Brie Larson: I’ve always been clear on what I want

Actress Brie Larson had no aspirations for a music career despite landing a record deal as a teenager.

The 26-year-old has been in entertainment industry since she was a teenager, getting one of her first major breaks in the Disney Channel movie Right on Track. More recently she has starred in movies including 21 Jump Street, Trainwreck and acclaimed indie film Short Term 12. But on her path to success Brie has hit some bumps in the road; including a short-lived music career when she was 15.

"I had no aspirations for that, but within seconds, I had a record deal," she told Variety. "Tommy Mottola signed me, and I was being flown all over the U.S. to write songs for my album. I was born with a clear idea of what I wanted to do. It has not always been easy for me because of it."

Brie never followed up her 2005 album Finally Out of P.E., instead choosing to focus on her first love – acting. The star had wanted to be an actress since she was a little girl, with her mother eventually agreeing to sign her up to classes.

A year later she headed to Los Angeles from her home in Sacramento, California, with her mother and younger sister for pilot season. The family holed themselves up in a studio flat and while Brie didn't realise it at the time, her father had just asked for a divorce. Despite her mother's heartbreak she made sure her girls were happy despite having very little money.

"My mom created this amazing world, and I never remembered it as being a time where things were tight, and we were just eating Top Ramen and 99¢ Jack in the Box tacos, and I didn't have any toys," she said. "It didn't feel that way to me at all; it didn't feel sparse."

The family's hard times were worth it and Brie's dream thankfully came true. Her role in upcoming movie Room is receiving much acclaim but adjusting to her rising profile has been a challenge for the star.

"The hardest pill for me to swallow has been receiving recognition, getting dressed up, going to events," she added. "That's the part that has always terrified me."