Shailene Woodley’s parents had three ‘rules’ for 5-year-old starting career in acting

Shailene Woodley’s parents, who although supported her as she began acting at age 5, had some rules that they asked the actress to follow.

The Three Women star got candid on the September 2024 cover of Virgin Atlantic’s Vera magazine, about her career and how her psychologist parents were always there for her since she started a career in acting at age 5.

“My parents had three rules when I was starting out,” said Woodley, 32. “In order to be an actor, I had to stay the person they knew I was, do well in school and have fun.”

“I love that they included having fun because I am a fun machine,” she said about mother Lori Woodley and father Lonnie Woodley. “I’m really good at playing.”

The Divergent actress listened to her parents’ school rule, but made it help her progress in her career goals.

“I got the equivalent of my GED when I was 15 so that I could work legally as an adult during my junior year of high school,” she told Vera.

However, because Woodley “loved school so much and took pride in being an overachiever,” she didn’t cut herself completely from the academic elements of high school.

“I ended up staying to get a real diploma and go to prom,” she said.