Katherine Langford

Katherine Langford (born 29 April 1996)[1] is an Australian actress. After appearing in several independent films, she had her breakthrough starring as Hannah Baker in the Netflix television series 13 Reasons Why from 2017 to 2018, for which she received a nomination for a Golden Globe Award.[2] She went on to roles in the films Love, Simon (2018), Knives Out (2019), and Spontaneous (2020), and starred in the 2020 Netflix series Cursed.

Katherine Langford
Langford in 2018
Born (1996-04-29) 29 April 1996
Perth, Western Australia
OccupationActress
Years active2015–present
RelativesJosephine Langford (sister)

Early life

Langford was born in Perth, Western Australia,[1] and raised in Applecross, a riverside suburb of Perth.[3] She is the eldest daughter of Elizabeth Langford (née Green), a pediatrician, and Stephen Langford, a flying doctor and director of medical services at the Royal Flying Doctor Service Western Operations.[4][5][3][6] Her younger sister, Josephine Langford, is also an actress.

Langford began voice lessons with Heidi Lake in 2005, and received classical, jazz, and contemporary vocal training. She was offered a place at Perth Modern School[7][8] for her senior high school years, where she studied music and drama, and was sports captain and a nationally ranked swimmer.[9][10]

Initially during her time at high school, Langford was interested in medicine and politics in addition to musical theatre. In 2012, 17-year-old Langford attended a Lady Gaga concert, the Born This Way Ball, which inspired her to learn to play piano.[11] She shared videos of herself singing three original songs she wrote: "I've Got a Crush on Zoe Bosch," "Young and Stupid," and "3 Words."[12][13] "Young and Stupid" is an anti-suicide song she wrote in 2013 after three Perth teens took their lives.[14] 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 that same year.[18]

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 did not have enough life experience. This led her to enrol in acting classes and workshops in Perth, juggling three part-time jobs, and later finding herself an agent.[6][15] From 2014 to 2015, Langford studied at the Principal Academy of Dance & Theatre Arts, majoring in Music Theatre, and appeared in a production of Godspell. She was then one of five students selected to participate in the National Institute of Dramatic Arts Advanced Actors Residency in 2015.[16][19] In the same year, she trained at Nicholson's Academy of Screen Acting and portrayed the role of Juan Perón's mistress in its 2015 production of Evita.[16] Langford was offered a position in the Bachelor of Arts program in Acting at the Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts and intended to begin studies in 2016.[10][19] However, she never enrolled and instead pursued professional roles.[10]

Career

Langford first appeared in several small independent films, including Story of Miss Oxygen (2015), Imperfect Quadrant (2016), and Daughter (2016).[16][19] She portrayed the lead character in Daughter, which debuted at the 2016 Cannes Film Festival.[19][20] In 2016, after declining the offer from Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts, Langford auditioned for Will, a television series centred on the young life of William Shakespeare. She did not get the role.[10]

Langford was then cast as Hannah Baker in the mystery teen drama TV series 13 Reasons Why, playing Baker for the series' first two seasons.[21] When she landed the role, she had only 10 days to get an O-1 visa as she had not worked in the United States before.[22] She researched the role, speaking with a representative of the sexual assault awareness campaign "It's On Us" and a psychiatrist who specializes in adolescence.[23] Several critics lauded her performance as Baker; The Hollywood Reporter wrote: "Langford's heartbreaking openness makes you root for a fate you know isn't possible. The actress' performance is full of dynamic range, setting it against Minnette's often more complicated task in differentiating between moods that mostly go from uncomfortable to gloomy to red-eyed, hygiene-starved despair."[24] She earned various awards and nominations for the role, including a nomination for the Golden Globe Award for Best Actress – Television Series Drama.[25][26] On 25 May 2018, Langford confirmed that she would not return as Hannah Baker in the third season of the series.[27]

Langford at the MTV Movie & TV Awards in 2018

In December 2016, she signed with the William Morris Endeavor agency.[28] She then appeared in her first feature film, The Misguided, an independent comedy-drama by Shannon Alexander, which premiered in January 2018.[29] She also starred as Leah in the 2018 film Love, Simon.[30][31] On 12 September 2018, it was announced that Langford had been cast in the web television series Cursed. Set in an re-imagined Arthurian world, Langford portrays Nimue, a teenage girl destined to become the Lady of the Lake. It premiered on Netflix in July 2020.[32]

In October 2018, she was cast in Avengers: Endgame. However, her scenes were cut from the final film, with directors the Russo brothers revealing Langford had been cast as a teenage version of Tony Stark's daughter, Morgan. Her scene was removed as the change in actors confused the audience, and the directors realized there was no emotional connection with the character's older version.[33][34]

In 2019, Langford co-starred in Knives Out, a murder mystery film.[35] The ensemble cast received critical acclaim, and she was part of various awards and nominations for the role, which include a Critics' Choice Award nomination for Best Cast.[36] In 2020, she starred in the film Spontaneous, which earned her a Critics' Choice Super Awards nomination for Best Actress.[37]

Filmography

Film
Year Title Role Notes
2018 Love, Simon Leah Burke
The Misguided Vesna
2019 Avengers: Endgame Morgan Stark Deleted scene
Knives Out Meg Thrombey
2020 Spontaneous Mara Carlyle

Television
Year Title Role Notes
2017–2018; 2020 13 Reasons Why Hannah Baker Main role (seasons 1–2); guest (season 4; archival footage)
2018 Robot Chicken Steffy (voice) Episode: "No Wait, He Has a Cane"
2020 Cursed Nimue Main role

Awards and nominations
Year Award Category Nominated work Result Ref.
2018 Golden Globe Awards Best Actress – Television Series Drama 13 Reasons Why Nominated [25][26]
MTV Movie & TV Awards Best Actor in a Show 13 Reasons Why Nominated
People's Choice Awards The Drama TV Star of 2017 13 Reasons Why Nominated
Satellite Awards Best Actress – Television Series Drama 13 Reasons Why Nominated [38][39]
2019 National Board of Review Best Cast Knives Out Won [40]
2020 Critics' Choice Awards Best Acting Ensemble Knives Out Nominated [41]
Gold Derby Awards Best Ensemble Knives Out Nominated [42]
Satellite Awards Best Cast – Motion Picture Knives Out Won [43]
2021 Critics' Choice Super Awards Best Actress in a Science Fiction/Fantasy Movie Spontaneous Nominated [44]

References
  1. "Katherine Langford: Actress (1996–)". Biography. Archived from the original on 7 August 2019. Retrieved 28 May 2018.
  2. 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.
  3. McRae, Rose (19 May 2017). "Netflix star Katherine Langford reminisces on happy days at Perth Mod". The West Australian. Retrieved 23 May 2017.
  4. "The Author (Dr. Elizabeth Green)". Parenting is Forever. Retrieved 1 January 2018.
  5. "Dr. Stephen Langford". UWA Publishing. Retrieved 12 March 2018.
  6. Marriner, Cosima (16 June 2017). "Katherine Langford: I feel lucky to have a new platform to talk about important issues". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 18 June 2017.
  7. "Katherine Langford joins fight to save Perth Modern". The West Australian. 26 May 2017. Retrieved 16 June 2017.
  8. "13 Reasons Why star joins fight to save Perth school". Retrieved 16 June 2017.
  9. Stone, Russell (16 April 2017). "Who's That Girl: Meet Katherine Langford". i-D Magazine. Retrieved 23 April 2017.
  10. Christmass, Pip (15 January 2017). "Katherine Langford – A young star seriously on the rise". The Sunday Times. London. Retrieved 20 April 2017.
  11. Hirsh, Sophie (27 April 2017). "Fans Have Uncovered Hannah from 13 Reasons Why's Old Music Videos". Teen Vogue. Retrieved 26 May 2017.
  12. "13 Reasons Why star Katherine Langford is also an amazing singer: Watch". Nine.com.au. 16 April 2017. Retrieved 19 April 2017.
  13. Pehanick, Maggie (9 April 2017). "Um, 13 Reasons Why's Katherine Langford Is an Incredible Singer". Popsugar Entertainment. Retrieved 19 April 2017.
  14. "'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.
  15. Highfill, Samantha (3 April 2017). "'13 Reasons Why': Get to Know Series Star Katherine Langford". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved 23 April 2017.
  16. "Katherine Langford" (PDF). RGM Artists Group. Archived from the original (PDF) on 12 April 2017. Retrieved 6 June 2017.
  17. "Upcoming Events". Perth Modern School. 20 June 2013. Archived from the original on 22 April 2017. Retrieved 20 April 2017.
  18. "Perth Modern News April 2013" (PDF). Perth Modern School. April 2013. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2 April 2018. Retrieved 1 April 2018.
  19. "Katherine Langford – Scarlett". Nexus Production Group. Retrieved 20 April 2017.
  20. "YA adaptation '13 Reasons Why' casts Dylan Minnette, Katherine Langford". AFP. 9 June 2016. Retrieved 4 April 2017.
  21. ""13 Reasons Why" Star Katherine Langford Says Hannah Will Have a HUGE Role In Season 2". Seventeen. 14 November 2017. Retrieved 27 May 2018.
  22. Keaney, Quinn. "How Netflix's 13 Reasons Why Is the Most Important YA Adaptation Yet". PopSugar Celebrity UK.
  23. Highfill, Samantha (4 April 2017). "'13 Reasons Why' Star Katherine Langford Opens Up About 'Tough' Scenes". Entertainment Weekly.
  24. "'13 Reasons Why': TV Review". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 31 December 2020.
  25. Travers, Ben (8 January 2017). "Elisabeth Moss Wins Best Actress in a Drama Series at the Golden Globes". Indie Wire. Retrieved 8 January 2017.
  26. "The Latest: Elisabeth Moss wins best TV drama actress Globe". ABC News. The Associated Press. 8 January 2018. Retrieved 8 January 2018.
  27. "13 Reasons Why: Katherine Langford says goodbye to Hannah Baker". Entertainment Weekly. 25 May 2018. Retrieved 27 May 2018.
  28. "WME Signs 'Thirteen Reasons Why' Star Katherine Langford (Exclusive)". The Hollywood Reporter. 11 April 2017. Retrieved 12 April 2017.
  29. https://www.flickeringmyth.com/2018/01/trailer-misguided-starring-13-reasons-whys-katherine-langford/
  30. 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.
  31. Hipes, Patrick (12 January 2017). "Katherine Langford Lands Female Lead In 'Simon Vs The Homo Sapiens Agenda'". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved 21 April 2017.
  32. Andreeva, Nellie (12 September 2018). "'13 Reasons Why's Katherine Langford To Star In Netflix's Arthurian Series 'Cursed'; Zetna Fuentes To Direct". Deadline. Retrieved 27 October 2018.
  33. Bradley, Laura (6 May 2019). "Why Avengers: Endgame and the Russos Cut Katherine Langford's Role". Vanity Fair. Retrieved 6 May 2019.
  34. "Katherine Langford: "Fantasy fans haven't had a lot of female role models"". NME. 22 July 2020. Retrieved 1 August 2020.
  35. Weintraub, Steve 'Frosty' (25 November 2019). "Katherine Langford and Jaeden Martell Talk 'Knives Out' and Instagram". Collider. Retrieved 30 November 2019.
  36. "'Knives Out,' A Classic Comic Mystery Of Uncommon Sharpness". NPR. Retrieved 30 November 2019.
  37. Hammond, Pete (19 November 2020). "'Palm Springs', 'Lovecraft Country' Top Movie And Series Nominations For Inaugural Critics Choice Super Awards; Netflix Lands 35 Nods". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved 13 December 2020.
  38. Pond, Steve (28 November 2017). "'Dunkirk,' 'The Shape of Water' Lead Satellite Award Nominations". TheWrap. Retrieved 29 November 2017.
  39. "2017 Nominees". International Press Academy. Retrieved 18 February 2018.
  40. Sharf, Zack (3 December 2019). "National Board of Review 2019: 'The Irishman' Wins Best Film, Adam Sandler Named Best Actor". IndieWire. Retrieved 4 September 2020.
  41. "Critics Choice Awards". Critics Choice Awards. Retrieved 2 November 2020.
  42. Wloszczyna, Daniel Montgomery,Chris Beachum,Marcus James Dixon,Joyce Eng,Zach Laws,Susan; Montgomery, Daniel; Beachum, Chris; Dixon, Marcus James; Eng, Joyce; Laws, Zach; Wloszczyna, Susan (4 February 2020). "2020 Gold Derby Film Awards: 'Parasite' wins 6 including Best Picture, Joaquin Phoenix and Lupita Nyong'o take lead prizes". GoldDerby.com. Retrieved 4 September 2020.
  43. "2019 Winners". International Press Academy. Retrieved 4 September 2020.
  44. Hammond, Pete (19 November 2020). "'Palm Springs', 'Lovecraft Country' Top Movie And Series Nominations For Inaugural Critics Choice Super Awards; Netflix Lands 35 Nods". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved 13 December 2020.
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