Quvenzhané Wallis facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Quvenzhané Wallis
Wallis at the 6th Annual Essence Black Women in Hollywood in 2013
Born	(2003-08-28) August 28, 2003 (age 21) Houma, Louisiana, U.S.
Occupation	Actress author
Years active	2012–present

Quvenzhané Wallis (pronounced kwə-VEN-zhə-nay; born August 28, 2003) is an American actress and author. She became famous in 2012 for her role as Hushpuppy in the movie Beasts of the Southern Wild. For this role, she was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Actress. This made her the youngest actress ever to be nominated in that category. She was also the first actor born in the 2000s to get an Oscar nomination.

After that, Quvenzhané appeared in the film 12 Years a Slave (2013). She also starred as Annie Bennett in the 2014 movie Annie. For her role in Annie, she received a Golden Globe nomination.

Wallis also lent her voice to the character Harper in the animated movie Trolls (2016). She played Kyra in the TV show Black-ish (2019). As an author, she has written four children's books. These include Shai & Emmie Star in Break an Egg! and A Night Out with Mama.

About Quvenzhané's Early Life

Quvenzhané Wallis was born in Houma, Louisiana. Her mother, Qulyndreia Wallis, is a teacher. Her father, Venjie Wallis Sr., is a truck driver. She has one sister named Qunyquekya and two brothers, Vejon and Venjie Jr.

Her unique name, "Quvenzhané," has a special meaning. It combines the first parts of her parents' names, "Quven." The "zhané" part comes from a Swahili word that means 'sprite' or 'fairy'.

Quvenzhané's Acting Career

When Quvenzhané was only five years old, her parents helped her audition for the movie Beasts of the Southern Wild. The movie required actors to be at least six, but she was so talented. She was chosen from about 4,000 children to play the main character, Hushpuppy. Hushpuppy is a strong and smart child who lives with her sick father in Louisiana.

The director, Benh Zeitlin, was very impressed with Quvenzhané. He said he knew right away that she was perfect for the part. He even changed parts of the script to fit her strong personality. Her ability to read well, scream loudly, and even burp on command helped her get the role!

Beasts of the Southern Wild Success

The movie Beasts of the Southern Wild was first shown at the Sundance Film Festival in January 2012. It received amazing reviews and won a top award there. In May 2012, Quvenzhané traveled to France for the movie's premiere at the 2012 Cannes Film Festival. Her acting was highly praised by everyone.

On January 10, 2013, when she was nine years old, Quvenzhané was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Actress. She was only six when she filmed the movie. This made her the youngest person ever nominated for Best Actress. She was also the first African-American child actor to get an Oscar nomination. Plus, she was the first person born in the 2000s to receive an Oscar nomination.

Other Movies and Achievements

After Beasts of the Southern Wild, Quvenzhané had a role in the movie 12 Years a Slave (2013). She also worked on a short film called Boneshaker. In 2014, she starred as the main character in Annie. She was the first African American actress to play Annie in a major film. For this role, she was nominated for a Golden Globe Award.

In May 2014, Quvenzhané made history again. She became the first child celebrity to be the face of a luxury brand. She signed with Armani Junior, which is Giorgio Armani's fashion line for kids and teens.

In 2016, she appeared in Beyoncé's music video for the song "All Night". In October 2017, Quvenzhané released her first two children's books. Shai & Emmie Star in Break an Egg! is about friendship. A Night Out With Mama is about her experience at the Oscars with her mom. She published two more books in 2018.

In 2018, Quvenzhané became a member of the Actors Branch of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. This is the group that votes for the Oscars.

Filmography

Awards and Nominations

See also

In Spanish: Quvenzhané Wallis para niños

• List of oldest and youngest Academy Award winners and nominees – Youngest nominees for Best Actress in a Leading Role
• List of actors with Academy Award nominations
• List of accolades received by Beasts of the Southern Wild