Katherine Langford

Katherine Langford
Born (1996-04-29) 29 April 1996
Perth, Australia
Residence
Nationality Australian
Occupation Actress
Years active 2016–present
Height 5 1/2 ft

Katherine Langford (born 29 April 1996[3][4]) is an Australian actress. She is known for playing Hannah Baker in the 2017 Netflix series 13 Reasons Why, based on the novel of the same name.[5]

Early life

Katherine Langford was born in Perth, Australia.[6] Raised in Applecross, a riverside suburb of Perth, Langford is the daughter of doctors, Elizabeth and Stephen Langford, director of medical services at the Royal Flying Doctor Service.[7] [8][9] She is also the older sister to actress Josephine Langford. She began voice lessons in 2005, and received classical, jazz, and contemporary vocal training.[10] She attended Penrhos College for her primary years and commenced secondary schooling at St Hilda's. She was offered a place at Perth Modern School,[11][12] a public school for the gifted and talented, located in Subiaco, Western Australia, for her senior high years. Here she studied music and drama, was sports captain and a nationally ranked swimmer.[13][14] Early on in her high school career, Langford was interested in medicine and politics, in addition to musical theater. However, in 2012, when Langford was 16, she attended Lady Gaga's concert, the Born This Way Ball, which inspired her to learn how to play the piano and quit the swimming team. For her final year at Perth Modern, Langford stopped swimming and switched her focus to music and performance.[15] She was successful in a number of musical eisteddfods and drama competitions. Langford appeared in the school's production of Hotel Sorrento in 2013[16][17] and graduated in 2014.[14][15][16]

After graduating high school, Langford was determined to become an actor. However, she was rejected from every acting school she applied to, on the grounds she was too young and didn't have enough life experience. This lead her to begin enrolling in acting classes and workshops in Perth, juggled three part-time jobs, and later found herself an agent.[9][15] From 2014 to 2015, Langford studied at the Principal Academy of Dance & Theatre Arts, majoring in Music Theatre. While there, she appeared in a production of Godspell, where she played Morgan. She was then one of five selected to participate in the National Institute of Dramatic Arts (NIDA) Advanced Actors Residency in 2015.[16][18] Also in 2015, she trained at Nicholson's Academy of Screen Acting. During this time, she also portrayed the role of Juan Perón's mistress in the 2015 production of Evita at the Koorliny Arts Centre in Perth.[16] In late 2015, Langford was offered a position in the Bachelor of Arts program in Acting at the Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts (WAAPA) and intended to begin studies in 2016.[14][18] However, she never enrolled and instead pursued professional roles.[14]

Career

Langford first appeared in several small independent films in 2015, including Misguided, Imperfect Quadrant, and Daughter.[16][18] Langford portrayed the lead character, Scarlett, in Daughter, which debuted at the 2016 Cannes Film Festival.[18][19] In 2016, after declining the offer from WAAPA, Langford auditioned for Will, a TV series centered on the young life of William Shakespeare. She did not get the role, which was instead given to Olivia DeJonge.[14]

Langford auditioned for the role in 13 Reasons Why over Skype and had only 10 days to get an O-1 visa as she had not worked in the United States before.[20] She has received critical acclaim for her portrayal of the American high school student Hannah Baker in 13 Reasons Why.[21] Langford researched the role, speaking with a representative of the sexual assault awareness campaign "It's On Us" and a psychiatrist who specializes in adolescence.[22] In December 2016, she signed with the William Morris Endeavor agency.[23]

Langford will star in the upcoming 2018 adaptation of the coming-of-age novel, Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda by Becky Albertalli, as Leah.[24][25]

In addition to her vocal training, Langford taught herself to play piano.[26] She shared video of her singing three original songs she wrote: "I've Got a Crush on Zoe Bosch," "Young and Stupid," and "3 Words."[27][28] "Young and Stupid" is an anti-suicide song she wrote in 2013 after three Perth teens took their lives.[29]

Filmography

Film

Year Title Role Notes
2016 Daughter Scarlett Short film
2016 Imperfect Quadrant Ruby Short film
2017 The Misguided Vesna Film
2018 Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda Leah Burke Film; post-production

Television

Year Title Role Notes
2017-Present 13 Reasons Why Hannah Baker Lead role; 13 episodes
2017 13 Reasons Why: Beyond the Reasons Herself TV Short documentary

References

  1. ↑ Fitzpatrick, Molly (6 April 2017). "10 Things You Should Know About '13 Reasons Why' Star Katherine Langford". Marie Claire. Retrieved 21 April 2017.
  2. ↑ http://www.refinery29.com/2017/04/149579/13-reasons-why-katherine-langford-hanna-acting-process
  3. ↑ Langford, Katherine (21 April 2017). "21". Instagram. Retrieved 29 April 2017.
  4. ↑ Christmass, Pip (14 January 2017). "13 reasons why Langford's star is rising". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 4 April 2017.
  5. ↑ King, Brittany (31 March 2017). "13 Reasons Why Star Katherine Langford Talks Teen Depression: 'It's Not a Beautiful Tragedy, It's Hell'". People. Retrieved 4 April 2017.
  6. ↑ Fuller, Bonnie. "Katherine Langford". Hollywood Life. Retrieved 23 April 2017.
  7. ↑ "The Leading Edge: Innovation, Technology and People in Australia's Royal Flying Doctor Service". UWA Publishing. Retrieved 2017-06-16.
  8. ↑ McRae, Rose (May 19, 2017). "Netflix star Katherine Langford reminisces on happy days at Perth Mod". The West Australian. Retrieved May 23, 2017.
  9. 1 2 Marriner, Cosima (June 16, 2017). "Katherine Langford: I feel lucky to have a new platform to talk about important issues". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved June 18, 2017.
  10. ↑ "Katherine Langford" (PDF). RGM Artists Group. Retrieved 12 April 2017.
  11. ↑ "Katherine Langford joins fight to save Perth Modern". The West Australian. 2017-05-26. Retrieved 2017-06-16.
  12. ↑ "13 Reasons Why star joins fight to save Perth school". Retrieved 2017-06-16.
  13. ↑ Stone, Russell (16 April 2017). "who's that girl: meet katherine langford". i-D Magazine. Retrieved 23 April 2017.
  14. 1 2 3 4 5 Christmass, Pop (15 January 2017). "Katherine Langford – A young star seriously on the rise". The Sunday Times. Retrieved 20 April 2017.
  15. 1 2 3 Highfill, Samantha (3 April 2017). "'13 Reasons Why': Get to Know Series Star Katherine Langford". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved 23 April 2017.
  16. 1 2 3 4 5 "Katherine Langford" (PDF). RGM Artists Group. Retrieved 6 June 2017.
  17. ↑ "UPCOMING EVENTS". Perth Modern School. 20 June 2013. Retrieved 20 April 2017.
  18. 1 2 3 4 "Katherine Langford – Scarlett". Nexus Production Group. Retrieved 20 April 2017.
  19. ↑ "YA adaptation '13 Reasons Why' casts Dylan Minnette, Katherine Langford". AFP. 9 June 2016. Retrieved 4 April 2017.
  20. ↑ Keaney, Quinn. "How Netflix's 13 Reasons Why Is the Most Important YA Adaptation Yet". PopSugar Celebrity UK.
  21. ↑ Montgomery, Daniel (10 April 2017). "Emmy spotlight: Newcomer Katherine Langford ('13 Reasons Why') is a revelation as a suicidal teen". Goldderby. Retrieved 10 April 2017.
  22. ↑ Highfill, Samantha (4 April 2017). "'13 Reasons Why' Star Katherine Langford Opens Up About 'Tough' Scenes". Entertainment Weekly.
  23. ↑ "WME Signs 'Thirteen Reasons Why' Star Katherine Langford (Exclusive)". The Hollywood Reporter. 11 April 2017. Retrieved 12 April 2017.
  24. ↑ McNary, Dave (9 March 2017). "‘Veep’ Star Tony Hale Joins Jennifer Garner in ‘Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda’ (EXCLUSIVE)". Variety. Retrieved 21 April 2017.
  25. ↑ Hipes, Patrick (12 January 2017). "Katherine Langford Lands Female Lead In ‘Simon Vs The Homo Sapiens Agenda’". Deadline. Retrieved 21 April 2017.
  26. ↑ Hirsh, Sophie (27 April 2017). "Fans Have Uncovered Hannah from '13 Reasons Why's' Old Music Videos". Teen Vogue. Retrieved 26 May 2017.
  27. ↑ "13 Reasons Why star Katherine Langford is also an amazing singer: Watch". Nine.com.au. 16 April 2017. Retrieved 19 April 2017.
  28. ↑ Pehanick, Maggie (9 April 2017). "Um, 13 Reasons Why's Katherine Langford Is an INCREDIBLE Singer". POPSUGAR Entertainment. Retrieved 19 April 2017.
  29. ↑ "'13 Reasons Why' Katherine Langford's anti-suicide song found, other song sparks gay comments". International Business Times. 28 April 2017. Retrieved 26 May 2017.
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