Gloria Stuart Biography

Fast Facts

• One of the founding members of the Screen Actors Guild in 1933 who presented her a special honor in 2010 for her many years of service
• Served on the executive board of the California State Democratic Committee
• Briefly attended the University of California-Berkeley before leaving prematurely to pursue her acting career in Hollywood full-time
• Quote: "When I graduated from Santa Monica High School in 1927, I was voted girl most likely to succeed․ I didn't realize it would take so long․"
• Began her eight decade career in 1932, eventually taking several long breaks to tend to her family and travel internationally before returning with her Oscar nominated role in the late '90s mega hit, "Titanic"
• Signed with Universal Studios in 1932 after being discovered while working on various stage productions, later moving to 20th Century Fox
• Despite being 86-years-old while filming "Titanic", the film's makeup department added age lines to make her look more like the age of her character, who was 101-years-old
• Became an avid bonsai tree artist after traveling across the globe and eventually became a member and supporter of the California Bonsai Society
• Chose the change her surname from Stewart to Stuart because she thought six letters lined up better on theater marquees rather than an uneven seven