Anna Kendrick facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Anna Kendrick
Kendrick at the 2016 Cannes Film Festival
Born	Anna Cooke Kendrick (1985-08-09) August 9, 1985 (age 39) Portland, Maine, U.S.
Occupation	Actress
Years active	1998–present
Awards	Full list
Signature

Anna Cooke Kendrick (born August 9, 1985) is an American actress. She is famous for her fun and lovable roles in comedies and musicals. She has been nominated for big awards like an Academy Award, a Primetime Emmy Award, and a Tony Award.

Anna Kendrick's first main role was in the 1998 Broadway musical High Society. For this, she was nominated for a Tony Award. She first appeared in a movie in the musical comedy Camp (2003). She also had a supporting role in The Twilight Saga movies (2008–2011).

She became even more well-known for the movie Up in the Air (2009). This role earned her a nomination for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress. She also starred in the popular Pitch Perfect film series (2012–2017).

Anna Kendrick has starred in many other movies. These include comedies like Scott Pilgrim vs. the World (2010) and 50/50 (2011). She was also in the crime drama End of Watch (2012) and the musical Into the Woods (2014). She appeared in thrillers like The Accountant (2016) and A Simple Favor (2018). In 2019, she starred in the fantasy comedy Noelle. Since 2016, she has voiced the main character, Poppy, in the animated Trolls movies.

She starred in the short comedy series Dummy (2020). For this, she was nominated for a Primetime Emmy Award. Anna Kendrick also directed her first movie, the thriller Woman of the Hour (2023), where she also starred. She has sung on movie soundtracks, including the song "Cups" in 2012. She also performed at events like the Kennedy Center Honors in 2013 and the 87th Academy Awards in 2015. Her book, Scrappy Little Nobody, was published in 2016.

Early Life and Beginnings

Anna Kendrick was born in Portland, Maine, on August 9, 1985. Her mother, Janice, was an accountant, and her father, William, was a history teacher. She has English, Irish, and Scottish family roots. She started acting in local theater shows when she was six years old. Her older brother, Michael, who was born in 1983, is also an actor. He appeared in the movie Looking for an Echo (2000). Anna went to Deering High School.

Anna Kendrick's Acting Journey

Starting on Stage and Screen (1998–2007)

Kendrick at the 2009 Toronto International Film Festival

Anna Kendrick began her acting career at age 12. Her first big role was in the 1998 Broadway musical High Society. This role earned her a Theater World Award. She was also nominated for a Drama Desk Award and a Tony Award. Later, in 2003, she had a supporting role in the New York City Opera's show A Little Night Music.

Her first movie was the musical Camp, where she played Fritzi Wagner. For this role, she was nominated for an Independent Spirit Award. In 2007, she played a determined high school debater in Rocket Science. This role also earned her an Independent Spirit Award nomination.

Rising to Fame with Twilight and Up in the Air (2008–2011)

Anna Kendrick became widely known in 2008 because of the fantasy romance movie Twilight. This movie was a huge success and was based on Stephenie Meyer's book. Anna played Jessica Stanley, a friend of the main character, Bella Swan. In 2009, she appeared in the comedy The Marc Pease Experience. She also had her first main role in the thriller Elsewhere. She played Jessica Stanley again in Twilight's sequel, New Moon.

She then starred with George Clooney in director Jason Reitman's movie Up in the Air (2009). Critics praised her acting as an ambitious college graduate. They said she was amazing in every scene. This role led to nominations for many awards, including the Academy Awards, Golden Globe Awards, Screen Actors Guild Awards, and BAFTA Awards. Since 2010, Anna Kendrick has been a member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.

In 2010, Anna Kendrick played Jessica Stanley again in the third Twilight movie, Eclipse. Later that year, she was in Scott Pilgrim vs. the World, playing the main character's sister. The movie did not do well at first but later became a cult classic. In 2011, she appeared in the well-liked comedy-drama 50/50. She played an inexperienced therapist helping a cancer patient played by Joseph Gordon-Levitt. Later that year, she made her last appearance as Jessica Stanley in Twilight's fourth movie, Breaking Dawn – Part 1 (2011).

Pitch Perfect and Into the Woods Success (2012–2015)

In 2012, Anna Kendrick was part of the cast of What to Expect When You're Expecting. She also voiced a character in the animated film ParaNorman. She starred in the successful crime drama End of Watch. She also appeared in Robert Redford's political thriller The Company You Keep.

Kendrick at Geffen's Fundraiser in March 2014

Anna Kendrick's most successful movie in 2012 was the musical comedy Pitch Perfect. She played Beca Mitchell, a college student who joins an a cappella singing group. Her modern music style often clashed with the group's traditional leader. The movie was a huge hit. Critics loved it and called Anna's performance "splendid."

In 2013, Anna Kendrick was in the romantic comedy-drama Drinking Buddies. She also appeared in the fantasy comedy Rapture-Palooza. At the 2014 Sundance Film Festival in January 2014, she had three movies. She played main roles in the comedy-drama Happy Christmas and the horror comedy The Voices. She also had a supporting role in the zombie comedy Life After Beth. Anna Kendrick hosted Saturday Night Live in 2014.

At the 2014 Toronto International Film Festival in September 2014, Anna Kendrick had two more movies. She starred in the musical romance The Last Five Years. She received great praise for her acting in this film. She also had a supporting role in the comedy-drama Cake. Anna Kendrick then played Cinderella in Disney's Into the Woods (2014). This movie was a big success and received good reviews.

Anna Kendrick competed in the first season of Lip Sync Battle in April 2015. She performed "Steal My Girl" by One Direction and "Booty" by Jennifer Lopez. Jennifer Lopez herself even made a surprise appearance! Anna Kendrick was declared the winner.

In May 2015, she played Beca Mitchell again in Pitch Perfect 2. This movie was even more successful than the first one.

Trolls and Recent Roles (2016–Present)

Kendrick at the 2016 San Diego Comic-Con

Anna Kendrick starred in the action comedy Mr. Right (2016). She also starred in The Hollars, a comedy-drama directed by John Krasinski. She was also in the coming-of-age film Get a Job.

In 2016, Anna Kendrick starred in the comedy Mike and Dave Need Wedding Dates. She voiced Princess Poppy, the main character in the animated movie Trolls. She also co-starred in the action thriller The Accountant. Her book, Scrappy Little Nobody, was published on November 15, 2016.

Anna Kendrick starred in Table 19 (2017). She played Beca Mitchell again in Pitch Perfect 3, released in December 2017. In September 2018, she starred as Stephanie Smothers in the mystery-thriller film A Simple Favor. She also started appearing in advertisements for Hilton Hotels.

In 2019, Anna Kendrick co-starred in the comedy The Day Shall Come. She also played the main character in the Disney+ Christmas comedy Noelle. She voiced a character in the animated series Human Discoveries.

Anna Kendrick reprised her role as Poppy in the 2020 sequel Trolls World Tour. She starred in the comedy series Dummy, where she was also an executive producer. For her role, she was nominated for a Primetime Emmy Award. In 2020, she also starred in the HBO Max romantic comedy series Love Life. She appeared as the lead in Stowaway, a science-fiction thriller released in April 2021. She starred in the films Alice, Darling (2022) and Self Reliance (2023). In 2023, she also directed and starred in Woman of the Hour. She reprised her role as Stephanie Smothers in Another Simple Favor (2025).

Personal Life

Anna Kendrick lives in Los Angeles.

She dated English filmmaker Edgar Wright from 2009 to 2013. They met while filming Scott Pilgrim vs. the World. She then dated English cinematographer Ben Richardson from 2014 to 2020. They met while filming Drinking Buddies. She dated actor Bill Hader from 2020 to 2022.

She has shared that a challenging relationship she experienced helped her in her performance in Alice, Darling. In her 2016 book Scrappy Little Nobody, she wrote that being a mother was not for her.

Filmography

Film

Television

Music Videos

Theatre

Discography

Singles

Other Certified Songs

Awards and Nominations

Anna Kendrick has received many awards and nominations for her work in movies and on stage. She is one of the few actors to be nominated for an Oscar, an Emmy, and a Tony Award for acting. This is sometimes called the "Triple Crown of Acting".

• Tony Award (1998) nomination for Best Featured Actress in a Musical, for High Society
• Academy Award (2009) nomination for Best Supporting Actress, for Up in the Air
• Primetime Emmy Award (2020) nomination for Outstanding Actress in a Short Form Series, for Dummy

See also

In Spanish: Anna Kendrick para niños