Renee Olstead facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Renee Olstead
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Olstead at the April 2015 WonderCon
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Rebecca Renee Olstead
June 18, 1989 Houston, Texas, U.S.
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| Occupation | Actress, singer |
| Years active | 1995–present |
| Musical career | |
| Genres | Jazz, country |
| Instruments | Vocals |
| Labels | Renee, 143, Reprise, Warner Bros. Records |
Rebecca Renee Olstead (born June 18, 1989) is an American actress and singer. Active since childhood as an actress, she is best known for her roles on the CBS sitcom Still Standing and on the ABC Family drama The Secret Life of the American Teenager as Madison Cooperstein. In addition, she has recorded four studio albums, primarily of jazz music.
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Early life
Olstead was born in Kingwood, Texas, to Christopher Eric Olstead and Rebecca Lynn Jeffries. Olstead is of Norwegian ancestry. She also attended Centre Stage theatrical school and is mentioned on their website's list of alumni.
Career
As a child actress, she made films and commercials from age eight onwards. From 2002 to 2006, she appeared in the TV sitcom Still Standing as middle sister Lauren Miller. Olstead was presented with the Young Artist Award for Best Performance in a TV Series (Comedy) - Supporting Young Actress for Still Standing in 2002. She also had a small part in the 2004 film 13 Going on 30. She co-starred in the ABC Family series The Secret Life of the American Teenager.
In 2004, Olstead released a self-titled album of jazz songs and pop standards for Warner Bros. Records to good reviews. Since her previous releases had limited distribution, this album was considered her official debut. She subsequently performed in Berlin during the Live 8 concert on July 2, 2005.
Olstead also recorded with trumpeter Chris Botti on his 2005 album To Love Again: The Duets and appeared on the 2006 DVD Chris Botti Live with Orchestra and Special Guests. Her singing style is influenced by such great jazz vocalists as Ella Fitzgerald and Sarah Vaughan. Reportedly, her musical talent was discovered by composer David Foster, who produced her 2004 album. She later performed with him on The Oprah Winfrey Show.
A follow-up album entitled Skylark, also produced by Foster, was originally announced for release in 2005, but it was subsequently pushed back several times, with release dates in the summer of 2006 and early 2007 being mentioned on online retailers such as Amazon.com. It was then scheduled for a June 2008 release, but was delayed once again. It was finally released on January 27, 2009, nearly four years after it was originally announced.
Olstead most recently starred as Kaitlan in the 2013 supernatural thriller The Midnight Game and as Jess Felton in the 2014 technology-themed thriller film Unfriended.
Since April 12, 2023 she is a licensed associate marriage and family therapist.
Personal life
Renee was married to pianist Tommy King, and legally took his last name. The two divorced in 2020. As Renee King, she was crowned Ms. West Coast at the Miss West Coast pageant in 2016.
Olstead is a vegan. She appeared in a PETA ad, Fish Are Friends Not Food, urging her fans to become vegan themselves. In 2012, Olstead joined PETA's campaign to free the elephant Mali from captivity at the Manila Zoological and Botanical Garden, where she has been alone for the last three decades.
Discography
List of studio albums, with selected chart positions
| Title | Album details | Peak chart positions | Certifications | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US
Country |
US | |||
| Stone Country |
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— | — | |
| Renee Olstead |
|
— | — | |
| Skylark | — | — | ||
| Without You [EP] |
|
— | — | |
| "—" denotes releases that did not chart or were not released to that country | ||||
Singles
| Year | Title | Peak chart positions | Certifications | Album | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US
Country |
US | US AC | US
Adult |
||||
| 2000 | "Unleashed" | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2004 | "What a Wonderful World" | — | — | — | — | Renee Olstead | |
| "Summertime" | — | — | — | — | Skylark | ||
| 2009 | "Midnight Man" | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2012 | "She's Got Your Name" | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2013 | "You're Mine" | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2013 | "Sleepwalk" | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2017 | "Help Me Make It Through the Night" | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2018 | "Trying to Win Your Love" | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2018 | "I Fall to Pieces" | — | — | — | — | ||
| "—" denotes releases that did not chart or were not released to that country | |||||||
Other charted songs
| Year | Title | Peak chart position | Album | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US | US AC | US
Adult |
|||
| 2004 | "Breaking Up Is Hard to Do" | — | — | — | Renee Olstead |
| "Sunday Kind of Love" ft. Chris Botti | — | — | — | ||
| "Is You Is or Is You Ain't My Baby" | — | — | — | ||
| "Meet Me, Midnight" | — | — | — | ||
| "A Love That Will Last" | — | — | — | ||
| 2009 | "Lover Man" | — | — | — | Skylark |
| "Ain't We Got Fun" | — | — | — | ||
| "You've Changed" | — | — | — | ||
| "Stars Fell on Alabama" | — | — | — | ||
| "Nothing But the Blame" | — | — | — | ||
| "Midnight Man" | — | — | — | ||
| "Midnight in Austin Texas" | — | — | — | ||
| "Hold Me Now" | — | — | — | ||
| "Thanks for the Boogie Ride" | — | — | — | ||
| ? | "Through the Fire" | — | — | — | |
| "—" denotes releases that did not chart or were not released to that country | |||||
Filmography
Film
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1996 | Cadillac Ranch | Mary Katherine (young) | film debut shared role with Renee Humphrey |
| 1997 | The Usher | Little Girl | Short film |
| 1999 | The Insider | Deborah Wigand | |
| 1999 | End of Days | Amy | credited as Rebecca Renee Olstead |
| 2000 | Space Cowboys | Little Girl | |
| 2003 | Scorched | Girl Scout | |
| 2004 | 13 Going on 30 | Becky | |
| 2012 | The Monogamy Experiment | Renee Ramrock | |
| 2013 | The Midnight Game | Kaitlan | |
| 2014 | Unfriended | Jess Felton | |
| 2014 | The Monogamy Experiment Short | unknown | Short film |
| 2015 | The Murder Pact | Annabel | |
| 2017 | Feral | Brienne | |
| 2018 | Bachelor Lions | Evelyn Ross |
Television
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1995 | Streets of Laredo | Marci Fant | television debut Television Miniseries Episode: #1.3" |
| 1995 | Deadly Family Secrets | Emily Pick | Television Movie |
| 1996 | Santa, NASA & the Man in the Moon | Herself | Television Movie |
| 1996 | Ceftin Wiz Kids | Katie | Television Movie |
| 1997 | Out There | Megan Tollman | Television Movie |
| 1998 | Touched by an Angel | Bits | Episode: "Doodlebugs" |
| 1998 | Reunited | Ami Beck | series regular; 5 episodes |
| 1999 | Chicken Soup for the Soul | Lauren | Episode: "Where's My Kiss, Then?" |
| 1999 | Providence | Little Girl | Episode: "Home for the Holidays" |
| 2000 | The Wonderful World of Disney | Featured | Episode: "Geppetto" |
| 2002 | My Guide to Becoming a Rock Star | Selma | Episode: "Fame" |
| 2002 | She Spies | Amy Divornak | Episode: "Poster Girl" |
| 2002-2006 | Still Standing | Lauren Miller | Main role Young Artist Award for Best Performance in a TV Series (Comedy) Supporting Young Actress (2006) Nominated - Young Artist Award for Best Performance in a TV Series (Comedy or Drama) - Leading Young Actress (2003) |
| 2003 | Fillmore! | Lucille (voice role) | Episode: "South of Friendship, North of Honor" |
| 2007 | Super Sweet 16: The Movie | Sky Storm | Television Movie |
| 2007 | Point of Entry | Melinda | Television Movie |
| 2008-2013 | The Secret Life of the American Teenager | Madison Cooperstein | Main role |
| 2011 | The Bling Ring | April | Television Movie |
| 2016 | Grip and Electric | Krystyn | Main Role |
| 2016 | Cozmo's | Kallie | Television Movie |
| TBA | Work Mom | Heather | Television Movie |
See also
In Spanish: Renee Olstead para niños
