Emma Stone

Emma Stone, born Emily Jean Stone on November 6, 1988, is an American actress and producer known for her versatile performances across various genres. She has received numerous awards, including an Academy Award, two British Academy Film Awards, and two Golden Globe Awards. In 2017, she was recognized as the world's highest-paid actress and named one of the 100 most influential people in the world by Time magazine.


Raised in Scottsdale, Arizona, Stone began her acting career as a child, appearing in a theater production of "The Wind in the Willows" in 2000. As a teenager, she moved to Los Angeles to pursue acting opportunities and made her television debut in the reality show "In Search of the New Partridge Family" (2004). However, the show only produced an unsold pilot. Stone then transitioned to film, gaining recognition for her roles in teen comedies such as "Superbad" (2007), "Zombieland" (2009), and "Easy A" (2010), in which she had her first leading role.


Following her breakthrough in "Easy A," Stone starred in a range of films, including the romantic comedy "Crazy, Stupid, Love" (2011) and the period drama "The Help" (2011). She achieved wider recognition for her portrayal of Gwen Stacy in "The Amazing Spider-Man" (2012) and its sequel in 2014.


Stone received critical acclaim and award nominations for her performances in "Birdman" (2014) as a recovering drug addict and "The Favourite" (2018) as Abigail Masham. However, it was her role as an aspiring actress in the romantic musical "La La Land" (2016) that earned her the Academy Award for Best Actress.


In addition to her film roles, Stone has also made appearances on Broadway, starring as Sally Bowles in a revival of the musical "Cabaret" from 2014 to 2015. Alongside her husband, Dave McCary, Stone founded the production company Fruit Tree in 2020, through which they have produced several films, including "When You Finish Saving the World" (2022) and "Problemista" (2023).


Emma Stone continues to be a prominent figure in Hollywood, known for her talent, versatility, and contributions to both film and theater.


Emma Stone was born on November 6, 1988, in Scottsdale, Arizona, to Jeffrey Charles Stone and Krista Jean Stone (née Yeager). Her father was the founder and CEO of a general-contracting company, while her mother was a homemaker. Stone grew up with her younger brother, Spencer. Her paternal grandfather's family was originally Swedish, with the surname "Sten" being anglicized to "Stone." Additionally, she has German, English, Scottish, and Irish ancestry.


As a child, Stone experienced baby colic and cried frequently, leading to nodules and calluses on her vocal cords. She described herself as "loud" and "bossy" during her upbringing. Stone attended Sequoya Elementary School and Cocopah Middle School, though she struggled with anxiety and panic attacks, which affected her social skills. Participation in local theater plays helped her cope with these issues.


Stone developed an interest in acting at a young age and began taking vocal lessons. Her acting debut came at age 11 in a stage production of "The Wind in the Willows." She was homeschooled for two years, during which she appeared in numerous productions at Phoenix's Valley Youth Theatre and performed with its improvisational comedy troupe.
After attending Xavier College Preparatory for one semester, Stone dropped out to pursue acting full-time. She convinced her parents to support her move to California with a PowerPoint presentation titled "Project Hollywood." In January 2004, she relocated to Los Angeles with her mother. Stone juggled auditions with online high school classes and part-time work at a dog-treat bakery while pursuing her acting dreams. Despite facing initial rejections, Stone persisted in her pursuit of a career in Hollywood.


Emma Stone made her television debut on the VH1 talent competition reality show "In Search of the New Partridge Family" in 2004, where she portrayed Laurie Partridge. The resulting show, renamed "The New Partridge Family," did not sell. She also appeared as a guest on Louis C.K.'s HBO series "Lucky Louie." Stone auditioned for the role of Claire Bennet in the NBC science fiction drama "Heroes" but was unsuccessful, which she later described as a challenging experience.


In April 2007, Stone played Violet Trimble in the Fox action drama "Drive," which was canceled after seven episodes. Her feature film debut came in Greg Mottola's comedy "Superbad" (2007), where she portrayed the romantic interest of Jonah Hill's character. To play the role, she dyed her hair red. The film was commercially successful and earned her the Young Hollywood Award for Exciting New Face.


In 2008, Stone starred in the comedy "The Rocker" as Amelia Stone, the bass guitarist in a band. She learned to play the bass for the role but found it challenging to portray a character so different from herself. The film received negative reviews but Stone's performance was praised. She then appeared in the romantic comedy "The House Bunny" as the president of a sorority. The film was a moderate commercial success, and Stone's performance received positive reviews.


Stone appeared in three films released in 2009. She starred in "Ghosts of Girlfriends Past" opposite Matthew McConaughey, Jennifer Garner, and Michael Douglas, followed by the horror comedy "Zombieland," which was both a critical and commercial success. Her third film that year was the comedy-drama "Paper Man," which received mixed reviews from critics.


In 2010, Stone voiced an Australian Shepherd in the comedy film "Marmaduke," which was based on Brad Anderson's comic strip of the same name. Her breakthrough came with her starring role in "Easy A," a teen comedy directed by Will Gluck. The film, partially based on Nathaniel Hawthorne's novel "The Scarlet Letter," follows Olive Penderghast (Stone), a high school student who becomes embroiled in a comic sex scandal after a false rumor circulates about her. Stone pursued the project enthusiastically after reading the script, considering it unique and different. Her performance received widespread acclaim, with critics praising her portrayal of the character. The film was both a critical and commercial success, grossing $75 million against its $8 million budget. Stone was nominated for several awards for her performance, winning the MTV Movie Award for Best Comedic Performance.


In October 2010, Stone hosted an episode of "Saturday Night Live" and later appeared in subsequent episodes. She had a brief appearance in the sex comedy "Friends with Benefits" (2011) and a supporting role in the romantic comedy "Crazy, Stupid, Love" (2011), where she starred alongside Steve Carell, Ryan Gosling, and Julianne Moore. Stone's performance in "Crazy, Stupid, Love" was well-received, with critics praising her performance. The film was a box office success, grossing $142.9 million worldwide.


Stone's next significant role was in Tate Taylor's period drama "The Help" (2011), where she portrayed Eugenia "Skeeter" Phelan, an aspiring writer in 1960s Jackson, Mississippi. Stone found the role challenging but delivered a compelling performance, earning critical acclaim. "The Help" was a commercial success, grossing $216 million worldwide and receiving numerous accolades, including an Academy Award nomination for Best Picture. Stone's performance received positive reviews from critics, with many praising her portrayal of the character.


Following "The Help," Stone starred as Gwen Stacy in Marc Webb's "The Amazing Spider-Man" (2012), a reboot of the Spider-Man series. The film was commercially successful, grossing $757.9 million worldwide. Stone's performance as Gwen Stacy received praise from critics, and she was nominated for several awards for her role. Additionally, she voiced a character in the video game "Sleeping Dogs," earning her a Spike Video Game Award.
In 2013, Stone voiced a character in DreamWorks Animation's "The Croods" and appeared in the anthology film "Movie 43." She also starred in Ruben Fleischer's "Gangster Squad" alongside Ryan Gosling and Sean Penn. While the film received mixed reviews, Stone's performance was highlighted positively by critics.

References

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