Ansel Elgort facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Ansel Elgort
Ansel Elgort in 2017
Born	(1994-03-14) March 14, 1994 (age 31) New York City, U.S.
Occupation	Actor singer DJ
Years active	2012–present
Parents	Arthur Elgort (father) Grethe Holby (mother)
Relatives	Sam Morril (cousin)
Musical career
Also known as	Ansølo
Genres	Hip hop R&B soul electronic
Instruments	Vocals turntables
Labels	Island Universal (2015–present)
Associated acts	Tom Staar Too Many Zooz Logic

Ansel Elgort (born March 14, 1994) is an American actor and singer. He became known for his roles in popular movies. His first big acting job was in the horror film Carrie in 2013.

He became even more famous for playing a teenager with cancer in the romantic drama The Fault in Our Stars (2014). He also had a supporting role in The Divergent Series (2014–2016).

In 2017, Ansel Elgort starred in the action movie Baby Driver. For this role, he was nominated for a Golden Globe Award for Best Actor. Later, he appeared in Steven Spielberg's musical film West Side Story (2021). From 2022 to 2024, he played Jake Adelstein in the crime TV series Tokyo Vice.

Early Life and Family Background

Ansel Elgort was born in New York City on March 14, 1994. His father, Arthur Elgort, is a famous fashion photographer who worked for Vogue magazine. His mother, Grethe Barrett Holby, is an opera director. Ansel's father named him after the well-known nature photographer Ansel Adams.

Ansel has a mixed family background. His father's family is of Russian Jewish descent. His mother's family has Norwegian roots. His Norwegian grandmother was part of the Norwegian resistance during World War II. She helped save Norwegian Jewish children by moving them to neutral Sweden.

Ansel has two older siblings. His sister, Sophie Elgort, is a fashion photographer. His brother, Warren Elgort, is a cinematographer. He is also a cousin of comedian Sam Morril.

When he was nine years old, Ansel auditioned for the School of American Ballet. He studied ballet there for five years.

School and Early Performances

Ansel Elgort went to several schools, including Trinity School and Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School. He also attended the Stagedoor Manor summer camp. He started taking acting classes when he was 12.

At LaGuardia High School, he performed in a play called Hairspray. He also starred in the school's production of Guys and Dolls. In 2009, while still in high school, he appeared in Teen Vogue magazine. His father took the photos for this article.

Career Highlights

Acting Roles and Success

Ansel Elgort's first professional acting job was in an Off-Broadway play called Regrets in March 2012. This was just a few months before he finished high school. His first movie was the 2013 remake of Carrie. He played the main character's prom date.

His first widely known role was in Divergent (2014). He played Caleb Prior, the brother of the main character. Right after filming Divergent, he was chosen to play Augustus Waters in The Fault in Our Stars. This movie was based on John Green's popular novel. He starred alongside Shailene Woodley.

The film tells the story of Hazel, a teenage cancer patient, who meets and falls in love with Augustus Waters. The movie came out on June 6, 2014. Ansel also appeared in the film Men, Women & Children in October 2014. His high school classmate Timothée Chalamet also starred in this movie.

Ansel Elgort at the premiere of Divergent in 2014.

In 2014, Ansel was recognized as one of the best young actors. He also presented an award at the 2015 Oscars. He played Caleb Prior again in the Divergent sequels: The Divergent Series: Insurgent (2015) and The Divergent Series: Allegiant (2016).

In 2017, Ansel Elgort played the main character in the action film Baby Driver. Edgar Wright directed the movie, and it also starred Lily James. The film was very popular and received good reviews. Ansel was nominated for a Golden Globe Award for his role. That same year, he also starred in the drama thriller November Criminals.

Ansel Elgort starred in the 2018 film Billionaire Boys Club. He also played the lead role in The Goldfinch in 2019.

In 2021, Ansel played Tony in West Side Story. This movie was directed by Steven Spielberg and was based on the famous 1957 musical. The film was praised by critics and received many awards nominations.

After that, Ansel starred in Tokyo Vice, a TV series for HBO Max. He played the main character, Jake Adelstein. He also helped produce the series. The show started in 2022 and received good reviews.

Music Career as Ansølo

Ansel Elgort in 2014.

Ansel Elgort also makes music under the name Ansølo. He has a SoundCloud account where he shares electronic dance music. He has also remixed songs by other artists. In 2014, he announced that he signed a record deal.

His first record, Unite, was released in April 2014. His second record, Totem, came out in July 2014. In September 2015, he released a song called "To Life".

Ansel has performed at big music festivals. He played at the Electric Zoo Festival in 2014 and the Ultra Music Festival in 2015. He has also opened shows for other famous DJs like The Chainsmokers. He had his first headline show on his 21st birthday at Pacha NYC.

In 2015, he signed a record deal with Island/Universal Records. He released his first single with them, "Home Alone", in July 2016.

On February 3, 2017, he released a single called "Thief" under his own name, Ansel Elgort. The music video for "Thief" featured his girlfriend at the time, Violetta Komyshan. In January 2018, he released another single called "Supernova". He also sang on Don Diablo’s 2018 song "Believe".

Personal Life

As of 2017, Ansel Elgort lived in the Bedford-Stuyvesant area of Brooklyn.

On his 21st birthday, Ansel asked his friends, family, and fans to donate to the Thirst Project. This organization works to bring clean water to people around the world.

Ansel Elgort and Violetta Komyshan, who he met in high school, ended their relationship in 2022.

Filmography

Film

Television

Discography

Singles

Remixes

As featured artist

Music videos

Awards and Nominations

See Also

In Spanish: Ansel Elgort para niños