Willow Shields

After a short career with just a few appearances, actress Willow Shields' natural talent and professional drive helped her land a highly coveted part in "The Hunger Games" (2012), an adaptation of Suzanne Collins' 2008 international bestseller. Shields was born on June 1, 2000 in Albuquerque, NM, and was raised with her two siblings, twin sister Autumn and older brother River, who were also actors. The home schooled future star landed her earliest job with a voice-over stint in the short film "Las Vegas New Mexico 1875," followed by a guest starring role on the crime drama series "In Plain Sight" (USA Network, 2008-12), about a feisty U.S. Marshall (Mary McCormack) who hunts down witnesses in the federal witness protection program while trying to raise her own dysfunctional family. Shields had a featured role as a homeless child on the made-for-TV movie drama "Beyond the Blackboard" (CBS, 20111), about a first-time teacher who overcomes her initial fears after teaching homeless children in a makeshift classroom.

After just a few short years in Hollywood, Shields nabbed a coveted part in "The Hunger Games," the highly anticipated film adaptation of Collins' blockbuster novel of the same name about children who fight to the death in a televised survival competition. She starred as Primrose Everdeen, the sweet and innocent sister of the film's heroine, Katniss Everdeen (Jennifer Lawrence), an iron-willed 16-year-old who volunteered to participate in the bloody event in place of her younger sibling. Unlike her older sister, Shields' character did not initially experience the trauma of participating in The Games and was more concerned with raising her pet cat. Yet, Primrose steadily evolved into one of the film's strongest and most pivotal characters, and became a young woman who healed wounded patients and comforted Katniss in her quest to stay alive.