Who Is Brie Larson, Ma In ‘Room’?

Brie Lawson and Jacob Tremblay in 'Room' (A24)

Brie Larson is the 26-year-old actress nominated for a Golden Globe (Best Actress in a Motion Picture, Drama) for her role as Ma in Room. Based on the 2010 novel of the same name by Emma Donoghue, Ma was kidnapped as a teenager, continually raped by her captor, and became mother to a boy named Jack while imprisoned in a small room. Larson’s co-star is child actor Jacob Tremblay, who plays Jack.

Larson was also a child actor. Born Brianne Sidonie Desaulniers, at the age of 6 Larson was the youngest student ever to attend the American Conservatory Theater in San Francisco. She landed her first recurring role on the TV series Raising Dad, as Bob Saget’s daughter Emily (2 Broke Girls’ Kat Dennings played her sister Sarah). As an adult, Larson is recognized for her role as Kate Gregson on United States of Tara, and for her roles in the films 21 Jump Street (Molly Tracey) and Trainwreck (Kim). Larson will next star in the film The Glass Castle. It’s based on Jeanette Walls’ 2005 memoir of the same title. Walls (portrayed by Larson) experienced a poverty-stricken childhood with highly dysfunctional parents.