Violet McGraw

Last updated

Violet McGraw
Violet McGraw by Gage Skidmore.jpg
McGraw in 2025
Born
Violet Elizabeth McGraw

(2011-04-22) April 22, 2011 (age 14)
NationalityAmerican
Occupation
  • Actress
Years active2016–present
Relatives Madeleine McGraw (sister)

Violet Elizabeth McGraw [1] (born April 22, 2011 [2] [1] ) is an American child actress. Her acting debut was a recurring role in the 2016 television series Love as Nina, and her first feature film was 2018's Ready Player One . In 2019 she was nominated for an OFTA Television Award for Best Ensemble in a Motion Picture or Limited Series for The Haunting of Hill House . She is also known for her roles as a young Yelena Belova in the Marvel Studios superhero films Black Widow (2021) and Thunderbolts* (2025), and as Cady in the horror films M3GAN (2022) and M3GAN 2.0 (2025).

Contents

Violet McGraw with her sister Madeleine McGraw at CinemaCon 2025. Madeleine McGraw & Violet McGraw (54461655898).jpg
Violet McGraw with her sister Madeleine McGraw at CinemaCon 2025.

Career

Violet McGraw started acting at a young age. In 2016, McGraw made her acting debut in Reckless Juliets (2017) as Aria Morgan and the television series Love as Nina (2018). She was most known for roles of Alice in 2019's Jett , and her cameo scene as a child in a shopping cart in Steven Spielberg's 2018 blockbuster, Ready Player One . [3] In 2018 she had her first major role as young Nell Crain, younger version of Victoria Pedretti's character, in Mike Flanagan's Netflix series, The Haunting of Hill House . She had been announced as part of the cast in September 2017. [3] McGraw then went on to star in Drama film Our Friend (2019) as Evie Teague with supporting roles in Doctor Sleep (2019) as Violet and Bennett's War (2019). Based on her experiences in The Haunting of Hill House and Doctor Sleep, McGraw was able to give advice to her older sister Madeleine when the latter starred in the horror film The Black Phone . [4]

McGraw made her Marvel Cinematic Universe debut in 2021's Black Widow as a young Yelena Belova, with the adult version played by Florence Pugh. In 2025, she reprised the role in Thunderbolts* . [5] [6] [7] In 2021, she also starred in Separation as Jenny Vahn, and in 2022 starred as Cady in the Universal Pictures technological action film M3GAN , for Blumhouse, reprising her role in M3GAN 2.0 on 2025. [7] [8] [9] [10] The Hollywood Reporter noted that Donald and co-star McGraw "ended up becoming fast friends by the end of filming". [11] In May 2023, McGraw was cast in A Wonderful Way with Dragons. [12]

Personal life

Violet McGraw is the youngest of four children. Her older siblings are all also actors: Jack McGraw of The Good Dinosaur , Aidan McGraw of American Sniper , and Madeleine McGraw, who portrays Gwen in The Black Phone . [13]

Filmography

Film

YearTitleRoleNotes
2018 Ready Player One Shopping Cart KidUncredited[ citation needed ]
2019 Bennett's War Rebecca
Our Friend Evie Teague
Doctor Sleep Violet
2021 Separation Jenny Vahn
Black Widow Young Yelena Belova
2022A Christmas MysteryViolet Pierce
I Believe in SantaElla
2022 M3GAN Cady
2024 The Life of Chuck Lily
The Curse of the NecklaceEllen Davis
2025 Thunderbolts* Young Yelena Belova
M3GAN 2.0 Cady
TBA High Stakes Holiday TBAPost-Production

Television

YearTitleRoleNotes
2018 The Haunting of Hill House Young Eleanor "Nell" CraneMain role
2019 Law & Order: Special Victims Unit Bailey Shaw1 episode
Love Nina2 episodes
Jett AliceMain role

References

  1. 1 2 University Wire (June 9, 2022). "All You Need To Know About Violet Elizabeth McGraw". The Clemson Tiger. ProQuest   2674378896. American actress Violet Elizabeth McGraw (born April 22, 2011) is famously known for her appearances on small and big screens.
  2. "Almanac: Today's Birthdays". Dubuque Telegraph-Herald. April 22, 2023. p. A3. ProQuest   2805275567. Actor Malcolm Barrett is 43. Actor Cassidy Freeman is 41. Actor Michelle Ryan is 39. Actor Zack Gottsagen is 38. Actor Amber Heard is 37. Singer-songwriter BC Jean is 36. Drummer Tripp Howell is 34. Rapper/singer Machine Gun Kelly is 33. Actor Pili Pascual is 22. Actor Violet McGraw is 12.
  3. 1 2 N'Duka, Amanda (September 25, 2017). "'The Haunting Of Hill House': Mckenna Grace & Violet McGraw Join Netflix Series". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on November 9, 2021. Retrieved December 28, 2022.
  4. Nemiroff, Perri (June 28, 2022). "Meet the Breakout Stars of 'The Black Phone,' Mason Thames and Madeleine McGraw". Collider. Archived from the original on December 19, 2022. Retrieved January 9, 2023.
  5. Smith, Tessa (May 2, 2025). "Yelena & Bob's Intense Thunderbolts* Dynamic Couldn't Be More Different From Real Life, Says Florence Pugh: "We Are Just Pissing Ourselves"". Screen Rant.
  6. Sanders, Savannah (April 27, 2025). "Black Widow Actress Announces Surprise Return In 2025 MCU Movie". The Direct.
  7. 1 2 N'Duka, Amanda (April 9, 2021). "'Black Widow' Actress Violet McGraw Joins Allison Williams In Blumhouse & Atomic Monster Thriller 'M3GAN'". Deadline. Archived from the original on April 9, 2021. Retrieved December 29, 2022.
  8. N'Duka, Amanda (April 9, 2021). "Violet McGraw Joins Allison Williams In M3GAN From Blumhouse & Atomic Monster". Deadline. Archived from the original on April 9, 2021. Retrieved December 28, 2022.
  9. Panaligan, E. J. (October 11, 2022). "'M3GAN' Trailer Introduces a Killer Robot Child Thirsty for Blood and Mayhem". Variety. Archived from the original on October 26, 2022. Retrieved January 9, 2023.
  10. Bevan, Darren (October 13, 2022). "New Zealand child dancer the star of a new horror movie trailer that's been viewed by millions". Newshub . Archived from the original on October 16, 2022. Retrieved January 9, 2023 via www.newshub.co.nz.
  11. Gardner, Chris (December 9, 2022). "'M3GAN' Premiere Featured Eight Look-Alike Dolls Dancing to Taylor Swift Song in Now-Viral Moment". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on December 9, 2022. Retrieved January 10, 2023.
  12. Haring, Bruce (May 14, 2023). "M3gan Star Violet McGraw Signs For Indie Production A Wonderful Way With Dragons". Deadline Hollywood . Archived from the original on May 15, 2023. Retrieved May 15, 2023.
  13. Colangelo, B. J. (January 5, 2023). "From The Black Phone To M3GAN, Two Sisters Are Taking Over Modern Horror". /Film . Archived from the original on January 6, 2023. Retrieved January 9, 2023.