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From the Schoolyard to the Stratosphere: Billie Eilish's Forgotten Life as a Movie Extra
Before she was a global pop icon, Billie Eilish was an uncredited extra in films like 'Diary of a Wimpy Kid' and 'Ramona and Beezus.' It was a brief foray into acting that she found so unenjoyable it solidified her true passion for music.
A Star Hiding in Plain Sight
Today, Billie Eilish is a household name, a Grammy-winning artist who redefined pop music for a new generation. Her unique style and haunting vocals have earned her a place at the top of the charts and in sold-out arenas worldwide. But long before the green hair and global fame, a much younger Billie could be spotted, if you squinted, in the background of some beloved family movies from the early 2010s.
It’s a surprising piece of trivia that feels almost like a pop culture Mandela effect: Billie Eilish was an uncredited background actor in the 2010 films Diary of a Wimpy Kid and Ramona and Beezus, as well as a short X-Men fan film.
A Hollywood Family Affair
This early, brief career in film wasn't entirely random. Billie grew up in a household steeped in the entertainment industry. Her mother, Maggie Baird, is a veteran actress, voice artist, and improvisational comedy teacher. It was Baird who got both Billie and her brother, Finneas O'Connell, into background acting work as children. It was a way to get them on set, understand how productions worked, and perhaps earn a little money.
While Billie’s experience was short-lived, her brother Finneas, now famous as her producer and co-writer, found more traction in acting. He landed notable roles in the TV show Glee and the film Bad Teacher before dedicating himself fully to music alongside his sister.
An Experience She'd Rather Forget
For Billie, however, the life of an extra—and even auditioning for speaking roles—was far from glamorous. The experience consisted of long days, repetitive actions, and the general feeling of being a human prop. She has been candid about her dislike for the process, seeing it as a clear sign that acting was not her destined path. In a 2019 interview, she reflected on her brief time in the industry.
I went on a couple of auditions and it was horrible... It was not my jam. It was not fun. It was not a good time.
Her negative feelings about being on set helped her realize where her true passion was. The highly structured and often tedious world of film production stood in stark contrast to the creative freedom she found in making music in her bedroom with Finneas. That bedroom, of course, is where they would eventually record the album that launched her into superstardom, When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go?
From Background to Center Stage
While fans have scoured the cafeteria and playground scenes of Diary of a Wimpy Kid looking for a glimpse of their favorite artist, her presence remains unconfirmed and ghost-like, a fitting start for a star known for her ethereal persona. Ultimately, this forgotten chapter of her life serves as a fascinating footnote in her meteoric rise. It shows that sometimes, discovering what you don't want to do is just as important as finding what you love. For Billie Eilish, a few “horrible” days on a movie set helped steer her away from the background and toward the global spotlight she was always meant to command.