Anna Kendrick: Actress and Singer

Celebrity Q&A, Featured Article
on February 9, 2013
Pitch Perfect
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Did Anna Kendrick do her own singing in “Pitch Perfect”? What is next for her?
—Gabriella Turchiano, Atlantic City, N.J.

Kendrick, 27, did all her own singing in “Pitch Perfect,” the 2012 movie about competitive college singing groups, and she says she insisted on doing it live—not pre-recording it in a studio and then lip synching to the track—so it was terrifying.

“I did theater when I was a little kid, and I’ve basically been singing in the shower since then,” jokes the Portland, Maine-born actress/singer. “I was in choir when I was in high school and would take vocal lessons once a week, but it’s not like I have had conservatory training. Taking on the role was a little scary, but lots of fun.”

Oscar nominated in 2012 for “Up in the Air,” in which she co-starred alongside George Clooney, Kendrick says her shower singing is eclectic—and includes such songs as “One for My Baby and One More for the Road.”

“When I was a kid, the CD that I listened to on a loop that drove my parents insane was [by] Bette Midler. She does a cover of that song on her ‘Experience the Divine’ album.”

Up next for Kendrick are the comedy films “Get a Job” and “Drinking Buddies,” both slated to be released later this year.

Of her acting choices she says, “I was just listening to a podcast with Conan O’Brien, and he said, ‘I don’t care what happens in my career, I just want it to be interesting.’ I thought, ‘That’s it!’ It’s such a simple thought, but it’s exactly right. Good or bad, I want my choices to be interesting, and I am not afraid to fail.”