Mckenna Grace facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Mckenna Grace
Grace in 2023
Born	(2006-06-25) June 25, 2006 (age 19) Grapevine, Texas, U.S.
Occupation	Actress singer
Years active	2012–present
Works	Full list
Musical career
Genres	Pop rock folk
Instruments	Vocals ukulele piano guitar
Years active	2020–present
Labels	Photo Finish Records

Mckenna Grace (born June 25, 2006) is a talented American actress and singer. She started acting professionally at age five in Grapevine, Texas. Later, her family moved to Los Angeles, California, to help her career.

Mckenna's first roles included Jasmine Bernstein in the Disney XD show Crash & Bernstein (2012–2014). She also played Faith Newman in the soap opera The Young and the Restless (2013–2015).

She became well-known for her role as a child genius in the movie Gifted (2017). For this role, she was nominated for a Critics' Choice Movie Award for Best Young Performer.

Mckenna has appeared in many popular films. These include I, Tonya (2017), Troop Zero (2019), and Captain Marvel (2019). She also starred in several spooky projects like The Bad Seed (2018) and Annabelle Comes Home (2019).

In the TV series The Handmaid's Tale (2021–2022), Mckenna played Esther Keyes. This role earned her a nomination for a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series. She was the first child to be nominated for a guest acting Emmy.

She is also known for playing Phoebe Spengler in the supernatural comedy films Ghostbusters: Afterlife (2021) and Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire (2024). Critics praised her performances in these movies. In 2022, Mckenna wrote, produced, and starred in The Bad Seed Returns. She also played Jan Broberg in the series A Friend of the Family.

Mckenna also has a music career. She signed with Photo Finish Records in 2020. Her first song, "Haunted House," was released in 2021. It was part of the Ghostbusters: Afterlife soundtrack. In 2023, she released two extended plays (EPs): Bittersweet 16 and Autumn Leaves. These EPs feature pop rock and folk music styles.

Early Life and First Steps in Acting

Mckenna Grace was born on June 25, 2006, in Grapevine, Texas. She is the only child of Ross Burge and Crystal Grace. Her father is an orthopedic surgeon, and her mother works in medical sales.

As a young child, Mckenna lived in Dallas-Fort Worth. She took classes in cheerleading, gymnastics, tap, and ballet. She also participated in beauty pageants and was crowned "Tiny Miss Texas."

Mckenna has always been homeschooled. She also had tutors on set when she was filming. In 2017, she attended a creative writing workshop with other homeschooled students. In 2021, she even took a college course on media aesthetics.

Mckenna first wanted to act when she was four years old. Her great-grandmother gave her a collection of DVD films starring Shirley Temple. Mckenna's acting teacher, who was Morgan Fairchild's sister, suggested she get an agent.

At age five, Mckenna got her first role in a commercial. Her agent then suggested traveling to Los Angeles for bigger roles. After she got parts in Crash & Bernstein (2012–2014) and Goodbye World (2013), her family moved to Los Angeles.

Acting Career Highlights

Early Roles and Big Breakthrough

Mckenna Grace started her acting journey in Disney XD's Crash & Bernstein. She played Jasmine Bernstein in the show's first and second seasons until 2014. During this time, she also appeared in the Fox sitcom The Goodwin Games.

In 2013, Mckenna made her film debut in Goodbye World. Between 2013 and 2015, she had a recurring role as Faith Newman in The Young and the Restless. In 2015, she played a young Caroline Forbes in The Vampire Diaries. Critics praised how well she looked and acted like the younger version of the character.

Mckenna appeared in three films released in 2016: Mr. Church, The Angry Birds Movie, and Independence Day: Resurgence.

Mckenna Grace at the premiere of I, Tonya in 2017

In 2015, Mckenna joined the movie Gifted (2017). She played Mary Adler, a very smart seven-year-old. She was chosen for her "childlike charm" and how well she worked with co-star Chris Evans. Mckenna watched movies about child geniuses to prepare for the role. She even used songwriting to remember complex math problems.

This role was a big breakthrough for her. Richard Roeper called her "an irresistible force." Mckenna was nominated for a Critics' Choice Movie Award for Best Young Performer.

Mckenna also played a younger Tonya Harding in the movie I, Tonya (2017). She said learning to ice skate for the role was very challenging. A double helped with the difficult jumps. The movie was well-received, and critics praised the cast.

Spooky Roles and More Recognition

In 2018, Mckenna starred in the horror drama The Bad Seed. She played Emma Grossman, a girl who causes trouble for others. Mckenna was excited to play a villain. She watched the original 1956 film and worked with Patty McCormack, who played the same character back then. Critics praised her performance, calling her "unnerving, sweet and occasionally funny."

In 2018, Mckenna also starred in Netflix's spooky series The Haunting of Hill House. She played young Theodora "Theo" Crain. Critics praised her performance, saying she played the role with "wisdom way beyond her years."

That same year, she appeared in the holiday special of Chilling Adventures of Sabrina. Mckenna played a younger version of the main character, Sabrina Spellman. She also started appearing on the CBS sitcom Young Sheldon as Paige Swanson. Paige is a child genius and a rival to Sheldon Cooper.

Mckenna appeared in three films released in 2019. One was the comedy-drama Troop Zero. She played a unique girl who wants to send messages to space. Critics liked the film and praised the cast. Variety called her a "magnetic young performer."

Next, Mckenna played a 13-year-old version of Captain Marvel in the superhero film Captain Marvel. The movie was a huge success, earning over $1.1 billion worldwide.

Her last film of 2019 was the supernatural horror movie Annabelle Comes Home. This was part of The Conjuring series. She starred as Judy Warren, the daughter of paranormal investigators. The director praised Mckenna's professionalism and talent. Her performance was highly praised by critics.

In 2020, she voiced a younger Daphne Blake in the animated movie Scoob!.

Big Success in Recent Years

In 2021, Mckenna Grace began appearing in the Hulu series The Handmaid's Tale. She played Esther Keyes, a smart and rebellious 14-year-old. Mckenna felt it was important for someone her age to play the part. The show's fourth season received positive reviews. Mckenna's performance was called "memorable" and "remarkable." She was nominated for an Emmy Award for this role.

In 2021, Mckenna also voiced a character in the animated film Spirit Untamed. She played a young version of Annabelle Wallis's character in the horror film Malignant.

Mckenna had a main role as Phoebe Spengler in the supernatural comedy Ghostbusters: Afterlife (2021). This movie was a sequel to the original Ghostbusters films. She cut and dyed her hair for the role. The film was a success, earning over $204 million. Critics praised Mckenna's performance. She was nominated for a Critics' Choice Super Award for Best Actress in a Science Fiction/Fantasy Movie.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Mckenna and her father decided to write a sequel to The Bad Seed. Mckenna gave feedback on the dialogue. The film, The Bad Seed Returns, premiered on Lifetime on September 5, 2022. This was the first project from Mckenna's company, Beautiful Ghosts Productions. She also served as an executive producer. In the same month, Mckenna returned as Esther in the fifth season of The Handmaid's Tale.

In March 2022, Mckenna joined the cast of Peacock's true crime series A Friend of the Family. She played Jan Broberg, a child who was kidnapped. Mckenna worked closely with the real Jan Broberg, who produced the show. Mckenna described the role as "emotionally and sometimes physically exhausting." The series premiered on October 6, 2022, to positive reviews.

In 2023, Mckenna starred in the science fiction adventure film Crater. She played Addison, the daughter of a scientist. Mckenna loved the script and the relationships between the characters. Crater was released on Disney+ on May 12, 2023. Critics generally liked the film, and Mckenna was praised as the best performer. Later that year, she voiced Skye in PAW Patrol: The Mighty Movie.

Mckenna reprised her role as Phoebe in Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire, which was released in March 2024. She studied Harold Ramis's performance as Egon Spengler for inspiration. Critics praised her performance, with one saying she could become the "franchise's MVP."

Mckenna also starred as Spider in the drama film Spider & Jessie (2025). She appeared in Amy Wang's Slanted (2025), a satirical drama.

Upcoming Projects

Mckenna is set to appear in Jan Komasa's Anniversary, a thriller film. She is also expected to be in Nobody 2 (2025) and Scream 7 (2026). In April 2025, it was announced she was cast as Maysilee Donner in Sunrise on the Reaping (2026).

Music Career

Mckenna Grace signed with Photo Finish Records in 2020. She released her first song, "Haunted House," in November 2021. She co-wrote the song with Lily Kincade. Mckenna said she wrote the song during a difficult time in her life. It was later added to the Ghostbusters: Afterlife soundtrack.

In 2022, she released two more songs: "Do All My Friends Hate Me?" and "You Ruined Nirvana." On November 18, 2022, she released "Self Dysmorphia." This song was inspired by her struggles with scoliosis. Mckenna hoped the song would help others feel less alone. She performed it on The Today Show in December 2022.

Mckenna's first extended play (EP), Bittersweet 16, was released on March 3, 2023. It included songs like "Post Party Trauma" and "Ugly Crier." Later that year, she recorded "Bark to the Beat" for the PAW Patrol: The Mighty Movie soundtrack.

Her second EP, Autumn Leaves, was released on October 13, 2023. Billboard praised its single "Catch Me." Mckenna has also released songs like "Natalie" and "Gentleman." She performed at the music festival Lollapalooza.

Musical Style and Inspirations

Mckenna Grace looks up to American singers Lana Del Rey (left) and Taylor Swift (right) for musical inspiration.

Mckenna grew up listening to many types of music, including heavy metal and rap. She names Taylor Swift and Lana Del Rey as her main musical influences. She admires their storytelling and vivid lyrics.

She started playing the ukulele after seeing Grace Vanderwaal win America's Got Talent in 2016. Mckenna began writing her own music after connecting with Conan Gray's album Kid Krow (2020).

Her EP Bittersweet 16 has a pop rock and pop-punk sound. Its songs talk about feelings like heartache and social anxiety. Autumn Leaves explores the folk genre and focuses on young heartbreak. Mckenna calls her sound "kind of pop-ish." She sees songwriting as her "therapy" to express her emotions.

Personal Life

Mckenna Grace prefers to keep her personal life private. This helps her have a normal childhood and grow as a teenager. Her mother describes their home life as "extremely normal." Mckenna separates herself from her characters by spending time with her family and dog.

She is active on social media platforms like Instagram, Twitter, and TikTok. Her mother helps manage her accounts.

Mckenna was diagnosed with scoliosis at age 12. This is a condition where the spine curves. While filming Ghostbusters: Afterlife, she wore a back brace. However, it was uncomfortable, and she couldn't wear it as much as needed.

When her spinal curve became more than 45 degrees, she needed surgery. This was to prevent it from affecting her lungs. In October 2022, she had spinal surgery. The surgery successfully reduced the curve to six degrees.

Film and TV Appearances

According to the website Rotten Tomatoes, some of Mckenna Grace's most praised films include:

• Frankenstein (2015)
• Gifted (2017)
• I, Tonya (2017)
• Captain Marvel (2019)
• Troop Zero (2019)
• Annabelle Comes Home (2019)
• Ghostbusters: Afterlife (2021)
• Crater (2023)
• Paw Patrol: The Mighty Movie (2023)
• Slanted (2025)

Awards and Nominations

See also

In Spanish: Mckenna Grace para niños