Abigail Breslin made a splash in "Little Miss Sunshine," but she’s since moved away from
the pageant stage and into the recording booth… while double-tapping a few zombies along the
way.
Fasten your seatbelts: we’re breaking down the star’s stunning transformation, from
beauty queen to "Scream Queens."
Abigail Breslin was born on April 14, 1996, in New York City to Kim and Michael Breslin.
The couple named their daughter after Abigail Adams, the second First Lady of the United
States.
Perhaps they always knew that big things were in the young star's future!
The actor has two older brothers, Ryan Breslin and Spencer Breslin, both of whom are also
actors.
Spencer starred alongside Bruce Willis in Disney's "The Kid" and "The Cat In The Hat,"
while Ryan has had minor roles as an actor and dancer in TV shows and films.
The star began acting at the tender age of 3, starring in a Toys 'R' Us commercial alongside
a young Ashley Tisdale.
Just a few years later, she scored her first film role, appearing as Bo Hess in the 2002
science fiction drama "Signs" with Mel Gibson and Joaquin Phoenix.
She then landed a role alongside her brother Spencer in "Raising Helen."
In 2006, Abigail Breslin starred in the comedy-drama "Little Miss Sunshine," which is largely regarded
as her breakthrough role.
She portrayed the adorable Olive Hoover, a child beauty pageant contestant who travels
across the country in a VW bus with her hilariously dysfunctional family.
Breslin was just 6 years old when she was cast, though filming didn't start until she
was 8.
The film was extremely successful and launched Breslin into stardom.
"You are the most beautiful girl in the whole world."
"You're just saying that."
For her role in the film, Breslin was nominated for both a Screen Actors Guild Award and an
Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress in 2007, making her the fourth youngest actress
to ever be nominated for an Oscar in that category.
Speaking of her nomination at the age of 10, Breslin told the Associated Press,
"I was like 'Oh, my God!' and I screamed kind of a little bit like how I did in the movie.
I was just so excited."
Praising Breslin's acting in "Little Miss Sunshine," the director, Valerie Faris, told
the Los Angeles Times in 2006,
"Her performance was so consistent.
There's just never a false moment with her.
She never missed a beat, and that's just unheard of with child actors."
With Oscar and SAG Award nominations under her belt, Abigail Breslin had no trouble finding
new roles.
In 2006, Breslin had parts in "The Ultimate Gift" and "The Santa Clause 3: The Escape
Clause," and, in 2007, she starred as Zoe Armstrong in "No Reservations" alongside Catherine
Zeta-Jones and Aaron Eckhart.
Lead roles in "Definitely, Maybe" and "Nim's Island" followed in 2008.
In 2009, she took on the lead role in "My Sister's Keeper," the film adaptation of Jodi
Picoult's acclaimed novel of the same name.
Speaking about her role in "My Sister's Keeper," Breslin told Movies.ie,
"In the movie […] my character loves her sister so much that she's willing to go to
any lengths to help her.
That's what I liked about the movie.
You think that this family is all in this big problem, which they are, but they all
love each other."
In 2010, Abigail Breslin starred in the film "Janie Jones" as the young daughter of a fading
rock star struggling with alcoholism who joins her father on tour.
Breslin sang on multiple songs for the associated soundtrack, released in 2011, with the song
"Fight for Me" featured as a single.
Speaking to Collider about taking on the singing aspect of her role, Breslin said,
"I was really nervous because I hadn't really done any singing, except for the church Christmas
party.
This was the first thing I had ever done, professionally."
Having established herself as a capable singer, Breslin released two singles: "Christmas in
New York" in 2013 and "You Suck" in 2014.
The latter was a breakup anthem seemingly aimed at her ex-boyfriend, Michael Clifford,
the guitarist and vocalist for Australian pop rock band 5 Seconds Of Summer.
Given the title and lyrics of "You Suck," it's clear Breslin wasn't interested in pulling
punches, though, unfortunately, the song received less than favorable reviews from listeners
and critics alike.
In 2015, Abigail Breslin took on the role of sorry sister Libby Putney, or Chanel #5,
in the satirical black comedy slasher series "Scream Queens" with Emma Roberts and Lea
Michele.
Having previously focused her acting career on films, this was her first starring television
role.
Speaking about her love for the show, Breslin told Showbiz Junkies in 2015,
"It's a perfect mixture of both [horror and comedy] on our show and so I feel like a lot
of different people can relate to it and get into it."
The first season of "Scream Queens'' received mixed reviews from critics, garnering only
a 68% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes.
Still, the series was renewed for a second season, which premiered in September of the
same year to favorable reviews.
In May 2017, it was announced, however, the series was canceled.
Fox chair Gary Newman confirmed the cancelation, saying to Variety,
"It feels as if it was a complete series.
We have no plans to go back and tell more stories there.
We won't be seeing 'Scream Queens' this season."
"How dare you!"
On April 22, 2017, Abigail Breslin revealed that she had been sexually assaulted by an
ex-boyfriend and subsequently diagnosed with post traumatic stress disorder.
On Instagram, she explained,
"I did not report my rape [...] because of many reasons.
First off, I was in complete shock and total denial.
I didn't want to view myself as a 'victim' so I suppressed it and pretended it never
happened.
Second of all, I was in a relationship with my rapist and feared not being believed."
Breslin shared the emotional post during Sexual Assault Awareness Month and followed it up
with a range of graphics and statistics about the prevalence of similar attacks, encouraging
her followers to "know the facts."
Speaking on Instagram about her subsequent PTSD diagnosis, Breslin said,
"I have made a lot of progress since the event occurred, but I won't pretend it isn't something
I struggle with."
Although she has not updated or elaborated on her statements since the original comments,
Breslin posted in support of fellow survivors on April 13, 2022, encouraging her fans to
donate to RAINN, a national sexual assault hotline.
Breslin's words sparked an important conversation for her followers, and we hope her progress
and healing have continued.
If you or anyone you know has been a victim of sexual assault, help is available.
Visit the Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network website or contact RAINN's National Helpline
at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673).
In 2018, Abigail Breslin released the single "Sleepwalking" under the stage name Sophomore.
She followed it up with the songs "90's Honey" in 2019 and "Steve McQueen" in 2021, before
releasing her first EP entitled "Witchcraft" February 2022.
Breslin explained why she chose to go by a stage name when she appeared on "The Kelly
Clarkson Show" in 2021.
She said,
"I felt like if it was under Abigail Breslin, I just didn't want people to be like, 'Here
we go, she's trying to be a singer/songwriter now.'"
"I just kind of wanted them to like it just because they liked it and not because they
liked a movie I was in."
Breslin predominately used social media to promote her EP, posting song breakdowns and
teasers to her fans on Instagram and Twitter.
Unfortunately, the EP did not gain much traction with critics or fans.
While it may seem like her focus shifted towards music and song writing, Abigail Breslin's
acting career has never shown any signs of slowing down.
In 2017, Breslin played Lynette in the comedy-drama film "Freak Show," and, in 2019, Breslin reprised
her role of Little Rock in "Zombieland: Double Tap," a sequel to her 2009 film "Zombieland."
In 2021, Breslin took on a much darker role, starring as Allison Baker in the crime drama
"Stillwater."
In the film, her character serves time in a Marseille prison for the murder of her girlfriend
while studying in France, a crime she claims she did not commit.
She spoke to The Queer Review about the complex role.
"It's always helpful to have some sort of backstory or baseline for the character and
what she's going through."
Breslin also completed a role in the vampire-slaying comedy horror film "Slayers," which is expected
for release in 2022.
She also served as a producer for the film, alongside writer and director K. Asher Levin.
On February 10, 2021, Abigail Breslin revealed on social media that her father had been diagnosed
with COVID-19 and placed on a ventilator.
She asked her followers for prayers and positivity and encouraged them to wear masks and follow
COVID protocol.
Tragically, Breslin posted another update in February confirming that her father had
passed away.
Accompanying a series of family photos, Breslin wrote,
"It was COVID-19 that cut my sweet daddy's life too short.
I appreciate more than you know, the love and support my family and I have received.
Mostly I want to remember my dad for who he was."
In January 2022, Breslin took a break from social media after she was the victim of cruel
online trolls who used her father's death to attack her.
It began when she posted a photo to Instagram showing her wearing a mask on a rollercoaster.
In the comments, she was called "a pathetic loser," and her late father was referred to
as "weak."
Breslin hit back, as did her fans, but when the trolling continued on other photos, she
posted a screenshot of the comments and announced she would be taking a break from social media.
Breslin has since returned to Instagram and Twitter and posted a touching tribute to her
father on the one-year anniversary of his death.
On February 22, 2022, Abigail Breslin announced on Instagram that she was engaged to her longtime
boyfriend, Ira Kunyansky.
Her new fiancé also posted the happy news on his own social media, accompanied by a
selection of photos from the proposal.
Although it isn't known exactly when Breslin and Kunyansky began dating, the pair have
been together since at least August 2017 when Breslin started posting photos of her partner
on Instagram.
The engagement came just a week after Breslin posted a loving tribute to Kunyansky on his
31st birthday.
She captioned a photo from his birthday celebration,
"Happiest happiest birthday to my one and only, love of my life, perfect angel of a
boyfriend.
Life would be so uninteresting without you in it.
I adore you more than words can describe."
Congrats to the happy couple!
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