Judging by the sold-out crowd at the Back Bay Events Center Wednesday evening, actress and newly minted author Anna Kendrick is anyone but the “Scrappy Little Nobody’’ her book’s title suggests.
The Portland, Maine, native chatted onstage with Boston librarian and “Two Bossy Dames’’ co-writer Margaret H. Willison to promote the memoir, published Tuesday, which consists of witty autobiographical essays. As one would anticipate given Kendrick’s noted candidness, she held nothing back.
“If you treat a girl very badly, it is possible that one day she will get a book deal,’’ Kendrick warned the audience.
The 31-year-old actress, who currently stars alongside Ben Affleck in “The Accountant’’ and voices the pink-haired Poppy in “Trolls,’’ spoke humbly of her early successes — notably, receiving a Tony nomination at age 12 — as well as her more recent work. She’s inspired by actress Margo Martindale, with whom she and “very wealthy’’ Newton native John Krasinski recently costarred in “The Hollars.’’ She never thought she’d hate something as much as press junkets, but listening to her own voice while recording the “Scrappy Little Nobody’’ audiobook was a “unique hell.’’ And she’s not sure how the “Cups’’ song from “Pitch Perfect’’ rose to fame, either.
“ ‘Let me do this stupid thing,’ ’’ Kendrick recalled telling the film’s producers. “And they were like, ‘Oh, that’s cool. Let’s put it in the movie.’ And then I was on Billboard charts with Macklemore.’’
Much of Wednesday’s conversation also focused on the ordinary aspects of Kendrick’s life, accompanied by a tasteful amount of self-deprecating humor. She’s “ready to burn the world down’’ after last week’s election, and looks to “30 Rock’’ and Pumpkin The Raccoon’s Instagram account to cheer her up.
“[Raccoons] eat food like people and they look like bandits,’’ she quipped.
Kendrick later compared Stephen Sondheim to George R.R. Martin — the inclusion of nuanced characters is enough to make “A Little Night Music’’ like “Game of Thrones,’’ no? — and sprinkled advice all throughout. Always accept compliments, stockpile birth control while you can, and learn to embrace your past.
“If I was able to go back and tell 13-year-old me to avoid certain situations . . . I would be so boring,’’ Kendrick said. “I like being damaged. It’s fun.’’
Sonia Rao can be reached at sonia.rao@globe.com. Follow her on Twitter @misssoniarao.
