Willa Holland
Encyclopedia
Willa Joanna Chance Holland (born June 18, 1991) is an American actress and fashion model. She is best known for her role as Kaitlin Cooper
, Marissa Cooper
's devious younger sister, on the television series The O.C.
. She also appeared as Agnes Andrews on The CW
series Gossip Girl
. She most recently provided the voice for Aqua
in Kingdom Hearts Birth by Sleep
.
Keith Holland and actress Darnell Gregorio-De Palma. She has two sisters, Brianna Holland (born 1988) and Piper De Palma (born 1996). Holland spent the earlier part of her childhood in Chelsea, London. It was during that period that she spent time on the set of the film Mission: Impossible
which was directed by her stepfather Brian De Palma
.
She went to Kenter Canyon Elementary School and later Paul Revere Middle School. She also attended Palisades Charter High School
for a brief time.
's home, the seed was planted that she should spend her life acting in film. Spielberg told her mother "You've got to put her in front of a camera!".
Upon her return to Los Angeles that September, Holland signed with Ford Modeling Agency at age seven, and immediately booked a shoot for Burberry
.
The following year, 1999, De Palma took Willa to a theatrical talent agency. Since then she has shot many national commercials. During 2001 when Willa was ten, she worked alongside her cinematographer father in Ordinary Madness. She was even slated to co-star in the 2005 FOX
series The Inside
with fellow model Rachel Nichols
, but left the show when writer Tim Minear
was brought in to overhaul it. She played the role of Kaitlin Cooper
on The O.C.
; initially as a recurring character in season 3, but then as a regular in season 4. Incidentally, Willa Holland was a fan of The O.C. before landing the role of Marissa Cooper
's (Mischa Barton
) rebellious "little" sister.
Holland appeared on the cover of Teen Vogue and Fashion 18 and has been featured in CosmoGirl!, as well as representing LeSportsac
Fall and Winter 2006 The O.C. handbags for Macy's
.
Willa played April, a confused teenager, in the film Garden Party
, which opened July 11, 2008 in Los Angeles, New York, Portland, and Seattle. In Garden Party she plays a girl struggling to survive with her family because they neglect her.
On September 5, 2008 it was announced that Gossip Girl creator Josh Schwartz
was giving her a stint in Season 2 of Gossip Girl in which Holland played Agnes, a 16-year-old model working for Eleanor Waldorf. Agnes created havoc with Taylor Momsen
's character Jenny Humphrey
.
She has also appeared in a commercial for the Montana Meth Project titled "That Guy".
On May 17, 2010, Square Enix
announced that she will be voicing Aqua in the PlayStation Portable
title, Kingdom Hearts Birth by Sleep
, which was released on September 7, 2010 in North America.
As of March 2011, it is reported that Willa will star in the high school movie The Science of Cool with former O.C. co-star Mischa Barton
.The plot centers on “two high school nerds who discover a secret chemical formula when a science experiment goes terribly wrong that transforms them into the coolest kids in school; but with greatness comes great consequences.” It was set to start filming the summer of 2011.
Kaitlin Cooper
Kaitlin Cooper is a fictional character on the Fox television series The O.C., played by Willa Holland. She was originally played by Shailene Woodley.-Season 1:...
, Marissa Cooper
Marissa Cooper
Marissa Cooper is a fictional character on the FOX television series The O.C., portrayed by Mischa Barton. Marissa was among the original "core four" characters on The O.C. until her death in the season three finale, "The Graduates."...
's devious younger sister, on the television series The O.C.
The O.C.
The O.C. is an American teen drama television series that originally aired on the Fox television network in the United States from August 5, 2003, to February 21, 2007, running a total of four seasons...
. She also appeared as Agnes Andrews on The CW
The CW Television Network
The CW Television Network is a television network in the United States launched at the beginning of the 2006–2007 television season. It is a joint venture between CBS Corporation, the former owners of United Paramount Network , and Time Warner's Warner Bros., former majority owner of The WB...
series Gossip Girl
Gossip Girl (TV series)
Gossip Girl is an American teen drama television series based on the book series of the same name written by Cecily von Ziegesar. The series was created by Josh Schwartz and Stephanie Savage, and premiered on The CW on September 19, 2007...
. She most recently provided the voice for Aqua
Aqua (Kingdom Hearts)
is a fictional character from Square Enix's video game franchise Kingdom Hearts. Having first made cameo appearances in the game Kingdom Hearts II, Aqua was introduced as one of the three main characters from Kingdom Hearts Birth by Sleep, a prequel of the series released in 2010...
in Kingdom Hearts Birth by Sleep
Kingdom Hearts Birth by Sleep
is an action role-playing game developed and published by Square Enix and Disney for the PlayStation Portable, serving as the sixth installment in the Kingdom Hearts series. The game was released on UMD in Japan on January 9, 2010, in North America on September 7, 2010 and in Europe on September...
.
Early life
Holland was born in Los Angeles, the daughter of cinematographerCinematographer
A cinematographer is one photographing with a motion picture camera . The title is generally equivalent to director of photography , used to designate a chief over the camera and lighting crews working on a film, responsible for achieving artistic and technical decisions related to the image...
Keith Holland and actress Darnell Gregorio-De Palma. She has two sisters, Brianna Holland (born 1988) and Piper De Palma (born 1996). Holland spent the earlier part of her childhood in Chelsea, London. It was during that period that she spent time on the set of the film Mission: Impossible
Mission: Impossible (film)
Mission: Impossible is a 1996 action thriller directed by Brian De Palma and starring Tom Cruise. Following on from the television series of the same name, the plot follows a new agent, Ethan Hunt and his mission to uncover the mole within the CIA who has framed him for the murders of his entire...
which was directed by her stepfather Brian De Palma
Brian De Palma
Brian Russell De Palma is an American film director and writer. In a career spanning over 40 years, he is probably best known for his suspense and crime thriller films, including such box office successes as the horror film Carrie, Dressed to Kill, Scarface, The Untouchables, and Mission:...
.
She went to Kenter Canyon Elementary School and later Paul Revere Middle School. She also attended Palisades Charter High School
Palisades Charter High School
Palisades Charter High School is a secondary school in Los Angeles, California, United States. The public high school serves the neighborhoods of Pacific Palisades, Palisades Highlands, Kenter Canyon and portions of Brentwood...
for a brief time.
Career
Holland spent the summer of 1999 in The Hamptons with her family. After a day playing at Steven SpielbergSteven Spielberg
Steven Allan Spielberg KBE is an American film director, screenwriter, producer, video game designer, and studio entrepreneur. In a career of more than four decades, Spielberg's films have covered many themes and genres. Spielberg's early science-fiction and adventure films were seen as an...
's home, the seed was planted that she should spend her life acting in film. Spielberg told her mother "You've got to put her in front of a camera!".
Upon her return to Los Angeles that September, Holland signed with Ford Modeling Agency at age seven, and immediately booked a shoot for Burberry
Burberry
Burberry Group plc is a British luxury fashion house, manufacturing clothing, fragrance, and fashion accessories. Its distinctive tartan pattern has become one of its most widely copied trademarks. Burberry is most famous for its iconic trench coat, which was invented by founder Thomas Burberry...
.
The following year, 1999, De Palma took Willa to a theatrical talent agency. Since then she has shot many national commercials. During 2001 when Willa was ten, she worked alongside her cinematographer father in Ordinary Madness. She was even slated to co-star in the 2005 FOX
Fox Broadcasting Company
Fox Broadcasting Company, commonly referred to as Fox Network or simply Fox , is an American commercial broadcasting television network owned by Fox Entertainment Group, part of Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation. Launched on October 9, 1986, Fox was the highest-rated broadcast network in the...
series The Inside
The Inside
The Inside is an American crime drama television series created by Tim Minear and Howard Gordon and produced by Imagine Television. The Inside follows the work of the FBI's Los Angeles Violent Crimes Unit , a division dedicated to investigating particularly dangerous crimes. The Inside initially...
with fellow model Rachel Nichols
Rachel Nichols (actress)
Rachel Emily Nichols is an American actress and model. Nichols began modeling while attending Columbia University in New York City in the late 1990s...
, but left the show when writer Tim Minear
Tim Minear
Tim Minear is an American screenwriter and director. He was born in New York, grew up in Whittier, California, and studied film at California State University, Long Beach....
was brought in to overhaul it. She played the role of Kaitlin Cooper
Kaitlin Cooper
Kaitlin Cooper is a fictional character on the Fox television series The O.C., played by Willa Holland. She was originally played by Shailene Woodley.-Season 1:...
on The O.C.
The O.C.
The O.C. is an American teen drama television series that originally aired on the Fox television network in the United States from August 5, 2003, to February 21, 2007, running a total of four seasons...
; initially as a recurring character in season 3, but then as a regular in season 4. Incidentally, Willa Holland was a fan of The O.C. before landing the role of Marissa Cooper
Marissa Cooper
Marissa Cooper is a fictional character on the FOX television series The O.C., portrayed by Mischa Barton. Marissa was among the original "core four" characters on The O.C. until her death in the season three finale, "The Graduates."...
's (Mischa Barton
Mischa Barton
Mischa Anne Marsden Barton is a British-American fashion model, film, television, and stage actress, best known for her role as Marissa Cooper in the American television series The O.C..-Early life:...
) rebellious "little" sister.
Holland appeared on the cover of Teen Vogue and Fashion 18 and has been featured in CosmoGirl!, as well as representing LeSportsac
LeSportsac
LeSportsac Inc. is an American handbag, luggage, and accessories company. It is currently owned by Itochu Corp.-Company:LeSportsac, Inc. started in 1974, by Melvin and Sandy Schifter as an accessories company that introduced a collection of fold-in-a-pouch ripstop parachute nylon bags and luggage....
Fall and Winter 2006 The O.C. handbags for Macy's
Macy's
Macy's is a U.S. chain of mid-to-high range department stores. In addition to its flagship Herald Square location in New York City, the company operates over 800 stores in the United States...
.
Willa played April, a confused teenager, in the film Garden Party
Garden Party (film)
Garden Party is a 2008 drama film directed by Jason Freeland, starring Vinessa Shaw and Willa Holland. Garden Party was filmed in Los Angeles, California...
, which opened July 11, 2008 in Los Angeles, New York, Portland, and Seattle. In Garden Party she plays a girl struggling to survive with her family because they neglect her.
On September 5, 2008 it was announced that Gossip Girl creator Josh Schwartz
Josh Schwartz
-Film school at USC:In 1995, Schwartz realized his boyhood dream of attending film school to study screen and television writing at the University of Southern California...
was giving her a stint in Season 2 of Gossip Girl in which Holland played Agnes, a 16-year-old model working for Eleanor Waldorf. Agnes created havoc with Taylor Momsen
Taylor Momsen
Taylor Michel Momsen is an American actress, musician and model who portrays the character of Jenny Humphrey on the CW television series Gossip Girl and portrayed the role of Cindy Lou Who in How the Grinch Stole Christmas, and fronts the rock band The Pretty Reckless.-Early life and career:Taylor...
's character Jenny Humphrey
Jenny Humphrey
Jennifer Tallulah "Jenny" Humphrey is one of the characters in both the Gossip Girl and The It Girl series of novels by Cecily von Ziegesar...
.
She has also appeared in a commercial for the Montana Meth Project titled "That Guy".
On May 17, 2010, Square Enix
Square Enix
is a Japanese video game and publishing company best known for its console role-playing game franchises, which include the Final Fantasy series, the Dragon Quest series, and the action-RPG Kingdom Hearts series...
announced that she will be voicing Aqua in the PlayStation Portable
PlayStation Portable
The is a handheld game console manufactured and marketed by Sony Corporation Development of the console was announced during E3 2003, and it was unveiled on , 2004, at a Sony press conference before E3 2004...
title, Kingdom Hearts Birth by Sleep
Kingdom Hearts Birth by Sleep
is an action role-playing game developed and published by Square Enix and Disney for the PlayStation Portable, serving as the sixth installment in the Kingdom Hearts series. The game was released on UMD in Japan on January 9, 2010, in North America on September 7, 2010 and in Europe on September...
, which was released on September 7, 2010 in North America.
As of March 2011, it is reported that Willa will star in the high school movie The Science of Cool with former O.C. co-star Mischa Barton
Mischa Barton
Mischa Anne Marsden Barton is a British-American fashion model, film, television, and stage actress, best known for her role as Marissa Cooper in the American television series The O.C..-Early life:...
.The plot centers on “two high school nerds who discover a secret chemical formula when a science experiment goes terribly wrong that transforms them into the coolest kids in school; but with greatness comes great consequences.” It was set to start filming the summer of 2011.
Filmography
| Film | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Film | Role | Notes |
| 2001 2001 in film The year 2001 in film involved some significant events, including the first of the Harry Potter series and also the first of The Lord of the Rings trilogy... |
Ordinary Madness | Young Faye | |
| 2004 2004 in film The year 2004 in film involved some significant events. Major releases of sequels took place. It included blockbuster films like Shrek 2, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, The Passion of the Christ, Meet the Fockers, Blade: Trinity, Spider-Man 2, Alien vs. Predator, Kill Bill Vol... |
The Heart Is Deceitful Above All Things The Heart Is Deceitful Above All Things The Heart Is Deceitful Above All Things is a 2004 film directed by and starring Asia Argento. It is based on JT LeRoy's novel of the same name... |
Milkshake | Small Role |
| 2008 2008 in film This is a list of all major films made in 2008.-Highest-grossing films:Please note that following the tradition of the English-language film industry, these are the top grossing films that were first released in the USA in 2008... |
Chasing 3000 Chasing 3000 Chasing 3000 is a 2008 American independent film chronicling the cross-country travel of two boys to see the 3,000th base hit of Major League Baseball legend Roberto Clemente. It stars Trevor Morgan, Rory Culkin, Ray Liotta, and Lauren Holly.-Cast:... |
Jamie | |
| Garden Party Garden Party (film) Garden Party is a 2008 drama film directed by Jason Freeland, starring Vinessa Shaw and Willa Holland. Garden Party was filmed in Los Angeles, California... |
April | ||
| Genova Genova (film) Genova is a film directed by Michael Winterbottom and starring Colin Firth, Catherine Keener, and Hope Davis. It was filmed in the titular city of Genoa during the summer of 2007. It was written by Wonderland screenwriter Laurence Coriat... |
Kelly | ||
| Middle of Nowhere Middle of Nowhere (film) Middle of Nowhere is a 2008 coming-of-age comedy-drama film directed by John Stockwell, written by Michelle Morgan, and starring Susan Sarandon and her real-life daughter, Eva Amurri. It premiered at the 2008 Toronto International Film Festival... |
Taylor | ||
| 2010 2010 in film The year 2010 saw many new films released worldwide. 2010 saw a dramatic increase and prominence in the use of 3D-technology in filmmaking and film releases after the success of Avatar in the format, with releases such as Alice in Wonderland, Clash of the Titans, Jackass 3D, all animated films and... |
Legion | Audrey Anderson | |
| The Last Song The Last Song (film) The Last Song is a 2010 American coming of age drama film developed alongside Nicholas Sparks novel by the same name. The film was directed by Julie Anne Robinson in her feature film directorial debut and co-written by Sparks and Jeff Van Wie... |
Beach Girl | cameo | |
| Humanity's Last Line of Defense | Herself | Documentary | |
| 2011 2011 in film The year 2011 is notable for containing the release of the most film sequels in a single year, at 27 sequels. The following tables list films that are in production or have completed production and will be released in the United States and Canada at some point in 2011.- Highest-grossing films :... |
Straw Dogs | Janice Hedden | |
| Television | |||
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 2005 2005 in television The year 2005 in television involved some significant events.Below is a list of television-related events in 2005.For the American TV schedule, see: 2005–06 United States network television schedule.-Events:-Debuts:-Miniseries:... |
The Comeback The Comeback (TV series) The Comeback is a television series produced by HBO that stars actress Lisa Kudrow as sitcom actress Valerie Cherish in modern-day Los Angeles, California. It was created by Kudrow and Michael Patrick King, a former executive producer of Sex and the City... |
Kalla | 1 episode (Episode 9) |
| The Inside The Inside The Inside is an American crime drama television series created by Tim Minear and Howard Gordon and produced by Imagine Television. The Inside follows the work of the FBI's Los Angeles Violent Crimes Unit , a division dedicated to investigating particularly dangerous crimes. The Inside initially... |
1 episode (Episode 1) | ||
| 2006 2006 in television 2006 in television may refer to:*2006 in American television*2006 in Australian television*2006 in British television*2006 in Canadian television*2006 in Japanese television... –2007 2007 in television 2007 in television may refer to:*2007 in American television*2007 in Australian television*2007 in British television*2007 in Canadian television*2007 in Japanese television... |
The O.C. The O.C. The O.C. is an American teen drama television series that originally aired on the Fox television network in the United States from August 5, 2003, to February 21, 2007, running a total of four seasons... |
Kaitlin Cooper Kaitlin Cooper Kaitlin Cooper is a fictional character on the Fox television series The O.C., played by Willa Holland. She was originally played by Shailene Woodley.-Season 1:... |
22 episodes (Main character) |
| 2008 2008 in television The following is a list of events affecting American television in 2008. Events listed include television show debuts, finales, cancellations, and new channel launches.-January:-February:-March:-April:-May:-June:-July:-August:... –2010 2010 in television 2010 in television may refer to:*2010 in American television*2010 in Australian television*2010 in British television*2010 in Canadian television*2010 in Japanese television... |
Gossip Girl Gossip Girl (TV series) Gossip Girl is an American teen drama television series based on the book series of the same name written by Cecily von Ziegesar. The series was created by Josh Schwartz and Stephanie Savage, and premiered on The CW on September 19, 2007... |
Agnes Andrews | 4 episodes (Recurring) |
| Video games | |||
| Year | Title | Character | Notes |
| 2006 2006 in video gaming -Events:* January 26, 2006 -- Nintendo announces its newly redesigned handheld, the Nintendo DS Lite. The new model is lighter, smaller, has configurable brightness and features an improved user interface.* January 26, 2006 -- Konami Corp... |
Scarface: The World Is Yours Scarface: The World is Yours Scarface: The World Is Yours is a video game developed by Radical Entertainment and published by Vivendi Universal Games. The game is based on and is a quasi-sequel to the 1983 motion picture Scarface starring Al Pacino reprising his role as Tony Montana, with André Sogliuzzo providing Montana's... |
Voice | |
| 2010 2010 in video gaming The year 2010 has seen many sequels and prequels in video games, including several new titles.-Events:-Game releases:List of games scheduled for release in 2010 in North America.... |
Kingdom Hearts Birth by Sleep Kingdom Hearts Birth by Sleep is an action role-playing game developed and published by Square Enix and Disney for the PlayStation Portable, serving as the sixth installment in the Kingdom Hearts series. The game was released on UMD in Japan on January 9, 2010, in North America on September 7, 2010 and in Europe on September... |
Aqua Aqua (Kingdom Hearts) is a fictional character from Square Enix's video game franchise Kingdom Hearts. Having first made cameo appearances in the game Kingdom Hearts II, Aqua was introduced as one of the three main characters from Kingdom Hearts Birth by Sleep, a prequel of the series released in 2010... |
Voice |
| Music videos | |||
| Year | Band | Song | Notes |
| 2008 | The Glitterati The Glitterati The Glitterati are an English hard rock band from Leeds, and now primarily based in London, England. The band are currently signed with DR2 Records/Global Music.-Debut album:In 2004 the band released an EP called "Here Comes a Close Up"... |
Keep Me Up All Night | |
| 2010 | Melissa Etheridge Melissa Etheridge Melissa Lou Etheridge is an American rock singer-songwriter and musician.Etheridge is known for her mixture of confessional lyrics, pop-based folk-rock, and raspy, smoky vocals... |
Fearless Love Fearless Love (song) "Fearless Love" is a song by Melissa Etheridge and the first single of her 2010 album Fearless Love.-Background:Etheridge wrote the song after her young daughter suggested the title for her album. Etheridge explained to Spinner the inspiration for the lyric "I was 17, you kissed my lips": "It... |
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