Anna as Dinah in “High Society.”

Anna started in acting career early. At 10 years old, she and her brother used to take a bus from Portland, Maine to New York City for auditions. Anna said her ambition for going into acting was that she "just wanted to be on stage. I didn't know why. I wanted to sing and dance and perform. Why does anyone want to do anything? I wanted to perform, and I had no idea why." Anna won the role of Dinah in "High Society" a Broadway musical when she was 12. Her performance would ultimately earn her a Theatre World, Drama Desk, and Tony Award Nominations. Anna was the third youngest person ever to be nominated for a Tony Award. Unfortunately she didn't end up winning.

Anna as Fritzi Wagner in Rocket Science.

Anna continued in theater productions until she was 18 when she played Fritzi Wagner in the movie "Camp". That role earned her two more nominations while her performance as Ginny Ryerson in "Rocket Science" found her nominated for an Independent Spirit Award. Still, it was her role as Jessica Stanley in "Twilight" that thrust her into the public eye. Fans fell in love with Anna and critics called her one of the few bright spots in an otherwise soapy teen drama. (Twi-hards take issue with those reviews all you want, I'm only pointing out that critics still liked Anna in the role).

Anna as Jessica Stanley.

Anna is happy to have been well liked in the role but she doesn't consider Twilight as her ticket to fame. "I didn't get this job because of 'Twilight,' and I didn't get my next job because of 'Twilight.' It all goes back to 'Rocket Science.' All the directors I've worked with recently, including Catherine Hardwicke and Jason Reitman ("Twilight" and "Up in the Air" respectively) said they hired me after seeing Rocket Science." Anna's not one to over think her popularity either. She knows that even most Twi-hards (obsessive fans of the books) are likely to overlook her and focus on their beloved vampires and werewolves. "I know what my purpose is in those movies," says Anna. "I'm a device to move along certain scenes. I don't need to do extensive investigation into the character's background. But I do feel like I am a piece of the puzzle, and I have to do my piece right or the puzzle doesn't work." A "Twilight" cast member who doesn't take her role too seriously but still respects and values that she got the part in the first place? Anna truly is a rare actress.

Anna in her role as Natalie Keener.

Her latest role as Natalie in “Up in the Air” paired her against George Clooney. Anna said in one interview that when she first met George that “he immediately made fun of my hair. I had my hair in a ponytail, and he said, ‘You’re not going to wear your hair like this are you?’ I said, ‘I see how this is going to be, but I’m game.’” It seems the look works as Natalie wears a ponytail through much of the movie. In fact, Anna has since stated that she was so nervous when reading for the part of Natalie that she assumed she wouldn't get the part. Jason Reitman told her later that he had written the role for her initially. Acting with George Clooney is a task that would scare many actresses but not Anna. "The great part was that it wasn't a romantic relationship, which made this movie so unique. It was so much fun to work with him, and not be drawn in by his charm. I liked our contentious relationship." Anna valued his input though, "He is so concerned with your performance, and how you're doing, and I think a lot of that has to do with him being a director. He's even willing to alter his own performance to help you out with your performance."

At the Golden Globes.

Working with George hasn’t spoiled Anna and turned her into a snotty actress. She was at the Golden Globes this week (she lost to Mo’Nique who starred in “Precious”) and stated “Honestly, being here tonight is an honor. It’s funny, I think you don’t get over celebrities as a collective. You know, now I’m over George. He’s just the guy that teases me mercilessly, but everybody else…I just got to meet Helen Mirren. I thought my heart was going to explode.” Meeting Morgan Freeman was an exciting and nervewracking moment for Anna as well. “I met Morgan Freeman, and I sounded like such an idiot. I don’t even know if I completed a sentence in front of him.” Judging from her role as Natalie, Anna will be working with many more of her heroes soon.

Anna at a fashion shoot.

Outside of acting Anna has been getting used to living in Los Angeles and making new friends. “It’s [LA] kind of a lonely city at first. When I first arrived I didn’t know anybody. But one morning you wake up and it’s home.” She prefers to spend her free time watching films and baking. Anna says she’s rather proud of her ability to make a great Hazelnut chocolate torte. Sounds good! She also stated in an interview that she would like to learn how to play pool. “I don’t want to be one of those chicks in a bar that needs her boyfriend to set up a shot for her.” Anna continually proves that she is a young woman of talent and class. With 28 current awards nominations for her role as Natalie Keener and 6 current wins, Anna is sure to continue in her success. This year you can see her as Stacey Pilgrim in “Scott Pilgrim vs. the World” and reprising her role as Jessica Stanley in “Eclipse.” Keep an eye on Anna Kendrick, this is a star you don’t want to miss.