At the young age of 33, the bright and talented actress, singer, producer and author Anna Kendrick has accomplished more than most people hope to achieve in a lifetime. Funny, charming, adorable and personable to boot, the multi-talented performer can seemingly do no wrong. And she has certainly come a long way from her humble beginnings.
Born in Portland, Maine, before she made her way into the entertainment field shortly after high school, Anna Kendrick had her sights set on stardom even from a young age. It didn't take long before audiences and producers recognized her immense and varied talents. While Kendrick has continuously proven herself time-and-time again on the stage as well as on screens both big and small, Kendrick's personal life and early rise to success showcase an exceptionally driven and proven star who was seemingly destined to make a name for herself in Hollywood.
Here are some fun and noteworthy details about Anna Kendrick's life that you should know in order to call yourself a true fan.
Her Father Is A History Teacher and Her Mother Is An Accountant
While there are many celebrities out there who followed the footsteps of their parents or other relatives when it comes to their introductions into the entertainment industry, Anna Kendrick's parents — William and Janice Kendrick — didn't come from such glamorous beginnings. Instead, her father is a history teacher who also happened to work in finance. Her mother, meanwhile, is an accountant.
That is either fitting or ironic — depending on how you look at it — considering her daughter's decision to appear in 2016's character-study thriller, The Accountant, where she played a fellow accountant alongside Ben Affleck's titular accountant. One has to wonder, then, if Anna Kendrick reached out to her dear mom during the preparation phase to learn the ropes when it comes to the luxurious world of crunching numbers and filing financial reports.
She Was One Of The Youngest Tony Award Nominees In History At Age 12
Anna Kendrick started her career in exceptional fashion. On the stage, Anna Kendrick became an early stand-out for her supporting work in the 1998 musical rendition of High Society. The actress received glowing notices and a few awards and nominations for boot. For instance, she received a Theatre World award. She also received a Tony nomination, which was distinctive for a variety of reasons.
With this Tony nomination, Anna Kendrick became one of the youngest nominees in Tony history. At the time, she was considered the second-youngest in history, although that appears to have changed in recent years. Nevertheless, these days remaining the third youngest Tony nominee in history is quite a remarkable feat. And it propelled Kendrick into the early days of fame and notoriety.
She Starred In Her First Movie At Age 16
Shortly following her career on the stages of Broadway, Anna Kendrick made the leap to films. At the age of 16, Kendrick starred in her first movie, Camp, which premiered at the Sundance Film Festival in 2003. The musical-dramedy centers around a struggling Broadway songwriter who works at a musical camp (as the cheeky title would suggest) where he gets inspired to put together a brand new production.
In the film, Anna Kendrick plays Fritzi, one of the young musical talents that inspires our main character to make a new musical centered around these precious children. Based on her musical background, Kendrick played a prominent role in the film, and she received great early notices for her work in the movie, sparking the early days of her career where she would continue to stand out in noteworthy films Rocket Science (a personal favorite of mine) and, of course, Twilight, before she would receive her first (and only ... to date) Oscar nomination for her excellent work in 2009's Up in the Air.
Her Brother Is Also An Actor
While Anna Kendrick didn't follow her father or mother's footsteps in teaching or accounting, respectively, she isn't the only person in the Kendrick household to be bit by the acting bug. Her brother, Michael Cooke Kendrick, is also an actor, although he is not quite as prolific as his younger sister...
His acting credits include a role in the 2000 indie drama Looking For An Echo, and two TV appearances on Celebrity Ghost Stories and Celebrity Close Calls. Evidently, Michael Cooke Kendrick (who also goes by Michael Cooke) hasn't found the same notoriety as his famous sister. Not yet, at least.
Anna Kendrick Is Left-Handed
Studies suggest that most people are right-handed. To be more specific, statistics claim that upwards of 70-85 percent of the world population use their right hand to write. While that seems a bit high, it should be noted that whatever the proper statistic might be, Anna Kendrick doesn't fit into this category.
The actress is left-handed, and she's not the not celebrity who fits into this distinction. Jennifer Lawrence, Angelina Jolie, Paul McCartney, Tom Cruise and Keanu Reeves, to name only a few other examples, are also left-handed. Their left-handed exploits aren't well-known, but they're a proud bunch.
Kendrick Once Dated Edgar Wright
On the set of 2010's action rom-com Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World, sparks flew. But it wasn't between Michael Cera and Mary Elizabeth Winstead, who played the movie's romantic sweethearts. Instead, it was between Anna Kendrick and screenwriter/director Edgar Wright, who formed a relationship after they worked together on set.
The details surrounding this Hollywood relationship were few-and-far between. Their romance wasn't under intense media scrutiny, and each romantic partner seemed to prefer being discreet about their fling. Nevertheless, it wasn't meant to last. Anna Kendrick and Edgar Wright broke up in 2013. While they still appear to be friendly, they haven't worked together since. (Though, for what it's worth, Edgar Wright did champion Kendrick's campaign to play Squirrel Girl in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.)
She Received A Gold Necklace From Kraft Mac & Cheese
Lots of folks love Kraft Mac & Cheese. It's quick, easy-to-make, and it involves little hassle and a whole lot of cheesy goodness. Anna Kendrick considers herself a very big fan of the macaroni-and-cheese company's work. And they appear to be big fans of the actress as well. That's why, as a show of thanks for consuming a great deal of their product over the years and promoting her brand, they gave her something extraordinary: a golden mac-and-cheese necklace, which isn't something you see every day.
On social, Anna Kendrick posted a picture of the mac-and-cheese jewelry with the following caption:
In Chicago, She Has A Hot Dog Named After Her
Unless you are of the vegetarian and/or vegan variety (and there are no judgments here), there is a good chance you've had a hot dog in your life. At least once or twice, one would presume. But have you ever had a hot dog that was named after you? Not many people can say that about themselves, admittedly.
But Anna Kendrick isn't just anybody. She's a world-famous, award-nominated actress, and in Chicago, she received the rare honor of having a hot dog named after her. As you would expect, it's called simply "The Anna Kendrick," although it was previously known as "The Keira Knightley," "The Jennifer Garner" and "The Britney Spears" in its earlier years. While the ingredients have understandably not been known, it should be noted that it's supposed to be "Mighty Hot." Kendrick got a chance to try one for herself. She considered the whole experience "awesome, awesome, awesome."
Anna Kendrick Published Her Memoirs When She Was 31
In 2016, Anna Kendrick became a published author when she released Scrappy Little Nobody, a memoir/autobiographical collection of essays (depending on how you look at it) exploring Kendrick's humble roots and her early rise-to-fame. While it's typically a matter of controversy when celebrities decide to jot down their life story before they're even middle-aged, Kendrick's humorous and heartfelt book was well-received, both critically and commercially.
The Touchstone Books release quickly made its way onto the bestsellers list, and it earned warm regards from critics who flipped through its pages. Having read the book myself, I found it to be just as likable and sincere as the talented person behind the pen, and it's well-worth reading if you like Anna Kendrick's appealing onscreen persona. Meanwhile, when it comes to Kendrick's intentions with the book, here's what she hopes readers get from reading her memoirs, as she was quoted saying in an interview with Vogue.
My goals for this book were to make people laugh, to feel connected to people, and maybe get people to feel more connected to me.
Hopefully, this list was able to provide some insights and knowledge about Anna Kendrick's continuously-blooming life and career. Be sure to check back here at CinemaBlend for the latest news in film, television, pop culture and a whole lot more.
