Kiwi actress Thomasin McKenzie wins NBR breakthrough award

Thomasin McKenzie at the National Board of Review 2019 Gala. Photo / Getty Images

Kiwi actress Thomasin McKenzie has won the Breakthrough Performance Award at the 2019 National Board of Review Awards in New York.

McKenzie, 18, won the award for her performance in Leave No Trace, directed by Debra Granik.

Thomasin Harcourt McKenzie received her NBR Award for Breakthrough Performance from her @LeaveNoTraceMov director Debra Granik! pic.twitter.com/jMxV30EzDH

— NBR (@NBRfilm) January 9, 2019

The NBR Awards are presented by the National Board of Review of Motion Pictures, a US organisation dedicated to annually honouring top work in cinema.

Thomasin Mckenzie with her Breakthrough Performance award for Leave No Trace. Photo / Getty Images

The Breakthrough Performance Award has been given to stars such as Timothée Chalamet, Angelina Jolie and Jennifer Lawrence in the past. Lawrence won for her performance in Granik's last film, Winter's Bone.

McKenzie earned rave reviews for her performance as a young woman growing up in the woods with her father in Leave No Trace. She has since wrapped four films, including Taika Waititi's next project, Jojo Rabbit.

Thomasin Mackenzie in the film Leave No Trace. Photo / Supplied

In December, McKenzie was nominated for Best Young Actor/Actress at the Critic's Choice Awards.