AJ Michalka
AJ Michalka | |
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![]() Michalka in 2007 | |
Background information | |
Birth name | Amanda Joy Michalka |
Also known as | AJ, Amanda Michalka |
Born | [1] Torrance, California, U.S. | April 10, 1991
Genres | Acoustic rock, pop, pop rock, electropop |
Occupation(s) | Actress, singer, songwriter, guitarist |
Instrument(s) | Vocals, guitar, piano |
Years active | 1996–present |
Labels | Hollywood (2004–2010) |
Amanda Joy "AJ" Michalka (born April 10, 1991), often credited as AJ, is an American actress, singer-songwriter, and musician. She was a model prior to becoming an actress, and is best known as one-half of the duo 78violet (formerly Aly & AJ) with her sister Aly Michalka. AJ recorded the theme song and accompanying music video for the film Secretariat, entitled "It's Who You Are". She also issued a single and video called "All I've Ever Needed" from her 2013 film Grace Unplugged.
Early life
Michalka was born in Torrance, California. She lived and grew up in Seattle, Washington and Southern California with her sister Aly. Her father, Mark, owns a contracting company, and her mother, Carrie, is a musician and performed with JC Band, a Christian band.[2][3] She has Polish, German, English, Irish, and Scottish ancestry.[4] Michalka has been playing the piano since she was four and started playing the guitar in her early teens. She started acting when she was five years old, mostly in church play productions. She was raised as a Christian and continues to practice the faith.[5][6][7] Michalka was in a number of musical productions at her school in Milwaukee as a young adult.[6]
Career
She plays a variety of instruments such as acoustic guitar, electric guitar, piano, and bongos. She was a model for catalogs. In March 2006, she made her Disney Channel debut in the Disney Channel Original Movie Cow Belles, as "Courtney Callum", along with sister Aly, as "Taylor Callum". She has also made appearances on shows such as Oliver Beene, Six Feet Under, The Guardian, and General Hospital.[6][7][8][9] She has also appeared with her sister, Aly, in the MTV film Super Sweet 16: The Movie.
In 2009, she was featured in the Peter Jackson film The Lovely Bones, released widely on January 15, 2010.[10]
Michalka and her sister perform as the musical duo 78violet (formerly Aly & AJ). They have released two studio albums and a holiday album. The two are working on a new album, to be released in 2014. She was cast as a recurring character into The CW series Hellcats[11] starring Ashley Tisdale and along with her sister Alyson Michalka. The series ran for one season and was cancelled in May 2011.
Michalka appeared in the 2011 film Super 8, directed by J. J. Abrams. Her first big-screen starring role is as the title character in 2013's Grace Unplugged.
Filmography
Films
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
2006 | Cow Belles | Courtney Callum | Disney Channel Original Movie |
2007 | Super Sweet 16: The Movie | Sara | Television film |
2009 | The Lovely Bones | Clarissa | |
2010 | Slow Moe | Emily | |
2010 | Secretariat | Kate Tweedy | |
2011 | Super 8 | Jen Kaznyk | |
2011 | Salem Falls[12] | Gillian Duncan | Television film |
2013 | Grace Unplugged | Grace Trey | |
2013 | Angels In Stardust | Vallie Sue | |
2014 | Expecting Amish | Hannah Yoder | Lifetime TV Movie[13] |
Television
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
2002 | Passions | Sheridan's Daughter | 1 episode |
2002 | Birds of Prey | Young Dinah | 2 episodes |
2004 | General Hospital | Ashley B. | 2 episodes |
2004 | Six Feet Under | Ashley | 2 episodes |
2002–2004 | The Guardian | Shannon Gressler | 15 episodes |
2003–2004 | Oliver Beene | Bonnie | 9 episodes |
2007 | Punk'd | Herself | 1 episode |
2007 | Aly & AJ: Sister Act | Herself | MTV television special |
2011 | Hellcats | Deirdre Perkins | 3 episodes |
2013-present | The Goldbergs | Lainey Lewis | Recurring character |
2014 | Silicon Valley | Charlotte | |
2014 | Motive | Victim-Emily | |
2015 | Steven Universe | Stevonnie |
Music videos
Year | Title | Role | Artist | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|
2012 | "Gotten" | Runaway daughter | Slash |
Discography
Solo
Year | Title | Album |
---|---|---|
2010 | "It's Who You Are" | Secretariat |
2013 | "All I've Ever Needed" | Grace Unplugged |
"Desert Song" | ||
"You Never Let Go" | ||
"Misunderstood" |
Awards and nominations
Year | Award | Category | Nominated Work | Result |
---|---|---|---|---|
2006 | American Music Awards | Contemporary Inspirational Artists of the Year | Into the Rush | Nominated |
2014 | MovieGuide Awards | Most Inspiring Performance in Movies | Grace Unplugged | Won |
References
- ^ "Family Tree Legends". Family Tree Legends. Retrieved 2010-05-11.
- ^ Axson, Scooby (2006-07-07). "Article: Pop sisters: Better known for their acting, Aly and AJ leap onto music... | AccessMyLibrary – Promoting library advocacy". AccessMyLibrary. Retrieved 2010-05-11.
- ^ "Tweenage Riot". Blender Magazine. 2006-05-23. Retrieved 2010-09-24.
- ^ http://www.imdb.com/name/nm1404488/bio
- ^ "78 Violet, 11/05 – Interviews – Christian Music Today". Christianitytoday.com. Retrieved 2010-05-11.
- ^ a b c "Tweenage Riot Article on Blender". Blender.com. 2006-05-23. Retrieved 2010-11-10.
- ^ a b Grounded in Faith – Today's Christian[dead link]
- ^ [1][dead link]
- ^ "Aly & AJ, 11/05 – Interviews – Christian Music Today". Christianitytoday.com. Retrieved 2010-05-11.
- ^ Aly & AJ Writing New Songs, Plot Films. Billboard. January 10, 2008.
- ^ Maria Valiente (2011-01-20). "Hellcats Star Aly Michalka Reveals AJ's Character's Name! - Hellcats". Wetpaint.com. Retrieved 2012-03-28.
- ^ "Salem Falls – New AJ Movie! | 78-Violet.com •". 78-violet.com. Retrieved 2012-03-28.
- ^ http://www.mylifetime.com/movies/expecting-amish
External links
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/4/4a/Commons-logo.svg/30px-Commons-logo.svg.png)
- 1991 births
- 21st-century American actresses
- Actresses from California
- Actresses from Seattle, Washington
- American child actresses
- American child singers
- American Christians
- American female guitarists
- American female pop singers
- American film actresses
- American performers of Christian music
- American female singer-songwriters
- American television actresses
- Hollywood Records artists
- Living people
- Musicians from Seattle, Washington
- Musicians from Torrance, California
- 78violet
- Actors from Torrance, California