Quvenzhané Wallis

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Quvenzhané Wallis
Quvenzhané Wallis 2013.jpg
Wallis at the 6th Annual Essence Black Women in Hollywood in 2013
Born (2003-08-28) August 28, 2003 (age 18)
Houma, Louisiana, U.S.
Occupation
  • Actress
  • author
Years active2011–present

Quvenzhané Wallis (/kwəˈvɛnʒəneɪ/ kwə-VEN-zhə-nay;[1] born August 28, 2003)[2][3] is an American actress and author. In 2012, she starred as Hushpuppy in the drama film Beasts of the Southern Wild (2012), for which she was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Actress, becoming the youngest actress ever to be nominated in the category, as well as the first person born in the 21st century nominated for an Oscar,[4][5] until Billie Eilish won the award.[6] She also starred as Annie Bennett in the 2014 adaptation of Annie, for which she received a Golden Globe nomination for Best Actress in a Motion Picture – Comedy or Musical.[7]

In 2017, Wallis published two books, Shai & Emmie Star in Break an Egg! and A Night Out with Mama. She has since published two more books: Shai & Emmie Star in Dancy Pants! and Shai & Emmie Star in To the Rescue![8]

Early life[edit]

Wallis was born in Houma, Louisiana, to Qulyndreia Wallis (née Jackson), a teacher, and Venjie Wallis, Sr., a truck driver.[9] She has one sister, Qunyquekya, and two brothers, Vejon and Venjie, Jr.[2][10][11] Her name "Quvenzhané" combines the first syllables of her parents' first names in "Quven", and an alteration of the Swahili word jini meaning 'sprite' or 'fairy'.[12]

Career[edit]

Wallis, 5, lied about her age to audition for Beasts of the Southern Wild (2012), which had a minimum tryout age of 6. She was chosen out of 4,000 to play Hushpuppy, an indomitable child prodigy and survivalist who lives with her dying father in the backwoods bayou squalor of Louisiana.[13] Director Benh Zeitlin told The Daily Beast that when he auditioned Wallis, he immediately realized he had discovered what he was looking for, and changed the Beasts script to accommodate her strong-willed personality. Her reading prowess, loud screaming voice, and ability to burp on command impressed the director and won her the part.[11] Zeitlin has also stated that "it was just the feeling behind her eyes".[14]

The film premiered at Sundance Film Festival in January 2012 to rave reviews, winning the Grand Jury Prize. In May 2012, Wallis flew to France for the premiere of the film at the 2012 Cannes Film Festival. Wallis's performance drew widespread acclaim and Zeitlin won the Caméra d'Or, the festival's award for best first feature film. On January 10, 2013, at age nine, Wallis was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Actress in a Leading Role. Wallis, who was 6 when she filmed Beasts of the Southern Wild, is the all-time youngest nominee for Best Actress and the third-youngest nominee ever.[15][16] Wallis is the first African-American child actor and the first person born in the 21st Century to earn an Oscar nomination.

Wallis had a role in the film 12 Years a Slave (2013), and collaborated with the Sundance Film Festival on a short film called Boneshaker. In 2014, she played the title character in Annie (2014), the first African American to do so.[17] For this, she was nominated for the Golden Globe Award for Best Actress in a Motion Picture – Comedy or Musical and received praise from most reviewers.[18] In May 2014, Wallis became the first child celebrity to be named the face of a luxury brand when she was signed by Armani Junior, Giorgio Armani's fashion line for children and teens.[19]

Wallis appeared in Beyoncé's 2016 music video for "All Night". In October 2017, she released two children's books: the friendship-centric Shai & Emmie Star in Break an Egg! and A Night Out With Mama, which is about her night at the Oscars with her mother.[20][21] She published two more books, Shai & Emmie Star in To the Rescue! and Shai & Emmie Star in Dancy Pants!, in 2018.[8][22]

She became a member of the Actors Branch of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences in 2018.[23]

Filmography[edit]

Year Title Role Notes
2012 Beasts of the Southern Wild Hushpuppy
2013 Boneshaker Blessing Short film
2013 12 Years a Slave Margaret Northup
2014 Annie Annie Bennett Stacks
2014 Kahlil Gibran's The Prophet Almitra (voice)
2015 Fathers and Daughters Lucy
2016 Lemonade Herself
2016 Trolls Harper (voice)
2019 Black-ish Kyra 5 episodes
2021 Swagger Crystal Lead role
TBA Karma and the Galactic Descendants Karma Quentin Main role

Awards and nominations[edit]

Year Award Category Work Result Ref
2013
 Academy Awards Best Actress Beasts of the Southern Wild Nominated [24]
African-American Film Critics Association Breakout Actor Won [25]
Alliance of Women Film Journalists Best Breakthrough Performance Won [26]
Austin Film Critics Association Breakthrough Artist Award Won [27]
Black Reel Awards Best Actress Won [28]
Best Breakthrough Performance Won
Chicago Film Critics Association Best Actress Nominated [29]
Most Promising Performer Won
Chlotrudis Awards Best Actress Nominated [30]
Critics' Choice Movie Awards Best Actress Nominated [31]
Best Young Actor/Actress Won
Dallas–Fort Worth Film Critics Association Best Actress Nominated [32]
Empire Awards Best Female Newcomer Nominated [33]
Florida Film Critics Circle Pauline Kael Breakout Award Won [34]
Georgia Film Critics Association Best Actress Nominated [35]
Breakthrough Award Nominated
Gotham Independent Film Awards Breakthrough Actor Nominated [36]
Houston Film Critics Society Best Actress Nominated [37]
International Online Film Critics' Poll Best Actress in a Leading Role Nominated [38]
Independent Spirit Awards Best Female Lead Nominated [39]
NAACP Image Awards Outstanding Actress in a Motion Picture Nominated [40]
National Board of Review Awards Breakthrough Actress Nominated [41]
New York Film Critics Online Breakthrough Performer Won [42]
Online Film Critics Society Best Actress Nominated [43]
Saturn Awards Best Performance by a Younger Actor Nominated [44]
St. Louis Film Critics Association Best Actress Nominated [45]
Washington D.C. Area Film Critics Association Best Youth Performance Won [46]
Women Film Critics Circle Best Young Actress Won [47]

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ "11 Celeb Names You're Totally Pronouncing Wrong". Seventeen. July 31, 2017. Retrieved November 19, 2017.
  2. ^ a b "Beasts of the Southern Wild press kit" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on March 8, 2014. Retrieved December 10, 2012.
  3. ^ "Monitor". Entertainment Weekly. No. 1274. August 30, 2013. p. 20.
  4. ^ Blakely, Rhys (January 10, 2013). "Youngest v oldest actress vie for Oscar as Lincoln leads the pack". The Times. Retrieved January 10, 2013.
  5. ^ Walker, Tim (January 10, 2013). "Quvenzhané Wallis v Emmanuelle Riva: Best actress Oscar contested by oldest and youngest ever nominees". The Independent. Retrieved January 10, 2013.
  6. ^ "Billie Eilish Is First Oscar Winner Born in 21st Century". March 27, 2022. Retrieved April 6, 2022.
  7. ^ Nicholson, Amy (June 29, 2012). "Quvenzhané Conquers Hollywood: 20 Questions for the 8-year-old star of Beasts of the Southern Wild;)". Boxoffice.com. Archived from the original on April 19, 2013. Retrieved December 14, 2012.
  8. ^ a b A Shai & Emmie Story. Retrieved December 27, 2019.
  9. ^ The Deadline Team (November 24, 2012). "OSCARS Interview: Quvenzhané Wallis". Deadline. Retrieved November 24, 2015.
  10. ^ McKnight, Laura (May 13, 2010). "Houma girl to star in independent film". The Daily Comet. Retrieved December 14, 2012.
  11. ^ a b Ebert, Roger (June 22, 2012). "Quvenzhané. A small force of nature". Roger Ebert's Journal. Retrieved December 14, 2012.
  12. ^ Ward, Kate (February 20, 2013). "How to Pronounce 25 Difficult Celebrity Names". Hollywood.com. Archived from the original on June 4, 2017. Retrieved June 3, 2017. The first name of the Oscar-nominated Beasts of Southern Wild star is, fittingly, a beast. But it has a lovely backstory: "Quven" combines her parents' first names (Qulyndreia and Venjie) and "zhane" is Swahili for "fairy".
  13. ^ Truitt, Brian (June 26, 2012). "Quvenzhane Wallis makes 'Southern Wild' sing". USA Today. Retrieved June 26, 2012.
  14. ^ Haramis, Nicholas (December 3, 2014). "There's Something About Quvenzhané Wallis". The New York Times Company. Retrieved December 3, 2014.
  15. ^ Day, Patrick Kevin (January 10, 2013). "Oscar nominations: Quvenzhane Wallis is young but not youngest ever". Los Angeles Times.
  16. ^ Alexander, Bryan (January 10, 2013). "History-making Quvenzhane Wallis: 'This is special'". USA Today.
  17. ^ Rottenberg, Josh (February 24, 2013). "Beasts of the Southern Wild' breakout Quvenzhané Wallis to star in new big-screen 'Annie'". EW.com.
  18. ^ Annie (2014 film)#Critical reception
  19. ^ Merle Ginsberg (May 22, 2014). "Quvenzhane Wallis Named Face of Armani Junior (Exclusive)". Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved January 23, 2015.
  20. ^ "Actress Quvenzhane Wallis Pens and Releases Two Children's Books". October 5, 2017.
  21. ^ Chevel Johnson (October 2, 2017). "Actress Quvenzhane Wallis taking new on a new role of author". Associated Press. Retrieved March 12, 2018.
  22. ^ Rebecca Sun (November 12, 2017). "Rep Sheet Roundup: WME Signs Trio of Hit Rock Bands From CAA". Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved May 12, 2018.
  23. ^ Khatchatourian, Maane (June 25, 2018). "Academy Invites Record 928 New Members". Variety.
  24. ^ "Oscars 2013: full list of nominations". The Guardian. January 10, 2013. Archived from the original on June 14, 2018. Retrieved November 25, 2018.
  25. ^ Lodge, Guy (December 16, 2012). "2012 African-American Film Critics Association Awards". HitFix. Archived from the original on December 31, 2014. Retrieved September 17, 2014.
  26. ^ Hanna, Beth (January 8, 2013). "'Zero Dark Thirty' Leads Women Film Journalists' EDA Awards; Lawrence Recognized for Kicking Ass, Dench for Defying Ageism". IndieWire. Archived from the original on August 16, 2018. Retrieved November 25, 2018.
  27. ^ "2012 Awards – Austin Film Critics Association". Austin Film Critics Association. Archived from the original on February 7, 2014. Retrieved January 28, 2014.
  28. ^ "Critics Wild About "Beasts!"". Black Reel Awards. February 8, 2013. Retrieved February 9, 2013.
  29. ^ "2012 Chicago Film Critics Awards". Chicago Film Critics Association. Archived from the original on March 3, 2013. Retrieved January 28, 2014.
  30. ^ "2013, 19th Annual Awards". Chlotrudis Society for Independent Films. Retrieved March 12, 2022.
  31. ^ Hutchings, Lucy (January 11, 2013). "Critics' Choice Awards 2013". Vogue. Archived from the original on November 25, 2018. Retrieved November 25, 2018.
  32. ^ "Dallas–Fort Worth Film Critics Association Awards for 2012". Dallas–Fort Worth Film Critics Association. Archived from the original on December 2, 2014. Retrieved January 28, 2014.
  33. ^ Lachno, James (March 25, 2013). "Empire Awards 2013: Skyfall and the Hobbit big winners". The Daily Telegraph. Archived from the original on March 26, 2013. Retrieved December 3, 2018.
  34. ^ Knegt, Peter (December 18, 2012). "'Argo' Tops Florida Film Critics' Awards". IndieWire. Retrieved December 3, 2018.
  35. ^ "2012 Awards". Georgia Film Critics Association. Archived from the original on March 16, 2018. Retrieved December 5, 2018.
  36. ^ Knegt, Peter (October 18, 2012). "Gotham Awards Announce 2012 Nominations". Indiewire. Retrieved November 9, 2012.
  37. ^ Knegt, Peter (January 6, 2013). "'Argo' Leads Houston Film Critics' Society Awards". IndieWire. Archived from the original on February 5, 2017. Retrieved July 25, 2015.
  38. ^ "3rd Edition – International Online Film Critics' Poll". International Online Film Critics' Poll. Archived from the original on May 20, 2016. Retrieved December 21, 2013.
  39. ^ "Independent Spirit Awards 2013: Winners List". The Hollywood Reporter. February 23, 2013. Retrieved October 31, 2015.
  40. ^ "Nominees were announced" (PDF). NAACP Image Awards. Archived from the original (PDF) on March 19, 2013. Retrieved December 6, 2012.
  41. ^ Fox, Jesse David (December 5, 2012). "Zero Dark Thirty Is the National Board of Review Big Winner". Vulture. Archived from the original on October 29, 2017. Retrieved December 4, 2018.
  42. ^ "New York Film Critics Online Hail "Zero Dark Thirty"". The Hollywood Reporter. December 9, 2012. Retrieved December 9, 2012.
  43. ^ "Online Film Critics Society 2012 Awards". Online Film Critics Society. Archived from the original on December 4, 2013. Retrieved February 11, 2014.
  44. ^ Busis, Hillary (February 20, 2013). "Saturn Award nominations announced". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved December 4, 2018.
  45. ^ "St. Louis Critics Announce 2012 Award Nominees". IndieWire. December 11, 2012. Archived from the original on August 21, 2013. Retrieved December 12, 2012.
  46. ^ Knegt, Peter (December 9, 2012). "Washington Film Critics Go For 'Zero Dark Thirty,' Day-Lewis, Chastain". IndieWire. Archived from the original on July 14, 2018. Retrieved December 4, 2018.
  47. ^ "Women Film Critics Circle Awards 2012". Retrieved January 3, 2013.

External links[edit]

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