Willa Holland

Willa Joanna Chance Holland (born June 18, 1991) is an American actress and fashion model. She is best known for her role as Kaitlin Cooper, Marissa Cooper's devious younger sister, on the television series The O.C.. She also appeared as Agnes Andrews on the CW series Gossip Girl. Holland was born in Los Angeles, the daughter of cinematographer Keith Holland and actress Darnell Gregorio-De Palma. She has two sisters, Brianna Holland (born 1988) and Piper De Palma (born 1996). Holland spent the earlier part of her childhood in Chelsea, London. It was during that period that she spent time on the set of the film Mission: Impossible which was directed by her stepfather Brian De Palma. She went to Kenter Canyon Elementary School and later Paul Revere Middle School. She also attended Palisades Charter High School for a brief time. Holland spent the summer of 1999 in The Hamptons with her family. After a day playing at Steven Spielberg's home, the seed was planted that she should spend her life acting in film. Spielberg told her mother "You've got to put her in front of a camera!".

Upon her return to Los Angeles that September, Holland signed with Ford Modeling Agency at age seven, and immediately booked a shoot for Burberry. The following year, 1999, De Palma took Willa to a theatrical talent agency. Since then she has shot many national commercials. During 2001 when Willa was ten, she worked alongside her cinematographer father in Ordinary Madness. She was even slated to co-star in the 2005 FOX series The Inside with fellow model Rachel Nichols, but left the show when writer Tim Minear was brought in to overhaul it. She played the role of Kaitlin Cooper on The O.C.; initially as a recurring character in season 3, but then as a regular in season 4. Incidentally, Willa Holland was a fan of The O.C. before landing the role of Marissa Cooper's (Mischa Barton) rebellious "little" sister. Holland appeared on the cover of Teen Vogue and Fashion 18 and has been featured in CosmoGirl!, as well as representing LeSportsac Fall and Winter 2006 The O.C. handbags for Macy's. Willa played April, a confused teenager, in the film Garden Party, which opened July 11, 2008 in Los Angeles, New York, Portland, and Seattle. In Garden Party she plays a girl struggling to survive with her family because they neglect her. On September 5, 2008 it was announced that Gossip Girl creator Josh Schwartz was giving her a stint in Season 2 of Gossip Girl in which Holland played Agnes, a 16-year-old model working for Eleanor Waldorf.

Agnes created havoc with Taylor Momsen's character Jenny Humphrey. She has also appeared in a commercial for the Montana Meth Project titled "That Guy". On May 17, 2010, Square Enix announced that she will be voicing Aqua in the PlayStation Portable title, Kingdom Hearts Birth by Sleep, which was released on September 7, 2010 in North America. As of March 2011, it is reported that Willa will star in the high school movie The Science of Cool with former O.C. co-star Mischa Barton.The plot centers on “two high school nerds who discover a secret chemical formula when a science experiment goes terribly wrong that transforms them into the coolest kids in school; but with greatness comes great consequences.” It is set to start filming the summer of 2011. Holland was born in Los Angeles, the daughter of cinematographer Keith Holland and actress Darnell Gregorio-De Palma. She has two sisters, Brianna Holland (born 1988) and Piper De Palma (born 1996). Holland spent the earlier part of her childhood in Chelsea, London. It was during that period that she spent time on the set of the film Mission: Impossible which was directed by her stepfather Brian De Palma. She went to Kenter Canyon Elementary School and later Paul Revere Middle School. She also attended Palisades Charter High School for a brief time.