Five years ago, a blue-green-eyed blond named Annasophia began her career on a church stage in front of 500 people in Colorado, USA. Soon, this 10-year-old will be seen by millions in the lead role of Opal, opposite Jeff Daniels, in the 20th Century Fox film Because of Winn-Dixie (2005), directed by Wayne Wang.

"Because of Winn-Dixie" isn't her first film, however; she made her movie debut playing Anna in the soon-to-be released Christie Eckert movie "Daddy's Day." Then there's the just-completed television guest-starring role for Nickelodeon, where she plays Liza in "Drake & Josh" (2004). Annasophia is currently on location in Toronto playing the lead in Samantha: An American Girl Holiday (2004) (TV), a TV movie for Warner Bros. This summer, she will begin filming Tim Burton's Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (2005), also for for Warner Bros., where she will portray the role of the gum-chewing Violet Beauregarde and star opposite Johnny Depp.

Of course, Annasophia was ready for her busy life before the camera. She has competed in gymnastics since she was five, has won awards in Irish dance as early as seven, landed a national recurring radio voice-over at eight, and got her first TV and print commercial in Denver six months later (the ad is still in use).

You might say that Annasophia has danced her way to the movies, since she started by excelling equally well in jazz, hip-hop, break-dancing, and the Irish jig. But, she's also pretty terrific at swimming, skiing, running, and modeling. And when she's not working with animals, she's telling jokes and doing a bit of singing. Anna-Sophia is managed by Gem Entertainment Group Inc. and represented by Cunningham, Escott, Dipene, & Associates talent agency.