Anecdotes

Was considered for the role of Katniss Everdeen in the 2012 film adaption of the book, Hunger Games: Le film (2012), but Jennifer Lawrence was cast instead.

Was originally cast as Mary Jane Watson in L'extraordinaire Spider-Man 2 (2014), but all her scenes were deleted from the final cut. She worked on the movie set for three days and shot about four short scenes.

As a teenager she was diagnosed with scoliosis. She was put in a chest-to-hips plastic brace to straighten her spine.

Turned down the role of Anastasia Steele in Cinquante nuances de Grey (2015). The role eventually went to Dakota Johnson.

Her parents gave her three rules when she fell into the acting business: she had to stay the person she was, have fun, and do well in school.

In order to graduate with her high school class while starring on the hit ABC Family teenage soap opera The Secret Life of the American Teenager (2008), her principal sent a teacher to her house once a week to give her school work which she would do, in-between takes, on set. Then, she was able to graduate with her class on time.

Shailene's father is of British Isles descent. Shailene's mother is of Creole (African, French, Spanish, German, English, Swiss) ancestry.

Auditioned for the role of Cosette in the 2012 film adaption of the musical, Les Misérables (2012), but was beaten out by Amanda Seyfried.

Her favorite movies are Danse lascive (1987), Moulin Rouge (2001), Rent (2005), and Pirates des Caraïbes : La malédiction de la Perle Noire (2003).

Her breakthrough role was when she starred, alongside George Clooney, as his troubled teenage daughter Alexandra King in the 2011 film adaption of the novel, Les descendants (2011).

In recent years has distanced herself from the soap The Secret Life of the American Teenager (2008) which brought her an early breakthrough, stating that she did not agree with the show's morals but was unable to leave because of her contract. She told Flaunt Magazine, "Towards the end, morally, the things that we were preaching on that show weren't really aligned with my own integrity. So that was a bit hard to show up to work every day knowing that we were going to project all of these themes to thousands - millions - of young adults across the country, when in fact they weren't what I would like to be sending out.".

She auditioned for the role of "Lucy" in Je suis Sam (2001), but lost out to Dakota Fanning.

Considers "1984" by George Orwell and "Henry and June" by Anaïs Nin as the books that changed her life.

She was originally cast as Ruby Roundhouse/Martha in Jumanji: Bienvenue dans la jungle (2017), but had to drop out of the film due to scheduling conflicts with Big Little Lies (2017). So Karen Gillan was cast instead.

Hasn't had a television since she moved out of her parents' home at age 18, as she much prefers to read a good book.

Dyed her hair red for her role of Mary Jane Watson in L'extraordinaire Spider-Man 2 (2014).

Admires actresses Kate Winslet, Marion Cotillard, and Mélanie Laurent.

She is best friends with her The Secret Life of the American Teenager (2008) co-star, Megan Park.

Was considered one of the "55 Faces of the Future" by Nylon Magazine's Young Hollywood Issue.

Her parents divorced when she was fifteen years old.

From a young age has vowed that if she ever lost her passion for acting or became uncomfortable with the idea of celebrity, she would quit. At least twice she has nearly walked away from her acting carer, until she fell in love with scripts that wooed her back. Those scripts were for Ici et maintenant (2013) and Big Little Lies (2017).

La Belle et la Bête (1991) was the first movie that she saw.

Turned down the role of Casey Newton in Le monde de demain (2015). Britt Robertson was later cast.

Participated in the protest against the Dakota Access Pipeline in North Dakota. Pleaded not guilty to criminal trespassing and engaging in a riot. [October10, 2016].

She was offered the title role in Carrie (2013) but turned it down. The part eventually went to Chloë Grace Moretz.

A fan of Anaïs Nin. When asked if she could track down her favorite author and ask one burning question, the way Hazel in Nos étoiles contraires (2014) does, she responded with: "Anaïs Nin! Will you marry me?".

Her first name comes from the Irish name Shay plus the popular suffix lene / lyn / leen. This is an Irish Gaelic name, an anglicized form of "Séaghdha", meaning "stately", "majestic", "courteous", "admirable" or "hawk-like". Séaghdha derives from the surname "Ó Séaghdha", the name of a family of Corca Dhuibhne in West Kerry who until about the period of the Anglo-Norman invasion were lords of Ui Rathach, now the barony of Iveragh.

Her surname Woodley comes from an ancient and interesting surname, of Anglo-Saxon origin. It is a locational name from Woodleigh in Devonshire, or Woodley in Berkshire, deriving from the Olde English, pre-7th Century "wudu", meaning wood plus "leah", pasture, clearing; hence "glade in a wood". The surname dates back to the early 11th century. Its early recordings include Osbert de Wudeleg (1198) in the Pipe Rolls of Devonshire, and Walter de Wodeleye (1332) in the Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire.

Pope Leo XIV is very closely related to actor Shailene Woodley. They are second cousins thrice removed.

2021-2021 was engaged to football player Aaron Rodgers.

She revealed on Ellen: The Ellen DeGeneres Show (2003) that she is a huge fan of the young YouTube sensation Greyson Chance.

Has a Labrador Retriever named Spinee.

She supported Bernie Sanders in the 2016 U.S. Presidential election.

Daughter of Lonnie Woodley, school principal, and wife Lori Victor, school counselor, has a younger brother.

Is a Socialist.

Maternal granddaughter of Stephen David Victor (b. California) (son of Harold J. Victor (b. Louisiana) and wife Bessie M. Harrold (b. California); according to most Censuses, both Harold J. Victor and wife Bessie M. Harrold were black and/or biracial, as Censuses list them as black, and one Census lists them as mulatto; paternal grandson of an unknown father by Leila ... and maternal grandson of William John Harrold (b. Texas) and wife Bessie Hutchins (b. Texas)) and wife Diane Lynn Fauria (b. California) (daughter of Vernon Louis Fauria (b. Louisiana, of Creole descent, both his parents of mixed black and white ancestry) and wife Marguerite Lois Davis, of Caucasian descent, paternal granddaughter of Joseph Mathews or Matthews Fauria, of African, Spanish, French and German descent (son of Victor Nicholas Fauria and wife Agnes Cora Zipple), and wife Aline Louise Martinez, of Spanish, African and possibly French descent, and maternal granddaughter of Norman Edward Davis, of British Isles or English ancestry, and wife Evangeline or Evangelia Perrengere or Berengere Perrin or Perrine (b. Switzerland, of Swiss-German descent, daughter of Lewis O. Perrin and wife Berthe C. Hague)).

Paternal granddaughter of Virgil James Woodley (b. Oklahoma) (son of James F. Woodley and wife Velma L. Howard) and wife Dovie Oralee Sims (b. Texas, of English ancestry) (daughter of Omer Epsy Sims and wife Eva Ellen Payne, paternal granddaughter of Denton Otto Sims and wife Clara Florence Allen and maternal granddaughter of Hiram Walker Payne and wife Verdenia Maude Ellis).

Born at 9:06pm-PST.