Shailene Woodley (The Descendants)
It's easy to believe Shailene Woodley when she says that she never wanted a role so badly in her life as that of rebellious teen Alexandra King in The Descendants. ''But it wasn't because it was shot in Hawaii and it wasn't because it was with George Clooney,'' Woodley insists. ''It was so raw and real and human. That's what I responded to.'' The 20-year-old is now a front-runner for a Best Supporting Actress Oscar nomination. As the feisty but sensitive Alexandra, Woodley — previously best known for playing a young mother on ABC Family's The Secret Life of the American Teenager — got to explore dramatic territory way beyond any young-adult soap. ''I was like, 'I've really got to step up to the plate,' '' she says. ''I needed to raise the stakes, and I did.'' —Dave Karger
Image Credit: John Shearer/Getty Images
15 Breakout Stars of 2011
From movies (Michael Fassbender and Shailene Woodley) to TV (Damon Wayans Jr. and Beth Behrs) to music (LMFAO and Foster the People), performers who raised their profile to another level this year
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Movie Calendar
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- TBD
- * Dates subject to change
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