BERLIN – FEBRUARY 08: Actress Sophie Nyweide attends the press conference for ‘Mammoth’ as part of … More
Sophie Nyweide, who as a child star was featured in the films Mammoth, Noah and Bella, among others, died on April 14, 2025 in Manchester, Vermont. She was 24. The cause of death was not confirmed, but an obituary written by her family alludes to the “struggles and traumas” Nyweide endured in her life.
“Sophie was a kind and trusting girl,” wrote her family. “Often this left her open to being taken advantage of by others. She wrote and drew voraciously, and much of this art depicts the depth she had, and it also represents the pain she suffered. Many of her writings and artwork are roadmaps of her struggles and traumas. Even with those roadmaps, diagnoses and her own revelations, those closest to her, plus therapists, law enforcement officers and others who tried to help her, are heartbroken their efforts couldn’t save her from her fate.”
“She self-medicated to deal with all the trauma and shame she held inside, and it resulted in her death,” the family continued. “She repeatedly said she would ‘handle it’ on her own and was compelled to reject the treatment that might possibly have saved her life.”
Born on July 8, 2000 in Burlington, Vermont, Sophie Nyweide debuted at age six in the 2006 drama Bella. From there she guest-starred in an episode of Law & Order, followed by roles in the films And Then Came Love, Margot at the Wedding and New York Serenade, all in 2007. Two years later she appeared in Mammoth in 2009, and her other film roles included Shadows & Lies and An Invisible Sign in 2010, and Noah in 2014.
(From L ) Jan Nicdao, Martin Delos Santos, Mexican actor Gael Garcia Bernal, actress Sophie Nyweide … More
Her final onscreen appearance according to her IMDb page was in a 2015 episode of the hidden camera series What Would You Do?
Nyweide “seemed happiest on a movie set, becoming someone else,” her family wrote. “It was a safe place for her…the casts and crews nourished her talent and her well-being. She was an eager adventurer and picked up the customs and even languages of any place she visited. She made friends easily at her schools and saw the good in everyone.”
“Sophie. A life ended too soon. May it not be in vain. May we all learn from her brief life on earth and do better,” it continued. “Yes, we must all protect our children and do better.”
In lieu of gifts, the family asks people to donate to RAINN in Nyweide’s name.
