Willa Holland

WILLA HOLLAND

Date of Birth: June 18, 1991

Audiences first fell in love with Willa Holland when she took on the role of Kaitlin Cooper in Fox's hit series, The O.C. in 2005. Born in Los Angeles, she is the daughter of cinematographer Keith Holland and actress Darnell Gregorio. After her parents were divorced, her mother married film director Brian De Palma, who, on the advice of his good friend Steven Spielberg, signed her up with a theatrical agent when she was seven. Willa began modeling and from seven to 10 was the top child model in the USA, appearing in campaigns for numerous brands including Burberry of London, Guess, Gap, Nivea, Ralph Lauren, and Abercrombie & Fitch.

Her first screen acting role was in the small budget film Ordinary Madness, on which her father worked as a cinematographer. Since then, Willa has appeared in projects with many established actors. In 2008, Willa played Susan Sarandon's daughter in director John Stockwell's Middle of Nowhere, which premiered at the 2008 Toronto Film Festival. Also in 2008, Willa starred alongside Colin Firth in Genova, which tells the story of a father who, after the tragic death of his wife, takes his two daughters in search of new beginnings. Having never played the piano, Willa learned to play a Chopin piece for this film.

Willa also played a role in the blockbuster Legion, starring Paul Bettany, and has wrapped production on Straw Dogs, alongside Alexander Skarsgard and James Marsden. Her other credits include a recurring role on CW's Gossip Girl.

She lives in Los Angeles.