Quvenzhané Wallis, born on August 28, 2003, in Houma, Louisiana, is an American actress and author. She is the daughter of Qulyndreia Wallis, a teacher, and Venjie Wallis Sr., a truck driver, and has three siblings.

Her name "Quvenzhané" combines the first syllables of her parents' first names and an alteration of the Swahili word "jini," meaning "sprite" or "fairy."

Quvenzhané Wallis began her acting career at the age of five when she lied about her age to audition for the lead role in the film "Beasts of the Southern Wild" (2012). Despite being the youngest among 4,000 applicants, she was chosen to play Hushpuppy, an indomitable child prodigy.

Her performance earned her a nomination for the Academy Award for Best Actress, making her the youngest actress ever to be nominated in that category.

Following her breakthrough role, she appeared in several notable films, including "12 Years a Slave" (2013), "Annie" (2014), and "Trolls" (2016). She also voiced the character Harper in "Trolls" and played Kyra in the television sitcom "Black-ish" (2019). In addition to her acting career, she has published four children's books, including "Shai & Emmie Star in Break an Egg!" and "A Night Out with Mama."

Her achievements have earned her numerous awards and nominations, including a Golden Globe nomination for Best Actress in a Motion Picture – Comedy or Musical for her role in "Annie." She was also named the face of Armani Junior, making her the first major child celebrity to be the face of a luxury brand.