Quvenzhane Wallis at Critics' Choice Awards 2013

Little Lady of the Hour: 8 Things to Know About Quvenzhané Wallis

February 24, 2013

Quvenzhane Wallis at Critics' Choice Awards 2013

Source: Getty

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At tonight's Oscars, all eyes are on 9-year-old Quvenzhané Wallis, and not just because she's the youngest actress to be nominated for an Academy Award. The star of Beasts of the Southern Wild is spunky, adorable, and fashionable to boot. Aside from her great interviews, she especially won us over at the Critics' Choice Awards, when the pint-size actress busted out her iPhone during her acceptance speech. Pronounced "Qaa-van-ja-nay," Quvenzhané is this award season's tiniest breakout star with a big punch, so find out eight things about her now!

Quvenzhané was only 5 when she got the part in Beasts of the Southern Wild. She had to lie about her age to be eligible!
She couldn't even read when she auditioned.
She almost slept through her Oscar nomination being announced. She said, "I almost missed it. I was sleeping."
She chose the actor who plays her dad in the film, Dwight Henry, based on the fact that he brought her sweets.
When she won her Critics' Choice Award, she pulled out her cell phone to read her acceptance speech. She said, "Thanks to Mr. Benh Zeitlin and the Court 13 family for thinking I could make a good Hushpuppy." She thanked God before adding, "Last to my family, friends, and fans. Good night."
She calls the Oscar the "golden man."
She loves her puppy purses and is wearing one at tonight's Oscars. She told Ellen DeGeneres, "That's my signature."
She'll play the lead role in a new Annie movie, which is set to come out Winter 2014 and is being coproduced by Will Smith, Jada Pinkett Smith, and Jay-Z.

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by Tara Block 0

Quvenzhané was only 5 when she got the part in Beasts of the Southern Wild. She had to lie about her age to be eligible!
She couldn't even read when she auditioned.
She almost slept through her Oscar nomination being announced. She said, "I almost missed it. I was sleeping."
She chose the actor who plays her dad in the film, Dwight Henry, based on the fact that he brought her sweets.
When she won her Critics' Choice Award, she pulled out her cell phone to read her acceptance speech. She said, "Thanks to Mr. Benh Zeitlin and the Court 13 family for thinking I could make a good Hushpuppy." She thanked God before adding, "Last to my family, friends, and fans. Good night."
She calls the Oscar the "golden man."
She loves her puppy purses and is wearing one at tonight's Oscars. She told Ellen DeGeneres, "That's my signature."
She'll play the lead role in a new Annie movie, which is set to come out Winter 2014 and is being coproduced by Will Smith, Jada Pinkett Smith, and Jay-Z.