The Untold Truth Of Anna Kendrick
Anna Kendrick is the kind of actor who has taken on a wide range of onscreen roles. In fact, Insider pointed out in August 2020, that after "ma[king] her film debut in 2003's 'Camp,'" she had "been in 36 films since then" and it doesn't look like she will be slowing down any time soon. Famous for her starring gig as Beca, the beloved leader of the Bellas in the music-filled "Pitch Perfect" film franchise, she also popped up as the super keen Natalie Keener in 2009's comedy-drama "Up in the Air" alongside George Clooney. On top of that, she was the voice of peppy Poppy in 2016's "Trollz" with Justin Timberlake and played Bella Swan's friend Jessica in the "Twilight" movies.
Of course, if you forgot that Kendrick appeared in the glittery vampire-focused films, don't worry. She forgot as well. In November 2018, she tweeted (seriously or jokingly?), "Holy sh**. I just remembered I was in 'Twilight.'"
While Kendrick may or may not consider each and every aspect of her career as significantly memorable, she is still living a life that includes incredible achievements, special connections, and both unexpected aspects as well as intriguing avenues. Frankly, there are plenty of interesting tidbits about this particular famous figure that will surely surprise you and will definitely entertain you. Keep reading to find out a number of fascinating details that you likely don't know about this captivating celebrity who very well could be your new favorite star.
Anna Kendrick became a Tony nominee when she was as kid
Anna Kendrick is far from one of the older stars in the entertainment industry, but she has still been around for years. That's because she started performing professionally when she was just a child. Starting out in community theater at six years old, according to NPR, she went on to land a gig on Broadway just a few years later.
Scoring a role in "High Society," Vanity Fair notes that she played the character Dinah Lord. In fact, she didn't just take on the part, she nailed it, which is why in 1998, she earned a Tony Award nomination for her work. (And yes, video of her trip to the award show has made it to the internet — she's just so cute!) The impressive feat meant that she "was the third-youngest nominee of all time" to be honored with a prestigious industry nod, only being slightly older than Daisy Eagan, who was 11 years old when she won for her work in "The Secret Garden," and Frankie Michaels, who was 10 when he won for "Mame."
That was certainly a major accomplishment for someone who "was a diminutive child," per NPR. However, the outlet also noted that she had "a powerful singing voice" from an early age. "I did always wonder if I kind of cultivated a big voice intentionally — like a roar to assert myself in some space in the world," she said.
Anna Kendrick's brother is also an actor
If you're a fan of Anna Kendrick, then you might be interested to find out that she's not the only member of her family who got into the entertainment industry. Her older brother, Michael Cooke Kendrick, is also an actor, according to IMDb. Although he may not be as famous as his sister, you still might have seen Michael in 2000's "Looking for an Echo" as well as in 2011's "Celebrity Ghost Stories." In 2011, he also had a role as Officer Kavanagh on "Celebrity Close Calls."
Apparently, these are two show business siblings who not only share a profession, they also share a quirky relationship. Anna proved that in November 2016 when she posted a screenshot on Twitter of an exchange between herself and Michael while they were chatting about her promotional work for "Scrappy Little Nobody." "My brother giving me book tour love. Then I ruin it. Then he ruins it more," she captioned the image which featured an apology from him for a potentially unsolicited and unhelpful "pep talk," to which she replied: "Yeah. F**k you for this pep talk. ... I hate you."
As for Michael, he took to Instagram to post a birthday message for Anna in August 2018, writing, "Happy birthday to my sister ... you've always been there for me and I'll always be there for you." He then suggested that she wasn't the coolest person around and was getting on the older side while adding, "Love you, dude."
Anna Kendrick tends to date men behind the scenes
Anna Kendrick's love life may not spark sizzling headlines on a regular basis, however, that doesn't mean that she's not enjoying romance when the cameras aren't rolling. Bustle notes that whether the rumors are true or not, she's been linked to other famous figures like Chris Pine, Zac Efron, and Alfie Allen. Granted, we do know of two men that she has definitely dated.
For four years, the actor was involved with Edgar Wright, who was the director of "Scott Pilgrim vs. the World," which Kendrick had a part in. The two met on set in 2009, however, by 2013, decided to call things off, according to Us Weekly.
The year after she split from Wright, Kendrick began a relationship with Ben Richardson, who is both a cinematographer and director, per IMDb. According to Perez Hilton (via Bustle), these two also met on the set of a film. This time around, it was the 2013 comedy "Drinking Buddies." Although the couple seems to keep their relationship relatively private, she did tell Glamour back in 2015 that it's "a pretty sweet situation." It may be sweet, but it's also so under-the-radar that the Daily Mail noted in 2019 that she was spotted out in public "[holding] hands with boyfriend Ben Richardson during a movie date in Los Angeles after Twitter users tried to set her up with a Canadian hockey player." We're sure the athlete is nice, but this star isn't single.
Anna Kendrick has a famous best friend
When Anna Kendrick needs a friend to lean on, she can surely rely on former "Parks and Recreation" star Aubrey Plaza. The "Scott Pilgrim vs. The World" co-stars have been besties for years and their relationship is absolutely adorable. As Bustle put it, "Plaza and Kendrick's BFFship is pretty much why the hashtag '#friendshipgoals' exists."
Even back in 2014, the two were using social media to stay in touch and prove to followers how awesome their bond is. For example, check out Plaza's tweet that includes an arguably creepy photo with the caption, "@AnnaKendrick47 if you don't text me back SOON I will keep doing things like this until you pay attention to me." Or take a look at Kendrick's Instagram photo of the two which she captioned, "She acts all mean and detached but she's a f***ing rainbow-colored softie at heart."
Even when it's hard to keep up with each other, they're still BFFs. Plaza explained to The New York Times that when they wanted to work together in "Mike and Dave Need Wedding Dates," they had to show those in charge that they had real-life chemistry. "I hadn't seen Anna in a while ... But we immediately were kind of all over each other, throwing Skittles in each other's mouths." As for their future, she told Nylon, "Hmm, hopefully when I'm 70, Anna Kendrick and I will have our multi-cam sitcom, exactly like 'The Golden Girls.' We'll just be two fast-talking sexual ladies hitting on younger guys."
Now, about that rumored feud with Blake Lively
In 2018, Anna Kendrick played Stephanie Smothers, a vlogging single mom with a scandalous past, in the thriller "A Simple Favor." She starred in the movie opposite Blake Lively, who appeared as Emily Nelson, a woman who may not exactly be what (or who) she seems. While the two shared an, er, interesting dynamic onscreen, there was a rumor that they may not have gotten along when the cameras weren't rolling. In fact, things supposedly got so unpleasant between the two, that some drama was said to have sparked.
The situation buzzed in 2021 when "a TikTok user alleged" that Kendrick and Lively were "feuding while shedding light on the drama," per HITC. The evidence apparently included awkward interactions between the two, and to be fair, it is true that while interviewing each other for BuzzFeed, Kendrick addressed one onset incident by telling Lively, "That was the day I decided I hate you. ... We were all talking sh*t about you."
While that may make it seem like Kendrick isn't fond of Lively, it turns out that she happens to have a cheeky (if dry and perhaps surprisingly stinging) sense of humor. The same can be said for Lively, who Kendrick told Harper's Bazaar has "a dark side, a sarcastic side." In fact, when Lively first met Kendrick when they were younger, she thought the fellow actor was "really cool." In turn, Kendrick says she and Lively have a "kind of partner-in-crime vibe."
Anna Kendrick called President Obama an 'a**hole'
When celebrities meet with Queen Elizabeth II, there are strict rules that they have to follow. While stars don't have to stick to the exact same guidelines when they are introduced to a U.S. president, they are still expected to behave themselves. Anna Kendrick may have been unaware of that when she swore at Barack Obama.
In 2013, Kendrick took to Instagram to share three photos of herself meeting the president at the time. In the images, it's clear that he's laughing so hard that he's bent right over. She added the caption, "Last year. The coolest three seconds of my life. (What can I say? I'm hilarious)." But what did she say that was so funny? Well, a few years later, while sitting down for a chat on "The Late Show With Stephen Colbert," she admitted, "I called him an a**hole and scolded him for not knowing enough about the 50 states."
So, what went on? Well, after Obama happened to mention "Up In the Air" and point Kendrick out, he later apologized for potentially embarrassing a starstruck Kendrick. She replied by cursing at him. And then, after finding out Kendrick was the first to arrive at the event, he asked if those from her home state of Maine are usually punctual, to which she deadpanned, "You didn't know that? You're the president." A response that he surely wasn't expecting, Obama didn't take offense but instead — as the pics show — found it funny.
Fast food and Belgian beer treat Anna Kendrick right
Thanks to Anna Kendrick's star status, she surely has access to some of the finer things in life. That includes pricey bottles of wine and top-notch culinary delights. While she may indeed enjoy those things from time to time, this celebrity happens to have a love of beer and fast food.
The actor who appeared in the aptly titled 2013 movie "Drinking Buddies" opened up to GQ about her own particular drinking habits when asked if she likes beer. While she definitely does, she specified that she is a fan of "every single Belgian-style beer."
As for food, the fact that Kendrick's Instagram bio identifies her as an "emotional eater" might be a hint towards her snacking habits. The actor — who actually once had a hot dog named after her — admitted to Conan O'Brien, "It's a dirty thing that I love Taco Bell so much." Granted, she did note that she "cannot eat Taco Bell before midnight," saying, "It's a reverse gremlins thing. It's just so filthy that I can't do it. It has to be under cover of darkness in like my car ... I drive out of my way to get to the one with the drive-thru so I don't have to go inside, and then I'll just eat it in the parking lot in my car." While Kendrick probably isn't alone when it comes to her Taco Bell-related shame, we have a feeling fans will love her even more because of it.
There's nothing batter, er, better than baking, according to Anna Kendrick
Rodenbach Grand Cru and Chalupas Supreme aren't the only items on a menu that will excite Anna Kendrick. The star is also into both baked goods and baking. Like seriously into baking. So much so that she admitted to Los Angeles Magazine, "When I was baking a lot, there was a tweet I thought of about the pages of my cookbook sticking together, because when you bake you get stuff all over the cookbook. And I was like, Oh, that's what guys say about porn magazines!" However, she added, "Nobody thought it was funny but me."
That kind of passion for the culinary craft is why she can bake and decorate cookies like nobody's business. Also telling Los Angeles Magazine that she's taken on a Swedish Princess Cake — which she feels best represents L.A. thanks to the fact that it's "sugar on top of sugar on top of sugar" — she may draw inspiration from TV.
Like many other (arguably but understandably gluttonous) dessert lovers around the world, Kendrick is a big fan of "The Great British Bake Off." While sitting down for an interview on "The Graham Norton Show," she was asked by fellow guest Daniel Radcliffe about her baking skills and if she would compete on the show. She explained, "I can bake, but I like to take my time." Maybe she can be a competitor on a slow-paced celebrity version of the show.
Anna Kendrick is a mega sci-fi and fantasy fan
Along with the Marvel movies, "Star Wars" stories, and wizarding world of Harry Potter and his fellow magical characters, CNBC notes that the "Lord of the Rings" installments are among the highest-earning film franchises to ever hit screens. Clearly, the onscreen adventures of hobbits, elves, orcs, and Ringwraiths of Middle Earth are popular, which is why it is surely understandable (but still surprisingly relatable and super adorable) that Anna Kendrick — who, BTW, told CineMovie that she's read the "Harry Potter" books and immediately considered "Game of Thrones" to be her favorite show — is the host of an annual "Lord of the Rings" marathon. Not only that, Kendrick revealed that she holds viewings of "the extended editions" of the award-winning movies.
This might shock those who knew Kendrick when she was younger. That's because she admitted that she once had a "bad taste in [her] mouth" when it came to sci-fi and fantasy, saying that she thought they weren't really her kind of genre. But when she realized that some of her favorite films included movies like "Star Wars," it clued into her that she was, indeed, a fan of that kind of big-screen story.
That's why it makes perfect sense that she chose '70s Harrison Ford as her dream co-star and popped up in a "Star Wars Battlefront" trailer, which The Hollywood Reporter noted sees her "delivering one of the most famous lines from George Lucas' original 1977 movie."
Style seems to come naturally to Anna Kendrick
Anna Kendrick may be famous for being an actor and a singer, however, she's also incredibly savvy when it comes to style. While Glamour deemed her "one of those celebrities whose dress sense fits their personality to a T: fun, playful and full of beans," she has also emerged as the kind of star that consistently looks stellar whether she's at a fashion-related industry event, doing virtual press, posing professionally in Armani Privé, or simply hanging out in the rain.
The public figure also likes to play with her style, whether that means wandering around a forest in feathers or wearing mile-high heels in quarantine. Although she may have posted a pic of herself in one flashy outfit with the caption, "GOD I hate attention," it's safe to say that's a joke considering she tends to opt for truly eye-catching and jaw-droppingly stunning ensembles.
When Kendrick acted as InStyle's guest editor in 2015, she shared, "If you are trying on a dress and you are sort of talking yourself into it — whether you're getting styled for something or you're in a Topshop dressing room — ... it's not for you in the first place." She added that you can't rely on "accessorizing, adding a bold lip, and putting your hair up" to make the dress work, because that just isn't a reasonable solution. Apparently, "it falls flat no matter what you do unless you just zip it up and love it in the first place!"
The many worthy causes supported by Anna Kendrick
Anna Kendrick doesn't only use her star power to further enhance her own career. She also uses her influence to help others and to spread awareness about causes that she believes in. For instance, Look to the Stars notes that she's worked with plenty of worthy organizations like the American Cancer Society, Motion Picture and Television Fund Foundation, and St. Jude Children's Research Hospital. That's not to mention her support of NBC's Red Nose Day and Lipstick Angels.
The Press Herald also reported about Kendrick's involvement with an initiative that saw the star put up enough money to back 31 school projects for those in Maine while teaming up with "online education charity DonorsChoose.org."
Beyond that, Kendrick is an avid supporter of The Trevor Project, which, as the organization's site notes, "is the world's largest suicide prevention and crisis intervention organization for LGBTQ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and questioning) young people." Kendrick spoke about the need for the organization's services, saying that while adults are better equipped with "the strength of our conviction" when facing "messages of homophobia and transphobia" that come from some politicians, young people may be much more vulnerable. "As a teen trying to navigate the world, who hasn't found a system of support, those reactionary voices are loud, and ugly, and capable of making a young person see the way they were born as an insurmountable obstacle," she said. "For those who feel this, Trevor is there, 24 hours a day, seven days a week."
In 2012, Anna Kendrick scored a house in Los Angeles
Back in 2019, Architectural Digest noted that Anna Kendrick starred in a Frito-Lay commercial which showed her enjoying a little holiday fun while singing "Favorite Things." She also happened to be in a home that was located in Los Angeles. While we'll likely never know who the picturesque tinsel-covered residence belonged to, they very well could have been a neighbor of the "Pitch Perfect" star.
Scooping up what the outlet called a "modestly sized" property in 2012, Kendrick paid just over $1 million for the home, according to Variety. Once a "ramshackle shingled cottage," it underwent a much-needed renovation and is now a contemporary abode that offers its owner three bedrooms and three and a half bathrooms. Also featuring an open space in the main living area, the home boasts French doors, a wood-burning fireplace, high-end appliances, soaking tub, and a spacious walk-in closet. That's not to mention "a wide window with tree top view" as well as a "step-out balcony with panoramic city view."
Outside, those living in the home may only get a "tiny triangular grass patch," however, they surely appreciate the two-car garage and can enjoy "a partially covered treehouse-like deck" that includes outdoor heaters and its own fireplace. While this might not be the most expensive house in California, it certainly sounds like this dream home was worth every penny.
Anna Kendrick had kidney stones
In February 2019, Anna Kendrick revealed that she had ended up in the hospital with kidney stones. WebMD explains that the condition involves "small 'pebbles' of salt and mineral" that are found in urine. Although some kidney stones make their way out of the body by themselves, others may need to be removed with medical assistance. As for Kendrick, she apparently had to seek out help to deal with what can be an extremely painful process.
"I need to give a shout out to the Atlanta doctors and nurses who helped me through my first experience with kidney stones when I was at my most vulnerable and terrified," Kendrick tweeted in a thread that went on to mention the medical workers by name (as well as "the young woman whose name started with 'L'??"). Adding that they laughed at her admittedly less-than-stellar medicated humor, she also explained that while she was initially "worried that [her] pain would turn out to be 'nothing serious' or something that [she] should have been able to fight through," she noted that she was "so grateful to these women." She finished by writing, "Even if we only interacted for a moment, know that the attention and kindness you give your patients is so appreciated."
Many of Kendrick's fans felt sympathy for the star and related to what she had been through, with one follower writing, "Glad you're on the 'other side' of that experience. It's no picnic."
Anna Kendrick is worth a lot of money
Anna Kendrick has achieved an impressive level of success over the years. Along with appearing in plenty of popular movies, Forbes broke down why her popularity on social media landed her on McAfee's "most dangerous celebrities" online list, while the Washington Business Journal noted that she has signed endorsement deals with brands like Hilton, Kate Spade, and Newcastle Brown Ale, as well as Electronic Arts for her "Star Wars Battlefront" commercial.
However, Kendrick hasn't always been the kind of performer who could attract (likely lucrative) partnerships. In fact, on People TV's "The Jess Cagle Interview," she talked about her early days in the entertainment industry, saying, "I was not famous so nobody wanted to lend me shoes [for an event], but I was broke." The actor continued, "I got talked into spending the money I really didn't have on a pair of Louboutins. They were $1,000. I still have them. They're super-sparkly and spangly, but I will never get rid of them because I'm like, 'I spent my rent on you.'"
These days, Kendrick can afford a closet filled with pricey Louboutin shoes thanks to the fact that she has $20 million, per Celebrity Net Worth. There's no doubt that Kendrick made her fortune thanks to her camera-worthy skills and appeal. However, she told Elle, "I think I'm lucky that I've never had a crisis about whether the only reason I'm successful is because I'm crazy hot."