Reaser was born in Bloomfield, Michigan. She is a graduate of the Juilliard School. She once appeared in a London stage production for only two audience members, and in preparation for her role on Saved she hung out in an emergency room, researching the behavior of medical staff. In October 2004, Interview magazine hailed her as one of the "14 To Be" emerging creative women.
She earned the "Jury Award" at the Newport Beach Film Festival in 2006 for her work in the film Sweet Land, and in 2007 was nominated for an Independent Spirit Award as "Best Female Lead" for the same part. Reaser also earned a Primetime Emmy Award nomination for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series for her recurring guest appearance throughout 2007 on the television series Grey's Anatomy as an unidentified pregnant woman suffering from amnesia.
Reaser currently has two film projects in production, scheduled to be released in 2008. She will be playing the role of Esme Cullen in the upcoming movie Twilight, based on the best-selling novel of the same name by Stephenie Meyer.
