Talia Ryder

Talia Ryder (born August 16, 2002 ) is an American stage and film actress.

She made her feature film debut as Skylar in Eliza Hittman's critically acclaimed independent drama film Never Rarely Sometimes Always (2020) earning her nominations for a Independent Spirit Award and Critics' Choice Movie Award. She has since had leading roles in the Netflix romance drama Hello, Goodbye, and Everything in Between (2022), and the surrealist comedy The Sweet East (2023). She is also known for her supporting roles in the musical drama West Side Story (2021), the teen comedy Do Revenge (2022), and the comedy-drama Dumb Money (2023).

On stage, she acted in the Broadway musical Matilda the Musical (2015–2016) and the Off-Broadway play How to Defend Yourself (2023).

Early life and education
Ryder's younger sister Mimi has a career as a musical actress with a title role in Matilda the Musical. Talia graduated from high school in 2020.

Career
Ryder was 12 years old when she and her family went to see the Broadway musical Matilda the Musical based on the Roald Dahl's 1988 children's book of the same name. She and her sister Mimi were inspired to audition for the show, and she was ultimately cast as Hortensia, a role which started her professional acting career. Her family moved to New York City where she performed the role from 2015 to 2016. Ryder has said that her background was mostly in dance, but she started developing her skills in stage acting. In 2016, Ryder along with a cast of 75 kids took part in the short film Broadway Kids Against Bullying: I Have a Voice, directed by Jason Milstein, and its charity single composed by Frank Wildhorn, to support Nobully.org.

In 2019, she was cast as Autumn's cousin Skylar in Eliza Hittman's indie drama film Never Rarely Sometimes Always, where the two girls travel to New York City so that Autumn (Sidney Flanigan) can get an abortion without parental consent. The film premiered at the Sundance Film Festival and was later released in the theatre and on video on demand shortly afterwards in March 2020. For her performance Ryder received nominations for the Independent Spirit Award for Best Supporting Female and the Critics' Choice Movie Award for Best Young Performer.

In 2019, she was also cast as part of the Jets Chorus in Steven Spielberg's film adaptation of West Side Story. In 2021, she had a starring role in Olivia Rodrigo's music video for "Deja Vu". In 2022, Ryder had a starring role as Clare in the film Hello, Goodbye, and Everything in Between and played Gabbi Broussard in the hit Netflix movie Do Revenge. In 2023 she had a leading role in the surrealist comedy film The Sweet East directed by Sean Price Williams. Catherine Bray of Variety wrote, "Talia Ryder, lead actor in The Sweet East, is a star. There’s something of Kristen Stewart about her, not merely in terms of physical resemblance, but more in her gift for not just acting but reacting." That same year she acted in Liliana Padilla's Off-Broadway play How to Defend Yourself at the New York Theatre Workshop. Tim Teeman of The Daily Beast described the production as being "Profound, funny, and shocking" adding that "one hopes [it] graduates to a bigger stage—truly, it should go to Broadway". Also in 2023 she had a supporting role in the comedy film Dumb Money directed by Craig Gillespie.

In 2024 she had a supporting role as a drug addict in the comedy-drama Little Death starring David Schwimmer which premiered at the Sundance Film Festival. Critic Lovia Gyarkye of The Hollywood Reporter wrote of her performance, "Ryder, who has consistently proven her ability to carry a film with Never Rarely Sometimes Always and The Sweet East, predictably shines here." Esther Zuckerman of IndieWire noted that "Schwimmer is outshined by Ryder" and added that she never plays into the troupes of playing an addict but rather, "Ryder probes into [her character's] vulnerabilities, so when we realize the extent of her reliance on substances, it’s heartbreaking rather than obvious". She will star as ballet dancer Joy Womack in the upcoming James Napier Robertson directed drama film Joika acting opposite Diane Kruger. That same year she was cast in Ethan Coen's comedic film Honey, Don't! currently filming in New Mexico.