Alexa Nikolas
{{Short description|American actress (born 1992)}}
{{BLP sources|date=August 2019}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2017}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Alexa Nikolas
| image =
| alt =
| caption =
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1992|4|4}}
| birth_place =
| occupation = {{hlist|Actress (formerly)|YouTuber|activist}}
| yearsactive = 1999–2013 (actress)
| spouse = {{Plainlist|
- {{marriage|Mike Milosh|February 22, 2012|August 31, 2016|reason=divorced}}
- {{marriage|Michael Gray|July 26, 2021}}
}}
| children = 2
| website =
}}
Alexa Nikolas (born April 4, 1992{{cite web |url=http://www.hollywood.com/celebrities/alexa-nikolas-57765516/ |title=Alexa Nikolas |website=Hollywood.com |access-date=January 10, 2017 |archive-date=January 13, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170113072031/http://www.hollywood.com/celebrities/alexa-nikolas-57765516/ |url-status=dead }}) is an American activist, YouTuber and former actress. Nikolas began acting as a child and is best known for her role as Nicole Bristow on the Nickelodeon television series Zoey 101. She also appeared on various other television series, including That's Life, Hidden Hills, Revelations, and The Walking Dead.
Since her retirement from acting, she has founded Eat Predators, a movement that seeks to end predatory behavior in the entertainment industry.{{Cite web |last=Shafer |first=Ellise |date=2022-08-26 |title=Who Is Alexa Nikolas, What Is Eat Predators and Why Does It Target Music Companies? |url=https://variety.com/2022/music/news/alexa-nikolas-zoey-101-eat-predators-music-industry-activists-1235345365/ |access-date=2024-03-28 |website=Variety}}
Career
In 2004, at age 12, Nikolas was cast as Nicole Bristow on Zoey 101, alongside Jamie Lynn Spears. In 2006, following the conclusion of the second season, Nikolas exited the series, following numerous fights and incidents with Spears, who claimed she was making up lies about her and suspected she was trying to take over her role on the series.{{cite book |last=Spears |first=Jamie Lynn |author-link= |date=January 2022 |title= Things I Should Have Said |location= |publisher=Hachette Book Group, Inc |pages=39–41 |isbn=978-1-5460-0100-3}}{{cite news |url=https://www.looper.com/649241/what-happened-to-nicole-on-zoey-101/ |title=What Happened To Nicole On Zoey 101? |first=Jason |last=Connolly |date=25 January 2023 |access-date=26 November 2023 |work=Looper.com}} In August 2005, it was reported that Britney Spears confronted Nikolas about the feud.{{cite web |author= |url=https://www.denverpost.com/2005/08/29/people-dont-mess-with-spears-little-sister/ |title=People: Don't mess with Spears' little sister |work=Denver Post |date=August 29, 2005 |access-date=June 10, 2020}} She later alleged Nickelodeon failed to protect her from abuse, saying she "did not feel safe" around the show's creator, Dan Schneider.{{Cite web |first=William |last=Hughes |title=Zoey 101 star Alexa Nikolas said she "did not feel safe" around creator Dan Schneider |url=https://www.avclub.com/zoey-101-alexa-nikolas-dan-schneider-did-not-feel-safe-1849464251/amp |date=August 26, 2022 |access-date=August 29, 2022 |website=The A.V. Club}}{{Cite web |date=2022-08-26 |title=At Burbank protest, former Nickelodeon star says network's child actors 'were not safe' |url=https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/story/2022-08-25/nickelodeon-protest-dan-schneider-alexa-nikolas |access-date=2022-08-30 |website=Los Angeles Times}}
In addition, Nikolas appeared on Hidden Hills regularly and also on the 2005 series Revelations. Following her departure from Zoey 101, Nikolas guest starred on various other television series, most notably The Suite Life of Zack & Cody, Judging Amy, ER, Without a Trace, Criminal Minds, and Heroes with actress Laura Marano who played young Alice Shaw the sister of Nikolas' character, Angela.
In 2011, she appeared in the film Red State as Jesse, and that same year, she appeared on Family Guy as additional voices. Nikolas appeared in three episodes of the television series The Walking Dead – her character, Haley, was introduced in November 2012, before being killed off in February 2013. In 2012, Nikolas starred as Willow in the comedy-horror film Detention of the Dead.{{cite web |author=MGDSQUAN |url=https://www.horrorsociety.com/2013/06/06/review-detention-of-the-dead/ |title=Review: Detention of The Dead |work=Horror Society |date=June 6, 2013 |access-date=July 20, 2017 |quote=And there is not one likable character in the entire movie, except for "Willow" played by Alexa Nikolas.}}
Personal life
Nikolas was born in Chicago, Illinois, in 1992. She is of Greek descent. Nikolas moved to Los Angeles when she was 6 years old to pursue an acting career.{{cite AV media|URL=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=euhI8Kiwj64|series=TMZ Verified|title=Zoey 101 Star Alexa Nikolas Talks Scandals & Life After Nickelodeon|people=Young, Wyld; Williams; Steph; Nikolas, Alexa|date=2022-09-22}} Note: See 0:20-2:50{{Cite AV media|URL=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WYgm31kYY0E|series=Let’s Get Into It|title=Alexa Nikolas EXPOSES Her Abusive GROOMER and TOXIC Career in Hollywood|people=Hooks, Sloan; Nikolas, Alexa|date=2023-04-11}} note: see 12:40-13:30{{cite AV media|URL=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ogiApyf0_24|series=Real Pod with Victoria Garrick Browne|title=Alexa Nikolas: What Really Happened On Set Of Zoey 101|date=2022-10-28|people=Brown Garrick, Victoria; Nikolas, Alexa}} Note: see 0:25
She was married to Canadian electronic musician Mike Milosh from 2012 to 2016.{{Cite web|url=https://www.j-14.com/posts/zoey-101-star-alexa-nikolas-breaks-up-with-husband-112332/|title='Zoey 101' Star Alexa Nikolas Breaks Up With Husband|date=August 31, 2016|website=J-14|access-date=November 11, 2019}}{{Cite magazine|first=Christine|last=Werthman|url=https://www.billboard.com/articles/news/8097684/rhye-blood-milosh-interview|title=After a Divorce & Parting Ways With Founding Member, Rhye Leaves the Gloom Behind on 'Blood'|magazine=Billboard|date=February 1, 2018|access-date=November 11, 2019}}
Nikolas has accused Milosh of grooming her for a sexual relationship when she was 16 and he was 33, though states that they did not engage in sex until she turned 18.{{cite magazine|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/michael-milosh-rhye-alexa-nikolas-1142811/ |title=Rhye Accused of Sexual Abuse, Assault, Grooming by Ex-Wife |magazine=Rolling Stone|first=Claire|last=Shaffer|date=March 16, 2021|accessdate=March 17, 2021}} In August 2021, Nikolas sued Milosh on grounds of sexual battery, gender violence, intentional infliction of emotional distress, and a violation of California’s Tom Bane Civil Rights Act.{{Cite web|url=https://pitchfork.com/news/rhye-michael-milosh-sued-by-ex-wife-for-sexual-battery-gender-violence-and-more/|title=Rhye’s Michael Milosh Sued by Ex-Wife for Sexual Battery, Gender Violence, and More|date=August 25, 2021|website=Pitchfork|accessdate=February 16, 2024}} Milosh denied Nikolas’s claims and counter-sued, accusing Nikolas of fabricating abuse claims against him after he stopped paying her spousal support.{{Cite magazine|first=Ryan|last=Naumann|url=https://radaronline.com/p/zoey-101-alexa-nikolas-ex-husband-denies-accusations-lawsuit/ |title=Rhye's Michael Milosh Sues Ex-Wife's Attorneys Over 'Frivolous' Sexual Abuse Case|magazine=Billboard|date=March 16, 2022|access-date=December 12, 2023}} Nikolas dropped the lawsuit in May 2022.{{Cite magazine|first=Bill|last=Donahue|url=https://www.billboard.com/pro/rhye-michael-milosh-lawsuit-alexa-nikolas/ |title=Rhye's Michael Milosh Sues Ex-Wife's Attorneys Over 'Frivolous' Sexual Abuse Case|magazine=Billboard|date=September 2, 2022|access-date=December 12, 2023}} Milosh's lawsuit was stricken in February 2023.{{cite web |last1=Minsker |first1=Evan |title=Michael Milosh of Rhye’s Lawsuit Against Ex-Wife’s Attorneys Thrown Out |url=https://pitchfork.com/news/michael-milosh-rhye-lawsuit-against-ex-wife-attorneys-thrown-out/#:~:text=Nikolas%20sued%20Milosh%20in%202021,than%20%2410%20million%20in%20damages. |website=Pitchfork}}
Nikolas has been married to Michael Gray since 2021. The couple have two children.{{cite web|url=https://www.eonline.com/photos/30980/zoey-101-cast-then-and-now|title=Zoey 101 Cast, Then and Now|date=2020-10-27|work=E!}}{{cite web |title=Where Is ‘Zoey 101’ Alum Alexa Nikolas Today After Leaving Nickelodeon? The Actress Is an Advocate |url=https://www.intouchweekly.com/posts/where-is-zoey-101-alum-alexa-nikolas-today-her-life-now/ |website=intouchweekly.com |publisher=In Touch Weekly |date=28 July 2023}}
Activism
In 2022, Nikolas and her organization Eat Predators organized a protest against unsafe working conditions for children, and child predators being protected at Nickelodeon.{{cite web | first=Alexandra| last=Del Rosario |url=https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/story/2022-08-25/nickelodeon-protest-dan-schneider-alexa-nikolas | title=At Burbank protest, former Nickelodeon star says network's child actors 'were not safe' | website=Los Angeles Times | date=August 26, 2022 }}
Nikolas discusses her strategy as inviting pushback and criticism, saying, "If they want to silence me, it's the whole so-called Streisand Effect, where their usual relentless tactics to silence a survivor just makes it more public.”{{cite magazine|first=August |last=Brown|url=https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/music/story/2023-11-21/diddy-la-reid-neil-portnow-metoo-alexa-nikolas-eat-predators|title=The music industry is finally having its #MeToo moment|newspaper=LA Times|date=November 12, 2023|accessdate=December 19, 2023}}
On July 8, 2023, Nikolas accused actor Jonah Hill of forcibly kissing her at a party at actor Justin Long's house in 2008, when she was 16 and Hill was 24. Speaking through an attorney, Hill denied her accusations, while Long stated he did not know about the incident.{{cite magazine|first=Lester Fabian|last=Brathwaite|url=https://ew.com/celebrity/alexa-nikolas-accuses-jonah-hill-forcibly-kissing-her-when-she-was-16/|title=Zoey 101 star Alexa Nikolas accuses Jonah Hill of forcibly kissing her when she was 16|magazine=Entertainment Weekly|date=July 12, 2023|accessdate=July 12, 2023}}{{cite web|first=Elyse|last=Wanshel|url=https://www.huffpost.com/entry/zoey-101-alexa-nikolas-jonah-hill-assault_n_64ad86f4e4b03d308d979143|title='Zoey 101' Star Alexa Nikolas Says An Adult Jonah Hill Assaulted Her When She Was 16|website=Huffington Post|date=July 11, 2023|accessdate=July 12, 2023}}
In February 2024, it was announced that Nikolas would appear in the Investigation Discovery documentary Quiet on Set: The Dark Side of Kids TV.{{cite web|first=Brew|last=Caroline|url= https://variety.com/2024/tv/news/dark-side-of-kids-tv-trailer-dan-schneider-abusive-icarly-zoey-101-victorious-1235902389/amp/ |title= ‘Quiet on Set: The Dark Side of Kids TV’ Trailer: Docuseries Alleges ‘Abusive’ Work Conditions on ‘iCarly,’ ‘Zoey 101’ and ‘Victorious’ |website=Variety|date=February 8, 2024 | accessdate=February 14, 2024}}
Filmography
| class="wikitable sortable"
|+ Film roles | |||
| scope="col" | Year
! scope="col" | Title ! scope="col" | Role ! scope="col" class="unsortable" | Notes | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| 2001 | Zoolander | Story Hour Girl | |
| 2002 | Ted Bundy | "I'm Ted" Kid | |
| 2003 | Tiptoes | Susan Barry | |
| 2004 | Motocross Kids | Katie | |
| 2009 | Children of the Corn | Ruth | |
| 2011 | Red State | Jesse | |
| 2012 | Detention of the Dead | Willow | {{cite web |title=Review: 'Detention of the Dead' is held captive by cliches and idiocy |url=https://www.baltimoresun.com/la-et-mn-detention-dead-review-20130628-story.html |website=baltimoresun.com}} |
| class="wikitable sortable"
|+ Television roles | |||
| scope="col" | Year
! scope="col" | Title ! scope="col" | Role ! scope="col" class="unsortable" | Notes | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| 1999 | Love Boat: The Next Wave | Little Girl #1 | Episode: "Trances of a Lifetime" |
| 2000–2002 | That's Life | Young Lydia | 4 episodes |
| 2001 | Charmed | Little Girl | Episode: "We All Scream for Ice Cream" |
| 2001 | The King of Queens | Young Carrie | Episode: "Veiled Threat" |
| 2002 | Even Stevens | Young Ren | Episode: "Band on the Roof" |
| 2002–2003 | Hidden Hills | Emily Barber | Main role |
| 2004 | Without a Trace | Emily Levine | Episode: "Wannabe" |
| 2005–2006 | Zoey 101 | Nicole Bristow | Main role (seasons 1–2) |
| 2005 | ER | Megan Nesbitt | Episode: "You Are Here" |
| 2005 | Judging Amy | Shelly Cecil | Episode: "Happy Borthday" |
| 2005 | Revelations | Lucinda "Lucy" Massey | Main role |
| 2005 | All That: 10th Anniversary Reunion Special | Herself | Television special |
| 2007 | Cold Case | Madison Reed | Episode: "8:03 AM" |
| 2007 | The Suite Life of Zack & Cody | Tiffany Dublecini | Episodes: "Miniature Golf", "Who's the Boss?" |
| 2008 | CSI: Miami | Mallary Harding | Episode: "To Kill a Predator" |
| 2008 | Ghost Whisperer | Caitlin Mahoney | Episode: "Threshold" |
| 2009 | Supernatural | Kate Carter | Episode: "Family Remains" |
| 2009 | Heroes | Young Angela Shaw | Episode: "1961" |
| 2009 | Drop Dead Diva | Hannah Porter | Episode: "The Magic Bullet" |
| 2009 | Raising the Bar | Caitlin | Episode: "Maybe, Baby" |
| 2010 | Criminal Minds | Jane McBride | Episode: "The Fight" |
| 2011 | Lie to Me | Amanda Dobar | Episode: "Funhouse" |
| 2011 | Family Guy | Voice: Crying Teen Girl | Episode: "Brothers & Sisters" |
| 2012–2013 | The Walking Dead | Haley | Episodes: "Hounded", "Made to Suffer" and "The Suicide King" |
| 2013 | Mad Men | Wendy | Episode: "The Crash" |
| 2024 | Quiet on Set: The Dark Side of Kids TV | Herself | Documentary series; Episode: "Too Close to the Sun" |
Awards and nominations
| class=wikitable
!Year !Award !Category !Work !Result !Refs |
| 2005
|Best Performance in a Feature Film — Young Ensemble Cast (shared with Motocross Kids cast) |Motocross Kids |{{Nom}} |
| 2006
|Best Young Ensemble Performance in a TV Series (shared with Zoey 101 cast) |{{won}} |
| 2007
|Best Young Ensemble Performance in a TV Series (shared with Zoey 101 cast) |Zoey 101 |{{won}} |
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- {{IMDb name|1054247}}
- {{YouTube|channel=UC9as_4s9T_EjEMp-_vQ4h9w}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Nikolas, Alexa}}
Category:20th-century American actresses
Category:21st-century American actresses
Category:Actresses from Chicago
Category:American child actresses
Category:American film actresses