Home wasn’t her only battle. At school, her red hair and freckles made her stand out—and not in a way that felt safe. She faced constant bullying and was told she was unwanted and unattractive, words that can crush a child if they sink in too deep. But instead of breaking her, the cruelty built a rebellious strength in her. Acting became her escape and her dream, especially after her grandmother took her to see Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, a moment she has described as the instant she knew what she wanted to do with her life.

That dream eventually carried her all the way to Juilliard in New York City, made possible through a scholarship funded by Robin Williams, covering major costs and allowing her to focus on her craft. Her breakthrough didn’t happen overnight—she worked for years before exploding onto the film scene in 2011 with multiple acclaimed roles, including The Help, which earned her an Oscar nomination. From there, she built a career defined by intelligence, strength, and complex characters, earning another nomination for Zero Dark Thirty and ultimately winning the Academy Award for Best Actress for The Eyes of Tammy Faye. Today, she’s not only a celebrated actress, but also someone who uses her voice for equality and mental health—still carrying the heart of the girl who once went to bed hungry, and proving she truly never let life break her.