Kiernan Jefferson
American actress and voice actress

Kiernan Jefferson

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American actress and voice actress
Gender:
Female
Birth:
10 November 1999(Chicago, Cook County, Illinois, USA)
Star sign:
Awards:
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The details
Biography

Introduction

Kiernan Brennan Shipka (born November 10, 1999) is an American actress best known for her role as Sally Draper in the AMC drama series Mad Men and as Sabrina Spellman in the Netflix series Chilling Adventures of Sabrina. She also appeared as B. D. Hyman in the FX series Feud: Bette and Joan and voiced Jinora in The Legend of Korra.

Shipka has also starred in numerous films, including Carriers (2009), Flowers in the Attic (2014), The Blackcoat's Daughter (2015), and The Silence (2019).

Early life

Shipka was born in Chicago, Illinois, to John Young Shipka, a real estate developer, and Erin Ann Brennan. Shipka has been taking ballroom dancing classes since the age of five. Her family relocated to Los Angeles, California when she was six to support her acting career.

Career

Shipka made her television debut at five months of age as a baby on the hospital drama, ER. She also began doing commercial-print modeling when she was a baby.

After some small television roles, her first major role was as Sally Draper, the daughter of main character Don Draper, on the 2007-2015 TV series Mad Men. She won the role after two auditions. She was a recurring guest star for the show's first three seasons, then became a series regular in season four.

As part of Mad Men's ensemble cast, she won the Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series in 2008 and 2009.

Shipka received praise for her performance on Mad Men. In 2010, Austin American-Statesman critic Dale Roe named her as his dream nominee for the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series, writing, "This 10-year-old actress was so affecting as troubled Sally Draper last season that it seems odd that she's only just been upgraded to series regular. If Shipka's upcoming Mad Men work—struggling with the broken marriage of her parents and entering preteendom in the tumultuous 1960s—remains as amazing as it was in season three, this is a ballot wish that could come true next year."

In 2014, Shipka was named one of "The 25 Most Influential Teens of 2014" by Time magazine. That same year, IndieWire included her in their list of "20 Actors To Watch That Are Under 20".

Shipka starred in the 2014 Lifetime movie Flowers in the Attic, and co-starred (with Emma Roberts) in the 2015 Oz Perkins horror film The Blackcoat's Daughter.

In 2017, she portrayed B.D. Hyman, daughter of Bette Davis, in the FX television series Feud: Bette and Joan.

In January 2018, it was announced that Shipka would be starring as Sabrina Spellman in Netflix's Chilling Adventures of Sabrina series based on the comic series of the same name. The first season was released by Netflix on October 26, 2018.

Shipka co-starred in a 2019 Christmas romantic comedy film directed by Luke Snellin, Let It Snow, based on the novel of the same name. Shooting began in February 2019.

Shipka next played a deaf teenager opposite Stanley Tucci in John R. Leonetti's horror film The Silence, based on the 2015 horror novel of the same name by Tim Lebbon. Netflix released The Silence on April 10, 2019. Shipka learned American Sign Language for the role. Leonetti praised her performance saying "She's acting alongside Stanley Tucci, and believe me, she's more than holding her own. It's been spellbinding watching her."

Personal life

Shipka names Grace Kelly and Audrey Hepburn as fashion influences.

Awards and nominations

Year Association Category Nominated work Result Ref.
2007 Satellite Awards Best Cast – Television Series Mad Men Won
2009 Screen Actors Guild Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series Won
Young Artist Awards Best Performance in a TV Series – Recurring Young Actress Nominated
2010 Screen Actors Guild Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series Won
Young Artist Awards Best Performance in a Short Film – Young Actress Squeaky Clean Nominated
Young Artist Awards Best Performance in a Feature Film – Supporting Young Actress Carriers Nominated
2011 Screen Actors Guild Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series Mad Men Nominated
Young Artist Awards Best Performance in a Feature Film – Leading Young Actress Ten and Under Cats & Dogs: The Revenge of Kitty Galore Nominated
Young Artist Awards Best Performance in a TV Series (Comedy or Drama) – Supporting Young Actress Mad Men Nominated
2012 Young Hollywood Awards Scene Stealer Female Won
Young Artist Awards Best Performance in a TV Movie, Miniseries or Special – Leading Young Actress Smooch Nominated
2013 Screen Actors Guild Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series Mad Men Nominated
Young Artist Awards Best Performance in a Voice-Over Role (Television) – Young Actress The Legend of Korra Nominated
Young Artist Awards Best Performance in a TV Series – Recurring Young Actress Mad Men Won
Women in Film Crystal + Lucy Awards Lucy Award Won
2014 Young Hollywood Awards You're So Fancy Nominated
2019 2019 MTV Movie & TV Awards Best Performance in a Show Chilling Adventures of Sabrina Nominated
Saturn Awards Best Actress in a Streaming Presentation Chilling Adventures of Sabrina Nominated
Teen Choice Awards Choice Sci-Fi/Fantasy TV Actress Chilling Adventures of Sabrina Nominated