If you haven’t already, read our last interview with Hailee Steinfeld about her movie, True Grit. Then, check out this talented young actress’ bio, below!
True Talent
Hailee Steinfeld was born on December 11, 1996, in Twin Oaks, California. She’s got a dad who’s a fitness trainer, a mom who’s an interior designer and an older brother named Griffin. Hailee started acting when she was only 8 years old, after she saw a close family friend in a school play.
Her parents got her an agent and she started taking acting lessons. Her first roles were in TV commercials for companies like Kmart. Soon, Hailee started landing bigger and bigger roles on TV shows and movies, including a TV movie called Summer Camp Pilot for Nickelodeon and some sit-coms.
True Grit
When she heard that the movie True Grit was holding auditions for the role of Mattie Ross, Hailee went to try out – along with 15,000 other girls about her age! She landed the part because of her huge talent: she was easily able to handle the old-fashioned dialogue in the script and stare down the bad guys!
The character that Hailee plays in the film – Mattie – is a 14-year-old farm girl who sets out to catch the man who killed her father. She does this with the help of the toughest U.S. marshal she can find. On the hunt for the murderer, they’re joined by a Texan Ranger played by Matt Damon and face lots of tests along the way. True Grit was nominated for a whole whack of Oscar Awards this year.
Hunger Games
Latest news for Hailee is, she's the favorite to play the lead role in the film version of the bestselling Hunger Games books series!
Fun Facts
- Height: At 14 years old, Hailee was already 5’8” tall! She says she’s “started recently to appreciate being tall, but I have never particularly liked it. I am taller than all of my friends, so I feel like I really stick out, and I don’t like that. I am taller than all of the guys, which really stinks, but they are finally starting to catch up with me, which is nice.”
- Education: Hailee has been home schooled ever since Grade 6.
- Career: Hailee says she is very interested to be "on the other side of the camera" and would like to eventually produce and direct.
- Background: Hailee is of Filipino, European-American and North African descent.
- Bieber: Hailee presented at the 2011 Golden Globes with Justin Bieber.
