Anna Paquin Biography

(Canadian-born New Zealand Actress and the Second Youngest Winner in Oscar History)

Birthday: July 24, 1982 (Leo)

Born In: Winnipeg, Canada

Anna Paquin is a New Zealand-Canadian film, theatre, and television actress known for her roles in movies such as The Piano, Fly Away Home, and X-Men. She entered the film industry as a child actress in The Piano, for which she won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress at the age of 11. She had not initially planned to become an actress, but following her success in her debut film, she received numerous offers, which she declined to focus on her studies. However, she returned to acting as a teenager, appearing in films such as Jane Eyre and Fly Away Home. In 2000, she played the powerful mutant Rogue in X-Men, the first installment of the X-Men film series; this role catapulted her to worldwide fame. She reprised her role as Rogue in the sequels X2 and X-Men: The Last Stand. She also appeared on television, notably portraying Elaine Goodale in Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee, which earned her an Emmy nomination. She gained further recognition on television with her lead role as Sookie Stackhouse in True Blood, followed by Flack.

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Quick Facts

Also Known As: Anna Hélène Paquin

Age: 42 Years, 42 Year Old Females

Family:

Spouse/Ex-: Stephen Moyer (m. 2010)

father: Brian Paquin

mother: Mary Paquin

siblings: Andrew Paquin, Katya Paquin

children: Charlie Moyer, Poppy Moyer

Born Country: Canada

Bisexual Actresses

Height: 5'5" (165 cm), 5'5" Females

Ancestry: Irish New Zealander, French New Zealander, Dutch New Zealander, Canadian New Zealander, New Zealand Canadian, French Canadian, Irish Canadian, Dutch Canadian

Notable Alumni: Windward School

City: Winnipeg, Canada

Founder/Co-Founder: Paquin Films

More Facts

education: Columbia University, Windward School

  • 1

    Is Anna Paquin still acting?

    Yes, Anna Paquin is still actively acting in both film and television projects.

  • 2

    Did Anna Paquin have to audition for True Blood?

    Yes, Anna Paquin did audition for the role of Sookie Stackhouse in the TV series True Blood.

  • 3

    What is Anna Paquin's most famous role?

    One of Anna Paquin's most famous roles is playing Rogue in the X-Men film series.

  • 4

    Does Anna Paquin have any tattoos?

    Yes, Anna Paquin has a tattoo on her right ankle of a Māori symbol.

  • 5

    Is Anna Paquin a dual citizen?

    Yes, Anna Paquin is a dual citizen of both New Zealand and Canada.

Childhood & Early Life

Anna Paquin was born on July 24, 1982, in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, to Mary and Brian Paquin. Both her parents were teachers and she has two elder siblings. Her family moved to New Zealand when she was four.

She was a talented child and could play the piano and cello. She took part in a variety of activities like ballet, gymnastics, swimming, etc. She began her secondary education in New Zealand, but completed her high school diploma at ‘Windward School’ in Los Angeles, U.S.

She studied at the ‘Columbia University’ for a year, but dropped out to pursue a career in acting.

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Career

Her acting career began in 1991, when she auditioned for a role in Jane Campion’s movie ‘The Piano.’ Campion was very impressed with Anna’s acting skills, though the nine-year-old had no prior experience in acting. Anna was selected and the movie was released in 1993.

In 1996, she acted in two movies: first as the young ‘Jane’ in ‘Jane Eyre’ and then as ‘Amy Alden’ in the family drama and comedy film ‘Fly Away Home.’

She starred in several other films as a teenager. Some of these movies include ‘Hurlyburly’ (1998), ‘A Walk on the Moon’ (1999), ‘She’s All that’ (1999), and ‘Almost Famous’ (2000).

She landed the role of ‘Rogue,’ a powerful mutant, in ‘X-Men’ (2000), the first movie of the series. Following its success, she played the same role in its sequels ‘X2’ (2003) and ‘X-Men: The Last Stand’ (2006).

She formed a production company called ‘Paquin Films’ in collaboration with her brother Andrew. She then co-produced and starred in the romantic comedy ‘Blue State’ in 2007.

She made her first TV appearance in HBO’s TV film ‘Bury my Heart at Wounded Knee’ in 2007. In the film, she played ‘Elaine Goodale,’ a reformer from New England. For her performance in the film, she earned her first ‘Emmy’ nomination for ‘Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Miniseries or Movie.’

She landed her first role in a TV series when she was cast as ‘Sookie Stackhouse’ in the TV drama series ‘True Blood’ in 2008. The series revolved around the adventures of ‘Sookie,’ a waitress with telepathic powers.

In 2009, Paquin played the lead role in another TV film titled ‘The Courageous Heart of Irena Sendler.’ This was a biographical film based on the life of a Polish social worker who helped thousands of Jews during the Holocaust.

She had her share of flops. Her 2010 film ‘The Romantics’ was an utter failure at the box office.

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She played a cameo role in the film ‘Scream 4’ in 2011. She then voiced ‘Kristin’ in an episode of the animated musical comedy television series ‘Phineas and Ferb.’ Her drama film ‘Margaret,’ which was initially scheduled for release in 2007, was released in 2011 due to legal issues.

She did not act in any movies in 2012, due to her pregnancy and the subsequent birth of her twins.

From 2013 to 2019, she was cast in many movies like ‘Straight A's,’ ‘Free Ride,’ ‘X-Men: Days of Future Past,’ ‘Furlough,’ ‘Tell It to the Bees,’ and ‘The Irishman.’

Meanwhile in 2015, she voiced the character of ‘Ramsey’ in the animated movie ‘The Good Dinosaur.’

In 2019, she started playing ‘Robyn’ in the British dramedy television series ‘Flack.’ The same year, she also played ‘Joanie Lockhart’ in the American television drama series ‘The Affair.’

Major Works

Paquin’s biggest success came as a child artist when she was cast as ‘Flora McGrath,’ the daughter of a mute pianist, in Jane Campion’s ‘The Piano’ (1993). The film was a commercial as well as a critical success.

Her comedy drama film ‘Almost Famous’ (2000), which covered the story of a teenage journalist, received positive reviews from critics and earned several ‘Oscar’ nominations.

Her portrayal of ‘Sookie Stackhouse,’ a telepathic waitress, in the TV drama series ‘True Blood’ (2008) was appreciated by industry experts and she received many awards and nominations for this role.

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In ‘Margaret’ (2009), she played the role of ‘Lisa Cohen,’ a teenage student who gets involved in a lengthy lawsuit to avenge the wrongful death of a woman. Paquin received several awards and nominations for the film.

Awards & Achievements

She won the ‘Academy Award’ for ‘Best Actress in a Supporting Role’ for playing ‘Flora McGrath’ in her debut film ‘The Piano’ when she was just 11 years old.

In 2008, she was presented with the ‘Satellite Award’ for ‘Best Actress – Drama Series’ for the TV series ‘True Blood.’ She also won the ‘Golden Globe Award’ for ‘Best Performance by an Actress in a Television Series – Drama’ for the same series.

She was named ‘Actress of the Year’ by ‘London Film Critics Circle’ in 2011 for her performance in the film ‘Margaret.’

In 2013, she won the ‘Women's Image Network Award’ for her performance in ‘True Blood.’

Personal Life & Legacy

She married actor and director Stephen Moyer in 2010. They have twin children. Moyer has two children from his previous relationships.

She publicly came out as bisexual and has since been an advocate for LGBT rights. She also supports charities like ‘Children’s Hospital’ and ‘Make-A-Wish Foundation.’

Facts About Anna Paquin

Anna Paquin is the second-youngest person to win an Academy Award for acting, earning the Oscar for Best Supporting Actress at just 11 years old for her role in "The Piano."

In addition to her acting talents, Paquin is also fluent in French, thanks to her upbringing in New Zealand and Canada.

She has a passion for charity work and has been involved in various philanthropic efforts over the years, supporting causes such as environmental conservation and LGBTQ+ rights.

Despite her success in Hollywood, Paquin has managed to maintain a relatively low profile in the industry, preferring to focus on her craft rather than the glamour of celebrity.

In her free time, Anna Paquin enjoys practicing yoga and spending quality time with her family, including her husband and their children.

Anna Paquin Movies

1. The Irishman (2019)

  (Biography, Crime, Drama)

2. X-Men: Days of Future Past (2014)

  (Thriller, Adventure, Sci-Fi, Action)

3. Almost Famous (2000)

  (Adventure, Comedy, Music, Drama)

4. 25th Hour (2002)

  (Drama)

5. The Piano (1993)

  (Romance, Drama, Music)

6. X2 (2003)

  (Fantasy, Adventure, Action, Sci-Fi, Thriller)

7. X-Men (2000)

  (Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi)

8. Finding Forrester (2000)

  (Drama)

9. The Squid and the Whale (2005)

  (Comedy, Drama)

10. Amistad (1997)

  (Drama, History)

Awards

Academy Awards(Oscars)
1994 Best Actress in a Supporting Role The Piano (1993)
Golden Globe Awards
2009 Best Performance by an Actress in a Television Series - Drama True Blood (2008)

See the events in life of Anna Paquin in Chronological Order

How To Cite

Article Title
- Anna Paquin Biography
Author
- Editors, TheFamousPeople.com
Website
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URL
https://www.thefamouspeople.com/profiles/anna-paquin-3340.php

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