AnnaSophia Robb's 16th Birthday
AnnaSophia Robb is 16 years old today, December 8! (I can't believe she's 16 already.)
On behalf of all her fans, here's wishing AnnaSophia a very happy birthday!
The only child of an architect and an interior designer, AnnaSophia decided at a young age that she wanted to be an actress. She convinced her parents to let her take acting classes, and her mother accompanied her to her first round of Hollywood auditions in 2003. She made her acting debut that year in a McDonald's commercial.
Her second acting gig was a bit part on a 2004 episode of the Disney show Drake & Josh (left). She doesn't look too thrilled about it; no doubt she already suspected that she was bound for bigger, better things. And sure enough, AnnaSophia's star began to rise fast.
Her first major role came as the title character in the 2004 TV movie Samantha: An American Girl Holiday. (She dyed her hair brown for the part.) The first movie based on the American Girl books, it was followed by Felicity: An American Girl Adventure (Shailene Woodley) in 2005 and Kit Kittredge: An American Girl (Abigail Breslin) in 2008.
Her first theatrical film (and second lead role) was 2005's Because of Winn-Dixie. The girl who would grow up to be a glamorous fashionista refreshingly played a scrappy, small-town tomboy who makes friends with a dog and young neighbor (Elle Fanning). In the summer of 2005, she appeared in the hit film Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, but her role was small.
AnnaSophia was chosen as the face of Trad Clothing for 2005, and she helped design and model clothing for young girls.
In 2007, she shot to full-fledged stardom with Disney's Bridge to Terabithia, which remains her best-known role to date. Both she and Bailee Madison, who had a supporting role, won Young Artist Awards for the film. AnnaSophia also recorded a song, "Keep Your Mind Wide Open," for the soundtrack (it reached #90 on Billboard Hot 100).
The following year, she earned wide praise and showcased her dramatic skills in the dark, grown-up film Sleepwalking. Proving her versitility, she also starred in horror (The Reaping, 2007), science-fiction (Jumper, 2008), indie (Have Dreams, Will Travel, not yet released), and two more kidventure flicks, Spy School and Race to Witch Mountain.
Looking glamorous at a 2008 press conference for Sleepwalking. AnnaSophia, who reminds me of a young Natalie Portman, now seems poised for an effortless transition into a successful adult star. Her next scheduled film is Dear Eleanor, which will co-star Abigail Breslin.
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