Hollywood has had no shortage of talent and boasts some of the most riveting actors with pure raw talent and fearless authenticity. While seasoned actors like Meryl Streep or Daniel Day-Lewis might find their names often taken in this context, a swarm of young actors too hold the same charm and blend of talent. One of these notable actors is Shailene Woodley.
The American actress who has long captivated audiences with her riveting performances is now 33. As we celebrate her splendid career, there are several fascinating and surprising facets of her life that make her who she is. While many know her for her performances in films like The Faults in Our Stars or her role in the Divergent franchise, there is much more to Shailene Woodley than just her feats in the entertainment industry.
The ever-so-grounded and genuine star, known for her outspoken and candid personality, has multiple aspects to her that often fly under the radar. As she steps into a new year of her life, here is a closer look at her, and five intriguing details about her life that not everyone might know.
5. Shailene Woodley was a 4.0 Student
Having a successful film career is one thing but being a remarkable student while having a successful film career is a feat less seen in the entertainment industry. Coming from a family that deeply values education— Shailene Woodley’s mother is a middle-school counselor and her father is a former school principal-turned-family therapist— so, The Secret Lives of American Teenager star has been a dedicated student all her life.
Having begun working at the age of 5 in commercials, from Hertz to Honda minivan, her parents happily took her to whatever auditions she wanted to take, however, education remained the primary objective. As a result, Woodley was a 4.0 student and took AP classes at Simi Valley High School.
While acting was a big part of her life, she instead wanted high school to be about the many other things she was passionate about, including the choir. When she booked Secret Life, it was the middle of her junior year. So instead of sacrificing her education, a teacher would come once a week to her house with all the work, and she would spend hours doing it whenever she could. Her dedication paid off when she got to graduate with her class (via The Hollywood Reporter and Orange County Register).
4. Shailene Woodley Was Diagnosed with Scoliosis
At fifteen years old, Shailene Woodley was diagnosed with scoliosis. It is a condition when a person’s spine develops an irregular shape, a condition which can get worse with age. Fortunately, the actress got immediate medical attention and was put in a chest-to-hip plastic brace, which she wore for over two years.
In an interview with US Weekly, when asked about the condition, she revealed how hard it was initially,
When I first put on the back brace, I said, ‘I can do this.’ My only real issue was I needed a new wardrobe. It’s like wearing a tacky, disgusting, plastic corset for 18 hours a day. In the beginning, it was hard to eat or breathe. And I had to give up cross-country running. But I needed to have it to realign my spine.
Despite the condition, the Fault in Our Stars actress continued to work. In another interview with Orange County Register, the actress got candid about the behind-the-scenes process while being stuck in the brace,
I had to wear a brace for two years and I embraced the brace (laughs). I accepted it, and I lived with it. I found cute things to wear with baggy T-shirts. And it didn’t affect the acting at all. I would take the brace off during filming and then put it back on during the breaks.
Fortunately for Woodley, her condition improved within two years and she was allowed to remove the brace. Since then, the actress has been keeping healthy and well, living free of scoliosis.
3. Shailene Woodley was Once Arrested
Shailene Woodley is one of the nicest celebrities in the film industry. Incredibly down-to-earth and honest, it is hard to imagine that she once ended up being arrested. However, after knowing the reason for her arrest, it only reaffirms the fact that the actress is indeed a wonderful human being.
A dedicated environmentalist and activist, back in 2016 she took part in a protest against the Dakota Access Pipeline, an underground petroleum pipeline that faced severe resistance from environmentalists as well as Native American groups. Following a month and a half of protesting, she along with 26 others was charged with criminal trespassing (via LA Times).
Following her arrest, mugshots of her went viral across social media, and several people, including celebrities, joined in to ask for her release. She was shortly released from jail (via Cosmopolitan) and later sentenced to a year of probation after pleading guilty (via Variety).
The Divergent star also wrote an op-ed for Time, titled The Truth About My Arrest raising awareness for the social causes and asking for people’s support. In a recent appearance, via The Hollywood Reporter, when asked if she would do it all over again and go to jail, she responded with a quick ‘in a heartbeat.’
2. Shailene Woodley Wears Second-Hand Clothes
While most of us look at second-hand clothes as hand-me-downs and absolutely refuse to wear them, Hollywood actress Shailene Woodley is pretty fond of them. An environmental activist, the actress believed in following an eco-conscious lifestyle.
Apart from making her own toothpaste, cheese, beauty products, and whatnot (via Seventeen), the actress also chooses to wear second-hand clothes to have a more sustainable lifestyle. While at Uber’s Go-Get Zero event, held last month, the actress got candid with The Hollywood Reporter and revealed that from shopping at a farmer’s market to not using plastic products, her lifestyle is pretty eco-friendly.
Everything, apart from the socks I’m wearing, is secondhand. Most of my clothes are secondhand…. fashion in general is a massive issue. It’s a massive issue when it comes to the environment, when it comes to labor workers; all of it is so complex. And for me, the greatest way that I can kind of be aware and change my daily habits is to be more invested in secondhand.
Despite her eco-friendly lifestyle, the actress does not believe she is perfect since she is constantly on the move which makes following a sustainable lifestyle much harder. Yet, it is commendable to see her making all these efforts and investing her time and life for a sustainable future even though she has all the means to lead a comfortable and luxurious life.
1. Shailene Woodley Loved Her Very First S*x Scene
Most actors and actresses get tensed while performing intimate scenes. It is even more nerve-wracking when it comes to performing their very first s*x scene in front of the camera. But for the Divergent star Shailene Woodley, this is not the case.
The actress starred in the coming-of-age drama opposite Top Gun: Maverick star Miles Teller in the film The Spectacular Now. Starring a quiet school kid in the film, she thoroughly enjoyed filming their intimate scene and even remarked that it was her favorite scene from the whole film. While talking about the scene with Vanity Fair, she expressed how comfortable she felt thanks to her wonderful co-star.
It’s my favorite scene in the whole movie! I think we only did three or four takes. It was both of our first times having an onscreen [s*x] scene. It was such a safe, comfortable environment and I am so grateful that it was with Miles, because he was such a gentleman and made me feel very comfortable and nurtured… It was really sweet. We wanted it to just feel natural. Just the way that it was filmed, with just James and a camera, and the way it was lit, it was really easy to forget that anyone was in the room aside from Miles and I.
Even when it came to watching it again, unlike most actors, she had no problem revisiting the scene, and for a surprising reason why.
I don’t even see that as me. That is like the 16- or 17-year-old version of me that I never really was. I never had that sweet, tender moment with a guy when I was that young, so it makes me smile because I only wish that a lot more women could have first experiences like that.
Thus, not only was the actress comfortable but she was also comfortable enough to watch the scene again, an act most actors would avoid doing. Now 33, Shailene Woodley continues to move forward in her life and career, keeping her unwavering beliefs intact. Authentic and honest, she continues to remain an inspiration for her fans, not only for her acting prowess but also for her admirable character and the positive impact she strives to make in the world.
