Young Mainer makes her silver screen debut alongside Denzel Washington
Rhys Olivia Cote of Wells appears in theaters worldwide starting July 20 in The Equalizer 2.
WELLS (NEWS CENTER Maine) — Although remarkably adorable, Rhys Cote seems, at first glance, like an average nine-year-old. But it doesn't take long to realize that there is something special about the gregarious Mainer.
"She's always had a personality, and people would stop us and say 'oh my goodness,'" says Rhys' mother Tina Cote.
At just four-years-old, Rhys garnered national attention when, on a whim, her mother sent a candid picture of her to the then-titled "Live with Kelly and Michael" show for a photo contest that was searching for the cutest kids in America.
Her picture beat out hundreds of thousands of others snagging her a spot in the top 15, and that is when her parents decided she should do more.
Over the last five years, Rhys has modeled all over the U.S. for brands including Oscar de la Renta, Pottery Barn Kids and Laura Ashley.
She put a spotlight on her home state when she was featured on "Little Big Shots" with Steve Harvey as the "snail whisperer." Rhys showed the host how to coax Maine periwinkles from their shells with nothing more than a loud hum.
But her young and impressive career got a serious boost when she landed a principal role in 'The Equalizer 2'.
Rhys Olivia Cote makes debut in The Equalizer 2
"When I got the part, Mommy told me about it and that Denzel was a famous actor and what the movie was kind of going to be about," Rhys explains.
In the film, out Friday, July 20, Denzel Washington picks up where he left off in the first action thriller, "The Equalizer," serving up unflinching justice for the exploited and oppressed. This time around that means saving Rhys’ character, Anna, after she is kidnapped by her father.
Rhys met Denzel on her first day of filming in Boston, and the Hollywood legend posed for a picture with the young actress even though he is notorious for not snapping photos with coworkers.
"He said, 'The movie is your movie. Do you know how many auditions I had to go through to be in your movie?'” Rhys said.
Rhys' character had no lines in the film, but Rhys added one while filming, and it made the movie's final cut. Tina Cote was by her daughter's side every moment of filming in Boston and says she was blown away by how kind everyone was to her and her daughter.
"Denzel is such a kind man," Cote said.
"She is very naive to it all, and I want to keep humble, and I tell her that this can happen to anyone, but we are excited that it is happening to us, but we want her to be normal.”
Cote says they feel very blessed and excited, but will only continue to encourage Rhys as long as she wants to continue modeling and acting.
Rhys says she loves acting and modeling but seems as interested in having sleepovers and playing at the beach.
Rhys says she wants to continue acting but also hopes to be a lawyer because she helps her friends sort out their problems
"When my friends get angry with each other, I like helping them with their problems, and that is kind of what lawyers do, and that is kind of why I want to be a lawyer."
If that's what it sounds like to be naive, look out for Rhys when she grows up!