Rachel Hurd-Wood
Rachel Hurd-Wood (born 17 August 1990) is an English actress. She is known for her performances in the fantasy adventure film Peter Pan (2003), the supernatural horror film An American Haunting (2005), the thriller film Perfume: The Story of a Murderer (2006), the dark fantasy horror film Dorian Gray (2009), the action-adventure war film Tomorrow, When the War Began (2010) and the BBC Three television series Clique (2017–18).
Also recorded as Rachel Clare Hurd-Wood
Rachel Hurd-Wood
- Born
- 17 August 1990
- Birthplace
- London, England
- Occupation
- Actress
- Nationality
- United Kingdom
- Education
- University College London · Rodborough · Godalming College
- Honours
- 30th Saturn Awards
- Languages
- English
VALÉORINE Encyclopedia
VALÉORINE documentary reading
Documentary summary
Rachel Hurd-Wood (born 17 August 1990) is an English actress. She is known for her performances in the fantasy adventure film Peter Pan (2003), the supernatural horror film An American Haunting (2005), the thriller film Perfume: The Story of a Murderer (2006), the dark fantasy horror film Dorian Gray (2009), the action-adventure war film Tomorrow, When the War Began (2010) and the BBC Three television series Clique (2017–18).
Admitted source layer · organised and presented by VALÉORINE
Note VALÉORINE
Rachel Hurd-Wood (born 1990) is an actor, actress and model, of British nationality. The actor was born in Streatham. Rachel Hurd-Wood was educated at Godalming College, Rodborough and University College London.
Languages used include English. Honours include 30th Saturn Awards.
Composed from admitted, traceable facts · 26 September 2026
VALÉORINE
Reference Check
Propose documentary evidence for Rachel Hurd-Wood. A contribution is never written directly as fact: identity, source, rights and evidence gates still decide.
Sign in to contribute
World of VALÉORINE
Documentary connections
Only confirmed graph relationships appear here. Images are shown only when their identity and reuse rights both pass the documentary gate.
Documentary evidence
Evidence Panel
not yet certified
- Identity
- resolved
- Independent source families
- 0
- Admitted assertions
- 0
- Open conflicts
- 0
Authority files
wikidata · Q234947 · wikipedia · Rachel Hurd-Wood
In this article
Key facts
Key facts
• Born — 17 August 1990 • Birthplace — London, England • Years Active — 2002–present • Occupation — Actress • Children — 2
Background
Background
Hurd-Wood was born in the Streatham district of South London, England, the daughter of Philip and Sarah Hurd-Wood. She lived in London until the age of eight, when she and her family moved to a Victorian cottage in Godalming, Surrey. Hurd-Wood has a younger brother, Patrick who appeared with her in Peter Pan as one of the sleeping children in the "I Do Believe In Fairies" scene. He also plays the role of Samuel Crowthorn alongside his sister in her later film, Solomon Kane in which she plays Meredith Crowthorn. Her father's work involves performing, writing scripts and doing voice-overs for commercials. He appears in one of her films, An American Haunting, as one of the guests in the Christmas party scene towards the beginning of the film. She joined a drama club in her school and took part in its stage production during her second year. Hurd-Wood dispelled the false rumour that her uncle is Hugh Laurie in a 2009 September–October interview for the magazine Little White Lies: The An Education Issue and then again in a 2010 live Myspace web chat for the film Tomorrow, When the War Began. "My uncle lives in Wales and is an artist", she says.
Education
Education
Hurd-Wood attended Rodborough Technology College in Milford, Surrey from 2001 to 2006. She had tutored lessons during the filming of Peter Pan in Australia during 2002 to 2003 as her work lasted for a span of 8 to 9 months. She later attended Godalming College from 2006 to 2008 to study for her A-Levels in Art, English Literature, Psychology and Philosophy. Hurd-Wood had considered becoming a marine biologist because of her love for dolphins. She gave up on the idea when she discovered that it would require studying science because she thought she was not very good at it. Hurd-Wood became interested in working with children who have special needs or disabilities. Hurd-Wood began studying linguistics at University College London in 2008, but left the course after a year, before travelling to Australia for the filming of Tomorrow, When the War Began, when she decided to focus entirely on her career in acting.
Acting
Acting
Hurd-Wood's career in acting started when she was picked for the role of Wendy Darling for the 2003 feature film Peter Pan, after her grandparents spotted a television clip that said P. J. Hogan was searching for a "young English rose". She travelled to Gold Coast, Australia for eight months of filming during 2002 and 2003. Her performance received good reviews and was nominated for a Saturn Award for Best Performance by a Younger Actor, and a Young Artist Award for Best Performance in a Feature Film – Leading Young Actress. Hurd-Wood portrayed the character Imogen Helhoughton in the 2004 TV film Sherlock Holmes and the Case of the Silk Stocking, as a 13-year-old victim of a serial killer. Also in 2004, she had a major role of Betsy Bell in the thriller An American Haunting, as a girl who is haunted and tormented by an unrelenting demon. Her performance came in for some praise, one critic remarking, "The actors are the saving grace… Hurd-Wood a mix of radiant approaching womanhood and animal terror. Their impassioned performances make you really care what happens to these people…"; another reviewer comments, "Rachel Hurd-Wood… delivers a fantastic and nuanced performance as Betsy Bell, the very central role that essentially carries the entire movie." Hurd-Wood was nominated for the 2006 Teen Choice Awards in the category Movie – Choice Scream for her role. In 2005 she appeared in an adaptation of the best-selling novel by German writer Patrick Süskind, Perfume: The Story of a Murderer. Set in 18th century France, Hurd-Wood portrayed Laura Richis, the red-headed virgin daughter of a politically connected merchant played by Alan Rickman. She had her brunette hair dyed red. She was nominated for the "Best Supporting Actress" award at the 33rd Saturn Awards by The Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy and Horror Films for her role. The year 2007 saw Hurd-Wood starring as a waitress in the music video for the song "A Little Bit" by Madeleine Peyroux. She appeared alongside the musicians in the music video for "Fatherhood/Motherhood" by Ox.Eagle.Lion.Man. In the 2008 film Solomon Kane, she played Meredith Crowthorn, a Puritan captured by a band of marauders who killed her family and whom Kane sought to rescue. Her younger brother Patrick appears in the film as her brother Samuel. Later in the year she acted in the film Dorian Gray based on the Oscar Wilde novel, The Picture of Dorian Gray. She was in the small but key role of the young budding actress Sibyl Vane, with whom Gray falls in love. She was studying in the first year of the linguistics course at UCL while working in this film. In her first contemporary role, Hurd-Wood was cast as Corrie Mackenzie, one of the principal characters in the 2009 Australian action-adventure film Tomorrow, When the War Began, based on the novel by John Marsden. (The novel was one of the books she read while being tutored for the filming of Peter Pan.) At this point, she discontinued studying for a Linguistics degree to concentrate full-time on acting. She learned an Australian accent for the role. The film became the highest-grossing movie for that year in Australia. Hurd-Wood portrayed the lead character Mae-West O'Mara in the 2010 film Hideaways, narrating a story to her six-year-old daughter, about the strange powers of the men in the Furlong family. Her performance was well received by critics, calling her "charismatic" and "...the heart and soul of the film, the one the girls will relate to and the guys are going to love...". "If the film works it's due in large part to her stellar performance", says a reviewer. Another reviewer commented, "When the light hits Mae's eyes, it's like you can see whole worlds being born and being destroyed ad infinitum... Hurd-Wood's chemistry with Treadaway is instant, the two are a joy to watch, and their romance is the heart of the film... [Rachel's and Harry's] two great central performances". Later in the year, she played the younger version of the character Isabel, played by Jenny Agutter, in the short film The Mapmaker. Also in the same year, she was featured in the music video for "Revolver" by Warehouse Republic. She played the role of the babysitter in the 2011 teaser for a proposed feature-length film, Let's Go Play at the Adams, based on the book of the same name by Mendal Johnson. She next played the role of the daughter of the character Teddy, in the short film It Ends Here, directed by her friend Zimon Drake. In 2012, Hurd-Wood played the female lead role of Elisabeth James in the film Highway to Dhampus, a story about the effect foreigners in Nepal and Nepali expatriates have on the locals. Later in the year, she narrates the words of her fashion-designer friend, Matthew Williamson, in an advertisement/mini-film. She next starred alongside the singers Tyler James and Kano in the music video for the single "Worry About You" (feat. Kano) by Tyler James.
Modeling
Modeling
Hurd-Wood posed for the publicity and poster material for Volstead Putsch, an underground bohemian party organised by The Triumvirate of Fez at the London's Volstead Club in 2008. The same year she posed for Raw Riddim Records promoting their merchandise such as chains, T-shirts, hoodies, etc.
Charity support
Charity support
Hurd-Wood signed for World Famous StarCards, a charity supporting the Great Ormond Street Hospital (GOSH) Children's Charity, at the world charity premiere of the movie Peter Pan in London on 9 December 2003. Her autographed card was auctioned in 2009. It tops the chart for the most popular signing, according to Paul Brett, founder of the StarCards charity. Hurd-Wood along with other celebrity supporters of the charity Shooting Star CHASE, Keeley Hawes, Matthew MacFadyen and Max Clifford joined more than 50 children with life-limiting illnesses and their families for the event on Sunday, 20 December 2009. The charity worked with Coca-Cola and the Merlin Group, which runs Alton Towers, Chessington World of Adventures and the London Eye, to transform Christopher's (CHASE) Hospice in Guildford, Surrey into a winter wonderland and gave the children at hospice a wonderful Christmas surprise.
Personal life
Personal life
During filming for Peter Pan, Hurd-Wood briefly shared a childhood crush with co-star Jeremy Sumpter. Hurd-Wood married Scottish actor Russ Bain in Camden Town in November 2017. She gave birth to their son in May 2018. Previously based in North London, they have since moved. She gave birth to their daughter in April 2021.
Television
Television
• Year — Title — Role — Notes • 2015 — Home Fires — Kate Campbell — 2 episodes • 2017–2018 — Clique — Rachel Maddox — Main role
Music video appearances
Music video appearances
• Year — Title — Artist — Notes • 2006 — "A Little Bit" — Madeleine Peyroux — Appeared as a waitress • 2007 — "Fatherhood/Motherhood" — Ox.Eagle.Lion.Man — Appeared with L.S.C. Oakeshott • 2010 — "Revolver" — Warehouse Republic — Appeared with Henry Leroy-Salta • 2013 — "Worry About You" — Tyler James — Appeared as James' girlfriend
Accolades
Accolades
• Award — Year — Category — Work — Result • Las Vegas Film Critics Society — 2004 — Best Youth in Film — Peter Pan • Saturn Awards — 2004 — Best Performance by a Younger Actor • 2007 — Best Supporting Actress — Perfume: The Story of a Murderer • Teen Choice Awards — 2006 — Choice Movie: Scream Scene — An American Haunting • Young Artist Awards — 2004 — Best Performance in a Feature Film - Leading Young Actress — Peter Pan
Film festivals
Film festivals
Hurd-Wood was a member of the international expert jury panel for "European debuts" at the "52nd International Film Festival for Children and Youth" at the Zlín Film Festival held from 27 May 2012 to 3 June 2012 at Zlín in the Czech Republic. 27
Film
Film
• Year — Title — Role — Notes • 2003 — Peter Pan — Wendy Darling • 2004 — Sherlock Holmes and the Case of the Silk Stocking — Imogen Helhoughton • 2005 — An American Haunting — Betsy Bell • 2006 — Perfume: The Story of a Murderer — Laura Richis • 2009 — Solomon Kane — Meredith Crowthorn • Dorian Gray — Sibyl Vane • 2010 — Tomorrow, When the War Began — Corrie Mackenzie • 2011 — Hideaways — Mae-West O'Mara • The Mapmaker — Young Isabel — Short film • 2014 — Highway to Dhampus — Elizabeth James • 2015 — Second Origin — Alba • 2017 — Beautiful Devils — Darcy • 2019 — For Love or Money — Kendra • 2024 — The First Omen — Katherine Thorn
Primary material
Documents and archives
reference work
- “Rachel Hurd-Wood”, English Wikipedia, consulted as further reading
Reputable secondary · Wikipedia
authority record
- Wikidata, structured authority record Q234947: Rachel Hurd-Wood
Unverified · Wikidata
Notes from the source article
Cited by Wikipedia
Notes from the source article
These works are cited by the source article, in its own numbering. They are recorded as its citations, not as sources VALÉORINE has verified.
- 1.Aug. 17 celebrity birthdays. The Orange County Register. 17 August 2012.
- 2.IGN. IGN Interviews Rachel Hurd-Wood. 2003.
- 3.Frizell, Nell. Rachel Hurd-Wood. Little White Lies: The an Education Issue. 25. 56–59. September–October 2009.
- 4.Ustream.tv. Tomorrow When The War Began Live MySpace Web Chat. 8 October 2010.
- 5.indieLONDON. Tomorrow, When The War Began – Rachel Hurd-Wood interview. 2011.
- 6.Tomorrow-movies.com. Matthew Pejkovic interviews Stuart Beattie and Rachel Hurd-Wood. 14 September 2010.
- 7.Walker, Esther. Scent and sensibility. ES London Limited (London Evening Standard). 27 December 2006.
- 8.RACHEL HURD-WOOD on 'AN AMERICAN HAUNTING'. RadioFree.com. 2006.
- 9.Harvey, Hettie. Rachel Hurd-Wood: a modern gothic starlet. ES Magazine. 21 August 2009.
- 10.Davies, Hugh. English rose earns garlands in £58m film of Peter Pan. The Telegraph. 10 December 2003.
- 11.25th Annual Young Artist Awards Young Artist Awards. Retrieved 25 May 2010.
- 12.Yahoo! Inc. Sherlock Holmes and the Case of the Silk Stocking.
- 13.Germain, David. American Haunting. Pittsburgh Post-Gazette (PG Publishing Co., Inc.) (Source: The Associated Press). 5 May 2006.
- 14.Williams, Yona. Supernatural Movie Trivia and Facts – "An American Haunting" (2006). Unexplainable.Net. 31 October 2008.
- 15.The Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy and Horror Films. 33rd Saturn Award Nominations. 2006.
- 16.Madeleine Peyroux. A Little Bit. Universal Music International. 30 April 2008.
- 17.Ox.Eagle.Lion.Man. Fatherhood/Motherhood. Transgressive Records. 29 November 2007.
- 18.Tomorrow-movies.com. About Tomorrow Movies.
- 19.Chmielewski, Tim. Meet Corrie. Tim Chmielewski. 4 September 2009.
- 20.Tomorrow-movies.com. Rachel Hurd-Wood joins Tomorrow. 21 September 2009.
- 21.Reynolds, Simon. Rachel Hurd-Wood ('Tomorrow, When The War Began'). Hearst Magazines UK. 5 April 2011.
- 22.Kaufman, Dan. Bombshell in the bush. Fairfax Media (The Sydney Morning Herald). 3 September 2010.
- 23.Scheib, Ronnie. Variety Reviews – Hideaways (Tribeca). Variety. 24 May 2011.
- 24.dbborroughs. Unseen films: Hideaways (2011). Unseen Films (blog). 16 May 2011.
- 25.Umstead, Ben. Tribeca 2011: HIDEAWAYS Review. twitchfilm.com. 23 April 2011.
- 26.Red Stag Management. Managing Premiere Talent Warehouse Republic.
- 27.Ward, Rich. Introducing Warehouse Republic. creaturemag.com. 12 August 2011.
- 28.Berlinale Talent Campus. Berlinale Talent Campus mobile. 2011.
- 29.Tim, McInnerny. the EXTRA. Theatrix. 24 April 2011.
- 30.Zimon Drake. It Ends Here. French Kiss Films.
- 31.Thikthak.com. Highway to Dhampus. 3 May 2012.
- 32.Matthew Williamson. style-passport presents Wear in the World is Matthew Williamson?. Style-Passport. 31 October 2012.
- 33.Panini UK Ltd. Video games with Tyler James. Bliss Magazine. February 2013.
- 34.VOLSTEAD PUTSCH. VOLSTEAD PUTSCH on Myspace. 2008.
- 35.Raw Riddim Clothing. Actress Rachel Hurd-Wood from Raw Riddim Red Label. 2008.
- 36.Zlin Film Festival. A SUMMARY OF SOME BASIC INFORMATION FOR VISITORS TO ZFF.
- 37.Zlin Film Festival. Winning Films Zlin FF 52. 1 June 2012.
- 38.StarCards. December 2003 PETER PAN WORLD CHARITY PREMIERE.
- 39.StarCards. StarCards supporter Rachel Hurd-Wood. 25 January 2009.
- 40.Brett, Paul. 10 years of fundraising for Great Ormond Street Hospital. Paul Brett. 26 October 2012.
- 41.Younger, Rebecca. Charity brings Christmas magic to CHASE children. get SURREY (S&B media). 23 December 2009.
- 42.Peter Pan and Wendy Fell in Love IRL and We're Only Just Finding Out. 6 December 2019.
- 43.Instagram.
- 44.Rachel Hurd-Wood. Summer Agency.
- 45.Instagram.
- 46.An American Haunting. TV Guide.
References
Citations
References
Each reference names the institution holding it, so a reader may go to the document itself.
reference work
Partially resolvedauthority record
Unverified
The Encyclopedia exists whether or not anything is for sale. Corrections are recorded rather than overwritten, and every version of this record is kept. Published 15 August 2026.
Elsewhere in Film memorabilia
37,408 published records in this field, each with its sources named.
- Rachel GriffithsPerson
- Rachel HaywardPerson
- Rachel HousePerson
- Rachel HunterPerson
- Rachel KempsonPerson
- Rachel KorinePerson
- Rachel Leah JonesPerson
- Rachel LeePerson
Best supported in this field
For owners
Own a work by Rachel Hurd-Wood?
A specialist will read what you send and tell you what the house can establish, what it cannot, and whether the object is suited to sale. There is no charge and no obligation. The object stays with you throughout; nothing is shipped to us unless it is arranged in writing beforehand.