From her breakout role as Renesmee Cullen in the Twilight Saga to her captivating performance in ‘Interstellar’, Mackenzie Foy has been a enchanting presence on the silver screen. But in recent years, her name has been somewhat absent from the Hollywood marquee. So, what ever happened to this promising young actress who once held the world’s attention? In this article, we delve into the career trajectory of Mackenzie Foy, exploring her early successes, her choices, and what she’s been up to lately.
A Star is Born
Born on November 10, 2000, in Los Angeles, California, Mackenzie Foy was destined for the spotlight from a young age. Her parents, a truck driver and a homemaker, had no connections to the film industry, but that didn’t stop Foy from pursuing her dreams. She began modeling at the tender age of 3 and transitioned into acting at age 9. Foy is also a practitioner of Taekwondo, holding a third-degree black belt in the martial art.
Early Career and Rise to Fame
Foy’s career took off when she started modeling for renowned brands such as Garnet Hill, Polo Ralph Lauren, and Guess. She also modeled for companies like The Walt Disney Company, Mattel, and Gap.
Mackenzie Foy’s acting career began in 2009 when she made her debut in the TV series ‘Til Death. She then made guest appearances in other television shows such as Flashforward in 2010 and Hawaii Five-0, where she played the character Lily Wilson. However, it was in 2011 that Foy landed her breakthrough role in the film industry. She was cast as Renesmee Cullen in the film adaptation of Stephenie Meyer’s book Breaking Dawn, the fourth and final novel in the Twilight saga series. Her portrayal of Renesmee in The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn – Part 1 and Part 2 brought her into the limelight and earned her a Young Artist Award nomination as Best Supporting Young Actress in a Feature Film.
In 2012, Foy lent her voice to the English version of the French film Ernest & Celestine, playing the character Celestine. She continued to showcase her versatility in 2013 when she starred in the horror film The Conjuring, playing the character Cindy. That same year, she had a starring role alongside Ellen Burstyn as Lou Cardinal in the film Wish You Well. In 2014, Foy continued to impress audiences with her talent. She provided the voice of Violet in The Boxcar Children and starred in the film Black Eyed Dog as Daisy.
These roles solidified her place in the industry and paved the way for her role in Interstellar.
Interstellar
In the 2014 movie “Interstellar,” Mackenzie Foy played the character of young Murph Cooper. Murph is the daughter of the film’s protagonist, Joseph Cooper, played by Matthew McConaughey.
The movie is set in a dystopian future where Earth is becoming uninhabitable due to a global crop blight and dust storms. Former NASA pilot Joseph Cooper is recruited by a mysterious organization, which turns out to be the remnants of NASA, to pilot a spacecraft on a mission through a wormhole near Saturn.
The mission’s goal is to investigate potentially habitable planets in another galaxy, identified by previous missions, to ensure the survival of humanity. Cooper leaves behind his two children, Tom and Murph, to embark on this mission. Murph, who is also a scientist, continues her father’s work on Earth trying to solve the gravity equation which could allow humans to leave Earth en masse.
Her performance in the film was highly acclaimed, earning her a Saturn Award for Best Performance by a Younger Actor among other award nominations.
What Did She Do After Interstellar?
After her acclaimed performance in “Interstellar” in 2014, Mackenzie Foy continued to take on diverse roles in both film and television. In the same year, she appeared in a TV movie titled “The Cookie Mobster,” where she played the character Sally.
In 2015, Foy took on two significant roles. She voiced the character of The Little Girl in the animated film “The Little Prince,” which is based on the classic French novella of the same name by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry. Additionally, she appeared in the TV movie “Jesse Stone: Lost in Paradise,” playing the character Jenny O’Neill.
Foy’s career trajectory continued to rise in 2018 when she landed the lead role of Clara in Disney’s “The Nutcracker and the Four Realms.” The film, which is a retelling of E. T. A. Hoffmann’s short story, also starred notable actors such as Morgan Freeman, Helen Mirren, and Keira Knightley.
Despite its high production value and star-studded cast, the film was not well-received by critics or at the box office, making it a box office bomb and causing Disney a loss of over $75-90 million. Critics generally gave negative reviews, criticizing its story and some performances, although the film’s visuals were praised. The film’s poor performance at the box office was attributed to a poor release date, a bloated budget, and a lack of interest from audiences in the Nutcracker concept.
In 2020, Foy co-starred with Kate Winslet in a new adaptation of “Black Beauty,” playing the lead role of Jo Green. This film is a modern-day adaptation of Anna Sewell’s 19th-century novel, with Foy’s character forming a bond with a wild horse.
What is Mackenzie Foy Doing Now?
Although Foy, took a brief hiatus from acting in 2020, she still kept busy. While working on the Black Beauty, Foy formed a deep emotional bond with Jenny, the horse she worked with on the film. After wrapping up the film, Foy continued her involvement with horses by working with Ashley Avis, the director of “Black Beauty,” on the Wild Beauty Foundation. The foundation aims to raise awareness about key issues facing horses in the United States, particularly the plight of wild horses in the American West and the issues surrounding both wild and domestic horses being shipped across borders to slaughter. Foy encourages people to research and understand the severe issues these horses are facing.
Foy is slated to star in the upcoming movie "The Man Who Saved Paris." Andy Serkis also stars in the film as Chevenchy, a prosperous owner of a brothel who is requested by the French government to rehabilitate the city’s reputation following the Nazi Occupation. The film includes performances from Kristin Scott Thomas, Jean Reno, and Tom Wilkinson. The direction is handled by Dean Zanuck, with the screenplay penned by Phillip Jayson Lasker.”
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