Brie Larson

• 1. The Youngest Student

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  Brianne Sidonie Desaulniers was born on the 1st of October 1989, in Sacramento, California. Her parents were homeopathic chiropractors who ran a practice together. She grew up with another daughter named Milaine and held dual citizenship of Canada and the United States. French served as her first language before English took over. The family mostly homeschooled their children to allow for innovative experiences. At age six, she expressed interest in becoming an actress after watching Jennifer Lopez in Selena. That same year, she auditioned for a training program at the American Conservatory Theater in San Francisco. She became its youngest student ever admitted to that specific program. Her father is Franco-Manitoban, and her mother is Heather Edwards. They later divorced when she was aged seven. Soon after their separation, Heather relocated to Los Angeles with her two daughters. They lived in a small apartment near Hollywood studio lots at Burbank. Larson described the experience as having a one-room apartment where the bed came out of the wall. Each person had only three articles of clothing during this difficult period.

• 2. Pop Music And Sitcoms

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  Larson's first major role came as Emily in the WB sitcom Raising Dad. It aired for one season during the 2001, 02 television schedule. Hal Boedeker of Orlando Sentinel criticized the program and wrote that its cast members were merrily joking through the show. She developed an interest in music at age eleven when she learned to play the guitar. A music executive encouraged her to write her own songs. She began self-recording and uploading tracks to her own website. In 2005, she released the album Finally Out of P.E. She co-wrote songs with other songwriters including Blair Daly and Pam Sheyne. One of her singles, She Said, peaked at number 31 on the Billboard Hot Single Sales. The album sold only 3,500 copies. She went on tour with Jesse McCartney for Teen Peoples Rock in Shop mall concerts. She also performed in New York City at the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. Even so, the album was not a success. Larson later admitted to being disillusioned with her music career. She said the recording company wanted heels and wind blown hair instead of sneakers and guitars. She subsequently took on guest roles in several television series including Touched by an Angel and Popular.

• 3. Independent Film Breakthrough

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  Larson's breakthrough came in 2013 when she starred in Destin Daniel Cretton's critically acclaimed independent drama Short Term 12. Set in a group home for troubled teenagers, the film featured her as Grace. To prepare, Larson interacted with staff in a children's home and watched online interviews of people with similar jobs. The film had a production budget of under $1 million. Manohla Dargis of The New York Times found her terrific and completely persuasive. Ian Freer of Empire stated that she builds into a whirling dervish of a performance. Jenny McCartney of The Daily Telegraph predicted it would mark her out for a stellar career. She received a nomination for the Independent Spirit Award for Best Female Lead. Also in 2013, she had supporting roles in two romantic dramas. In Don Jon, written and directed by Joseph Gordon-Levitt, she played the sister of his character. Peter Travers of Rolling Stone praised the film's exploration of sexual themes. In The Spectacular Now, starring Miles Teller and Shailene Woodley, she played Cassidy. David Edelstein called upon viewers to admire the shading and intelligence she brings to Cassidy.

• 4. Room And Recognition

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  Larson then starred in Room, a film adaptation of Emma Donoghue's novel of the same name. It featured her as Ma, a young woman held in captivity who bears a child of rape. A large portion of the film was shot inside a 10 ft × 10 ft shed created in a studio. Larson prepared herself by spending a month isolated in her apartment. She interacted with specialists on sexual abuse and researched the lack of nutrition that a person in captivity would suffer. To achieve the look, she stayed away from sunlight and modified her diet. Kenneth Turan of the Los Angeles Times called her performance astonishing. He stated that the reality and preternatural commitment she brings to Ma is piercingly honest from start to finish. She won several awards including the Academy Award for Best Actress. She also received a Golden Globe and BAFTA in the same category. Her collaboration closely involved co-star Jacob Tremblay who played her son. They spent time performing activities that mirrored those of their characters.

• 5. Blockbuster Stardom

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  Following the success of Room, Larson played a leading role in Free Fire in 2016. She agreed to the project to call attention to gun violence. Eric Kohn of IndieWire noted how different Larson's role was from that in Room. Commercially, the film failed to recoup its $7 million investment. The following year, Larson starred alongside Tom Hiddleston and Samuel L. Jackson in Kong: Skull Island. Shot in Vietnam, the film featured her as a photojournalist in the 1970s. It marked her first mainstream big-budget release. Ann Hornaday of The Washington Post praised the film's visual effects. Kong: Skull Island was a commercial success grossing over $566 million worldwide. Later in 2017, Larson portrayed Jeannette Walls in The Glass Castle. Peter Bradshaw of The Guardian disliked the film's sentimentality but noted it is saved by the robustness of Brie Larson's presence. Also poorly received was the India-set musical romance Basmati Blues which received criticism on social media for its white savior narrative.

• 6. Marvel And Activism

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  After a year-long absence from the screen, Larson starred as Carol Danvers / Captain Marvel in the Marvel Cinematic Universe superhero film Captain Marvel in 2019. She underwent nine months of judo, boxing and wrestling training. Stephanie Zacharek of Time wrote that Larson carries the whole affair capably. David Sims of The Atlantic bemoaned the lack of depth in her role. Endgame grossed $2.79 billion worldwide to briefly become the highest-grossing film of all time. Captain Marvel became the first female-led superhero film to gross over $1 billion worldwide. In 2018, Larson collaborated with 300 women in Hollywood to set up the Time's Up initiative. At the 89th Academy Awards she presented Casey Affleck with the award for Best Actor. When asked if accusations of sexual harassment against Affleck made her do so, she said that her action spoke for itself. By 2025, Larson became less assertive in expressing such opinions. She declined to engage in these topics publicly.