Joey King's Real Name: Joey King

Quick answer: Joey King performs under her own name. Library and industry records list her simply as Joey King, born July 30, 1999. Some fan and wiki sites add a middle name, but we found no reputable record that confirms it. Raised in Los Angeles, she starred as a child in Ramona and Beezus, broke out in Netflix's The Kissing Booth, and earned Emmy and Golden Globe nominations for Hulu's The Act (Library of Congress; Television Academy).

Real name and early life

The Library of Congress name authority files her as "King, Joey, 1999-," with the citation "Joey King, b. July 30, 1999; actress." Another LOC citation describes her as an actress, producer, and soundtrack performer. Neither gives a longer legal name. That is why this page uses her public name.

Byrdie's 2021 profile reports that King was born and raised in Los Angeles. Her parents brought her and her two older sisters, Kelli and Hunter, into show business early. Joey was 4 when she made her first TV commercial, a Life cereal spot. TV Guide also notes the Life commercial and lists a run of Young Artist Award nominations from 2009 on, including a 2011 win for a leading role in a feature film.

Career highlights

Byrdie wrote that King "worked steadily as a child star" for the next decade. Her early credits included the voice work in Horton Hears a Who! (2008) and the title role in Ramona and Beezus (2010), based on Beverly Cleary's books. The Television Academy also lists Crazy, Stupid, Love (2011), The Dark Knight Rises (2012), Oz the Great and Powerful, The Conjuring, and White House Down (all 2013).

Her big break came in 2018 with Netflix's The Kissing Booth, in which she played Elle, a high school late bloomer, opposite Jacob Elordi. The teen romance led to two sequels, released through 2021. In 2019 she took a darker turn in Hulu's limited series The Act, playing Gypsy Rose Blanchard. The role brought Primetime Emmy, Golden Globe, and Screen Actors Guild nominations, according to the Television Academy and TV Guide.

As an adult, she has moved into action and producing. She starred in The Princess (2022) and appeared in Bullet Train (2022). TV Guide lists a 2024 Astra TV Award nomination for best actress in a limited series or TV movie. In her Byrdie interview, she described loving the chance of "becoming different people."

Name notes for searchers

Joey King is the name she has used since childhood. The longer name that circulates online is not confirmed in Library of Congress or Television Academy records, so treat it with caution. Searchers looking for her family will also find her sister Hunter King, who acts on television.