Shailene Woodley

Biography of Shailene Woodley

Some actors are waiting for their starring role for years, but Shailene Woodley was already lucky at the start because she woke up famous at 17. The role of Amy Jurgens in the most popular ABC Family series «The Secret Life of an American Teenager» brought the young actress not only 5 nominations «Teen Choice Awards», but also world fame. Woodley became a real movie front-pager and one of the most popular young actresses in Hollywood. Success has multiplied by the starring in the teenage movie franchise «Divergent».

Shailene Dianne Woodley is a sensation in the world of cinema

Childhood

Shailene Dianne Woodley was born on November 15, 1991 in Simi Valley, Ventura County, California. The parents of the star were teachers. Lonnie Woodley's father was the principal of the school, and her mother Lauren Victor-Woodley worked as a school psychologist.

Shailene Woodley was a bright and extraordinary person from childhood

Mother named her Shailene. Woodleys family returned from the doctor, where they find out that they would soon have a daughter. They were stuck in a traffic, and to distract herself, the 18-year-old pregnant Laurie began to study the number plates of the cars ahead. She liked the combination of «Shai», then she began to add various endings, until the harmonious combination «Shailene» came out.

Shailene Woodley with Mom, Lauren Woodley

In 1994, Shailene get a brother Tanner and they have been very friendly since childhood.

Shailene Woodley and her brother

When the girl was 15 years old, her parents divorced. This has caused a great deal of distress for her and for Tenni. Prior to this event, she was an exemplary teenager and never rebelled and did not create problems for parents. But in the same year Shailene went to high school. Shortly before this, Shailene had problems with the spine, doctors diagnosed «scoliosis». There was no operation, but the girl had to wear a plastic corset for 18 months. In addition, the family had to resort to the dentist service and for some time the girl's smile was spoiled by braces. Not surprisingly, that in new class a newcomer was greeted with dislike.

Shailene Woodley was a «ugly duckling» in her childhood

And the «perfect teenager» rebelled. She began to think in a direction that had nothing to do with usual teenage things like parties, smoking pot and skipping school. She realized that there is only a point in the boundless universe, and it’s time to think about the future, change something, so as not to disappear without a trace. This philosophical analysis of his life helped Woodley decide on the future. She decided to change the world. While studying in high school she became an ardent defender of the environment: «If we want to continue to live on this planet, we must protect the Earth and save it. And we need to start with ourselves».

Career

She began her career as a little model: she was at the camera for the first time at the age of 5.

Shailene Woodley in Claritin Commercial

At the age of 8, Woodley first appeared on the set, having played an episodic role in the film «Replacing Dad». Then there were small parts in the TV series «The District», «Crossing Jordan», «Without a trace», «The O.C.», «Everybody Loves Raymond», «Jack & Bobby», «A Place Called Home». In 2004, young Woodleywas nominated for the Young Artist Award for her part as California Ford in the television drama «A Place Called Home».

Shailene Woodley as a child (movie «Replacing Dad», 1991)

In 2005 Shailene received her lead («Felicity: An American Girl Adventure») and again appeared on the list of nominees for the Young Artist Awards. After this success, Woodley first thought about improving her acting skills. The young actress took some lessons from Anthony Meindl.

Charming Shailene Woodley as Felicity

The girl planned to enter New York University, where she wanted to study architecture and interior design. But the proposal of Brenda Hampton to perform the lead in the series «The Secret Life of an American Teenager» pushed these plans aside for a certain time: «I found myself in this business by accident. This was something I never expected. But it just happened. And it turned into an irresistible passion and creative entertainment. But no more. This is my hobby, one of the ways of self-expression. I will stop for the day when it will turn into work in pursuit of a career. And I will do what I dreamed of».

The first lead role of Shailene Woodley as Amy Jurgens

The role of Amy Jurgens made Shailene Woodley a real movie sensation. She was again nominated for the «Young Artist Awards», and also received 5 nominations for the «Teen Choice Awards». But Shailene did not become the winner. In 2009 she was beaten by Selena Gomez and Leighton Meester, in 2010 by Lucy Hale and again by Leighton Meester, and in 2011 by Blake Lively.

9 facts about Shailene Woodley

Five years Shailene Woodley faithfully starred in the series «The Secret Life of an American Teenager», rejecting all the proposals of other directors. And only in 2011, when the show was closed after season 5, the actress agreed to the proposal to star in a tragicomedy «The Descendants». The role of Alexandra King finally brought Shailene such a long-awaited victory of the «Independent Spirit» awards, MTV Movie Awards, the Society of Film Critics in Denver awards. Woodley was also noted at the Cannes Film Festival, but in the nomination for the Golden Globe, she was surpassed by Octavia Spencer.

Star of the series «The Secret Life of an American Teenager» (center)

The director of the «The Descendants» Alexander Payne discovered the world of classical cinema for Shailene. The next roles in the films «The Apartment» and «Our Deal» only confirmed the opinion of Woodleyas «an unsurpassed young dramatic actress». She was no longer receiving proposals for roles in the shows and now she was close in the sights of the feature-length directors.

«The Descendants» opened Sheila the door to the big movie

In 2013, Shailene Woodley signed a contract to participate in the adaptation of John Green «The Fault in Our Stars». Even before the casting, the actress wrote an e-mail to the author of the novel: «I am obsessed with you and your book, and I will do anything to become a part of it». Green was delighted that the lead went to Shailene: «After the casting, I felt that I was talking to myself, Hazel. It was scary and amazing at the same time!».

In «The Fault in Our Stars» Shailene Woodley played a cancer patient girl

In the same year, Woodley received the offer of eminent Neil Berger to play the role of «choosen» Beatrice (Tris) Pryor in the adaptation of the franchise of Veronica Roth «Divergent». For a long time, the actress doubted whether she would agree to this project: «I have never before acted in a film of such scale where such difficult questions are raised, and the world is completely different from the one in which we live today». Jennifer Lawrence, star of the «Hunger Games» saga helped to make the decision.

In the real life, Shailene Woodley and Jennifer Lawrence are good friends

Shailene very delicately felt her character: "Tris and I are in many ways alike. She constantly fights between two worlds, between the old and the new one. In real life, I also try my best to find a balance between my natural connection with the Earth and the world I'm in now».

Diversion franchise with Shailene Woodley was an incredible success

At the premiere, the lead actress admitted: «It was really exciting. Veronica created such an amazing world, and Neil visually enlivened it and made it as I could never have imagined it. We are so lucky to be a part of the puzzle of this utopian future».

In 2014, Shailene offered to perform the role of Mary Jane Watson in the sequel to the acclaimed movie «The Amazing Spider-Man. The Movie». Woodly did not hesitate for even a second and the girl agreed to dye her hair reddish without a drop of doubt and morally adjusted herself to the inevitable comparison with Kirsten Dunst, who played this role in the previous pictures about the superhero. However, in the final version, all Schelin scenes were cut.

Red-haired Shailene Woodley could appear in the sequel of «The Amazing Spider-Man»

In 2015, the second part of the franchise «Divergent» appeared on air with Woodley in the lead role.

Actress Shailene Woodley at the MTV Movie Awards 2015

Shailene Woodley remained a popular actress of a new generation. On March 14, 2016, the star appeared at the premiere of the third part of the sensational story «Allegiant». Together with her, all the key actors Theo James, Ansel Elgort, Miles Teller and Naomi Watts came out to the photographers and fans.

Shooting of «Allegiant» with Shailene Woodley in the title role

In the spring of 2016, Shailene launched a limited collection of motivational T-shirts made of 100% organic cotton «You Do You». She called her project «accept what makes you different, what makes you powerful, what makes you you! Recognition of one's own beauty and the proper presentation of this is an act of great courage».

Motivating T-shirts by Shailene Woodley

In parallel, Woodley began to actively attend US universities to support candidate Bernie Sanders in order to remind students of the importance of participating in elections.

PR campaign in support of Bernie Sanders

Celebrity was seen at events organized by her mother's charity fund «All It Takes», promoting the idea of protecting the environment and a healthy lifestyle.

«Snowden»: Sheila Woodley played the Lindsay Mills, a girlfriend of the protagonist

In 2016, Shailene was engaged in the shooting of the thriller «Snowden», which the actress appeared in the role of Lindsay Mills.

In October 2016, Shailene Woodley and another 26 activists were arrested for participating in a rally against the construction of an oil pipeline on the Indian reservation in North Dakota. The trial of the girl was scheduled for January 2017. It was reported that she faces a potential jail time.

In 2016, Shailene Woodley was arrested for protest activities

In 2017, Shailene performed a lead in the detective series «Big Little Lies». Woodley refused to shoot in the fourth movie of the «Divergent», and the fate of the project remains vague. Because of a low box of the third part «Ascendant», it was decided not to show next film in cinemas, but to shoot it in TV format and then run a spin-off in the format of a series. Filming was scheduled for the summer of 2016 but was postponed for an unknown period.

Shailene Woodley and Kate Winslet at Hollywood Film Award-2017

Personal life of Shailene Woodley

The actress rarely opens some facts about her private life. When she was repeatedly asked about her boyfriend, Shailene honestly admitted that there was a complete calm on her personal front: «I do not have time to think about relationships! And I've never met anyone during filming».

Shailene Woodley prefers not to stand her relationships on public

Fans ascribed her the affairs that the press attributed to her (with Ansel Elgort, Jared Leto, Shilo Fernandez, Theo James, Miles Teller, Darren Kagasoff) only as «friendly» relations between colleagues.

Woodley was attributed many affairs with other celebrities

In 2014, the American magazine OK! published a note that the star has romantic relations with Ellen Page, who on the eve confessed that she is homosexual. The tabloid claimed that the actresses are old friends, but «everything took a romantic turn». Shailene was not in a hurry to dispel these rumors, but Woodley's friends unanimously maintained: «There is no long-standing friendship and no relationship».

Shailene Woodley and Ellen Page

In October of 2014, the press was full of headlines about the Shailene Woodley’s affair with Nahko Bear: the paparazzi shoot lovers on the Hawaiian coast, where they admired the sunset together. To everyone's surprise, the actress did not deny that she has tender feelings to the Nahko who is a frontman of Medicine for the People. Shailene insisted that the meeting with Nahko had changed her life.

Shaeline Woodley and Theo James. Best cute moments

She was always a rebel, but according to the celebrity, Bear is the one who could tame her indomitable temper. Shailene admired his work: «All his songs not only inspire but also completely coincide with my vision of the world». However, starting from the fall of 2015, the couple appeared less and less together, and in February 2016 they announced their parting.

Shailene Woodley and her ex-boyfriend, Nahko Bear

After that, she had a short romance with Ezra Miller, and now apparently the heart of the beauty is free.

Now every is serious about Shailene and an Australian rugby player Ben Volavola. They are together since 2017 Fall. He changed the actress' mind about "settling down". Before Woodley met Ben, she didn't want a serious relationship.

Shailene Woodley and her boyfriend Ben Volavola