Shailene Woodley's Acting Career
By Zack MandellShailene Diann Woodley is an American actress who has won awards for both her film and television work, although she is best known for her lead role as Amy Juergens in the ABC television series "The Secret Life of the American Teenager." Wesley's acting career began in 2001, and most of her work has been in television series and television films. She also started performing in feature films in 2011.
Early Life
Woodley was born on November 15, 1991 in Simi Valley, California. Her father is Lonnie Woodley, a school principal, and her mother is Lori Woodley, a middle school counselor. Woodley's parents divorced when she was 15. She was also diagnosed with scoliosis at that age and had to wear a brace to straighten her spine.
Television Series
Most of Woodley's early acting work as a child and teenager was in television, generally a single appearance or a small recurring role in a series. Her first television role was as young Jordan Cavanaugh in four episodes of the crime drama "Crossing Jordan" during the 2001 season. Woodley also played recurring roles on television series such as Kaitlin Cooper in six episodes of the teen drama "The O.C." in 2003. Additional recurring roles played by Woodley include Kristin Debreno on three episodes of "The District" in 2001 and Chloe Benedict on two episodes of "Jack & Bobby" in 2004.
Woodley obtained a celebrity status as a teenager when she played Amy Juergens in "The Secret Life of the American Teenager." The teen drama series debuted in 2008 and is still in production as of 2012. Amy was a 15-year-old student at Ulysses S. Grant High School when the series started. The primary theme in the series is an exploration of the effects of Amy's pregnancy on herself and her friends and family members. Her performance in this role earned her a Gracie Allen Award in 2010 for Outstanding Female Rising Star in a Drama Series. She has also been nominated a total of six times for the Young Artist Awards and Teen Choice Awards in various categories.
Televisions Films
Woodley's first appearances in film were uncredited roles in the 1999 drama "Replacing Dad" and the 2001 comedy "Not Another Teen Movie." Her first notable performance was in the 2004 television film "A Place Called Home." Her performance as California Ford earned her a nomination in the 2005 Young Artist Awards for Best Performance in a TV Movie, Miniseries or Special category. Woodley's next role in a film was Felicity Merriman in the 2005 teen drama "Felicity: An American Girl Adventure." This role got Woodley nominated for this category in the 2006 Young Artist Awards. Woodley's next film performance was as Molly in the 2005 television adaptation of the musical comedy "Once upon a Mattress." Additional roles by Woodley include Maya Bender in the 2007 action/thriller "Final Approach."
Feature Films
Woodley made the transition to adult acting with unusual aplomb for a child actor. Her debut in feature films was in the role of Alexandra King in the 2011 drama "The Descendants." This comedy-drama follows the life of land baron Matt King (George Clooney) as he encounters strange events in his otherwise monotonous life. Woodley has won at least thirteen awards for her performance in this film, including the 2012 Independent Spirit Award for Best Supporting Female Actress. The other awards she won include the Spotlight Award in the 2011 Hollywood Film Festival, Best Supporting Actress in the 2011 Nation Board of Review and Breakthrough Performance in the 2012 MTV Movie Awards.
Woodley was nominated for at least twenty-seven other awards for her work in "The Descendants," including the 2012 Golden Globe Award for Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in a Motion Picture. Woodley's performance in "The Descendants" also earned her a nomination in the 2012 Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture.
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