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Quvenzhane’s Oscar wish is meeting Beyonce

The youngest Academy Award nominee made her debut on The Tonight Show

By Meredith Blake, Los Angeles Times
Published: 14:15 February 2, 2013

Image Credit: REUTERS
Actress Quvenzhane Wallis arrives at the Producers Guild of America Awards in Beverly Hills, California January 26, 2013.REUTERS/Gus Ruelas (UNITED STATES - Tags: ENTERTAINMENT)

Best actress Oscar nominee Quvenzhane Wallis made her debut on ‘The Tonight Show’ on Thursday, but if the nine-year-old star of ‘Beasts of the Southern Wild’ was fazed by the attention, she certainly didn’t let on.

Accompanied by the film’s director, Benh Zeitlin, and decked out in an ensemble of purple leggings, sparkly high-tops and a puppy-shaped purse, Wallis oozed with the preternatural confidence that’s made her the darling of this awards season.

Asked how she reacted to news of her Academy Award nomination, Wallis said she remained cool on the outside (of course) but was “flipping cartwheels and stuff on the inside.”

She also boasted of fibbing to Zeitlin about her age when she auditioned for the film: Though only five, she claimed she was six. Not completely able to read at that point, Wallis admitted that “sometimes we had to change the script a little bit.”

Proving once again that stars are just like the rest of us, Wallis said she’d like to meet Beyonce on Oscars night. Other celebs on her wish-list include Demi Lovato, China Anne McClain and “maaaaybe” Nicki Minaj.

“I know her. I can help you out,” host Jay Leno said.

Distinctly unimpressed, Wallis mimed a phone with her hand and fired back: “Call me whenever you have something down.”