Anna Paquin

From LoveToKnow Celebrity

Anna Paquin is an award-winning actor who made a big impression at an early age. She has turned her success as a child actor into a lasting career, with a wide range of roles under her belt.

Anna Paquin Childhood

Anna Paquin
Born As:	Anna Helene Paquin
Birthdate:	July 24, 1982
Best Known As:	Actor
Website:	Anna Paquin Online

Anna Helene Paquin was born in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada on July 24, 1982. Her parents were both teachers, and she has an older brother and an older sister. When Paquin was four years old, the family moved to her mother's native New Zealand.

Paquin went to school in New Zealand until 1995, when her parents divorced and she moved to Los Angeles with her mother. She has completed some of her college education at Columbia University and continues to take courses when her acting schedule allows time for them.

The Piano

Anna Paquin's rise to stardom began completely by accident. When she was only nine years old, an ad was posted in the local newspaper in New Zealand looking for a young girl to play a part in an upcoming movie. Paquin's sister and her friend went to the casting call and Anna Paquin decided to tag along. She read for the part and casting agents chose her to be in the film over 5,000 other children.

That film was The Piano, which was only intended to be released in New Zealand, but ended up becoming an internationally acclaimed movie. Paquin won an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for her role as Flora.

As a result, Paquin and her family were unprepared for the onslaught of offers that suddenly came their way. Anna Paquin signed with an agency and took a few small offers, including several television commercials and the narration of an audio book.

Other Film Roles

Along with the move to Los Angeles came more opportunities for movie roles, and Anna Paquin was able to capitalize on her early acting success. Some of the movies she has appeared in include:

Jane Eyre (1996) – As young Jane Eyre
Fly Away Home (1996) – As Amy Alden
Amistad (1997) – As Queen Isabella

Hurlyburly (1998) – As Donna
A Walk on the Moon (1999) – As Alison Kantrowitz
She's All That (1999) – As Mackenzie Siler
All the Rage (1999) – As Annabel Lee
X-Men (2000) – As Rogue/ Marie D'Ancanto
Almost Famous (2000) – As Polexia Aphrodisia
Finding Forrester (2000) – As Claire Spence
Buffalo Soldiers (2001) – As Robyn Lee
Darkness (2002) – As Regina
X2 (X-Men sequel) (2003) – As Rogue
X-Men: The Last Stand (2006) – As Rogue
Mosaic (2007) – As Maggie Nelson
Blue State (2007) – As Chloe Hamon
Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee (2007) – As Elaine Goodale
The Courageous Heart of Irena Sendler (2009) – As Irena Sendler

With such a variety of film roles, Paquin has worked with some of Hollywood's elite as co-stars, including:

Hugh Jackman
Halle Berry
Morgan Freeman
Matthew McConaughey
Diane Lane
Holly Hunter
Freddy Prinze Jr.

In 2006, Paquin and her brother Andrew created their own production company, called Paquin Films.

True Blood

In 2008, Anna Paquin took on her first role in a television series with a program on HBO called True Blood. Paquin plays the main character, Sookie Stackhouse, who is a telepathic bartender who has fallen in love with a vampire. The plot of the series revolves around the vampires and how they exist and thrive in small town America and is based on the Southern Vampire Mysteries series of novels written by Charlaine Harris.

Paquin received a Golden Globe Award for her work on True Blood, in the category of Best Actress in a Television Series, Drama. The series is still running on HBO and continues to gain viewers.

Anna Paquin Off Screen

Anna Paquin is currently engaged to be married to Stephen Moyer, her True Blood co-star, whom she met on the set of the show in 2007. Her hobbies include photography, surfing, watching rugby and playing the piano and cello.

Paquin is an animal lover and a vegetarian, with two cats and one dog of her own.