Siena Bjornerud turned heads after popping up in the Dennis Quaid-led 2023 movie, The Hill.
Telling the story of the real-life of former major league baseball player Rickey Hill, The Hill follows the young sports phenom as he overcomes a degenerative spinal disease and takes the field despite what his overbearing father may think.
The film recently hit Netflix, giving The Hill a whole new audience as the masses are introduced to Siena Bjornerud, who plays Rickey's girlfriend Gracie in the base-running blockbuster.
5 Facts About The Hill's Siena Bjornerud
Siena Bjornerud Trained at Prestigious Acting Schools
Despite making her major motion picture debut in The Hill, Siena Bjornerud has been training for this moment for quite some time.
The Seattle-born actress previously trained at several prestigious acting schools. Before popping on the big screen Bjornerud was turning heads at New York University's (NYU) Tisch Drama faculty, and the Atlantic Acting Conservatory, honing her craft and taking the stage in several show-stopping performances.
Bjornerud is just the latest big name to come out of NY, Tisch, and Atlantic, sharing her alma modern with Marvel actress Elizabeth Olsen (Atlantic), Alec Baldwin (NYU), Kirsten Bell (NYU), and Clark Gregg (Atlantic).
Fans of the actress can dive into some of her work from school, including a performance of Sam Cooke's "A Change is Gonna Come."
Siena Is a Singer/Songwriter
Aside from creatively expressing herself on the stage and screen, Bjornerud is also a noted singer/songwriter.
She has written and performed music for years, releasing her first official EP in 2022.
In the musical world, the five-foot-ten actress goes simply by Siena Bjørn, producing groovy, jazz-infused R&B.
In the 18 months or so, the Hill star has released several new singles, including the stripped-down "Laurel Canyon," funky bass-ladened "Indigo."
Speaking with Girl.com, Bjornerud described "Indigo" as a story of "the fear of letting go and giving in," saying she believes no matter what happens, "You inevitably have a part to play in your own demise:"
“The fear of letting go and giving in, the fear of letting someone in and how shame can be debilitating and as much as you want to hate the other person for what they did to you. You inevitably have a part to play in your own demise.”
Those looking for more of her music can visit her official YouTube page where she posts all of her new work.
Siena’s Surname Means ‘Red Bear’
Siena Bjornerud is very passionate about her heritage and has put it on display many times, breaking down why her name means so much to her.
Her last name translates to 'Red Bear.' In a blog post on Vocal Media the Hill star revealed her name makes her feel "the strength of [her] Norse ancestry" and "Tak[ing] pride in...where you come from:"
"Bjornerud. 'Red Bear.' Feel the strength of your Norse ancestry and be bold in your way. You are of unmatched ambition and capabilities. Take pride in yourself and where you come from."
And she takes her first name, Siena from the stunning Italian city, a place - in Bjornerud's own words - is "beyond beauty and historic tradition:"
"Siena. A city beyond beauty and historic tradition. Full of the true Italian way of living: with living taking precedent. Embrace this of yourself. Take time to travel and be present, to read and nurture opinions, to write and foster personality."
Siena Has a Cat Named Zuko
Fans who follow Siena Bjornerud on social media are very familiar with her feline pal.
The actress has a pet cat named Zuko, a grey long-haired tabby.
Bjornerud posts photos of Zuko on her Instagram page fervently, even having a highlight reel at the top of her profile of all the next kitty cat content from her and Zuko.
Siena Has Written a Short Film – And Hopes to Get it Made
Yes, Bjornerud has shown off her chops working in front of the camera, but the actress also has ambitions to do more behind the camera.
Bjornerud wrote a short film titled The Lovely Dark and she is trying to get it made, but the future of the project remains unclear.
The Lovely Dark was set to be a "drama/thriller that uncomfortably watches as a woman’s own mind fails her," taking a deep dive into a woman's psyche as she "tears the fabric of reality and can no longer discern it from her own demons" (via Kickstarter):
"'The Lovely Dark' is a drama/thriller that uncomfortably watches as a woman’s own mind fails her. Maggie is thrust into the darkest depths of herself and those she can trust waver in their loyalty. When she tears the fabric of reality and can no longer discern it from her own demons, Maggie must choose which to live her life in."
The short was initially set to film sometime in July 2023 with a Kickstarter campaign running in spring 2023.
However, the movie did not reach its initial funding goal and has seemingly sat on the back burner since then.
Since the end of the campaign, Bjornerud has not provided any updates on the project, meaning it could be dead in the water.
How Fans Can Follow Siena Bjornerud Online
Fans looking to keep up with Siena Bjornerud online can follow her on Instagram (sienabjorn), YouTube, X (sienabjorn), Facebook, and TikTok.
Siena Bjornerud can be seen in The Hill which is streaming on Netflix now.
