YaYa Gosselin
A young actress who leapt from commercial modeling to leading a superhero squad in a major Netflix film before becoming a teenager.
Born 2009 (age 17)·American actress·Birthday: January 26·Generation Z
Biography
YaYa Gosselin represents a new generation of actor, one whose career began in the digital age and accelerated with the streaming boom. Born Felisita Leon Gosselin, she started as a child model before landing her first acting role at just eight years old. She quickly built a resume with sharp, memorable appearances in high-profile TV series like 'The Purge' and '13 Reasons Why,' demonstrating a maturity beyond her years. Her big break arrived when she was cast as Missy Moreno, the clever, resourceful leader of a group of superhero kids in Robert Rodriguez's Netflix film 'We Can Be Heroes.' Simultaneously, she secured a recurring role on CBS's 'FBI: Most Wanted,' playing Tali LaCroix, which gave her a steady presence in a primetime crime drama. Gosselin's early career is a masterclass in strategic building, balancing blockbuster fantasy with gritty procedural work, all while navigating childhood in the spotlight.
Generation Z
1997–2012
Born into smartphones, social media, and school shootings. The most diverse generation in history. Pragmatic about money, fluid about identity, anxious about the climate. They do not remember a world before the internet.
YaYa was born in 2009, placing them squarely in the Generation Z. The events that shaped this generation — social media, climate anxiety, and a pandemic — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When YaYa Was Born
The biggest hits of 2009
#1 Movie
Avatar
Best Picture
The Hurt Locker
#1 TV Show
American Idol
YaYa's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
2009Born
Michael Jackson dies; Bitcoin created
Gas: $2.35/galHome: $148,500Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Boom Boom Pow" — The Black Eyed PeasBest Picture: The Hurt Locker
2014Started school
Russia annexes Crimea; Ebola outbreak in West Africa
Gas: $3.37/galHome: $160,700Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Happy" — Pharrell WilliamsBest Picture: Birdman
2022Became a teenager
Russia invades Ukraine; Queen Elizabeth II dies
Gas: $3.97/galHome: $348,700Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Joe Biden"As It Was" — Harry StylesBest Picture: Everything Everywhere All at Once
2025Could drive
AI agents go mainstream
Gas: $3.10/galHome: $385,000Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"APT." — Rose & Bruno Mars
2026Age 17 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Played the lead role of Missy Moreno in the Netflix family superhero film 'We Can Be Heroes.'
- Portrayed Tali LaCroix as a series regular in the second season of the CBS drama 'FBI: Most Wanted.'
- Appeared in critically examined series such as '13 Reasons Why' and the film 'The Purge.'
Did You Know?
Her nickname 'YaYa' was given to her by her grandmother.
She is of Mexican and Puerto Rican descent.
She began her career as a model for commercials before transitioning to acting.
She made her acting debut in the short film 'After Omelas' in 2017.
“I want to show young girls that they can be the heroes of their own stories.”
