Eden Sonja Jane Riegel was born in the nation's capital, Washington D.C., to Kurt and Lenore Riegel. She is the youngest sibling of Tatiana S. Riegel and Sam Riegel, both of whom she grew up with in a Virginia suburb. As a child, Eden was first inspired to perform while watching her brother take the stage in dinner theater. This spark ignited a passion within her, and soon she was performing alongside him for a modest $10 a week.
Her big break on stage came when she landed the coveted role of young Cosette in the iconic musical Les Misérables. This opportunity led to other notable performances on Broadway and off, including a stint in The Will Rogers Follies. Her film credits include American Pie (1999),The Prince of Egypt (1998),and Henry Hill (1999). She has also made guest appearances in numerous television series.
Beyond her acting career, Eden is a talented vocalist who was a member of the popular group Broadway Kids. She has also lent her voice to backing tracks for Jewel and the legendary Michael Jackson. Her musical talents have been showcased in various productions, and she has had the privilege of working alongside some of the industry's biggest names.
Eden's academic pursuits took her to the New York's Professional Children's School and later to Harvard University, where she aimed to become a lawyer. However, her acting career took precedence, and she took a leave of absence to pursue an exciting role. Her breakout moment came when she was cast as Bianca Christine Montgomery on the long-running soap opera All My Children (1970).
Bianca was a groundbreaking character, becoming the first main character on an American soap opera to be openly gay. Eden's poignant, heartfelt, and charismatic portrayal of Bianca earned her a special place in the hearts of fans, making her one of the show's most beloved heroines in its history. She left the role in February 2005 and has since relocated to Los Angeles, where she hopes to explore new avenues in her career, including prime-time television and film.
