Shailene Woodley facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Shailene Woodley
Woodley in 2024
Born	(1991-11-15) November 15, 1991 (age 33)
Occupation	Actress
Years active	1999–present
Awards	Full list

Shailene Woodley (born November 15, 1991) is an American actress. She became well-known for her role as Amy Juergens in the TV show The Secret Life of the American Teenager (2008–2013). This show was about a teenager facing big life changes.

She then starred in movies like The Descendants (2011) and The Spectacular Now (2013). For The Descendants, she was nominated for a Golden Globe Award. Shailene gained more fame playing a teen with cancer in The Fault in Our Stars (2014). She also played Beatrice Prior in The Divergent Series (2014–2016).

She acted in the TV series Big Little Lies (2017–2019). In this show, she played a character dealing with a difficult past. She was nominated for an Emmy Award for her role. Her other films include Snowden (2016), Adrift (2018), and The Mauritanian (2021). She also produced To Catch a Killer (2023).

In 2024, Shailene made her Broadway debut in the play Cult of Love. She is also an environmental activist. She works as a Greenpeace Oceans Ambassador. She also helps lead the group All it Takes. This group helps young people grow and learn.

Early Life and Education

Shailene Woodley was born on November 15, 1991. Her mother was a middle-school counselor. Her father was a school principal and family therapist. Shailene has a younger brother named Tanner. Her parents separated when she was 14 years old.

Discovering Acting

An agent found Shailene when she was in a local theater class. She had begged her parents to let her join the class. At age five, she started acting in commercials. She appeared in over sixty TV ads before she turned eleven. Her parents had three rules for her acting. She had to stay herself, have fun, and do well in school.

School and Early Career

Woodley was a great student. She took advanced classes and graduated from Simi Valley High School. While starring in The Secret Life of the American Teenager, she kept up with school. A teacher would bring her missed work to her home or set. She would do it between takes.

She thought about studying Interior Design at New York University. But her acting career became too busy. During a break from her TV show, she worked at a clothing store. Two days later, she got a call to meet director Alexander Payne. She later quit her job to join the film The Descendants.

Health Challenges

At fifteen, Shailene was diagnosed with scoliosis. This is a curve in the spine. She wore a special brace for two years. She said it was like wearing a plastic corset for 18 hours a day. It was hard to eat or breathe at first. She also had to stop cross-country running. But the brace helped realign her spine. She would take it off during filming.

Acting Career

1999–2010: Early Roles and Secret Life

Woodley at KIIS-FM's Wango Tango in Los Angeles, September 2009

Shailene Woodley started acting in 1999. She had a small role in the TV film Replacing Dad. She then appeared in TV shows like The District and Crossing Jordan. In Crossing Jordan, she played a younger version of the main character.

She had a main role in the TV film A Place Called Home (2004). She played California Ford. This role earned her a nomination for a Young Artist Award. She also played young Kaitlin Cooper in The O.C.. In 2005, she starred as Felicity Merriman in Felicity: An American Girl Adventure. She received another Young Artist Award nomination for this role. After this, she had guest roles in many TV series. These included Everybody Loves Raymond and CSI: NY.

Woodley was cast as Amy Juergens in The Secret Life of the American Teenager (2008–2013). The show was about a 15-year-old girl facing big life changes. Critics praised her performance. The show was very popular. It became one of ABC Family's most-watched shows. It ran for five seasons and 121 episodes.

2011–2014: Film Debut and Breakthrough

In 2011, Woodley made her first big movie appearance. She was in Alexander Payne's The Descendants. She played Alex, the older daughter of Matt King (George Clooney). Critics loved her performance. The New York Times said she gave a "tough, smart, most credible adolescent performance."

She received a Golden Globe nomination for Best Supporting Actress. She also won the Independent Spirit Award for Best Supporting Female. In 2012, she received the Trophée Chopard at the Cannes Film Festival. People magazine named her one of 2012's "Most Beautiful at Every Age."

Woodley starred in The Spectacular Now as Aimee Finecky. She played an innocent, bookish teenager. She starts dating the charming Sutter Keely (Miles Teller). The film premiered at Sundance in 2013. Her acting as Aimee was highly praised. Critics said she and Teller showed "depth of feeling that's breathtaking." Woodley won a Special Jury Award for Acting at the 2013 Sundance Film Festival.

Woodley at the 19th Annual Hamptons International Film Festival in October 2011

In October 2012, Woodley was offered the role of Mary Jane Watson in The Amazing Spider-Man 2. However, her scenes were cut from the final movie. The director said it was to focus on Peter and Gwen's story. Everyone enjoyed working with her.

She also starred in White Bird in a Blizzard. The film was released in 2014. She played teenager Katrina "Kat" Connors. Her life changes when her mother disappears. Critics praised Woodley's natural acting.

In 2014, Woodley starred as Beatrice "Tris" Prior in Divergent. This movie was based on Veronica Roth's popular book. Woodley was the only actress considered for the role. She trained for four weeks in Chicago for the part. This included fight, gun, and knife training. The film was set in a future Chicago. It received mixed reviews. But Woodley's performance as Tris was well-received. Divergent was a financial success. Woodley received the 2014 CinemaCon's Female Star of Tomorrow Award.

Also in 2014, Woodley starred as Hazel Grace Lancaster in The Fault in Our Stars. This film was based on John Green's novel. She played a 16-year-old cancer patient. She falls in love with Augustus Waters (Ansel Elgort). John Green praised Woodley's understanding of the character. The film was a huge success, earning over $307 million worldwide. Woodley's acting received great reviews. Peter Travers called her a "sublime actress." Richard Roeper called her performance "Oscar-worthy." She received The Hollywood Film Award for Hollywood Breakout Performance – Actress.

Because of her success, she was nominated for the BAFTA Rising Star Award in 2015.

2015–2019: New Challenges and Roles

Woodley in October 2014 at the French premiere of White Bird in a Blizzard in Paris

In 2015, Woodley played Tris again in The Divergent Series: Insurgent. This was the second movie in The Divergent Series. Her acting was again praised. Insurgent was a commercial success. It earned nearly $100 million in its first weekend. She also played Tris in the next film, Allegiant (2016). This film, however, did not do well with critics or at the box office.

Lionsgate planned to make the final film, Ascendant, for television. But Woodley said she would not be part of it. She wanted to finish the series as a full-length movie. She felt it was important to do justice to the character of Tris.

She then starred with Joseph Gordon-Levitt in Snowden (2016). This film was about Edward Snowden. Woodley played Lindsay Mills, Snowden's girlfriend. Her performance was called "breathtaking."

Starting in 2015, Woodley took a break from acting for almost a year. She thought about quitting. She felt she "had hit a wall with acting." But she "fell in love" with acting again through Big Little Lies. In 2017, Woodley starred in the HBO series Big Little Lies. She played a character dealing with a difficult past. She starred alongside Nicole Kidman and Reese Witherspoon. Critics praised her "quiet complexity." She was nominated for an Emmy and Golden Globe Award for her role. She returned for the second season in 2019.

She also starred in and produced Adrift (2018). Woodley learned sailing for the film. She did her own stunts. Most of the film was shot on the open ocean. Critics called her performance "Oscar-worthy." She received the Rising Star Award at the 2018 Deauville Film Festival.

In 2019, Woodley starred in Endings, Beginnings. She played Daphne, a character trying to improve her life. The film received mixed reviews. But critics said Woodley's performance was strong.

2021–Present: More Film and TV Work

Woodley speaking at San Diego Comic-Con in 2016

In 2021, Woodley had a supporting role in The Mauritanian. This film was about a legal case. She played Teri Duncan, a junior lawyer. She also had a small role in The Fallout. This was a tribute to her friendship with the director, Megan Park.

She then starred in and produced The Last Letter from Your Lover. This romantic drama was based on a popular book. She played Jennifer Stirling, a woman in the 1960s. She discovers her true love. Critics said Woodley showed "raw intensity."

In 2023, Woodley starred in and produced the crime thriller To Catch a Killer. She played Eleanor Falco, a talented but troubled cop. She helps the FBI track a mass murderer. Critics praised her performance. She also starred in the sci-fi comedy Robots. She played Elaine, a gold digger. She learns about humanity when she chases her robot double. Woodley said she accepted the role to do a comedy. She also appeared in Dumb Money. She played Lina Lardi in the film Ferrari.

In 2024, Woodley starred in the drama series Three Women. She played a fictional version of author Lisa Taddeo. She also starred in the mystery thriller Killer Heat. She made her Broadway debut in the play Cult of Love. She played Diana Dahl Bennett. Critics gave her positive reviews. She will receive the Theater World Award's Dorothy Loudon Award for Excellence in The Theater.

Personal Life

Shailene Woodley has said she falls in love with people based on who they are. In 2018, she confirmed she was dating rugby player Ben Volavola. Their relationship reportedly ended in April 2020.

In 2020, Woodley was reported to be in a relationship with NFL quarterback Aaron Rodgers. In February 2021, Rodgers mentioned his "fiancée" during an awards speech. Woodley confirmed their engagement on a TV show on February 22, 2021. In February 2022, it was reported that they had ended their engagement. She is now dating actor Lucas Bravo.

Activism

Woodley is a strong environmental activist. In 2010, she and her mother started All it Takes. This group teaches young people about empathy and responsibility. It aims to create positive change for people and the environment. She received the Philanthropy Award for her work with All it Takes.

Woodley at Web Summit 2016 - Future Societies, November 2016

In 2016, Woodley protested against the Dakota Access Pipeline. She was arrested for trespassing. Her arrest was broadcast live on Facebook. This brought more attention to the protest. Her mugshot spread on social media. Many people supported her. She wrote an article for Time about her experience. She pleaded guilty and received probation.

In mid-2016, Woodley joined the board of Our Revolution. This group helps educate voters and supports progressive policies. As an activist, Woodley spoke at a National Town Hall in 2018. It was about solving the climate change crisis. On September 29, 2016, she received an award for co-founding All it Takes. She also received the Female EMA Futures Award. In 2017, the Sierra Club honored her for her activism.

Woodley supports clean and renewable energy. In 2017, she wrote an article for The Hill. She encouraged Americans to support renewable energy by 2050. This led to a bill called the 100 by '50 Act. In 2019, she supported Indigenized Energy. This group brings solar energy and jobs to Native Americans. In 2018, Woodley took activist Calina Lawrence to the 75th Golden Globe Awards. They had met during the Dakota Access Pipeline protest.

Woodley has supported many environmental campaigns. She lent her voice to Conservation International's Nature Is Speaking series. She is on their Leadership Council. She also worked with American Express and Parley for the Oceans. This was to fight plastic pollution in the ocean. She joined Ocean Unite's 30x30 mission. This aims to protect 30% of the Earth's oceans by 2030.

In July 2019, Woodley became an Oceans Ambassador for Greenpeace. She went on a three-week trip to the Sargasso Sea. She studied how plastics affect ocean life. She wrote an article for Time about her trip. The expedition helped lead to the UN Ocean Treaty in March 2023. This agreement aims to protect 30% of the world's oceans by 2030. In 2020, Woodley partnered with Karün. This company makes eyewear from recycled waste. Their product line is called Karün by Shailene Woodley.

In 2022, Woodley joined GoodLeap's Advisory Council. This group helps GoodLeap promote sustainable living. In 2023, Woodley joined Greenpeace in Paris. She demanded a strong Global Plastics Treaty. This was during a UNEP meeting.

Woodley signed the Artists4Ceasefire letter. In 2023, she appeared in the Italian documentary Materia Viva. She talked about her environmental activism. The film focused on electronic waste.

Filmography

Film

Key

Denotes films that have not yet been released

Television

Year	Title	Role	Notes
1999	Replacing Dad	Little Girl	Television film
2001–2003	District, TheThe District	Kristin Debreno	3 episodes
2001–2004	Crossing Jordan	Young Jordan Cavanaugh	4 episodes
2003	Without a Trace	Young Clare Metcalf	Episode: "Clare de Lune"
2003–2004	O.C., TheThe O.C.	Kaitlin Cooper	6 episodes
2004	Everybody Loves Raymond	Snotty Girl #2	Episode: "Party Dress"
	Place Called Home, AA Place Called Home	California "Cali" Ford	Television film
2004–2005	Jack & Bobby	Chloe Benedict	2 episodes
2005	Felicity: An American Girl Adventure	Felicity Merriman	Television film
	Once Upon a Mattress	Molly	Television film
2006	My Name Is Earl	Young Gwen	Episode: "BB"
2007	CSI: NY	Evie Pierpont	Episode: "A Daze of Wine and Roaches"
	Close to Home	Gaby Tursi	Episode: "Getting In"
	Cold Case	Sarah Gunden	Episode: "Running Around"
	Final Approach	Maya Bender	Television film
2008–2013	The Secret Life of the American Teenager	Amy Juergens	Main role, 121 episodes
2017, 2019	Big Little Lies	Jane Chapman	Main role, 14 episodes
2024	Three Women	Gia Lombardi	Main role, 10 episodes
2024	Hope in the Water	Herself	Docuseries

Key

Denotes television series that have not yet been released

Theater

Music videos

Video games

Accolades

See also

In Spanish: Shailene Woodley para niños