A Story Of Anna Chlumsky: You Don't Need To Be Pretty To Make It To The Top

Anna Chlumsky is most known for her role as the adorable little child in the 1991 film "My Girl" and its 1994 sequel. When she portrayed that role, she was 11 years old.
Throughout the 1990s, Chlumsky continued to act, but like many other child stars, she faded from sight. Her career took off again in 2012 when she was cast as Amy Brookheimer in "Veep," and she hasn't stopped since. Anna has recently received a lot of attention for her part as Vivian Kent, a fictional journalist, in the new Netflix series "Inventing Anna."
If anyone thought Anna's early success was due to her beauty, she has now firmly demonstrated that she is a talented actress beyond her looks. Continue reading to know more about Chlumsky's childhood as a child star and how she overcame discrimination and rejection to make it to the top

When predictions didn't come true

Source: © My Girl / Columbia Pictures and co-producers, © My Girl / Columbia Pictures and co-producers

Anna was born on December 3, 1980, in Chicago, Illinois, and began performing in 1989, but it wasn't until two years later that Hollywood became aware of her existence. She co-starred in the film "My Girl" with Macaulay Culkin, which foreshadowed a bright future in the industry for both kids.
However, Anna Chlumsky's expectations did not come true; although being gifted, she was unable to get such a significant role as those of her co-stars.

The effects that early fame

Source: © Trading Mom / First Look International and co-producers, © Gold Diggers: The Secret of Bear Mountain / Universal Pictures and co-producers

Despite the success of "My Girl," she only appeared on a few television programs. Her puberty set in, making her look worse on camera. She had auditioned several times during her adolescence and had always felt out of place. At the moment, she was depressed and dissatisfied.
Chlumsky admitted the impact of that period on her: “When you suddenly put professional, financial, adult and public pressures on children, you not only open them up to a world that is commoditizing and objectifying them. You’re also setting them back from their ability to develop. So when they are faced with adult life, the tools aren’t there. [...] It was only as an adult that I discovered any sense of reliability or security. When I was a child those did not exist, because I was for sale,”

A new beginning

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Her desire to escape a world that had turned its back on her was so strong that she chose to leave everything behind. In 2002, she earned a bachelor's degree in international studies from the University of Chicago. In 2008, she tied the knot with her now-husband and they have two kids, Penelope and Clara.
Chlumsky relocated to New York and worked as a fact-checker and editing assistant for a prominent restaurant review organization. But the lights of Broadway reawakened her love for acting, despite her desire to live quietly and away from cameras.

Chlumsky came back around to acting on her terms

Her reappearance on the screen was gradual but constant. She featured in a few episodes of "Law & Order" and "Hannibal," but it was her appearance in the comedy "Veep" that proved Chlumsky was back. During the 7 years that the show was on the air, she was nominated for 6 Emmy Awards for her performance.
In 2022, she co-starred in "Inventing Anna", a Netflix hit series produced by Shondaland, the studio behind "Grey's Anatomy" and "Bridgerton."

Find a new spark in her passion

She is confident in her ability to endure through that (acting job) and in her ability to recognize that anyone can land any role. She now approached things with a much more positive attitude. She expressed how much she enjoys her work.