Hailee Caribe Steinfeld, born December 11, 1996, in Tarzana, CA, is an American actress and recording artist. Growing up in suburban Los Angeles, Steinfeld showed an early interest in performing. Encouraged by her family, Steinfeld began acting at just eight years old, appearing in short films and commercials. Despite early setbacks, including being homeschooled due to bullying, she persisted in her ambitions, steadily building experience and exposure through local theater and student films.
Steinfeld's breakthrough came in 2010 when, at just 13 years old, she was cast as Mattie Ross in the Coen brothers’ critically acclaimed remake of “True Grit.” Her performance received widespread acclaim, earning her an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actress—an extraordinary feat for a first-time film actress. This role not only launched her into stardom but also established her as a formidable talent in Hollywood. Next, she appeared in a string of varied projects, including “Ender’s Game” (2013), “Romeo & Juliet” (2013), “Begin Again” (2014), and “Barely Lethal” (2015), showcasing her versatility.
In 2015, Steinfeld expanded her career into music, releasing the EP “HAIZ,” which featured the hit singles “Love Myself” and “Starving.” Around this time, she starred as Emily in “Pitch Perfect 2” (2015) and “Pitch Perfect 3” (2017), which allowed her to blend her musical and acting talents seamlessly. Her music career continued to grow with a run of successful singles and soundtrack appearances throughout the late 2010s.
Steinfeld earned a Golden Globe nomination for Best Actress in a Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy for the coming-of-age comedy “The Edge of Seventeen” (2016). In the years that followed, she voiced the character Gwen Stacy/Spider-Woman in the Academy Award-winning animated film “Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse” (2018) and its sequels, and also starred in “Bumblebee,” a spin-off of the “Transformers” films.
From 2019 to 2021, Steinfeld took on the title role in “Dickinson,” an Apple TV+ series that offered a modern, irreverent take on the life of poet Emily Dickinson. Her performance was praised for its complexity, wit, and emotional nuance, and the show became a cult favorite for its unique blend of historical context and contemporary themes. This project marked a significant turn in her career, positioning her as a leading force in the streaming television landscape. Simultaneously, she continued to release music, including her second EP, “Half Written Story” (2020), which featured singles like “Wrong Direction” and “I Love You’s.”
In 2021, Steinfeld joined the Marvel Cinematic Universe as Kate Bishop in the Disney+ series “Hawkeye,” opposite Jeremy Renner. Most recently, Steinfeld appeared in Ryan Coogler's period horror film “Sinners” (2025) in the role of Mary, a mixed-race woman in 1932 Jim Crow-era Mississippi whose ancestry mirrors Steinfeld's own. This was her first onscreen role acknowledging her African American heritage, which she said "challenged me in ways I've never been challenged.” She also contributed the song "Dangerous" to the soundtrack.