M'laah Kaur Singh was born in Naperville, Ill. to her dentist father and mother, a psychotherapist and columnist for the Naperville Sun, on December 22, 2002. Ironic that the darkest night of the year gave birth to such a shining star.

At age 4, Naperville native M'laah won Model of the Year in a Chicago convention, awarding her a $6,000 scholarship to attend the International Modeling and Talent Association (IMTA) convention. Concerned at the time that M'laah couldn't possibly beat so many contestants, her parents decided not to allow her to go. The following year, encouraged by friends, they reconsidered and M'laah went to IMTA in New York. She competed through ten levels of competition and in an increasing mix of surprise and delight to her family, M'laah placed first or second in each, culminating in the award Actress of the Year 2008.

In 2009, M'laah booked her first commercial, a television ad for State Farm. She continued commercial work appearing in television and radio ads for American Heart and Lung Association and a television commercial for the US Census as well as modeling in various print ads. In 2009, rising star M'laah shared even more of the spotlight in a music video with rapper Busta Rhymes.

Momentum continued into 2010 with an appearance on Sprout Network's "Noodle and Doodle" alongside younger brother, A'naam Singh, who had a principal role on the kids show. It was an opportunity to collaborate creatively on-screen, though off camera, M'laah is academically competitive with her brother who is two years her junior. Now at 6 ½, A'naam is already reading "The Lost Hero," a fantasy book aimed at readers several grades higher.

But she has much more than acting talent. M'laah paints and is already "a fashionista," according to her mother, constantly drawing clothes and interior designs like chandeliers and window treatments. Her musical talents include singing and playing piano, looking to her idol, Selena Gomez, for inspiration.

She is also quite academically gifted, a straight-A student interested in science and math and who in her spare time reads detective stories and learns to speak Hindi and Punjabi.

One might think a 9-year-old with so many acquired skills must isolate herself indoors, but nothing is farther from the truth. M'laah enjoys meeting new people and makes friends everywhere she goes. She stays physically active with her love for the outdoors, swimming and yoga, and she's trained in Indian Classical dancing and singing.

M'laah inspires in more ways than simple entertainment. She developed an interest in organic foods and believes in being healthy. In 2009, she decided on her own to become a vegetarian. Her family obliged and supported her. Then in 2011, Mom and the kids became vegans.

M'laah's mother submitted her through Actors Access, landing M'laah a role opposite Mark Ruffalo in Marvel's multi-superhero action movie, "The Avengers." The film opens in U.S. theaters May 4, 2012.