The Transformation Of Hailee Steinfeld From Childhood To Hawkeye

Hailee Steinfeld is having a moment. The young actor made headlines with her brilliant look at the Met Gala, following the announcement late last year that she would be taking the role of Kate Bishop in Marvel's upcoming Disney+ show, "Hawkeye." But for Steinfeld, having a moment is just another day at work. The "Bumblebee" star has developed a reputation as a virtuoso talent whose skills span the gamut from acting to singing, and she's been just as comfortable releasing chart-dominating pop music as she has been on the set of award-winning movies.

Steinfeld's upward career trajectory over the past decade has been so steep, and her presence in popular culture so ubiquitous, that it's easy to forget she's only 24 years old. So, from grounded performances in gritty westerns to the dazzling heroics of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, here are some of the biggest of Hailee Steinfeld's career highlights from childhood to "Hawkeye."

Only a few years into her acting career, Hailee Steinfeld was offered the role of Mattie in the Cohen brothers' acclaimed western, "True Grit." Unlike most Cohen pictures, the film was an adaptation of a classic western by the same name, and Mattie was the kind of nuanced role that would intimidate even a veteran actor. Steinfeld proved up to the task. The movie was an enormous critical success, cementing Joel and Ethan Cohen as modern masters of the genre, thanks in no small part to the surprising passion and charisma Steinfeld demonstrated. In his review of the film, Roger Ebert said, "This is Steinfeld's first considerable role. She nails it."

The performance did not go unnoticed, and Steinfeld, only 13 when she was cast in the role, was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress. While she didn't take home the Oscar, she became one of the youngest nominees of all time. The nomination catapulted Steinfeld's career, taking her from relative obscurity to a household name and cementing her position as an industry staple.

While many of her fans didn't hear Hailee Steinfeld sing until her turn in "Pitch Perfect II," she's been singing for as long as she's been acting. Speaking with Forbes for a profile in 2018, Steinfeld said, "I've been singing for as long as I can remember. I'm sure my parents will tell you the same." Up until her breakout role in "True Grit," Steinfeld was equally as focused on music as on acting. The unexpected Academy Award nomination that role landed her scuttled her music plans. "Acting became my full-time focus for a couple of years," she said.

In 2016, Steinfeld dropped her debut EP, "Heiz," the title an homage to a nickname fans had bestowed on her, according to Vogue. The preternaturally talented actor was now an equally impressive musician. The song "Rock Bottom" has racked up over 200 million plays on Spotify. Since then, Steinfeld has released a string of projects, including multiple singles and a second EP, which dropped in 2020.

Hailee Steinfeld's next big project is the long-awaited Disney+ Marvel series, "Hawkeye," in which she will star as Kate Bishop. Because Kate is a member of the Young Avengers in the comics, fans were delighted to see that not only would the character be coming to the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) but that she'd be played by such a demonstrated talent as Steinfeld.

However, hawk-eyed fans will know this isn't Steinfeld's first superhero rodeo. She starred as Gwen Stacy (AKA Spider-Gwen) in the beloved "Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse" back in 2018. The film, an animated adventure lovingly rendered in the style of vintage comic-book art, followed Miles Morales (Shameik Moore) and a gang of alternate Spider-persons from throughout the multiverse teaming up against Kingpin (Liev Schreiber). The picture took home an Academy Award and two BAFTAs, and is often cited as the best Spider-Man movie.

Steinfeld's voice brought the character of Spider-Gwen to life with such force that rumors have abounded regarding a solo Spider-Gwen movie. Now that she's officially a part of the MCU with "Hawkeye," everything seems to have come full circle.