Anna Paquin is a Canadian-born New Zealand actress. Her first critically successful film was The Piano, for which she won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress. Anna Paquin is the daughter of Mary, an English teacher, and Brian, a high school physical education teacher.

Anna is the youngest of three children, and attended the Raphael House Rudolf Steiner School. Paquin also participated in gymnastics, ballet, swimming and downhill skiing.

Anna completed her high school diploma at Windward School in Los Angeles. Anna Paquin completed the school`s community service requirement by working in an LA soup kitchen. Paquin studied at Columbia University for one year.