About Haley Bennett

Haley Loraine Keeling

Haley Bennett is an acclaimed American actress born on January 7, 1988, in Fort Myers, Florida. With nearly two decades of professional experience in film and television, she has established herself as a versatile performer capable of delivering nuanced, powerful performances across diverse genres. Her career is marked by strategic role selection, critical acclaim, and a commitment to meaningful storytelling.

Early Life & Background

Bennett was born Haley Loraine Keeling to parents Leilani (née Dorsey) and Ronald Keeling, who met in church and hitchhiked to Florida while Leilani was pregnant with her. She possesses Lithuanian ancestry through her maternal great-grandmother and Scottish ancestry through her paternal great-grandmother, reflecting a diverse cultural heritage.

Her childhood was characterized as "nomadic," as she moved frequently between living with her father in Ohio and her mother in Florida. Her father operated an automobile repair shop in Ohio, while her mother pursued artistic interests. This unique upbringing exposed Bennett to diverse experiences and perspectives. She described her childhood as a blend of influences: "I kind of get femininity from my mother and boyishness from my dad. He loved fishing, he loves hunting, he loves boating, and football, baseball, and basketball. So that really saturated my life. And then my mother was very soft and also strong, but more of an artist."

Bennett attended Stow-Munroe Falls High School in Stow, Ohio, and also studied at Barron G. Collier High School in Naples, Florida. At age 13, she enrolled at Barbizon Modeling School in Akron, Ohio. She participated in school plays and sang in church choirs, demonstrating early interest in performance. She attended the prestigious International Modeling and Talent Convention in 2001 and 2006, where she won a major award that helped launch her career.

At age 18, Bennett persuaded her mother to take her to Los Angeles for three months to pursue an acting career. Just as she was about to return home, she secured representation by claiming to her prospective agent that a highly regarded agency had approached her. The agent, unwilling to lose Bennett, signed her on the spot. She began using one of her mother's former married names as her stage name, becoming "Haley Bennett."

Career Journey

Film Debut & Early Career

In what was only her third audition, Bennett won the role of popstar Cora Corman in the 2007 romantic comedy Music and Lyrics, opposite Hugh Grant and Drew Barrymore. She sang several songs for the film's soundtrack, including "Buddha's Delight" and "Way Back into Love," showcasing her versatility as both actress and performer. That same year, she signed with 550 Music/NuSound Records (part of Epic Records) and began working on a debut album, though it was never released. She performed her first live concert at The Mint in Los Angeles on June 19, 2008.

Following her film debut, Bennett signed a three-picture deal with Warner Bros. She subsequently appeared in the comedy College (2008) and the supernatural horror film The Haunting of Molly Hartley (2008). She also made a cameo appearance in Marley & Me (2008). Despite the auspicious beginning, Bennett did not immediately achieve mainstream breakthrough, leading her to pursue more diverse and challenging roles.

Building Credibility & Diverse Roles

Throughout the 2010s, Bennett appeared in various independent and mainstream productions, gradually building her reputation as a serious actress. She co-starred in the horror thriller The Hole (2009), directed by Joe Dante, and appeared in the fantasy comedy Kaboom (2010). In 2010, she was cast in the FX crime-drama pilot Outlaw Country alongside Luke Grimes and Mary Steenburgen, though the series was not picked up. The pilot was eventually broadcast as a television film in 2012.

Bennett landed the lead role in the thriller Kristy (2014) and appeared in the independent drama Lost in the White City (2014). That same year, she appeared in the action thriller The Equalizer with Denzel Washington and Melissa Leo, marking her entry into major studio productions.

Breakthrough & Critical Recognition

In 2015, Bennett starred in Ilya Naishuller's innovative first-person point-of-view action film Hardcore Henry. The following year proved pivotal for her career, as she appeared in three significant films: The Magnificent Seven (2016) as Emma Cullen, directed by Antoine Fuqua; The Girl on the Train (2016) as Megan Hipwell, directed by Tate Taylor and co-starring Emily Blunt; and Rules Don't Apply (2016) as Mamie Murphy, directed by Warren Beatty. Her performances in all three films received critical praise, with reviewers noting her ability to command scenes and convey complex emotions.

In 2017, Bennett played Saskia Schumann in Jason Hall's PTSD drama Thank You for Your Service. She was also cast in Terrence Malick's musical drama Song to Song, though her scenes were ultimately deleted from the final film.

Award-Winning Performance & Artistic Growth

In 2019, Bennett delivered what many consider her finest performance in the psychological thriller Swallow, directed by Carlos Mirabella-Davis. She not only starred in the film but also served as executive producer, demonstrating her commitment to meaningful storytelling. Her performance as Hunter, a woman struggling with pica (an eating disorder), was universally acclaimed. The film premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival in April 2019, where Bennett received the award for Best Actress. Critics called her performance "pitch-perfect," "extraordinary," and "masterful." That same year, she starred in The Red Sea Diving Resort opposite Chris Evans, directed by Gideon Raff.

Recent Work & Continued Evolution

In 2020, Bennett co-starred in two Netflix adaptations: the drama thriller The Devil All the Time, directed by Antonio Campos, and Hillbilly Elegy, directed by Ron Howard. These roles demonstrated her ability to work with prestige directors and major streaming platforms. She appeared in Cyrano (2021) and Till (2022), joining Whoopi Goldberg in the latter, a drama written and directed by Chinonye Chukwu.

Bennett continues to take on challenging roles in both independent and mainstream productions. Recent projects include Widow Clicquot (2023), Magazine Dreams (2023), Borderlands (2024), and The Last Frontier (2025), an Apple TV+ series alongside Dominic Cooper. She is also starring in and producing the feature adaptation of Brood, a novel by Jackie Polzin.

Personal Life

In early 2017, Bennett began a relationship with English film director Joe Wright, known for films such as Pride and Prejudice and The Imitation Game. She gave birth to her first child, a daughter, on December 27, 2018. As of 2019, the family resides in Bruton, Somerset, England, where they maintain a private life away from the spotlight while continuing their professional work in the entertainment industry.

Artistic Approach

Bennett's career is characterized by strategic role selection and a commitment to meaningful storytelling. Rather than pursuing every available role, she chooses projects that challenge her as an actress and contribute to important narratives. Her willingness to take on difficult, complex characters—particularly women dealing with psychological struggles, trauma, or moral ambiguity—has earned her respect from directors, critics, and audiences alike.

Her work demonstrates a range spanning romantic comedy to intense psychological drama, action blockbusters to intimate independent films. This versatility, combined with her ability to bring authenticity and depth to every role, has established her as one of the most respected actresses of her generation.

Explore More

Discover Haley Bennett's complete filmography, view her photo gallery, and learn about her awards and recognition.