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 (born August 28, 2003) is a talented American actress and author. She became famous at a young age for her role as Hushpuppy in the movie Beasts of the Southern Wild (2012). For this role, she was nominated for an Academy Award (also known as an Oscar). 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 movie 12 Years a Slave (2013). She also starred as Annie Bennett in the 2014 movie Annie, which earned her a Golden Globe nomination. Besides acting in movies, she voiced the character Harper in the animated film Trolls (2016) and played Kyra in the TV show Black-ish (2019). Quvenzhané is also a published author, having written several children's books.

About Quvenzhané Wallis

Her Early Life

Quvenzhané Wallis was born in Houma, Louisiana. Her mother, Qulyndreia, is a teacher, and her father, Venjie Sr., is a truck driver. She has an older sister named Qunyquekya and two older brothers, Vejon and Venjie Jr. Her unique name, "Quvenzhané," is a mix of her parents' first names. "Quven" comes from the first parts of their names, and "zhané" is a changed version of a Swahili word that means 'sprite' or 'fairy'.

Her Acting Journey

Quvenzhané started her acting career very early. When she was just five years old, her parents said she was six so she could audition for the movie Beasts of the Southern Wild (2012). The movie needed actors who were at least six years old. She was chosen from about 4,000 other children to play the main character, Hushpuppy. Hushpuppy is a strong and determined child who lives with her father in the Louisiana bayou.

The director, Benh Zeitlin, was very impressed with Quvenzhané. He said that as soon as he met her, he knew she was perfect for the role. He even changed parts of the movie's script to fit her strong personality. Her ability to read well, her loud voice, and even her ability to burp on command helped her get the part! Zeitlin mentioned that it was "the feeling behind her eyes" that truly stood out.

Breakthrough Role in Beasts of the Southern Wild

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 performance in the film was highly praised by critics.

On January 10, 2013, when she was nine years old, Quvenzhané was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Actress. She was only six years old when she filmed Beasts of the Southern Wild. This made her the youngest person ever nominated for Best Actress and the third-youngest nominee in any Oscar category. She was also the first African-American child actor and the first person born in the 21st century to receive an Oscar nomination.

Other Film and TV Roles

After her big success, Quvenzhané appeared in the movie 12 Years a Slave (2013). She also worked with the Sundance Film Festival on a short film called Boneshaker. In 2014, she played the main character in Annie, becoming 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 when she signed with Armani Junior. This is Giorgio Armani's fashion line for kids and teens. In 2016, she appeared in Beyoncé's music video for the song "All Night".

Becoming an Author

Quvenzhané is not just an actress; she's also a published author! In October 2017, she released two children's books. One was called Shai & Emmie Star in Break an Egg!, which is about friendship. The other was A Night Out With Mama, which tells the story of her night at the Oscars with her mother. She continued writing and published two more books in 2018: Shai & Emmie Star in To the Rescue! and Shai & Emmie Star in Dancy Pants!.

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

Filmography

Awards and Nominations

Quvenzhané Wallis has received many awards and nominations for her amazing acting. Here are some of the most notable ones:

See also

In Spanish: Quvenzhané Wallis para niños

• Youngest nominees for Best Actress in a Leading Role