Mckenna Grace facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Mckenna Grace
Mckenna Grace in 2023
Born	(2006-06-25) June 25, 2006 (age 18) Grapevine, Texas, U.S.
Occupation	Actress singer
Years active	2012–present
Works	Full list
Musical career
Genres	Pop rock folk
Instruments	Vocals ukulele
Years active	2020–present
Labels	Photo Finish Records

Mckenna Grace (born June 25, 2006) is an American actress and singer. She was born in Grapevine, Texas. Mckenna started acting when she was five years old. Later, she moved to Los Angeles, California, to continue her acting career.

Her first roles were in TV shows like Crash & Bernstein (2012–2014) and The Young and the Restless (2013–2015). She became well-known for her role as a very smart child in the movie Gifted (2017). For this role, she was nominated for a Critics' Choice Movie Award for Best Young Performer.

Mckenna has also appeared in many other films, including I, Tonya (2017), Troop Zero (2019), and Captain Marvel (2019). She has also been in several horror projects like The Bad Seed (2018) and Annabelle Comes Home (2019).

In 2021, Mckenna was nominated for an Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series for her role in The Handmaid's Tale. This made her the first child to be nominated for a guest acting Emmy. She also starred as Phoebe Spengler in the movies Ghostbusters: Afterlife (2021) and Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire (2024).

Besides acting, Mckenna Grace is also a singer. She signed with Photo Finish Records in 2020. Her first song, "Haunted House", was released in 2021. She has also released two music collections (called extended plays or EPs) named Bittersweet 16 and Autumn Leaves in 2023.

Early life and acting start

Mckenna Grace was born on June 25, 2006, in Grapevine, Texas. She is the only child of Ross Burge and Crystal Grace. As a young child, she lived in Dallas-Fort Worth. Mckenna has been home-schooled and has had tutors on her movie sets.

Mckenna first wanted to act when she was four years old. This happened after her great-grandmother gave her some movies starring Shirley Temple. Mckenna's acting teacher suggested she get an agent. She got her first acting job in a commercial when she was five. Her agent then suggested going to Los Angeles, California, to find more roles. After Mckenna got parts in Crash & Bernstein (2012–2014) and Goodbye World (2013), her family moved to Los Angeles.

Acting career highlights

First roles and big break

Mckenna Grace started her acting career in the Disney XD show Crash & Bernstein. She played Jasmine Bernstein from 2012 to 2014. During this time, she also appeared in the show The Goodwin Games. In 2013, she made her first movie appearance in Goodbye World.

From 2013 to 2015, she had a regular role as Faith Newman in the TV show The Young and the Restless. In 2015, Mckenna played a young Caroline Forbes in The Vampire Diaries. Critics praised her for looking and acting like the older character. In 2016, she appeared in three movies: 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). In this film, she played Mary Adler, a very smart seven-year-old. She was chosen for her "childlike charm" and good connection with her co-star Chris Evans. Mckenna prepared for the role by watching movies about child geniuses. She even used songwriting to help remember the difficult math problems her character solved. This role became her big break. Many critics praised her performance, calling her "an irresistible force". She was nominated for a Critics' Choice Movie Award for Best Young Performer.

Mckenna also played a younger version of Tonya Harding in the movie I, Tonya (2017). She said this was a very tough role because she had to learn to ice skate. The movie was well-liked by critics, and Mckenna's acting was praised.

Horror roles and more recognition

In 2018, Mckenna appeared in the horror movie The Bad Seed. She played Emma Grossman, a girl who harms anyone who gets in her way. Mckenna was excited to play a villain. To get ready, she watched the original 1956 film and copied the character's movements. Critics praised her performance, saying she was "unnerving, sweet and occasionally funny".

In the same year, Mckenna starred in the Netflix horror series The Haunting of Hill House. She played a young Theodora "Theo" Crain. Critics praised her acting, saying she played the role with "wisdom way beyond her years". She also appeared in a holiday episode of Chilling Adventures of Sabrina. Mckenna played a younger version of the main character, Sabrina. Around this time, she also started appearing in the show Young Sheldon as Paige Swanson, a smart child who is a rival to Sheldon Cooper.

Mckenna was in three movies released in 2019. First, she played a 13-year-old Captain Marvel in the superhero film Captain Marvel. Mckenna said she "screamed" when she got the role because she had always wanted to be a Marvel superhero. The movie was very successful. Her second film was Troop Zero, where she played a girl who wants to send messages to space. Critics liked the movie and praised Mckenna's acting.

Her last movie in 2019 was the horror film Annabelle Comes Home. She starred as Judy Warren, the daughter of paranormal investigators. The director was very happy to cast Mckenna because of her talent. Mckenna said the role was hard because it needed a lot of crying and screaming. Her performance was highly praised. In 2020, she also voiced a young Daphne Blake in the animated movie Scoob!.

Recent success

In 2021, Mckenna voiced a character in the animated film Spirit Untamed. She also played a young version of Annabelle Wallis's character in the horror movie Malignant. Mckenna had a main role as Phoebe Spengler in the movie Ghostbusters: Afterlife (2021). For this role, she cut and dyed her hair. The movie was a success, and 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 helped with the dialogue. The movie, called The Bad Seed Returns, was released in 2022. It was the first project from Mckenna's own company, Beautiful Ghosts Productions. In the same month, Mckenna returned as Esther in The Handmaid's Tale. Her acting in the show was highly praised, especially her powerful screams.

In 2022, Mckenna played Jan Broberg in the TV series A Friend of the Family. She worked closely with the real Jan Broberg to understand the character. Mckenna said the role was "emotionally and sometimes physically exhausting". The series received good reviews, and Mckenna's acting was praised for showing her character's feelings.

The next year, Mckenna starred in the science fiction movie Crater. She played Addison, the daughter of a scientist. Mckenna loved the script and said it was "really special". The movie was released on Disney+ in 2023 and received positive reviews. Mckenna was considered one of the best performers in the film. Later that year, she voiced Skye in PAW Patrol: The Mighty Movie.

Mckenna returned as Phoebe in Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire, which came out in March 2024. She studied Harold Ramis's acting as Egon Spengler for inspiration. Critics said she was "very compelling" in the movie.

Upcoming projects

Mckenna Grace has several new projects coming up. These include Anniversary, a thriller movie, and Slanted, a drama. In September 2024, it was announced that Mckenna would appear in Nobody 2. In December 2024, it was announced that Mckenna would appear in Scream 7.

Music career

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

In 2022, Mckenna 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 who are going through similar things. She also performed the song on The Today Show.

Mckenna's first collection of songs, an extended play (EP) called Bittersweet 16, was released on March 3, 2023. It included the songs "Post Party Trauma", "Ugly Crier", and "Checkered Vans". Later that year, she recorded the song "Bark to the Beat" for the PAW Patrol: The Mighty Movie soundtrack. Her second EP, Autumn Leaves, was released on October 13, 2023. Mckenna has also released the songs "Natalie", "Gentleman", and "Swim Team". She has performed at the music festival Lollapalooza.

Musical style and inspirations

Mckenna Grace says American singers Lana Del Rey (left) and Taylor Swift (right) are her main inspirations.

Growing up, Mckenna listened to many types of music, including heavy metal and rap. She listened to artists like Taylor Swift and Korn. She says Taylor Swift and Lana Del Rey are her main music inspirations. She likes their storytelling and how their lyrics create clear pictures.

Mckenna started playing the ukulele after watching Grace Vanderwaal win America's Got Talent in 2016. She decided to start writing her own music after listening to Conan Gray's album Kid Krow (2020) during the COVID-19 pandemic. The sound of her EP Bittersweet 16 was influenced by bands like Radiohead and Hole.

Mckenna's music on Bittersweet 16 is described as pop rock. She calls her own sound "kind of pop-ish". Her songs on Bittersweet 16 talk about feelings like heartbreak, body image, and social anxiety. Her EP Autumn Leaves explores young heartbreak. Mckenna sees songwriting as her "therapy" and a way to share all her feelings.

Personal life

Mckenna Grace has said that she likes to keep her personal life private. This helps her have a normal childhood and figure things out as a teenager. Her mother says their home life is "extremely normal". Mckenna separates herself from her characters by spending time with her family and dog. She uses social media like Instagram, Twitter, and TikTok.

Mckenna was diagnosed with scoliosis (a curve in the spine) when she was 12. While filming Ghostbusters: Afterlife, she wore a back brace. However, she found it uncomfortable and didn't wear it as much as she should have. In October 2022, she had spinal surgery. The surgery helped reduce the curve in her spine.

Awards and nominations

See also

In Spanish: Mckenna Grace para niños