Brie Larson's Real Name: Brianne Sidonie Desaulniers

Quick answer: Brie Larson was born Brianne Sidonie Desaulniers on October 1, 1989, in Sacramento, California. She took the stage name Larson as a child actor (Britannica).

Where "Larson" came from

"Brie" is short for Brianne. Desaulniers is her father's French-Canadian surname, which she has said was hard for casting agents to pronounce. As a child she picked Larson herself; she has said the name came from her American Girl doll, Kirsten Larson. She has used Brie Larson professionally since about age eight.

Early life

Larson was home-schooled and, at six, became one of the youngest students admitted to the American Conservatory Theater's training program in San Francisco. After her parents separated, she moved with her mother and sister to Los Angeles, where she began working in TV, including a sketch on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno in 1998.

Early career

• Raising Dad (2001–02): a regular role on the WB sitcom.
• 13 Going on 30 (2004) and Hoot (2006).
• Music: she released the pop album Finally Out of P.E. (2005).
• United States of Tara (2009–11): as Kate Gregson.
• Scott Pilgrim vs. the World (2010) and 21 Jump Street (2012).

Short Term 12 and Room

Her performance in the indie drama Short Term 12 (2013) won critical praise. For Room (2015), as a young mother held captive with her son, she won the Academy Award for Best Actress, along with a Golden Globe, SAG Award and BAFTA (Oscars.org).

Marvel and beyond

Larson plays Carol Danvers in Captain Marvel (2019), Avengers: Endgame (2019) and The Marvels (2023). Other credits include Kong: Skull Island (2017), Fast X (2023) and Apple TV+'s Lessons in Chemistry (2023), for which she received Emmy and Golden Globe nominations. She made her West End debut in Elektra in 2024.