DAILY DOSE OF HOPE – BLOG – NAIMA LETT
Youngest Best Actress Nominee Ever!
© NaimaLett.com/blog
/br>

© Theo Wargo/Getty Images, 9-year old Quvenzhané Wallis, source

9-year old, first-time actress Quvenzhané Wallis made history today!

She became the youngest ever Academy Award® Best Actress nominee on the day that also rendered the oldest ever Academy Award® Best Actress nominee (Emmanuelle Riva, 85). Congratulations, Ladies!

Side note:
My apologies for the late blog release today. Shortly after the nominees were announced, I Skyped in a video interview for alma mater Dallas Theological Seminary‘s new initiative called The Table Podcast. I had fun talking about Cultural Engagement and the Arts with good friends (and world-renowned scholars) Dr. Reg Grant and Dr. Darrell Bock. The video will air in March.

Back to History!

For the record, I said back in September that Quvenzhané’s film, Beasts of the Southern Wild, could be this year’s Oscar®’s Little-Engine-That-Could. Today, it received 4 nominations: Best Picture, Best Director (Benh Zeitlin), Best Actress in a Leading role (Quvenzhané Wallis) and Best Adapted Screenplay (Benh Zeitlin and Lucy Alibar).

For my review and details about the film (including why it’s not exactly appropriate for children), check out my blog, Beasts of the Southern Wild: Fantasies Come True.

Que’s Journey

Here’s the quick synopsis that I wrote about Quvenzhané’s journey:
Quvenzhané Wallis portrays Hushpuppy. When she auditioned, she was only 5 years old and could barely read. She had never acted before, yet she landed the role over 4,000 little actresses who auditioned. Quvenzhané filmed the movie when she was 6, just turned 9, and recently won the first major trophy of the Oscar® season: Hollywood Film Award’s New Hollywood Award. Past recipients of this ‘new talent’ award have been Robert Pattinson (Twilight), Gabourey Sidibe (Precious), and Jennifer Lawrence (Hunger Games) – who Quvenzhané now competes with in the Best Actress category. Wow, right?!

In a recent article with the Huffington Post, we learn that Quvenzhané is the youngest of 4 kids, ages 9 – 19 (2 brothers + 1 sister in college) and lives in Houma, LA, an hour from New Orleans. Her mom is a teacher. Her dad drives trucks. They’ve been married for 20 years. Quvenzhané likes cheer-leading and her favorite subject is math. She says she’s normal.

“I’m just normal… I’m just this girl who always fights with her brothers, like normal, always tackles the big dog that’s always in the house, like normal.” Well, now Ms. Little Normal will add another red carpet event with the Academy Awards®. :=)

Que’s Wisdom

In dealing with success, Quvenzhané says she “Just tries to be nice to everyone, and gives everyone a chance… I really don’t worry about the attention… I’m happy to be nice to them.”

What a concept!
Be nice to folks. Don’t get caught up in fame. Give everyone a chance.

I’m reminded of Paul’s advice in Ephesians 4:32 where he says, “Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.” Be kind to folks. Build each other up. Let’s forgive and give each other a chance.

A Long Shot

Though Hollywood loves an underdog, winning is probably a really long shot.

It helps that the film has such a rich back story:
Armed with a crew full of family and friends in the Louisiana delta, 1st-time feature film director Ben Zeitlin cast two 1st-time, unknown actors in leading roles and shot a different kind of fantasy film reminiscent of Hurricane Katrina. This is no big budget, star-studded juggernaut, but that’s what makes it memorable.

Just not sure it’s enough. There are some great films this year from seasoned veterans that are outstanding including Lincoln (12 nominations) and Les Misérables (8 nominations).

Still, I applaud little Ms. Quvenzhané. She has already filmed her next movie with Brad Pitt in Louisiana. And she still wants to be a dentist “to see people smile”.

For the Academy’s complete list, go to: 2013 Oscar® Nominees.

Happy History-making,
Naima

What do you think?
RESPOND ON BLOG
Comment below, or
Facebook or
Twitter – @naimalett

© 2013 Naima Lett. All Rights Reserved