Mckenna Grace

Mckenna Grace
5.1
Mckenna Grace photo 1 Mckenna Grace photo 2 Mckenna Grace photo 3 Mckenna Grace photo 4
Name:
Mckenna Grace
Who is:
,
Birth date:
2006 (19 y.o.)
Place of birth:
Grapevine, Texas, U.S.
Height:
5'1 ft ( 154 cm )
Relationship:
single
Birth Sign:
( characteristic )
Chinese zodiac:
Links:

Photos: Mckenna Grace

Mckenna Grace Biography

Mckenna Grace is an American actress who became a star while still a child. She gained widespread recognition for her roles in "Gifted" (2017) and "I, Tonya" (2017), as well as TV series like "Fuller House," "Designated Survivor," "The Handmaid's Tale," and many others. She frequently appears in horror films ("Bad Blood," "Annabelle Comes Home," "Malignant").
Mckenna Grace against a black wall, face in close-up
Mckenna Grace
Source: Variety

Childhood and Early Roles

Mckenna Grace was born on June 25, 2006, in the small town of Grapevine, Texas. Her father, Ross Burge, is an orthopedic surgeon; her mother's name is Crystal Grace.
Mckenna Grace and her parents
Mckenna Grace and her parents
Mckenna got interested in acting early on. For her fifth birthday, her great-grandfather gave the little girl a collection of Shirley Temple films, and after watching them, Grace announced she'd found her calling. At a family meeting, they decided to enroll her in acting classes.

The instructors were blown away by the young actress's talent – Mckenna "could do things that simply can't be taught." Soon the little girl had her own agent, who within a week found her first job – shooting a YMCA commercial.

Following her agency's advice, Mckenna and her parents headed to Los Angeles to audition for one of the lead roles in the feature film "Goodbye World" (dir. Denis Hennelly). Much to the girl's delight, she got the part. The film came out in 2013 and received mixed reviews from audiences and critics. Still, being in a project like that was a solid start for the young actress.
Mckenna Grace as a child
Mckenna Grace as a child
As fate would have it, the girl's father was accepted into an orthopedic surgery residency program in California around that time, and soon his wife and 7-year-old Mckenna joined him. Now the world of cinema was much closer, and going to auditions wasn't nearly as complicated.
Mckenna Grace in the TV series "The Goodwin Games"
Mckenna Grace in the TV series "The Goodwin Games"
By age 11, Mckenna had built up an impressive roster of roles. She got to work with Hollywood stars like Eddie Murphy and Britt Robertson in the drama "Mr. Church" (2016; dir. Bruce Beresford), Jeff Goldblum and Judd Hirsch in the sci-fi film "Independence Day: Resurgence" (2016).
Mr. Church ‒ trailer
On top of that, the little girl appeared in several popular series, including "Crash & Bernstein" (2012-2014), "The Young and the Restless" (2013-2015), "CSI: Cyber" (2015), "The Vampire Diaries" (2015), "Fuller House" (2016-2018), and more – by her 12th birthday, the girl had racked up about 25 TV roles in total.
Mckenna Grace in the TV series "The Goodwin Games"
Mckenna Grace in the TV series "The Goodwin Games"

Career Peak

Critics hailed Grace's lead role in the 2017 drama "Gifted" as a major breakthrough. The casting process took nearly 8 months – more than 600 teenagers auditioned, but little Mckenna proved the most convincing to producers.
Gifted ‒ trailer
In director Marc Webb's drama alongside Chris Evans, the young actress played a child prodigy with extraordinary mathematical abilities. Critics praised Grace's performance, noting: "Precocious child actors can be grating, especially when playing genius characters. But Mckenna Grace, with her watchful eyes and missing front teeth, delivers a charming and skillful performance that rivals Drew Barrymore in 'E.T.'"

From 2016, Mckenna played Penny Kirkman, daughter of Kiefer Sutherland's character in ABC's hit political series "Designated Survivor."
Scene from "Designated Survivor"
Scene from "Designated Survivor"
In 2017, she appeared in "I, Tonya," the drama about infamous American figure skater Tonya Harding. The young actress portrayed the athlete as a child, while Margot Robbie took on the lead role.
Mckenna Grace played Margot Robbie's character as a child
Mckenna Grace played Margot Robbie's character as a child
She also had a small role in legendary director Steven Spielberg's "Ready Player One" with Tye Sheridan, Olivia Cooke, and Ben Mendelsohn.

In 2018, Mckenna appeared in the horror film "The Bad Seed," a remake of the 1956 original. She played the lead role of Emma, a middle school student who lost her mother at a young age.

On February 1, 2019, the comedy-drama "Troop Zero" premiered worldwide, directed by the creative duo Bert & Bertie. The film follows a group of elementary school misfits led by Christmas Flint (played by Mckenna), who convinces the kids to enter a talent show.
Mckenna Grace in 2019
Mckenna Grace in 2019
The cast included Oscar winners Viola Davis and Allison Janney, who'd previously worked with Grace on "I, Tonya," along with comedians Mike Epps and Edie Patterson.

Next, Mckenna appeared in the superhero action film "Captain Marvel" as young Carol Denvers (Captain Marvel). The lead role in the film was played by Brie Larson.
Mckenna Grace and Brie Larson pose together with Brie hugging the girl
Mckenna Grace and Brie Larson
Source: Reddit
2019 also saw the release of the seventh film in "The Conjuring" universe – "Annabelle Comes Home". Mckenna played Judy Warren, daughter of the legendary paranormal investigators. The film pulled in over $231 million, and critics noted that Grace breathed life into the tired "creepy kid from horror movies" trope.
Mckenna Grace holds a creepy doll and smiles
Mckenna Grace at the premiere of "Annabelle Comes Home"
Source: IMDb
In 2021, Mckenna Grace joined the cast of "The Handmaid's Tale". Starting in season four, she played Esther Keyes, a smart and headstrong girl who's forced into marriage with an elderly Commander. She first appeared in the episode titled "Nightshade".
Mckenna Grace in a bonnet and period clothing, still from The Handmaid's Tale
"The Handmaid's Tale": Mckenna Grace as Esther
Source: IMDb
For this role, Grace earned a Primetime Emmy Award nomination for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series. She became the first child ever nominated for an Emmy in a guest role category. She didn't take home the statue, but hey, the nomination itself is huge.

In November 2021, "Ghostbusters: Afterlife" hit theaters. Mckenna, a massive fan of the original "Ghostbusters", took on the role of Phoebe Spengler, granddaughter of the legendary Egon Spengler, once played by the late Harold Ramis. She cut and dyed her hair for the part.
Mckenna Grace with short black curls and glasses, film still
Mckenna Grace in "Ghostbusters: Afterlife"
Source: IMDb
In 2022, Mckenna and her father co-wrote the screenplay for the "Bad Blood" sequel. During quarantine, father and daughter were stuck at home with nothing to do, so they decided to dream up a continuation of the young psychopath Emma's story.

The original script turned out "too dark", though, so Lifetime brought in another writer to soften their bleak tale. The film premiered on September 5, 2022, becoming the first project from Mckenna Grace's production company, Beautiful Ghosts Productions.

In March 2022, Mckenna joined the cast of Peacock's crime miniseries "A Friend of the Family", playing Jan Broberg, a girl who's kidnapped by a family friend. She "shared" the role with Hendrix Yancey, who played the younger version of Jan.
Mckenna Grace with a red bob haircut and 80s fashion, a scene from the miniseries
Mckenna Grace in the miniseries "A Friend of the Family"
Source: IMDb
In 2023, Mckenna starred in the sci-fi adventure film "Crater", playing Addison, daughter of a respected scientist. The film dropped on Disney+ and got generally positive reviews.

March 2024 marked her return to the role of Phoebe Spengler in "Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire".

Music

In 2020, the actress signed with music label Photo Finish Records. Music had been calling to her for a while – she'd been playing ukulele, posting covers on social media, and during lockdown, she started writing her own songs.

In November 2021, Mckenna released her debut single "Haunted House" along with a music video. She co-wrote the song with Lily Kincade, with Nathaniel Motte handling production.
Mckenna Grace - Haunted House
Grace explained that the track came from a difficult period in her life, and while it can be heard as a breakup song, it's also about a friend, family member, or any relationship that's ended. The track wasn't originally written for "Ghostbusters," but it ended up playing over the final credits.

In 2022, she dropped singles "Do All My Friends Hate Me?" and "You Ruined Nirvana". On November 18 that same year came "Self Dysmorphia," inspired by Mckenna's struggle with scoliosis.

In March 2023, her debut EP "Bittersweet 16" arrived, recorded in a pop-punk style. The record's key themes: heartache and body image. Mckenna wanted to make a full album, but the label suggested starting with an EP.

By October, her second EP "Autumn Leaves" dropped. It leaned more folk and tackled different territory, mostly dealing with unrequited love. In interviews, Mckenna's called music her form of therapy, a way to channel both positive and negative emotions.
Mckenna Grace - LOSER!!
In 2024, she released new singles: "Gentleman," "Natalie," "Middle Name," and "LOSER!!", which came out on her eighteenth birthday with a music video styled like a high school prom.

Mckenna Grace's Personal Life

In 2022, Mckenna stated she didn't want to share details of her personal life with the public so she could "have a normal childhood and figure myself out." Grace said she separates herself from her characters and spends her free time with family and her beloved dog.

In a 2023 interview, Mckenna mentioned she'd never been on a date.
Mckenna Grace and Mason Thames walking forward holding hands
Mckenna Grace and Mason Thames walking in New York
Source: Reddit
In April 2025, a staged TikTok video showing Mckenna and her "I Regret You" co-star Mason Thames playfully kissing to a song from "500 Days of Summer" went viral. On June 14, 2025, they were spotted walking hand-in-hand in New York City. However, neither Grace nor Thames has confirmed they're dating.

Scoliosis

A medical condition discovered when she was 12 had a major impact on the actress's development. One day, Mckenna was hugging her father. Being an excellent surgeon, he felt his daughter's back and knew something was wrong. It soon turned out Grace had severe scoliosis.

During the filming of "Ghostbusters," the young actress had to wear a back brace to correct her spine. It was terribly uncomfortable, so Grace wore it before bed instead of the prescribed 22 hours a day.

For several years, Mckenna tried to keep the condition secret. "I don't know, I guess I was embarrassed or something," she recalled. On red carpets, her dresses were altered so one side was longer than the other to camouflage the curve.

On set, Mckenna tried to maintain her posture, but by the end of the day she'd be exhausted and in pain. This affected her work:
I started noticing how crooked I was standing, and people around me noticed too. I was constantly being scolded on set. They kept saying: 'Stand up straight,' 'Stop slouching,' 'Mckenna, you're on your mark but you're standing all over here,' 'We need you to stand up'...
After her spinal curve exceeded 45 degrees, she needed surgery—otherwise, she could develop lung problems. In October 2022, Mckenna underwent spinal surgery that reduced the curve to 6 degrees. "For the first time in my life, my hips are even and my body is straight. And I grew two inches," the actress celebrated. She was left with a neat, barely visible scar on her back.
Mckenna Grace sitting in a backless dress, rear view
Mckenna Grace after posture correction
Source: Reddit

Mckenna Grace Now

In 2025, Mckenna starred in the romantic drama "I'm Glad About You" based on Colleen Hoover's novel. Critics slammed the film but praised Grace and her co-star Mason Thames's performances. Slant Magazine called her "the only bright spot" in the entire movie.
Mckenna Grace and Mason Thames pose together for a photo
Mckenna Grace and Mason Thames starred together in "I'm Glad About You"
Source: @mckennagraceful
The film dropped in October, and literally a week later, audiences could catch the actress in a completely different project – the thriller "Teacup."

Grace also took the lead in the drama "Spider & Jessie," a dark story about two sisters hiding their mother's overdose death from everyone around them.

Meanwhile, the actress was filming the horror movie "Scream 7," set to premiere in February 2026, and leading the blockbuster "The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping." Her character – Maysilee Donner – is the first owner of the mockingjay pin that eventually ends up with Katniss Everdeen.

The young star hasn't forgotten about music either. In 2025, she released the singles "Swim Team," "No Days Go By," "Easy Times," "Do the Evolution," and "Country Comforts."

Mckenna Grace: latest news and articles

  • Tanya Collins, umm you should do more research she wanted to join it her mom thought she was gonna get bored and say forget it but didnt and succeed so next time you dont just say what`s on your mind do research
    2021-12-27 05:12:53
  • She is great at what she she does for her age and some adults are worse than her and she is very pretty
    2021-11-01 12:05:19
  • She`s going to go far. Very beautiful, very intelligent and comes from a good home. Very classy young lady. Showbiz could use more little Graces ;)
    2021-06-20 10:11:18
  • Another poor child with no childhood! I think she already has so many psychological traumas... almost from the cradle of the child, they putting her into this dirty showbiz...
    2021-05-15 20:09:58
  • This little girl only brings a smile to my face! You must definitely watch some movie with her.
    2021-05-08 13:34:32
  • Well, what can I say, beautiful and gifted children are born from beautiful parents in great love. This also happened with Mckenna Grace :)
    2021-05-03 14:57:15
  • One of my favorite films of my «I, Tonya», which is one of the new ones. And there I see Grace was playing. She`s good :)
    2021-03-16 14:45:04
  • What a little Mckenna Grace girl actress. I haven`t seen her anywhere yet, but she is very pretty :)
    2021-03-15 12:18:23
  • hi
    2021-03-10 00:29:14
  • Hi, I am Nawid(Meaning: Good news). And my opinion: Never Give Up, Never lose your kindness. Don`t forget Reading,... Always try to become better than past
    2020-10-11 13:48:58
  • Hi how are you
    2020-05-25 19:55:59
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