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Brie Larson is a noted actor and producer, who has been active in the entertainment industry since she was a child. A member of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Larson has appeared in everything from major blockbusters to powerful independent films.

With her fans on edge as they wait for the next installment of the Captain Marvel film franchise, Larson has been staying busy in Hollywood, working on a variety of new and interesting projects. For Larson’s most ardent fans, the actor is one of the most talented in the industry, as well as one of the most quirky — as evidenced by the unique way that she chose her stage name. 

How did Brie Larson become famous?

Brie Larson at a 'Captain Marvel' screening
Brie Larson at a ‘Captain Marvel’ screening | Dia Dipasupil/WireImage

Larson was born in California in 1989. Larson was homeschooled as a child but showed an early interest in movies and in the filmmaking industry.

Larson wrote and filmed her own movies out of her house, many of them featuring her cousins and other family members. By the time she was six years old, Larson knew that she wanted to be an actress, and began studying at the American Conservatory Theater in San Francisco.

In the late ’90s, Larson began appearing in a variety of TV shows, including Touched by an Angel and Popular. Larson began earning acclaim for her talent and serious demeanor, and in 2001, she was cast in the short-lived series Raising Dad, which turned out to be her first big breakout role.

Over the next few years, Larson worked on many projects, including dabbling in music for a brief period of time. 

What is Brie Larson best known for?

In the late 2010s, Larson started earning a cult following due to her work in comedy films such as Hoot and Scott Pilgrim vs. the World.

In 2015, Larson received critical acclaim for her work in the dramatic film Room, where she played a kidnap victim. The release of Room marked a hot streak for Larson, as shortly afterward, she appeared in movies like Kong: Skull Island.

In 2019, Larson made her highly-anticipated debut as Captain Marvel/Carol Danvers, playing the superhero in two separate films — Captain Marvel and Avengers: Endgame. While Larson was a somewhat controversial choice among Marvel fans, she has made the character her own, and many love her for the inspiration that she provides for young girls everywhere.

These days, Larson is working on her next Marvel project and is a hardworking activist for female equality.

How did Brie Larson choose her stage name?

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While Larson is known to fans all around the world, her given name is somewhat less poetic. According to a 2015 interview that Larson gave to Jimmy Fallon, she was actually born Brianne Desaulniers.

The name, while beautiful, was hard for Larson’s friends to pronounce, so she decided to change it up when she was a young girl. For her new stage name, Larson, a huge fan of the American Girl Doll Kirsten Larson, decided to adopt part of the doll’s name and started calling herself Brie Larson. As the actress explained to Fallon, she chose the name so that “Kirsten can be in our family.”

Not long after she changed her name, her career took off and hasn’t really slowed down in the years since. For Larson, an actress who has proven herself time and time again, the future is bright.