Celebrity Info
Hailee Steinfeld’s journey to fame is nothing short of remarkable. Rising from relative obscurity, Hailee Steinfeld captured the hearts of audiences worldwide with her breakout role as Mattie Ross, the determined frontier girl seeking justice for her father’s murder in the Coen Brothers’ 2010 remake of True Grit. Originally made in 1969 and famously starring John Wayne, the film gave Hailee Steinfeld the perfect platform to showcase her talent. At just 13 years old when she was cast, Hailee Steinfeld delivered a performance so confident and compelling that critics took immediate notice. Her portrayal earned widespread acclaim, numerous award nominations, and solidified early predictions that Hailee Steinfeld was destined for stardom.
Born on December 11, 1996, in Thousand Oaks, California, Hailee Steinfeld knew from a young age that acting was her calling. It all started when she saw a neighbor perform in a play—something clicked. That spark grew stronger when her cousins began appearing in TV commercials, further fueling her interest. But before pursuing a career in entertainment, Hailee Steinfeld’s parents set clear boundaries: she had to take acting classes first. True to their word, once she completed training, opportunities began to open up. Hailee Steinfeld quickly landed roles in commercials and short films, where her all-American charm and natural grace made her a go-to choice for idealized youthful characters—like an angel in the short Heather: A Fairy Tale (2008) or the dream girl worth sacrificing a prized mullet in She’s a Fox (2009).
When Joel and Ethan Coen began casting for their reimagining of True Grit, they were searching for an unknown—a fresh face who could truly embody the character, much like Tatum O’Neal in Paper Moon (1973) or Linda Manz in Days of Heaven (1978). After holding auditions across the Southwest and seeing around 5,000 actresses, they found Hailee Steinfeld in Los Angeles. Impressed by her raw talent and presence, the Coens cast Hailee Steinfeld within a week of meeting her. Shortly after, she was on a plane to Texas to begin filming.
Critics overwhelmingly praised the decision. Hailee Steinfeld’s spirited, nuanced performance resonated deeply, earning her three Best Supporting Actress awards and a wave of nominations from various state and national film critic circles. In December 2010, Hailee Steinfeld received a Screen Actors Guild Award nomination for Female Actor in a Supporting Role, followed by an Academy Award nomination for Best Actress in a Supporting Role the next month—an incredible achievement for someone so young.
After a brief pause from major screen roles, Hailee Steinfeld returned strong in 2013 with multiple high-profile projects. She took on the iconic role of Juliet opposite Douglas Booth in a cinematic adaptation of Shakespeare’s timeless tragedy Romeo & Juliet. That same year, she played Petra Arkanian in Ender’s Game, a sci-fi adventure based on Orson Scott Card’s novel, sharing the screen with Asa Butterfield and Harrison Ford. The momentum continued with appearances in McG’s action-packed Three Days to Kill (2014), Tommy Lee Jones’ western The Homesman (2014), and the gripping period thriller The Keeping Room (2014).
Then came Pitch Perfect 2 (2015), where Hailee Steinfeld joined the beloved comedy sequel, bringing humor and heart to the ensemble. Around this time, Hailee Steinfeld also explored music, launching a brief but notable career as a teen pop artist. Her 2015 single “Love Myself” climbed into the Top 40, proving her versatility beyond acting. That same year, Hailee Steinfeld headlined the action-comedy Barely Lethal and delivered a standout performance in the coming-of-age drama The Edge of Seventeen (2016), which further cemented her status as a leading young actress.
Continuing her diverse run, Hailee Steinfeld reprised her role in Pitch Perfect 3 (2017) and voiced a key character in the critically acclaimed animated hit Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse (2018). Most notably, she starred in Bumblebee (2018), a prequel to the Transformers franchise set in the 1980s, showcasing yet again why Hailee Steinfeld remains one of Hollywood’s most dynamic and enduring young talents.
Well, when it comes to Hailee Steinfeld’s film career, there are definitely some highs and lows. If we’re talking about her highest rated movie, that would have to be Sinners from 2025—it really showcased Hailee Steinfeld in a powerful new light and got quite a bit of praise. On the flip side, one of her lower points at the box office and in reviews was Term Life, which came out back in 2016. While Hailee Steinfeld brought her usual charm, the film itself didn’t resonate as strongly with critics or audiences. Still, every role adds to Hailee Steinfeld’s growing experience, and fans continue to follow her journey closely.
United States
