A terrific actress, probably among the best of this generation
It's a rarity these days to see an actor who always gives emotionally intricate, fully realized, and authentic from-head-to-toe performances. She's a living testimony that actors do not need to put a polished accent or a purely transformative body of work to be considered as a good one--though it's a given that these factors are a barometer for the level of your skill and versatility--but sometimes, perhaps even in a constant manner, all you need to do is to give a performance that would show all the layers and complexities of your character, with the precise measure and amount of emotions as well as an astounding display of naturalism.
That's what I saw with Shailene Woodley, ever since her breakthrough with The Descendants, in which she has blown me away with a brilliant and substantial turn as Alex King, who's not only a vigorous scene-stealer--that line when she said "You're sorry that you *beep* her, sorry that you *beep* her over my dad?!" was the best line of the entire movie--but also stands and shines as the most essential part of the film (along with Clooney). Since then, she continued on offering rich performances, with films like "The Spectacular Now" in which she vividly reminded me of Diane Keaton's lovely work in "Annie Hall"--they're both heartwarming and heartbreaking at the same time, "White Bird in a Blizzard" in which she fluctuated from convincingly brazen and numb, to vulnerable and poignant, and her best work to date "The Fault in our Stars" in which she incarnated a compelling literary character, depicted her acerbic wit, amusing realism, tender smile, physical pain, and the absolute remorse of dealing with loss--all in all delivered in a refined, subtle, and unerringly honest manner that gave a completeness to her bravura portrayal. It takes such skill and passion to show a spectrum of emotions, even with one simple glance or a 1-second "Okay".
Shai's definitely an outstanding actress, but of course she still needs to widen and explore her capabilities and most importantly her versatility. But even in a few films, you can see how a giant beast she is in acting.