Mae Whitman

Mae Margaret Whitman (born June 9, 1988) is an American actress, singer and voice artist. She is known for her roles as Ann Veal in the TV series Arrested Development and Amber Holt on the TV series Parenthood, for co-starring in the films Scott Pilgrim vs. the World and The Perks of Being a Wallflower, and for starring in the comedy The Duff. She also voiced Katara in the animated television series Avatar: The Last Airbender, Little Suzy in Johnny Bravo, Rose/Huntsgirl in American Dragon: Jake Long, April O'Neil in the 2012 generation of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Tinker Bell in the Tinker Bell movies, and Yuffie Kisaragi in the video game Kingdom Hearts. Her first major studio role was as the President's daughter in the 1996 film Independence Day.

Early life

Whitman was born in Los Angeles, California, the only child of mother Pat Musick, a voice artist, and father Jeff Whitman, a personal manager and set construction co-ordinator. She was educated in a private school in Los Angeles.

Career

Whitman started her career with a voice over for a Tyson Chicken commercial at the age of three. Acting coach Andrew Magarian helped her memorize lines as she could not read.

In 1994, at the age of six, Whitman made her film debut, acting alongside Meg Ryan in When a Man Loves a Woman (1994), playing Ryan's character's youngest daughter, Casey. She beat 700 other girls who were interested in the part. In 1996, Whitman appeared in two films: Independence Day as the President's daughter; and One Fine Day playing George Clooney's character's daughter Maggie. The same year, Whitman guest starred in the episode "The One Where Rachel Quits" of the sitcom Friends. In 1998, she was Sandra Bullock's character's daughter Bernice in Hope Floats.

During several guest appearances from 1998 until 2001, Whitman played the role of Chloe Madison on JAG. Chloe was Sarah 'Mac' Mackenzie's (Catherine Bell) Little Sister, through the Big Sister, Little Sister program. In 2001 and 2002, Whitman starred in the Fox Family series State of Grace in which she portrayed Grace from a Catholic background who befriends Hannah, a Jewish girl (Alia Shawkat). Whitman was the voice of Navajo Wynonna "Winnie" Whitefeather for Focus on the Family's The Last Chance Detectives audio cases (2004).

From 2004 to 2006, Whitman had a recurring role on Arrested Development, reuniting with Shawkat. Whitman appeared in the 2006 series Thief for FX Networks, playing the stepdaughter of Nick Atwater (Andre Braugher). She was also featured in several video games, lending her voice to the character Yuffie Kisaragi in the Square-Enix/Disney video game Kingdom Hearts II as well as an appearance in the third-person shooter role-playing video game Dirge of Cerberus -Final Fantasy VII-. Whitman made several high-profile guest appearances in 2006 and 2007. She also appeared on Desperate Housewives as an unscrupulous friend of Julie. Mae also had a recurring role on "Chicago Hope," (1994-2000), playing the daughter of "Dr. Kate Austin," (played by Christine Lahti), in the series' later years.

Whitman was initially cast in the 2007 series remake of The Bionic Woman, playing the deaf younger sister of the title character. On June 27, 2007, TV Guide reported that Whitman was being replaced in the role of Jaime's sister, and Lucy Hale was cast as Whitman's replacement the following July. An NBC spokesperson confirmed this, stating, "The decision was purely creatively driven. It is very common to change storylines, characters, actors after the initial pilot is shot." The sister character's hearing was restored after this recasting at the request of an NBC executive. She also appeared in the season nine episode "Streetwise" of Law and Order: Special Victims Unit, as an on-the-street-mother who adopts street children forming a homeless family.

Whitman gave voice to Katara of the Water Tribe in the animated show Avatar: The Last Airbender, and previously Rose in American Dragon: Jake Long. She has appeared most recently in the HBO series In Treatment as Rosie. She plays Cynder in The Legend of Spyro: The Eternal Night. Whitman voiced the character Tinker Bell in the 2008, 2009 and 2010 Disney Tinker Bell films. As part of a deal to promote the production of the first Tinker Bell film, the UK's speaking clock started to use her voice at 0100GMT on October 26, 2008.

In 2009, Whitman landed a regular role in NBC's version of the Ron Howard classic Parenthood, which premiered in 2010. She plays Amber Holt, "a rebellious and willful teen whose only interest at present is her wannabe rock star boyfriend". Whitman played evil ex Roxy Richter in Edgar Wright's Scott Pilgrim vs. the World, a film adaptation of the Bryan Lee O'Malley indie comic series Scott Pilgrim. The film starred her former Arrested Development co-star, Michael Cera, in the title role. Whitman appeared on Family Guy in 2010.

She had a large role in the 2012 film The Perks of Being a Wallflower, opposite Logan Lerman, Emma Watson, and Ezra Miller. In 2013, she reprised her role as Ann Veal in Arrested Development‍‍ '​‍s fourth season six years after the series was cancelled. She appeared alongside Darren Criss in three episodes of the third season of Lisa Kudrow's Web Therapy, playing his girlfriend.

Music

Whitman has recorded "I Heard The Bells On Christmas Day" and "You Make Christmas Feel So Good" for School's Out! Christmas, and has sung guest vocals on a number of tracks from indie-punk band Fake Problems' newest album Real Ghosts Caught on Tape. Whitman has also been featured on her show Parenthood in the song "Gardenia" on the season 2 episode "The Booth Job" along with Landon Pigg.

Whitman appears in the music video for "I Was a Fool" by Tegan and Sara. She performed a small speaking part in the rapper DVS' record "Charlie Chaplin" where she plays the part of what DVS sees as the stereotypical hipster expressing distaste with music and television to appear special.

Filmography

Film

Television

Video games

Awards and nominations

References

External links

• Mae Whitman at the Internet Movie Database