TL;DR: Hailee Steinfeld is one of the few child actors who successfully transitioned to adult stardom without a public meltdown. While your younger kids know her as the voice of Gwen Stacy in Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse, she is rapidly moving into more mature, intense territory with projects like Arcane and the upcoming thriller Sinners.
Quick Links for the Hailee Steinfeld Starter Pack:
- For the Littles (7+): Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse
- For Tweens (10+): Hawkeye and Bumblebee
- For Teens (15+): The Edge of Seventeen and Dickinson
- The "Vibe Check": Hailee Steinfeld on Instagram
If you haven’t been paying attention to the credits of your kids' favorite movies for the last decade, Hailee Steinfeld is the rare "triple threat" who actually delivers on all three fronts. She was nominated for an Oscar at age 14 for True Grit, became a legitimate pop star with hits like "Love Myself," and is now a pillar of the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
For parents, she’s a bit of a moving target. She isn't a "Disney kid" who stayed in a specific lane; she’s jumped from gritty Westerns to bubblegum pop to high-concept sci-fi. Because she is the voice of "Spider-Gwen," kids as young as five recognize her voice, but her recent and upcoming work is decidedly not for the preschool set.
Hailee’s career is currently bifurcated. On one hand, she’s the face of youth-leaning franchises. On the other, she’s taking on roles that deal with heavy themes of rebellion, sexuality, and horror.
Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse (Ages 7+)
This is where most of our kids met her. As Gwen Stacy, she’s the ultimate "cool girl" role model—competent, musical, and fiercely independent. It’s high-quality media that’s safe for almost the whole family. If your kid is obsessed, you can safely lean into this.
Hawkeye (Ages 10+)
Steinfeld plays Kate Bishop, a self-taught archer who teams up with Clint Barton. It’s a fun, holiday-themed action series. There’s some Marvel-level violence, but Kate is a great character for tweens—she’s flawed, over-eager, and incredibly hardworking. It’s a "safe" bridge between kid content and more mature teen drama.
Arcane (Ages 14+)
This is where parents need to pay attention. While it’s "animated" and based on the game League of Legends, this is not a kids' show. Hailee voices Vi, a pink-haired brawler in a steampunk dystopia. The show is visually stunning but incredibly violent and emotionally heavy. It deals with systemic poverty, drug addiction (represented by "Shimmer"), and tragic sibling rivalry.
Sinners (Ages 16+)
Directed by Ryan Coogler and starring Michael B. Jordan, this 2025 release is a supernatural horror film. If your kids are asking to see "the new Hailee Steinfeld movie" because they love Gwen Stacy, you’re going to want to check the rating on this one first. It’s a hard pivot into adult genre territory.
Ask our chatbot for a breakdown of 'Sinners' age-appropriateness
Hailee Steinfeld has mastered the "relatable but aspirational" vibe.
- The "Gwen" Factor: Spider-Gwen is arguably the most popular female superhero for the current generation of elementary schoolers.
- The Music: Her songs like "Starving" and "Most Girls" are staples on Spotify and TikTok. They are catchy, generally empowering, and don't rely as heavily on explicit content as some of her peers.
- The Fashion: She’s a fixture at the Met Gala and in high-fashion circles, which makes her a major "it girl" for teens following trends on Instagram.
Ages 7-11
Stick to the animated Spider-Verse films and Bumblebee. These movies showcase her as a hero and a friend. Pitch Perfect 2 is also a favorite in this age group, though it has some mild "mean girl" humor and suggestive jokes that might require a quick conversation.
Ages 12-14
This is the Hawkeye and True Grit phase. True Grit is a masterpiece, but it’s violent and the language is period-accurate (read: salty). It’s a great "watch together" movie to discuss grit and consequences.
Ages 15+
At this age, The Edge of Seventeen is practically a rite of passage. It’s one of the most honest depictions of teen anxiety and awkwardness ever filmed. It’s R-rated for language and sexual references, but it’s "real" in a way that most teen movies aren't. Dickinson on Apple TV+ is also fantastic for older teens—it’s a modern, stylized take on Emily Dickinson that explores identity and rebellion.
The Music & Lyrics
Hailee’s music is generally "PG-13." You won't find the level of explicit detail that you might in a Cardi B or Megan Thee Stallion track, but there are definitely themes of partying and romance. Check out our guide to monitoring song lyrics on Spotify
Social Media Presence
Hailee has over 20 million followers on Instagram. Her feed is very "professional"—lots of red carpets, brand deals, and behind-the-scenes shots. It’s not particularly "messy," but like all celebrity feeds, it presents an unattainable standard of beauty and lifestyle that can be tough for teenage girls to process.
Fan Culture
The "Haiz" fandom is relatively chill compared to the "Swifties" or "Army," but anytime a star is in the Marvel or League of Legends universe, the fan theories and deep-dives on YouTube can lead kids into some dark corners of the internet.
As Hailee moves into her late 20s, her role selection is changing. Parents who have used her as a "safe" choice for years need to be aware of two specific shows:
- Arcane: Again, do not let the animation fool you. It is a masterpiece of storytelling, but it features brutal fight scenes, torture, and deep psychological trauma.
- Dickinson: While it’s about a 19th-century poet, it features modern drug use (hallucinogens), queer themes, and frank discussions of sex. It’s excellent, but it’s for mature teens.
If your child is a fan, use her career as a jumping-off point for a few "digital wellness" conversations:
- On Career Evolution: "It’s interesting how Hailee went from playing a kid in True Grit to a superhero to these darker roles. How do you feel when your favorite actors start doing movies that are too old for you?"
- On Social Media vs. Reality: "Her Instagram looks like a fashion magazine. Do you think her 'real life' looks anything like those photos?"
- On Character Choices: In The Edge of Seventeen, her character makes a lot of mistakes. "Why do you think she felt so lonely even though she had people who cared about her?"
Get more tips on talking to teens about "real" vs "curated" social media
Hailee Steinfeld is a phenomenal talent and, for the most part, a very "safe" celebrity for kids to follow. However, the days of her being "the girl from the Transformers movie" are ending. She is leaning into her "prestige actor" era.
If your kids are under 12, keep them in the Spider-Man and Marvel lane. If you have older teens, her more mature work like The Edge of Seventeen and Arcane offers some of the best storytelling currently available—just be prepared for the "adult" themes that come with it.
- Watch Together: Stream Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse for a family movie night.
- Check the Rating: Before heading to the theater for Sinners, check the Screenwise guide for a full content breakdown.
- Listen: Check out her "Half Written Story" EP to see if the lyrical content fits your family's boundaries.