Vivien Lyra Blair (born June 4, 2012[1]) is an American child actress. She made her debut inBand Aid (2017) and rose to prominence for her role as Girl inBird Box (2018). Blair garnered further recognition for her appearances in video gameTelling Lies (2019) and superhero filmWe Can Be Heroes (2020). In 2022, she received critical praise for her portrayal of a youngLeia Organa in the streaming seriesObi-Wan Kenobi. She later had a supporting role in the horror filmThe Boogeyman (2023).
Vivien Lyra Blair was born on June 4, 2012.[1] Her parents are musicians.[2] Blair has beenvegetarian since she was born.[3] She has practicedTaekwondo since the age of five.[4] In 2019, at six years old, Blair became the youngest spokesperson forPETA.[5]
Blair's first onscreen role was in the 2017 filmBand Aid, and she subsequently appeared in the television miniseriesWaco in 2018. She rose to prominence at the age of five after starring in the filmBird Box.[3] Blair portrays Girl, who–along with her mother and brother—is blindfolded as protection from entities that cause people to die once they have been seen.[6] Blair spent the majority of the film blindfolded.[3] In 2019, she appeared in the video gameTelling Lies,[7] in whichThe Guardian considered her "[a]n unexpected joy ... with adorable confidence".[8] Blair also starred as Guppy in the superhero filmWe Can Be Heroes (2020), the sequel toThe Adventures of Sharkboy and Lavagirl in 3-D (2005).[9] She undertook all her own stunts.[4] While the film itself received mixed reviews,[10]The Daily Telegraph praised Blair's performance as "very funny" and "just absurd ... the effects team simply aren't needed when she's doing her thing".[11]
In 2022, Blair portrayedLeia Organa in theStar Wars streaming showObi-Wan Kenobi.[12] Of Blair's casting, series writerJoby Harold stated the team needed an actor who would embody a youngCarrie Fisher's[a] voice and spirit: "[we need] [s]omebody who feels spirited. They don't feel precocious. They don't feel like they are speaking as an adult writing for a kid, but you feel the spirit of what Carrie Fisher built." Harold found Blair to be "an amazing little actor" who miraculously captured that spirit, particularly in her scenes with co-starEwan McGregor.[13] Blair was praised for her portrayal of the character's strength, wit, and intelligence;[14]NPR commented that she "practically channels Carrie Fisher's subversive, wisecracking spirit".[15] In a more mixed review of her performance, Nick Schager ofThe Daily Beast thought Blair's line deliveries were "not ... consistently great" but considered her adequate for the role.[16] Blair's performance was nominated for aSaturn Award forBest Performance by a Younger Actor in a Streaming Television Series.[17]
Blair played Emily Gradstone in the film dramaDear Zoe, which is based onthe eponymous young-adult novel byPhilip Beard.[18] It was released on November 4, 2022, to mixed reviews.[19] In July of that year, Blair joined the cast of the horror filmThe Boogeyman (2023), an adaptation ofStephen King'seponymous short story.[20] She portrayed Sawyer, a young girl whose family is terrorized by a cryptic monster.[21] She was hesitant to take the role, not wanting to portray "another character that had to be saved". After reading the script, she reconsidered, however, seeing that Sawyer was "so much more than that". Blair found it challenging to portray her character's fear, the emotion she connected with the least as an actress.[22] Several critics lauded her performance;[23][24][25]The Hollywood Reporter stated: "Blair is so convincingly terrified throughout that you hope that child services monitored the production closely".[26] For her role, she garnered a Saturn Award nomination forBest Younger Performer in a Film.[27]
