Anna Kendrick was born in Portland, Maine, on August 9th, 1985. She grew up in the small town of Manchester, about an hour north of Portland. Her parents were both accountants; her mother worked as a corporate accountant and her father owned his own accounting firm. Kendrick attended public schools growing up. She was a shy child and didn't start acting until she was 10 years old, when she joined a local community theater group.
Kendrick made her Broadway debut at the age of 12, in the musical High Society. She went on to appear in other Broadway productions, including A Little Night Music and The Last Five Years. In 2003, she made her film debut in the independent drama Camp, which led to roles in such films as Rocket Science, Twilight and Up In The Air.
Kendrick has been nominated for two Academy Awards and two Golden Globe Awards. She won a Tony Award for Best Supporting Actress in a Musical for her role in High Society.