June Carter Cash
Famous Fiction Authors
Donna Summer
Angelina Jolie
My Ghost Story
I Survived
Babe Ruth
Johnny Cash
Georgia O'Keefe
I Survived
Quick Facts
- NAME: Quvenzhané Wallis
- OCCUPATION: Film Actress
- BIRTH DATE: August 28, 2003 (Age: 9)
- PLACE OF BIRTH: Houma, Louisiana
- ZODIAC SIGN: Virgo
Best Known For
Quvenzhané Wallis is an actress best known for her Academy Award-nominated role as Hushpuppy in the 2012 film Beasts of the Southern Wild.
Quiz
Think you know about Biography?
Answer questions and see how you rank against other players.
Play NowQuvenzhané Wallis. (2013). The Biography Channel website. Retrieved 05:44, May 19, 2013, from http://www.biography.com/people/quvenzhan%C3%A9-wallis-21095485.
Quvenzhané Wallis. [Internet]. 2013. The Biography Channel website. Available from: http://www.biography.com/people/quvenzhan%C3%A9-wallis-21095485 [Accessed 19 May 2013].
"Quvenzhané Wallis." 2013. The Biography Channel website. May 19 2013, 05:44 http://www.biography.com/people/quvenzhan%C3%A9-wallis-21095485.
"Quvenzhané Wallis," The Biography Channel website, 2013, http://www.biography.com/people/quvenzhan%C3%A9-wallis-21095485 [accessed May 19, 2013].
"Quvenzhané Wallis," The Biography Channel website, http://www.biography.com/people/quvenzhan%C3%A9-wallis-21095485 (accessed May 19, 2013).
Quvenzhané Wallis [Internet]. The Biography Channel website; 2013 [cited 2013 May 19] Available from: http://www.biography.com/people/quvenzhan%C3%A9-wallis-21095485.
Quvenzhané Wallis, http://www.biography.com/people/quvenzhan%C3%A9-wallis-21095485 (last visited May 19, 2013).
Quvenzhané Wallis. The Biography Channel website. 2013. Available at: http://www.biography.com/people/quvenzhan%C3%A9-wallis-21095485. Accessed May 19, 2013.
Synopsis
Quvenzhané Wallis was born on August 28, 2003, in Houma, Louisiana. At the age of 5, Wallis won the leading role of Hushpuppy in the feature film Beasts of the Southern Wild, filmed in Louisiana. Wallis's debut performance in the acclaimed 2012 film resulted in a number of awards, honors and nominations. In January 2013, at the age of 9, she became the youngest nominee for an Academy Award in the Best Actress category.
Early Life
Quvenzhané Wallis was born on August 28, 2003, in Houma, Louisiana. Before their daughter's acting debut, Wallis's parents had no connection to the film industry. Mother Qulyndreia Wallis was a teacher, and father Venjie Wallis worked as a truck driver. Wallis's unusual name reflects her roots: The "Quven" combines her parents' first names, and her parents selected zhané—Swahili for "fairy"—as an homage to her African ancestry.
'Beasts of the Southern Wild'
At the age of 5, Wallis auditioned for her first acting role, the part of Hushpuppy in the feature film Beasts of the Southern Wild. The movie, set in the bayou of Louisiana, featured a cast drawn largely from the local community. Many, like Wallis, had no previous acting experience. Wallis and her parents lied about her age, claiming that she was 6, so that she would be eligible for the role. Ultimately, she emerged from among thousands of actresses to win the leading role of Hushpuppy. Once he had selected Wallis, director Benh Zeitlin made changes to his script so that it would be better tailored to Wallis's outspoken personality.
Beasts of the Southern Wild, produced with a modest budget, garnered immediate critical acclaim. The film premiered at the Sundance Film Festival in 2012, winning the Grand Jury Prize. In May 2012, Wallis flew to France for a screening of the film at the prestigious Cannes Film Festival, where Beasts won the prestigious Camera D'Or award for best film.
In addition to the honors awarded to the film, Wallis received awards and nominations for her performance. Her early honors include the African-American Film Critics Association Award for best breakthrough performance, the Alliance of Women Film Journalists Award for best breakthrough performance, the Broadcast Film Critics Association Award for best young performer, and the Hollywood Film Festival New Hollywood Award. Along with her awards for an emerging talent or newcomer, Wallis was nominated in the Best Actress category by several organizations and committees.
Youngest Best Actress Oscar Nominee
On January 10, 2013, at age 9, Wallis became the youngest Academy Award nominee for best actress. Beasts of the Southern Wild received an Oscar nomination for best picture, with director Benh Zeitlin also receiving nominations for best director and best adapted screenplay. The nominations, while not entirely unexpected, did also not seem assured after the film was passed over for Golden Globe nominations earlier in the awards season.
Later Projects
In 2012, Wallis began filming her next feature film, Twelve Years A Slave, opposite actors Brad Pitt and Michael Fassbender. The film is scheduled for release in 2013.
© 2013 A+E Networks. All rights reserved.
profile name: Quvenzhané Wallis profile occupation:
Your Connections
Sign in with Facebook to see how you and your friends are connected to famous icons.
Profile Connections
Included In These Groups
-
2013 Oscar Nominees
View groupExplore our collection of 2013 Oscar nominees, which includes actors Daniel Day-Lewis, Denzel Washington and Hugh Jackman; actresses Jessica Chastain, Naomi Watts and Jennifer Lawrence; directors Benh Zeitlin and Steven Spielberg; and many more. Find out who will be vying for the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences's prestigious honor, and view full biographies, videos and photos, only on Biography.com.
2013 Oscar Nominees 28 people in this group
-
African-American Firsts: Film & TV
View groupFrom stereotypical roles as maids and cooks to Academy Award-winning performances in blockbuster movies, African-Americans have come a long way in the world of film and TV. Early stars like Sidney Portier and Hattie McDaniel may have been the first actors to win awards for their stellar performances, but modern-day actors such as Denzel Washington and Halle Berry are still breaking new ground as the first African-Americans to win Oscars, Emmys and Golden Globes in certain categories. Learn about the African-American actors who became the first to change the fabric film and TV with their dramatic performances.
African-American Firsts: Film & TV 18 people in this group
presented by African-American Firsts: Film & TV -
Famous Virgoans
View groupMichael Jackson is one, so is Stephen King and Greta Garbo. Some say typical traits of Virgoans are helpful, critical, shy, and meticulous. Meet some famous people who share the astrological sign Virgo.
Famous Virgoans 561 people in this group
