Lili Simmons (born July 23, 1993^[1]) is an American actress and model known for her role as Rebecca Bowman on the Cinemax series Banshee (2013–16).

Early life[edit]

This section needs expansion. You can help by adding to it. (May 2015)

Simmons was born and raised in Cardiff-by-the-Sea in San Diego County, California.^[2][3] At age 15, Simmons was discovered by talent manager, Kate Linden.

Career[edit]

Simmons began her career as a Ford Model,^[4] also modelling for Bebe Stores and Roxy and appearing in commercials and print ads for companies like J.C. Penney and Saturn.^[5]

She moved into acting in 2010 on the web series Hollywood Is Like High School with Money, based on the book of the same name, playing Quinn Whitaker.^[6][7] She also appeared in an episode of the Disney XD sitcom Zeke and Luther and then in the 2011 Disney Channel Original Movie Geek Charming. Also that year, she had a small role in an episode of the sitcom Mr. Sunshine.

In 2012, Simmons starred in the film Fat Kid Rules the World, and guest starred in an episode of Jane by Design. In 2013, she appeared in an episode of Vegas and began playing Rebecca Bowman, a rebellious Amish girl on the Cinemax series Banshee.^[8] She originally auditioned for the role of Deva Hopewell, but: “They said, ‘She’s too old or too sexy’ or whatever”. While in Philadelphia for her grandmother’s funeral, the producers asked her to go back to New York to read for Rebecca, after which she won the role.^[9] In March that year, she appeared in a pictorial in Maxim magazine.^[10]

In 2014, Simmons began recurring roles on Hawaii Five-0, and the HBO series True Detective.^[11] In April 2016 she was cast in a recurring role in another HBO series, Westworld.^[12] In February 2017 Simmons was cast in a season-long arc on the fifth season of the Showtime drama series Ray Donovan playing Natalie James, “the star of a big movie franchise”.^[13]

Filmography[edit]