Jessica Lee Rose

Jessica Lee Rose (born April 26, 1987) is an American-New Zealander actress who first gained popularity after playing the role of lonelygirl15, a fictional teenage homeschooled character named Bree who appeared in YouTube video blogs, beginning in June 2006.[1] In September 2006, the Los Angeles Times outed the character, destroying any mystery surrounding the possible fictionality of lonelygirl15, which thrust Rose into the mainstream spotlight while also increasing the viewership of the series. In 2007, Rose won a Webby for this role.

Jessica Lee Rose
Rose at the 1st Streamy Awards (March 2009)
Born (1987-04-26) April 26, 1987
Salisbury, Maryland, U.S.
OccupationActress
Years active2006–present
Spouse
​
(m. 2017)​
Children1

After leaving lonelygirl15 in August 2007, Rose played "Jen K." on ABC Family's Greek. She went on to appear in various movies, such as Perfect Sport and SyFy's Ghost Town, and other web series, such as Hooking Up and Sorority Forever. She signed on to do the independent movie Look at Me with her Lonelygirl15 co-star Yousef Abu Taleb in March 2010.

Early life

Rose was born in Salisbury, Maryland, and moved to Mount Maunganui, Bay of Plenty, New Zealand when she was eight.[1] She attended Mount Maunganui College in 2000–2003 for part of her secondary school education. Afterward she attended an acting class at Studio 111 in Auckland.[2] In January 2004, she moved to Auckland to study at the Academy of Film and Television Make Up.[3]

During the course of her studies, Rose's film career included doing make-up and costume work on a New Zealand short film titled Us,[4] as well as doing extras' make-up on the set of Peter Jackson's King Kong.[5] She played a leading role in a short film titled Dearly Beloved[6] and played a supporting role in the short film Unleash the Fury.[7]

After Rose's parents separated, she returned to Salisbury in May 2005[1], right after her 18th birthday, to live with her father. She then enrolled in the New York Film Academy (NYFA) at Universal Studios in Universal City, California.[6] In her search for acting jobs, she found a listing for an independent film project, titled The Children of Anchor Cove, on Craigslist.[1] She auditioned for the lead part and was offered the role of Bree. Rose signed a non-disclosure agreement and was told that the project would consist of a series of videos released to the World Wide Web over the Internet.[1] The idea concerned her at first, as she was afraid the project was pornography,[8] but she was convinced otherwise and agreed to partake. Although initially unpaid, as lonelygirl15 grew popular, she and co-star Yousef Abu-Taleb received salaries.[8]

YouTube fame
Main article: lonelygirl15
Screen capture of Rose playing Bree from lonelygirl15

The lonelygirl15 video blogs, which first appeared in mid-2006, featured Rose as a 16-year-old girl named Bree posting under the alias lonelygirl15. The videos, which seemed genuine and presented lonelygirl15 as an actual person, initially dealt with typical teenage angst issues but soon after introduced a bizarre narrative surrounding secret occult practices within her family. The series was an immediate hit and became the most subscribed channel on YouTube[9] but suspicions arose as to whether the videos were genuine or some sort of a promotional gimmick.[10]

An investigation by the Los Angeles Times would reveal, in September 2006, that the lonelygirl15 videos were a work of fiction.[11] A firestorm ensued in the news media through September 2006, during which Rose and the creators of lonelygirl15 gained international attention and were interviewed by various magazines and television shows.[2] In October 2006, the United Nations chose Rose, via her character Bree, to participate in an ad campaign to promote the UN's antipoverty cause.[12]

In August 2007, Rose landed a role on Greek as "Jen K.", Rusty Cartwright's girlfriend.[13] On the show, her character referenced the actress's breakout role stating "It's like I'm living with lonelygirl15!"[14] "Weeping Willow", a November 2006 episode of Law & Order: Criminal Intent, was inspired by the lonelygirl15 videos.[15]

On June 16, 2016, on the tenth anniversary of the series debut, Lonelygirl15 reappeared. The video has Bree reassuring an unnamed 15-year-old subject about being selected, as Bree had been.[16][17][18]

Post-YouTube career

After her departure from lonelygirl15, Rose was signed by United Talent Agency[1] and was cast in the ABC Family series Greek in the role of "Jen K", and in the 2007 Chris Sivertson film I Know Who Killed Me, which starred Lindsay Lohan.[19] She then played "Tina", an aspiring wrestler,[20] in the award-winning sports drama Perfect Sport.[21] In January 2009, Rose appeared in the music video for The White Tie Affair's song "Candle (Sick and Tired)",[22] and that October she appeared in the Syfy television movie, Ghost Town.[23]

On April 4, 2008, it was announced that she would star in a web television series called Blood Cell,[24] about "a young woman [who] must race against the clock to stop a sadistic madman after receiving a disturbing late-night phone call from a friend in danger."[25] The series was released in October 2009 through theWB.com to little media fanfare.[26] She also starred in another web series called Sorority Forever from Big Fantastic. The series followed three incoming freshman in "the hottest sorority on campus" with some Gossip Girl and Veronica Mars elements to it.[27] Additionally, she appeared in Hooking Up, a 10 episode web series from HBO featuring other recognized faces from the web including video bloggers sxePhil and KevJumba.[28]

In November 2008, Rose teamed up with friend and fellow Sorority Forever star Taryn Southern to form a web production company called Webutantes, to potentially produce female-driven comedy web series.[29] The two presented together at the 2009 Streamy Awards.[30]

In 2009, Rose appeared in the web series Poor Paul, which is produced by former lonelygirl15 co-star Yousef Abu-Taleb,[31] and the second season of the web series The Crew.[32]

Aside from acting, she is an Anaheim Ducks fan and periodically blogs for NHL.com.[33]

Rose reappeared as Bree on Lonelygirl15 in June 2016.[16][17][18]

Personal life

In March 2016, Rose became engaged to her partner and fellow actor Tim Phillipps.[34] They married at the Royal Melbourne Yacht Squadron in early 2017.[35] She gave birth to their first child, a son, in September 2019.[36]

Filmography
Film
Year Title Role Notes
2007 I Know Who Killed Me Marcia
2008 Perfect Sport Tina
2009 Ghost Town Chloe TV film
2011 ElfQuest: A Fan Imagining Aroree Short film
2013 Look at Me Elizabeth
2013 Casting Couch Alex
Television
Year Title Role Notes
2007–2008, 2011 Greek Jen K. 11 episodes
2008 Casanovas Jess "The Strip Tease" (season 1: episode 13)
2008 Blood Cell Julia 9 episodes
2008 Hooking Up Meg Henley 10 episodes
2009, 2011 Poor Paul Beatrice 8 episodes
2009 The Crew Map "A Pirate's Life" (season 2: episode 3)
"Mis-Guided" (season 2: episode 4)
2010 BlackBoxTV Julia Anderson "Cats Got Your Tongue?" (season 1: episode 7)
2010–2011 The Temp Life Tammy Roeder "The Other Roeder" (season 5: episode 3)
"The Counselor's Counselor" (season 5: episode 4)
"The Hungover" (season 5: episode 5)
2012 Chronicles of a Man Child Dana "For the Bible Told Me So" (season 1: episode 1)

Web
Year Title Role Notes
2006–2007, 2016 Lonelygirl15 Bree Avery 150 episodes
2006 Opaphid Bree Avery (voice) "Everyone Hates Cassie: What a Poor, Lonely Girl." (season 1: episode 8)
2008 Sorority Forever Julie Gold 40 episodes
2010 The Webventures of Justin & Alden Vampira Episode: "Back to the Present"

Awards and recognitions
  • Streamy Awards
    • Nominated: Best Female Actor in a Dramatic Web Series (2009), Sorority Forever[37]
  • VH1
    • Won: "Big Web Hit of 2006" (December 2006)[5]
    • Won: Fourth biggest web star in their list of "40 Biggest Internet Celebrities." (March 2007)[38]
  • Webby Awards
    • Won: Best Actress (2007), lonelygirl15
  • Additional recognitions
    • Won: Forbes magazine, Number One Web Celeb (January 2007)[39]
    • Listed: Jane Magazine, 30 Inspirational Women Under 30 (May 2007)[40]
    • Featured: Maxim, "Today's Girl on Maxim" (March 24, 2008)[41]
    • Listed: VideoSurf, The Five Hottest Stars of Web Series (November 20, 2009)[42]

References
  1. Gentile, Gary (September 14, 2006). "Sudden Fame Amazes 'Lonelygirl15' Star". The Washington Post. Associated Press. Retrieved March 27, 2008.
  2. Atkinson, Kent (September 13, 2006). "Lonelygirl15 revealed as 19-year-old NZ actress". The New Zealand Herald. Archived from the original on September 29, 2007. Retrieved March 27, 2008.
  3. "TVNZ LAUNCHES ?SORORITY FOREVER,? A NEW ORIGINAL DIGITAL SERIES AVAILABLE EXCLUSIVELY ONLINE, FROM". TVNZ. Retrieved September 12, 2009.
  4. Borama, Jennifer (December 12, 2019). "10 Things You Didn't Know About Jessica Lee Rose". TVOvermind. Retrieved February 1, 2021.
  5. Rowan, Juliet (February 24, 2007). "Fame game takes some getting used to for Lonelygirl". Retrieved September 12, 2009.
  6. Hutcheon, Stephen (September 13, 2006). "Lonelygirl: a Rose by any other name". The Sydney Morning Herald. p. 2. Retrieved September 13, 2006.
  7. Rose, Jessica Lee (Actor). Unleash The Fury (YouTube video) (Short film). New Zealand: Obstruction Productions. Retrieved September 12, 2009.
  8. Davis, Joshua (December 2006). "The Secret World of Lonelygirl". Wired Magazine. Retrieved September 12, 2009.
  9. Gannes, Liz (January 24, 2007). "Carmen Electra in Lonelygirl15's Bedroom". NewTeeVee. Archived from the original on August 17, 2009. Retrieved November 3, 2009.
  10. Sternbergh, Adam (August 20, 2006). "Hey There, Lonelygirl". New York Magazine. Retrieved November 3, 2009.
  11. Rushfield, Richard and Claire Hoffman (September 13, 2006). "Lonelygirl15 Video Blog Is Brainchild of 3 Filmmakers". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved November 3, 2009.
  12. Vranica, Suzanne (October 9, 2006). "U.N. Enlists Internet Star for Antipoverty Pitch". The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved March 27, 2008.
  13. Frankel, Daniel (October 4, 2007). "LonelyGirl15". Variety. Retrieved March 27, 2008.
  14. Rose, Jessica Lee (Actor) (September 3, 2007). Greek (Television production). ABC Family. Retrieved September 3, 2007. It's like living with lonelygirl15!
  15. Starr, Michael (November 24, 2006). "L&Onely Girl: Abducted web mystery gal". New York Post. Archived from the original on March 15, 2008. Retrieved September 8, 2008.
  16. "lonelygirl15". YouTube. Retrieved June 20, 2016.
  17. lonelygirl15 (June 16, 2016), Whatever Happened To lonelygirl15?, archived from the original on December 18, 2021, retrieved June 20, 2016
  18. "Today in History". June 16, 2016. Archived from the original on September 10, 2016. Today in History ... Thursday, June 16, the 168th day of 2016 ... Ten years ago: ... "Lonelygirl15," a fictitious video blogger played by actress Jessica Lee Rose, made her online debut.
  19. "Lonelygirl15 Co-Stars With Lohan in I Know Who Killed Me". February 16, 2007. Archived from the original on September 21, 2009. Retrieved September 12, 2009.
  20. "Jessica Rose, aka lonelygirl15, wants to wrestle boys". LA Times Blog. April 10, 2008. Retrieved September 12, 2009.
  21. "Award Winning Independent Film, Perfect Sport, is Released on DVD". PR.com. May 20, 2009. Retrieved September 12, 2009.
  22. "The White Tie Affair – Candle (Sick And Tired)". The Worm. Archived from the original on February 18, 2009. Retrieved September 12, 2009.
  23. "Saturday's TV Highlights: 'Always and Forever' on Hallmark". Los Angeles Times. October 23, 2009. Retrieved October 29, 2009.
  24. "NZ's Lonelygirl15 takes another crack at web stardom". Stuff.co.nz. Archived from the original on April 8, 2008. Retrieved April 12, 2008.
  25. Moore,Debi (March 12, 2009). "Blood Cell Web Series Will Star LonelyGirl15". DreadCentral.com. Retrieved September 12, 2009.
  26. Hustvedt, Marc (October 29, 2009). "'Blood Cell' Quietly Rings TheWB.com". Tubefilter. Archived from the original on October 31, 2009. Retrieved October 29, 2009.
  27. Perera, Iman (September 15, 2008). "Sorority Forever: Lonelygirl15's New Web Series". Retrieved September 12, 2009.
  28. Shea, Danny (September 8, 2008). "HBO Launches Web Series "Hooking Up" Starring Lonelygirl15". The Huffington Post. Retrieved November 2, 2009.
  29. Hustvedt, Marc (November 18, 2008). "Jessica Rose and Taryn Southern Team Up As 'Webutantes'". Tubefilter.tv. Archived from the original on December 11, 2008. Retrieved September 12, 2009.
  30. "1st Annual Streamy Awards". Getty Images. March 28, 2009. Retrieved September 12, 2009.
  31. Hustvedt, Marc (September 1, 2009). "Jessica Rose Joins 'Poor Paul' Cast". Archived from the original on September 6, 2009. Retrieved September 20, 2009.
  32. Hustvedt, Marc (October 7, 2009). "'The Crew' Gets Babelgum On Board For Season 2". Tubefilter. Archived from the original on October 11, 2009. Retrieved October 29, 2009.
  33. Rose, Jessica. "Celeb Blogger Profile: Jessica Rose". NHL.com. Retrieved September 12, 2009.
  34. "Neighbours star Tim Phillipps engaged". TV Week. March 7, 2016. Retrieved June 10, 2016.
  35. Simich, Ricardo (April 8, 2017). "The McCaws in Melbourne for celeb wedding". The New Zealand Herald. Retrieved June 28, 2017.
  36. West, Amy (September 30, 2019). "Former Neighbours star Tim Phillipps welcomes first child with wife Jessica". Digital Spy. Retrieved June 13, 2020.
  37. "The Official Streamy Awards Nominees". The Streamy Awards. Archived from the original on August 5, 2009. Retrieved September 12, 2009.
  38. "40 GREATEST INTERNET SUPERSTARS #1 – #40". VH1. Archived from the original on April 6, 2007. Retrieved September 12, 2009.
  39. Ewalt, David M. (January 23, 2007). "The Web Celeb 25". Forbes. Retrieved September 12, 2009.
  40. "30 Inspirational Women Under 30". Jane Magazine. May 2007.
  41. "Jessica Rose is Today's Girl on Maxim". MaximOnline.com. Archived from the original on April 27, 2009. Retrieved March 29, 2008.
  42. Koenig, Jeff (November 20, 2009). "The Five Hottest Stars of Web Series". VideoSurf Blog. Archived from the original on November 27, 2009. Retrieved November 24, 2009.
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