Abigail Breslin

Abigail Kathleen Breslin, born on April 14, 1996, in New York City, New York, began her acting career at a young age, appearing in a Toys ‘R’ Us commercial at three years old. Her cinematic debut came in 2002 at age five, starring in M. Night Shyamalan’s film, “Signs,” opposite Mel Gibson. Her performance in “Signs” was noted by critics for its natural and nuanced quality. Following this, she appeared in films such as “Raising Helen” and “The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement” in 2004, and “Keane,” where her role as Kira Bedik also received critical praise.

Breslin’s breakthrough role arrived in 2006 with the critically acclaimed comedy-drama “Little Miss Sunshine.” As Olive Hoover, an ambitious young girl aspiring to win a beauty pageant, Breslin garnered significant attention. For this performance, she received a Best Actress Award from the Tokyo International Film Festival and earned nominations for an Academy Award, a Screen Actors Guild Award, and a BAFTA Best Supporting Actress Award. She became one of the youngest actresses to receive an Academy Award nomination in this category. Her work continued with diverse roles in films like “No Reservations” (2007) alongside Catherine Zeta-Jones, and “Definitely, Maybe” (2008) with Ryan Reynolds, where her acting instincts were acknowledged. That same year, she starred in “Nim’s Island” with Jodie Foster and took on the titular role in “Kit Kittredge: An American Girl,” a film based on the popular book series.

Her career progressed with roles in other notable films, including “My Sister’s Keeper” (2009) and the horror-comedy “Zombieland” (2009), where director Ruben Fleischer specifically sought her for the role of Little Rock. In 2010, Breslin made her Broadway debut as Helen Keller in “The Miracle Worker.” She continued to take on varied projects, such as voicing characters in animated films like “Rango” (2011) and appearing in star-studded ensembles like “New Year’s Eve” (2011). In 2013, she featured in the thriller “The Call” and the ensemble drama “August: Osage County,” working alongside Meryl Streep and Julia Roberts. She also had a significant role in the science fiction film “Ender’s Game” in the same year. Breslin has since appeared in the horror-comedy series “Scream Queens” (2015-2016) and the film “Stillwater” (2021) opposite Matt Damon.