Jena Malone facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Jena Malone
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Malone in 2015
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Jena Laine Malone
November 21, 1984 Sparks, Nevada, U.S.
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| Occupation | Actress |
| Years active | 1995–present |
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Works
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Full list |
| Children | 1 |
| Awards | Full list |
Jena Laine Malone (born November 21, 1984) is an American actress. She was born in Sparks, Nevada. Jena spent her early years there and in Las Vegas. Her mother was involved in local theater shows.
Jena was inspired to become an actress too. She convinced her mother to move to Los Angeles. After many auditions, Jena got a role in the TV movie Bastard Out of Carolina (1996). She was nominated for awards for this role. She also appeared in the TV movie Hope (1997), earning a Golden Globe Award nomination.
She then acted in the movies Contact (1997) and Stepmom (1998). She won a Saturn Award for her role in Contact.
In the 2000s, Jena Malone starred in the independent thriller Donnie Darko (2001). This movie later became very popular. She also appeared in the drama Life as a House (2001) and the miniseries Hitler: The Rise of Evil (2003). She was in the comedy Saved! (2004).
Jena became well-known for her adult roles, like in the historical drama Pride & Prejudice (2005). She continued her success with films like The Ballad of Jack and Rose (2005) and Into the Wild (2007). She also appeared in the horror film The Ruins (2008).
She entered the action film world with Zack Snyder's Sucker Punch (2011). Her biggest movies were in The Hunger Games film series (2013–2015). She played Johanna Mason and won a Teen Choice Award for this role.
More recently, Jena has appeared in horror films like The Neon Demon (2016) and Antebellum (2020). She was also in thriller films such as Nocturnal Animals (2016). Her TV work includes the crime dramas Too Old to Die Young (2019) and Goliath (2021).
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Early Life and Becoming an Actress
Jena Malone was born on November 21, 1984, in Sparks, Nevada. Her mother is Deborah Malone. Jena was raised by her mother. Her family moved often when she was young. Sometimes they did not have a permanent home.
Jena once said that living in many different places helped her prepare for an actor's life. She felt it taught her that security comes from within, not just from a house.
When Jena was a child, she became interested in acting. She watched her mother perform in local theater shows near Lake Tahoe. In 1995, she moved to Las Vegas with her family. There, she started taking acting classes.
Later, she convinced her mother to move to Los Angeles. This allowed her to pursue an acting career. Jena was home-schooled for some of her middle school years. She also attended the Professional Children's School in New York City for ninth grade. She has a younger half-sister named Madison Mae Malone.
Acting Career Highlights
Starting Out in the 1990s
Jena Malone began her professional acting career with the film Bastard Out of Carolina (1996). She received nominations for her performance in this movie. After this, she got roles in several Hollywood films.
In 1997, she was nominated for a Golden Globe Award for her role in the TV film Hope. She played a young girl growing up in a small town during the 1960s.
After Hope, Jena was cast in Robert Zemeckis's science fiction film Contact (1997). She played the younger version of Jodie Foster's main character. She won a Saturn Award for Best Performance by a Younger Actor for this role.
In 1998, she appeared in an episode of Homicide: Life on the Street. The next year, Jena starred with Susan Sarandon and Julia Roberts in the drama Stepmom (1998). She played a teenage girl whose father had remarried and whose mother was ill. This film was very successful at the box office. Jena also played Heather Aubrey in the 1999 movie For Love of the Game.
Success in the 2000s
Jena Malone had her first main role in the psychological thriller Donnie Darko (2001). She played Gretchen Ross, who becomes the girlfriend of Jake Gyllenhaal's character. Even though the film wasn't a big hit at first, it later became a cult classic.
In the same year, she had a supporting role in the drama Life as a House (2001). In 2002, Jena played a Catholic schoolgirl in The Dangerous Lives of Altar Boys. In 2003, she had a small part in Cold Mountain.
Malone was the main star in the dark comedy Saved! (2004). In this film, she played a Christian high school student. The same year, she starred in the independent thriller Corn. Critics praised her performance in Corn.
Jena was then cast as Lydia Bennet in Joe Wright's movie based on Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice (2005). Critics noted her funny portrayal of the youngest daughter. She also had a supporting role in the drama The Ballad of Jack and Rose (2005).
In 2006, Jena Malone made her Broadway debut in the play Doubt. She played Sister James. She also appeared in the film Lying (2006). Jena then had supporting roles in The Go-Getter (2007) and the biographical drama Into the Wild (2007).
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In 2007, Jena Malone started releasing music as Jena Malone and the Bloodstains. Her music was described as "pretty out-there" with "bedroom electronics" and "spaced-out keyboards." In 2008, she formed a musical project called The Shoe. She performed live shows on street corners.
Malone appeared in the horror film The Ruins (2008). She played one of several backpackers trapped on a Mayan temple. The next year, she returned to theater in the play Mourning Becomes Electra.
Roles in the 2010s
In 2011, Jena played Rocket in Zack Snyder's action film Sucker Punch. After this film, she thought about focusing on photography and music. However, after the success of her role in Hatfields and McCoys, her love for acting returned.
In 2012, Malone starred in a web series called Dakota. She also had a supporting role in the independent drama In Our Nature (2012).
In 2013, Jena was cast as Johanna Mason in The Hunger Games: Catching Fire. She reprised this role in two more Hunger Games sequels: Mockingjay – Part 1 (2014) and Mockingjay – Part 2 (2015).
In 2014, Jena Malone showed 39 photographs she took in Myanmar. The exhibition was called "The Holy Other." The money raised was given to Girl Determined, a group that helps girls' education in Myanmar.
Malone was cast in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice. Her scenes were not in the movie's first release. In 2015, Jena was cast in the horror film The Neon Demon.
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Jena co-starred with Riley Keough in the drama film Lovesong (2016). She played a young woman who falls in love with her best friend. Critics said Malone was very charming in the film.
Malone is also credited as a co-writer and singer on the Foster the People song "Static Space Lover" (2017). In 2018, she appeared in the film The Public.
Personal Life
In 2000, Jena Malone became legally independent from her mother.
In 2003, Jena bought a home in Lake Tahoe, Nevada.
In 2014, Malone started a relationship with photographer Ethan DeLorenzo. Their son, Ode Mountain, was born in May 2016. Jena and Ethan announced their engagement in August 2016. They later ended their relationship in 2019. As of 2019, she has been in a relationship with musician Alex Ebert.
In 2022, Jena Malone helped rescue a dog that was being treated badly. She also donated money to help pay for the dog's surgery.
Filmography
Accolades
See also
In Spanish: Jena Malone para niños
