Before she gained major international recognition as a recurring cast member on NBC’s This Is Us, Rachel Hilson already proved her mettle as a television star. The American actress got her breakout role in 2010, playing Nisa Dalmar on The Good Wife. Hilson followed it up with notable TV roles on shows such as Madam Secretary, The Americans, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, and Rise. The This Is Us star has also bagged a few notable film roles, including Nora in the 2023 romcom Red, White & Royal Blue.
Rachel Hilson has been on an interesting journey since she joined the entertainment industry as a child performer. As early as age 3, she discovered her passion for dance and it stuck. Though she nurtured other dreams of pursuing different career paths as a surgeon or an astronaut and more, Hilson’s passion for entertainment was too strong to ignore. Her evolving artistry went from dancing in Nutcrackers and camps to bagging roles on the screen. Since her acclaimed appearance on This Is Us, Hilson has been busy on the small and big screens, churning out stellar performances with more in the works.
Rachel Hilson Got Her Breakthrough On Her Debut Screen Role
Born in Baltimore, Maryland, Rachel Hilson began dancing at age three and was discovered by an agent who introduced her to acting at 12. She attended the Baltimore School for the Arts (BSA) and the New York University’s Gallatin School of Individualized Study to sharpen her skills. After attending several auditions in New York, Hilson landed a recurring role on The Good Wife as Nisa Dalmar. While it was her first screen role, Hilson became the breakout star on the show, which was headlined by Julianna Margulies and Josh Charles.
Her career slowed down after The Good Wife with minor appearances on several primetime TV shows. During this time, she guest-starred on Royal Pains, Nurse Jackie, Madam Secretary, The Americans, and Law & Order: Special Victims Unit. Rachel Hilson landed her next recurring role in 2018, portraying Harmony Curtis on 10 episodes of Rise. Hilson returned to appearing as an episodic guest star on other series such as First Wives Club and Fosse/Verdon. However, she soon landed another big role in 2019 when she joined the cast of This Is Us.
Rachel Hilson Played the Younger Version of Susan Kelechi Watson’s Character on This Is Us
In This Is Us season 4, Hilson recurred as the teenage version of Beth Clarke. The adult version of her character (played by Susan Kelechi Watson) is the wife of Randall Pearson (Sterling K. Brown) and the mother of Deja, Tess, and Annie. Akira Akbar played the character as a child. After joining the cast, Hilson binge-watched the series’ previous seasons to prepare herself for the task ahead. Ultimately, she played the role so well that one of the show’s producers recommended her for her next big project.
Her Career Has Seen Exponential Growth Since This Is Us
Rachel Hilson has made the most of the international prominence she gained as a cast member on This Is Us. In 2020, just a year after her appearance on This Is Us, Hilson booked her first series regular gig as Mia Brooks on Love, Victor television series. She took over the role from Johnny Sequoyah following a recast based on expanding the character’s creative direction. She previously auditioned for the role of Abby in the 2018 film Love, Simon but it went to Alexandra Shipp.
She also appeared in one episode of High Maintenance as Hailey in 2020. In 2021, Hilson joined the main cast for the 10th season of FX’s anthology series American Horror Story: Double Feature. She bagged her next main role in 2022, portraying Cindy Day on HBO’s Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty. Hilson plays Nina in the upcoming crime thriller television series Duster.
While she has achieved more success on the small screen, Rachel Hilson is building a robust repertoire on the big screen. Her film debut was in the 2013 Cass as the title character. Hilson appeared in the independent film Kings in 2017 as Nicole Patterson. She is popularly known for her portrayal of Nora Holleran in the American romcom Red, White and Royal Blue (2023) alongside Taylor Zakhar Perez (Alex) and Nicholas Galitzine (Henry). Hilson has garnered critical praise for her evolving artistry which promises several new chapters. Match your zodiac sign with This Is Us characters.
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