From poverty and bullying to the Oscars – the actress who refused to break

”As soon as I saw that I was like, ‘Oh my god, this is my job, this is what I am,’” she told The Telegraph. ”I’ve always had an active imagination, and I didn’t do very well in the public-school system, but that was a complete aha moment for me.”

And just like that, her dream of becoming an actress was born.

She pursued her dream of acting despite financial hurdles, working at a performing arts school just to take classes there, because, as she explained, “there was no way my family could afford it.”

“There were people that saw I was struggling as a kid, and they helped me,” she added. “And that’s why I ended up where I am now.”

A huge inspiration was her grandmother, who took her to her first play and always encouraged her to pursue what she loved.

”I think she saw that I needed an outlet or something to find my people, in a way, and be creative,” the actress shared with The Hollywood Reporter.

The star also credits Planned Parenthood and access to birth control for giving her options. “It had a great impact on my life because it gave me choice,” she said.

After high school, she landed a spot at the prestigious Juilliard School in New York— but the dream came with crushing pressure.Continue reading…