Maria Sten | |
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Born | |
Other names | Maria Sten-Knudsen |
Occupation(s) | Actress, filmmaker, writer |
Height | 5 ft 10 in (178 cm) |
Beauty pageant titleholder | |
Title | Miss Denmark |
Hair color | Black |
Eye color | Brown |
Major competition(s) |
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Maria Sten is a Danish actress, writer, director and beauty pageant titleholder born and raised in Denmark with Danish, Swedish and Congolese roots.[1][2] She was crowned Miss Denmark Universe 2008 and represented her country at Miss Universe 2008.
Sten was born in Copenhagen, Denmark to a Danish mother Nina Sten-Knudsen with Swedish heritage and a Congolese father. She has 8 siblings: one brother, four sisters, plus two step-sisters, plus one unrelated sister. She grew up with only one of the sisters, an older sister who was her mother’s only other child.[3] As a child, Sten often posed for her mother who was a professional artist[4][5][6] and, as a child, she also started doing theater in school; participating in a youth acting program at Scandinavian Theater School.[7] Her other childhood activities included horseback riding, gymnastics, kickboxing, track and field and playing the piano.[8] As she grew older, she grew taller and was convinced to try modeling. Sten moved to New York City in the United States when she was 18 years old to pursue a career in Performing Arts.[9]
Sten competed in Miss Supertalent of the World 2011 and was placed in the top 7 women among 50 candidates.[10]
In February 2017, Sten's submission "The Courier" was announced as a finalist for the second annual television writing program from the ATX Television Festival and The Black List.[9] Later in 2017, Sten was selected for the 2017 Black List x WIF Episodic Lab.[11] Sten has also written two episodes of David E. Kelley's series Big Sky, and wrote, directed, and produced the short films Wild Things Run Free and When It Burns.[1][12] In 2018 Sten was named to the Tracking Board's Young & Hungry List, which showcases the top 100 new writers as voted on by Hollywood's most influential.[1]
As an actor, Sten played the lead role of Jillian Hope Hodgson in the fourth season of the television show Channel Zero: The Dream Door. She portrayed Liz Tremayne in the DC Universe television series Swamp Thing, which also starred Crystal Reed.[13]
Since 2022 she has starred as the character Frances Neagley in the Amazon Prime Video series Reacher.[14]
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
2014 | I'm Good | Kia | Short film |
2015 | Straight Outta Compton | Girlfriend | Uncredited |
2015 | Mellow Peaches | Short film | |
2015 | The Comments | Woman in Pool | Short film |
2015 | Dream... | The Boss | Short film |
2016 | When It Burns | Kate | Short film; also Director, executive producer and writer |
2016 | Kessi Blue | Robin C. | Short film; also Line producer |
2017 | Wild Things Run Free | The Woman | Short film; also Director, producer and writer |
2017 | Book Trader | Cassandra | Short film |
2019 | Emmanuel and Me | Christina |
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
2012 | The Doctors | Woman in Bedroom | Episode: "Secrets to Look & Feel Better Naked"; as Maria Sten-Knudsen |
2012 | Eros.Emmanuel and Me | Christina | Television mini-series |
2014 | Celebrity Crime Files | Angela Davis | Episode: "The Black Panthers" |
2014 | Out the Box | Maria | Episode: "These Hands" |
2018 | Channel Zero: The Dream Door | Jillian Hope Hodgson | Main role; 6 episodes |
2019 | Swamp Thing | Liz Tremayne | Main role; 10 episodes |
2021 | Big Sky | Writer; Episode: "The Wolves Are Always Out for Blood" | |
2022–present | Reacher | Frances Neagley | Main role; 12 episodes |
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
2015 | Persuasion | Terry | Main role; 9 episodes |
2022 | Narcissa | Andie | Main role; 8 episodes[15] |
Year | Title | Notes |
---|---|---|
2015 | In the Still of the Night | Short film |