Brie Larson

Brianne Sidonie Desaulniers, known professionally as Brie Larson, is an American actress, singer, and filmmaker. Born on October 1, 1989, she began her career in comedic roles as a teenager before expanding into independent films, blockbusters, and television. Her accolades include an Academy Award, a Golden Globe Award, and a Primetime Emmy Award. In 2019, Time magazine named her one of the 100 most influential people in the world.

Larson was born in Sacramento, California, to Heather and Sylvain Desaulniers, who operated a homeopathic chiropractic practice, and she has a sister named Milaine. Her father is Franco-Manitoban, and French was her first language. Holding dual citizenship in Canada and the United States, she was primarily home-schooled during her childhood. At age six, she became the youngest student admitted to a training program at the American Conservatory Theater in San Francisco. Following her parents' divorce, she moved to Los Angeles with her mother and sister to pursue an acting career, adopting the professional name Larson.

Larson began acting professionally in 1998 with a commercial parody on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno and made guest appearances on series such as Touched by an Angel and Popular. She secured her first major television role in the sitcom Raising Dad (2001–2002). Larson also pursued music, releasing her album Finally Out of P.E. in 2005 and touring with Jesse McCartney. She later gained attention with supporting roles in films like Hoot (2006), Scott Pilgrim vs. the World (2010), and 21 Jump Street (2012), alongside playing a sardonic teenager in the television series United States of Tara (2009–2011).

Larson expanded into behind-the-camera roles by co-writing and co-directing short films, including The Arm (2012) and Weighting (2013). Her breakthrough came in 2013 when she starred as a group home supervisor in the independent drama Short Term 12, earning an Independent Spirit Award nomination. During this period, she also held supporting roles in the romantic dramas Don Jon (2013) and The Spectacular Now (2013), followed by appearances in the drama The Gambler (2014) and the comedy Trainwreck (2015).

Larson achieved wider recognition for starring as a kidnapping victim in the drama Room (2015), winning the Academy Award for Best Actress. She subsequently transitioned into major studio blockbusters, starring in the monster movie Kong: Skull Island (2017) and portraying Carol Danvers / Captain Marvel in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, starting with Captain Marvel (2019).

As a filmmaker, Larson made her feature directorial debut with the independent comedy-drama Unicorn Store (2017), which she also co-produced and starred in. She won a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Interactive Program for producing the virtual reality project The Messy Truth VR Experience (2020).

Larson returned to television to star in the miniseries Lessons in Chemistry (2023), receiving a Primetime Emmy Award nomination for Outstanding Lead Actress. Beyond her work in entertainment, Larson is a gender equality activist and an advocate for sexual assault survivors who speaks publicly on social and political issues.