Jena Malone

> I mean, working on *Sucker Punch* was so f#&kng awesome. Sorry for my language, but it was one of the best film experiences I ever had. I had just never been asked to do so many cool things and then also have the belief instilled in me that I could do those things. That was a very groundbreaking moment in my journey as an actor, so it was pretty cool.
>
> Jena Malone, *Screen Rant*

**Jena Malone** (born November 21, 1984) is an American actress who first worked with Cruel and Unusual Films on their first original project, *Sucker Punch*, in which she played one of the leading characters, Rocket. She returned to play S.T.A.R. Labs specialist, Jenet Klyburn, in *Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice*, though her role was cut from the theatrical release (instead appearing in the Ultimate Edition on home media). She was later cast as the voice of Zeta in The Stone Quarry's *Army of the Dead: Lost Vegas*, the animated series, and as a yet-unnamed character in *Rebel Moon* described as an etherial spider-like being.

## Biography

Jena Malone was born November 21, 1984, in Sparks, Nevada, and was raised by her mother Deborah and her mom's girlfriend, whom Jena called "Godmom." Jena has said that by age 9, she and her mother had lived in 27 different locations. At the age of 12, She was the youngest person to be nominated for a Screen Actors Guild Award for 1996's Bastard Out of Carolina. The record was broken in 2001 by 7-year-old Dakota Fanning. Jena has a half-sibling, Mads Mae Malone, who was born in 1997. Jena was home-schooled from sixth through eighth grades, and then attended ninth grade at New York's prestigious Professional Children's School (for working child actors), only to quit at the end of the term.

At age 14, working actress Jena filed for emancipation in court under California's Coogan Law, charging that her mother had mismanaged Jena's earnings, failed to pay taxes and had drained her college fund. In January of 2000, she was legally emancipated from her mother, giving Jena direct control over her career and her own finances.

Jena secured a place on the indie film scene with the cult favorite *Donnie Darko* (2001). In 2012, Jena landed the role of fan-favorite Johanna Mason in the *Hunger Games* sequels *The Hunger Games: Catching Fire*, *The Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part 1*, and *The Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part 2*. In addition to her acting, Malone releases original music as Jena Malone and the Blood Stains and later as The Shoe, releasing her first single in 2007.

> "I had to learn everything from [handling] swords to guns to burlesque dancing. In a lot of ways it felt like being in an asylum. You come in and you're given vitamins, you have very specific breaks, your whole day is scheduled. And then you're just getting the s\*\*t kicked out of you. I remember the first day I was just crying; my whole body was red."
>
> Jena Malone, *Total Film*, January 2011

Long after her time on the set of *Sucker Punch*, Malone answered fan questions on Instagram, wherein she affirmed that *Sucker Punch* was her favorite film experience.

Malone has won the following awards for her acting:

* 1997 Young Artist Award, Best Performance in a TV Movie/Miniseries - Young Actress (*Bastard Out of Carolina*)
* 1998 Saturn Award Best Performance by a Younger Actor/Actress (*Contact*)
* 1998 Young Artist Award, Best Performance in a TV Movie/Pilot/Miniseries - Young Actress (*Ellen Foster*)
* 1999 Young Artist Award, Best Performance in a Feature Film - Leading Young Actress (*Stepmom*)
* 1999 YoungStar Award, Best Performance by a Young Actress in a Drama Film (*Stepmom*)

## Roles

### Cruel & Unusual Films and The Stone Quarry roles

**Rocket**
*Sucker Punch***Jenet Klyburn**
*Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice***Harmada**
*Rebel Moon***Zeta**
*Army of the Dead: Lost Vegas*

## Gallery

Behind the scenes with Emily Browning, Abbie Cornish, and Zack Snyder2013 photo of Malone and Zack Snyder she shared in anticipation of shooting *Rebel Moon*Behind the scenes of *Rebel Moon*