Meet Anna Kendrick: Woman of the Hour director and actress who plays Cheryl Bradshaw

ANNA Kendrick burst onto the scene with her iconic role in teen vampire romp Twilight.

The multi-talented star has just finished directing her first film Woman of the Hour — here's everything you need to know about her.

Who is Anna Kendrick?

Anna Kendrick is an American actress, singer and director.

She has become one of Hollywood's most versatile and talented performers.

Anna was born in Portland, Maine on August 9, 1985.

She began her career as a child actress on Broadway before transitioning to film and television.

Notable roles

Anna's breakthrough role came in 2008 with the fantasy romance Twilight — she played Jessica Stanley, a friend of the protagonist Bella Swan.

The role catapulted her into the spotlight and led to her appearing in the subsequent films in the saga.

Her career reached new heights with her performance in Jason Reitman's Up in the Air (2009), starring alongside George Clooney.

Anna's portrayal of an ambitious college graduate earned her widespread critical acclaim and nominations for several prestigious awards, including the Academy Award for best supporting actress.

Leading lady

One of her most iconic roles came in 2012 with the musical comedy Pitch Perfect.

Anna played Beca Mitchell, a rebellious college student who joins an all-girl A cappella group.

The film's success spawned two sequels, cementing her status as a leading lady in Hollywood.

Her other notable movie appearances include Scott Pilgrim vs. the World (2010), 50/50 (2011), Alice Darling (2022) and Into the Woods (2014), where she showcased her singing talents as Cinderella.

Anna has also lent her voice to animated features, most notably as Poppy in the Trolls franchise.

Directorial debut

In 2023, Anna made her directorial debut with Woman of the Hour, a film based on the true story of serial killer Rodney Alcala's appearance on The Dating Game in 1978.

Anna not only directed the film, but also stars as Cheryl Bradshaw, who narrowly avoided becoming one of Alcala's victims.

The film explores the chilling encounter between Cheryl and Alcala on the set of The Dating Game.

Unbeknownst to the producers and contestants, Alcala was in the midst of a killing spree when he appeared on the dating show.

As a first-time director, Anna approached the subject matter with sensitivity, avoiding explicit depictions of violence while still conveying the gravity of the situation.

Speaking of her uncompromising directorial style, Anna told Digital Spy: "I was frankly shocked with myself for being so firm.

"I think I said something along the lines of, 'If it's really important to you guys that the movie open in a nightclub and have a certain feeling, that's fine, but I don't know how to make that movie'."