Anna Helene Paquin was born on July 24, 1982, in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, to Mary Paquin (née Brophy), an English teacher and native of Wellington, New Zealand, and Brian Paquin, a high school physical education teacher. Her family moved to New Zealand when she was four years old. She has two older siblings: Andrew (born 1977) and Katya (born 1980). Paquin attended Raphael House Rudolf Steiner School until age 9, and later Hutt Intermediate School. She completed her secondary education at Wellington Girls’ College, but left to finish her high school diploma via correspondence after relocating to Los Angeles.
Paquin’s acting career began unexpectedly. When living in New Zealand, she accompanied her sister to an open audition for the film The Piano. Despite having no prior acting experience, she was chosen from over 5,000 applicants for the role of Flora McGrath. Her performance garnered critical acclaim and launched her career.
Paquin won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for her role in The Piano (1993) at age 11, making her the second-youngest winner in that category. She has received numerous other awards and nominations throughout her career, including a Golden Globe Award for Best Actress – Television Series Drama for her role as Sookie Stackhouse in the HBO series True Blood. She has also been nominated for multiple Screen Actors Guild Awards and Emmy Awards.
Paquin has appeared in a diverse range of films and television shows, showcasing her versatility as an actress. Some of her most notable works include: