Shailene Woodley started her career modeling and acting at the age of four. She got her break when she starred in the TV show, The Secret Life of the American Teenager and later made her film debut in the movie, The Descendants.
When she was 15 she was diagnosed with Scoliosis, a medical condition where her spine was curved sideways. Woodley did not allow this condition to put her down; she wore a back brace with a positive attitude for about two years. Now, Shailene is a talented actress and is fast becoming a household name. She has starred in films and TV shows of various genres in the last decade and does not seem to be slowing down anytime soon.
For a Hollywood star, Woodley is grounded; she does not like too much glam and prefers her natural self. Here are 15 more things few people know about her.
15 She Kept Her Part-Time Job Even After Landing A Dream Role
When people land roles that could change their lives, they tend to focus all their attention on them. Not Woodley. When she landed her breakthrough role as Amy Juergens on The Secret Life of the American Teenager, she still kept her part-time job at American Apparel. She only quit after she landed another role on The Descendants.
14 She Struggled With A Past Illness
Woodley has recently revealed she had a health scare that almost ruined her career during her early twenties. She has not revealed what exactly she was suffering from but she shared that she was very sick. Those who followed Woodley keenly may have noticed that she took a break from acting back in 2015. Due to the illness, she needed time to get better. Luckily, she is now on the other side of it.
13 She Is Single
Over the years, rumors have circulated that Woodley has been linked to all her male co-stars probably due to great onscreen chemistry, but she has never confirmed those rumors. However back in 2018, she confirmed that she was dating rugby player Ben Volavola but as of April 2020, the two were no longer together. She is now single and feels no pressure to jump into any new relationship.
12 She Wakes Up Screaming
While most people start their day by snoozing their alarms, Woodley starts hers in a rather unconventional way. She begins her day screaming “Good morning! Good morning! Exciting day! Exciting day!” and listening to the song Singin’ In The Rain. She believes it sets the tone for the rest of her day.
11 In 2014, She Still Didn't Own A Cell Phone
Back in 2014, Shailene Woodley did not own a cell phone and we are not too sure if she is still embracing this free spirit of not allowing technology to tie her down in 2020. However, judging from her active Instagram account, we guess not. In this day and age, it is hard not to own a cell phone, but it is also important to take time away from it.
10 She’s A Cool Eco-Warrior
Woodley carries around a mason jar to avoid using plastic containers or cups when she is out. When she can, she collects spring water for drinking. Since her high school days, Woodley was always trying to get everyone to recycle. She is a cool eco-warrior and is obsessed with sustainability, climate, and astrology since she was a young girl.
9 She Makes Her Toothpaste
Woodley does not mind sharing her quirky beauty tips with fans especially if they have worked for her. Believe it or not, the actress makes her toothpaste out of clay, baking soda, and peppermint. She also prefers using herbal remedies and natural products to normal medication, body oils, and foodstuff.
8 She Promotes A Drug-Free Lifestyle
The majority of child stars in Hollywood have fallen prey to drugs due to early wealth and fame. This has not been the case for Shailene; she prides herself on living a drug-free lifestyle. She has never been a party girl and neither has she tried drugs. We need more Shailene’s to encourage the kids of today.
7 She Once Shaved Off Her Hair For A Role
Woodley has revealed that she is lucky to have such low-maintenance hair, which she washes once a month. With such nice hair, Woodley once shaved it for a role in the film The Fault in Our Stars. She then donated the hair to an organization called ‘Children with Hair Loss’ that makes wigs for children in need.
6 Her Love For Snail Mails Over Emails Landed Her A Major Role
Woodley has always shared that she prefers writing letters and mailing them to sending emails. This old-school habit helped her land a role she wanted so badly. When she heard about the movie The Fault in Our Stars based on one of her favorite novels, she knew she had to be in it. Therefore, she wrote letters to the author of the book and the movie’s director to show how passionate she was about the character and she got the role.
5 She Loves Vibram Five Fingers Shoes
Shailene Woodley is proof that you can wear the Vibram five-finger shoes anywhere. For her, the shoes make for a comfy and cozy high-heel alternative. To show the love, she once wore a pair to the Golden Globes after-party (with a gown). We have also spotted her several times rocking them in public.
4 All Her Scenes Were Cut Out From This Movie
Woodley thought she did an amazing job at playing Mary Jane Watson in the film The Amazing Spider-Man only for her scenes to be removed from the film. This incident made her doubt her acting skills but she accepted it and moved on. The movie director later revealed that he feared Woodley’s role would detract attention from Emma Stone’s character and therefore decided to remove her part.
3 She Is Not Immune To Controversy
In the past, Woodley has received negative attention for saying she does not identify as a feminist because the term is too divisive. Fans were not too thrilled with her comments and she had to clarify her remarks in another interview saying that she prefers the term sisterhood to feminism. However, she has since changed her stance and now identifies as a feminist.
2 She Played A Role In The O.C
It might be hard to remember since the show aired over a decade ago but Woodley was part of the cast of the drama series The O.C. She played Kaitlin Cooper, the younger sister of Marissa and appeared in a couple of episodes in the first season before her character was shipped off to boarding school. When she returned, the show went with a different actor.
1 She Is An Introvert
28-year-old Woodley recently revealed that she is an introvert. Now that she is home due to the pandemic, she has been enjoying her time alone with just her dog something she has not done since she was 17. However, she also revealed that she could play an extrovert when she needs to since it is a big part of her job.
Sources: digitalspy.com, glamour.com, nytimes.com.