon	Esme Cullen
2010	Twilight Saga: Eclipse, TheThe Twilight Saga: Eclipse	Esme Cullen
2011	Art of Getting By, TheThe Art of Getting By	Charlotte Howe
2011	Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part 1, TheThe Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part 1	Esme Cullen
2011	Young Adult	Beth Slade
2012	Liberal Arts	Ana
2012	Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part 2, TheThe Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part 2	Esme Cullen
2013	Bonnie and Clyde: Dead and Alive	PJ Lane
2015	One and Two	Elizabeth
2015	Hello, My Name Is Doris	Dr. Edwards
2016	Ouija 2		Post-Production

Television

Year	Title	Role	Notes
1998	Sports Theater with Shaquille O'Neal	Molly	Episode: "Scrubs"
2000	Sopranos, TheThe Sopranos	Stace	Episode: "D-Girl"
2002	Law & Order: Criminal Intent	Serena Whitfield	Episode: "The Insider"
2004	Hack	Elaine Jones	Episode: "Extreme Commerce"
2004	Jury, TheThe Jury	Rachel Byrnes	Episode: "Pilot"
2006	Law & Order: Criminal Intent	Jillian Slaughter	Episode: "Proud Flesh"
2006	Saved	Alice Alden, M.D.	Main role (13 episodes)
2006	Standoff	Anya Reed	Episode: "Heroine"
2007-2008	Grey's Anatomy	Ava / Rebecca Pope	Recurring role (18 episodes)
2008	Wainy Days	Annie	Episode: "The Waindow"
2008	Ex List, TheThe Ex List	Bella Bloom	Main role (13 episodes)
2010-2012	Good Wife, TheThe Good Wife	Tammy Linnata	Recurring role (7 episodes)
2013	Bonnie and Clyde: Dead and Alive	PJ Lane	Miniseries
2014	True Detective	Laurie Perkins	Television series
2015	Mad Men	Waitress (Diana)	Television series
2016	Easy

Theater

Year	Title	Role	Notes
1999	Sweet Bird of Youth	Heavenly	La Jolla Playhouse
2000	Hologram Theory, TheThe Hologram Theory	Mimi	Blue Lights Theatre Company
2001	Blackbird	Froggy	Bush Theatre
2001	Closer	Alice	Portland Center Stage
2002	Stone Cold Dead Serious	Shaylee Ledbetter / Sharice	American Repertory Theater
2003	Winter's Tale, TheThe Winter's Tale	Perdita	Classic Stage Company
2005	Top Girls	Patient Griselda / Nell / Jeanine	Williamstown Theatre Festival
2012	How I Learned to Drive	Li'l Bit	Second Stage Theatre
2014	Conviction	No Name	Bay Street Theater
2015	The Money Shot	Karen	Lucille Lortel Theater
2015	Permission	Cyndy	Lucille Lortel Theater

Awards and nominations

List of awards and nominations

Year	Award	Category	Title of work	Result
2006	Newport Beach Film Festival	Jury Award - Best Actress (Feature Film)	Sweet Land	Won
2007	Independent Spirit Award	Best Female Lead	Sweet Land	Nominated
2007	Primetime Emmy	Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series	Grey’s Anatomy	Nominated
2008	Screen Actors Guild Award	Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series	Grey’s Anatomy	Nominated
2009	Prism Award	Best Performance in a Drama Multi-Episode Storyline	Grey’s Anatomy	Nominated

[ Source: Wikipedia ]