Arkansas' Hendrix Yancey Wins Best Supporting Young Actress

Hendrix Yancey, of “Stranger Things” fame, won Best Supporting Young Actress at the 2024 Young Artists Academy Awards in Los Angeles for her role in the Peacock original limited series, “A Friend of the Family.”

“‘A Friend of the Family’ was one of the most challenging, yet rewarding projects that I’ve ever worked on. It means so much to me because not only did it challenge me tremendously, but I was also telling a very important, true story,” Hendrix said. “Being Jan’s voice and spreading awareness about grooming and manipulation from people you think you can trust is so important and not talked about enough. We all hear ‘stranger danger’ growing up, but I think it’s even more important to teach kids that trusted adults can sometimes be bad, too.”

Hendrix said Jan Broberg is like family to her now, and is proud to see her doing great things in order to keep children safe because of what she went through. Hendrix also encourages parents to speak about this topic with their children, in whichever way they feel comfortable doing so.

While there were many incredible things Hendrix experienced throughout working on this project, she believes the best part was working with the amazing cast and crew.

“I made lifelong friends on that set. McKenna Grace is now like the sister I never had,” Hendrix said.

Hendrix Yancey | “Stranger Things” | Netflix

With several good days and unforgettable experiences, Hendrix carries her fondest memory of what she says was the best day on set, April Fools Day. Hendrix pranked the cast members by placing black rice in their set trailers to look like a rat infestation. She also carried an air horn with her all day, which she would constantly blow at people to catch them off guard, and she filled Jake Lacy’s trailer with around 20 bottles of mayonnaise, because he hates mayonnaise.

“I’m such a prankster, so I love this day… That day was the best day ever,” Hendrix said.

Timie Yancey, Hendrix’s mom, has been supporting her daughter since day one in this journey, and was extremely excited to see Hendrix become an award-winning actress.

“Hendrix has always had a special light and almost magnetic-like attraction. In Hollywood, they call it the ‘IT Factor,’ but before I realized what it was, I would describe it as an electricity that draws people and attention to her,” Timie said. “What I’ve learned is that it takes much more than that to make it in this industry.’

Timie said Hendrix is the hardest working kid she knows, who is working hard for her passion. While the work that goes into the craft is often overlooked, it does not go unnoticed by Timie.

“To people that know or have met Hendrix, she is absolutely just a normal 12-year-old girl, but what they don’t see is the amount of hard work she puts into her craft,” Timie said.

According to Timie, Hendrix spends hours upon hours each week in scene study and acting classes. When she books a project, Hendrix spends 12 hours or more on set and then prepares for the next day on set.

Hendrix Yancey | “A Friend of the Family” | Peacock

“This industry is hard – and there are lots of and lots of heartbreaks – and I ask myself daily, ‘Why we are doing this?’ but when I see her on set, I know. She has a love for the arts and she was made to do this,” Timie said. “It’s been incredibly rewarding to see your child set a goal, work extremely hard for it and then see some success. Whether it’s as an athlete, an artist, a gymnast or an actor, to see your kid excel at something they love is worth every ounce of energy, heartache, mile traveled.”

The Yancey’s live in Hot Springs, where Hendrix attends Lakeside. While she stays busy with school and volleyball, Hendrix also meets with world-renowned directors and casting directors, and the prep work for the next big role is never-ending.

As an actress, Hendrix can now add writer and director to her resume, as she recently finished writing, directing and producing her first short film, which will debut at the POV (Persistence of Vision) Film Festival in January 2025.

To keep up with Hendrix and all of her work, follow her Facebook page. To learn more about the young actress and her Arkansas roots, read this earlier article.