Biography
Willa Holland was born in Los Angeles, California, the daughter of cinematographer Keith Holland and actress Darnell Gregorio-De Palma. She has 2 sisters, Brianna Holland (born 1988) and Piper De Palma (born 1996). Holland spent the earlier part of her childhood in London. It was during that period that she spent time on the set of the film Mission: Impossible which was directed by her step-father Brian De Palma.Willa spent the summer of 1999 in the Hamptons of Long Island 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 first signed with Ford Modeling Agency. She began getting work immediately: her first job was for Burberry of London.
The following year, 1999, De Palma took Holland to a theatrical talent agency. Since then she has shot many national commercials. During 2001 when Willa was 10, 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. Currently, she has taken over the role of Kaitlin Cooper on The O.C. during the series’ third season. Incidentally, Holland was a fan of The O.C. before landing the role of Kaitlin Cooper. She is a regular on the current (fourth) season. Willa currently attends private acting classes with one of LAs most esteemed acting coaches.
She has recently graced the cover of Fashion 18, Teen Mag and Teen Vogue and has been featured in CosmoGirl! and Teen Vogue, as well as representing LeSportsac Fall and Winter 2006 The OC handbags for Macy’s. Willa is currently looking to get involved with some makeup campaigns/contracts in the near future, as well as move to New York City. Also since the O.C. is over she’s attached to a new movie Genova with Collin Flirth, starting to shoot in spring/summer 2007.
As of 2006, Holland lives in Brentwood, Los Angeles, California with her mother and little sister Piper De Palma, who is homeschooled. Willa attended Paul Revere Middle School and briefly attended Palisades Charter High School, but now also is homeschooled. Her mother and stepfather Brian de Palma are divorced and her mother has a new husband and togheter they own a restaurant called e.baldi
