Lizzy Caplan facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Lizzy Caplan
Caplan at the 2014 PaleyFest
Born	Elizabeth Anne Caplan (1982-06-30) June 30, 1982 (age 42) Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Occupation	Actress
Years active	1999–present
Spouse(s)	Tom Riley ​ (m. 2017)​
Children	1
Relatives	Howard Bragman (uncle)

Elizabeth Anne Caplan (born June 30, 1982) is an American actress. Her performances as Virginia E. Johnson in the Showtime series Masters of ... (2013-2016) and as Libby Epstein in FX on Hulu's Fleishman Is in Trouble have earned her nominations at the Primetime Emmy Awards.

Her first acting role was on the television series Freaks and Geeks (1999–2000). Since then, she had series-regular roles in several television series including Related (2005–2006), Party Down (2009–2010; 2023), Das Boot (2018), Castle Rock (2019), Truth Be Told (2019), Fatal Attraction (2023), and Zero Day (2025) as well as guest appearance in True Blood.

Caplan's film breakthrough came with her role as Janis Ian in Mean Girls (2004). Her other film appearances include Cloverfield (2008), Hot Tub Time Machine, 127 Hours (both 2010), Save the Date, Bachelorette (both 2012), The Interview (2014), Now You See Me 2, Allied (both 2016), and Cobweb (2023).

Early life

Elizabeth Anne Caplan was born on June 30, 1982, in Los Angeles, California, and grew up in its Miracle Mile district. Her family are Reform Jews of Ashkenazi Jewish descent. She had a Bat Mitzvah and attended Jewish summer camp. Her father, Richard Caplan, was a lawyer and her mother, Barbara (née Bragman), was a political aide. She is the youngest of three children with a brother, Benjamin, and a sister, Julie. Her mother died of cancer when she was 13 years old. Her uncle is publicist Howard Bragman. Caplan attended Alexander Hamilton High School, and attended the school's Academy of Music. She first focused on playing the piano, then later decided to pursue drama. She was also on her school's soccer team. She graduated in 2000, but did not attend college because she wanted to focus on acting.

Career

Caplan at the 2012 San Diego Comic-Con

Caplan began her acting career in 1999, first playing a girl named Sara in the critically acclaimed series Freaks and Geeks. Due to her performance, her character became the girlfriend of Jason Segel's character. She then had a series of guest appearances on numerous shows, and appeared in Jason Mraz's music video "You and I Both". In 2000 she appeared in her first film From Where I Sit which was released straight to television. In 2001, she played Tina Greer in an episode of Smallville, and reprised her role on the show in 2003. She appeared in two episodes of the ABC series Once and Again. In 2003, she starred in the television series The Pitts, playing Faith Pitt. She gained wider notice for playing Janis Ian in the 2004 film Mean Girls. She played Avery Bishop in the second season of Tru Calling.

In 2005, Caplan played troubled sister Marjee Sorelli in Related, a one-hour comedy-drama on The WB that was canceled after one season. In 2006, she starred as Sara Weller in the thriller film Love is the ... and was named one of "10 Actors to Watch" by Variety. After Related ended, Caplan was cast in the CBS sitcom The Class, which premiered in September 2006 and lasted for one season. She played Kat Warbler, one of several elementary school friends that reunite after 20 years.

In 2008, Caplan played Marlena Diamond in the film Cloverfield and was nominated for a Saturn Award for Best Supporting Actress. She also appeared as Ami in the romantic comedy My Best Friend's Girl. Later that year, she guest-starred as Amy Burley on the HBO vampire show True Blood. She was the voice of Faith Pitt in the proposed animated version of The Pitts, which was developed in 2007. She also appeared in the critically acclaimed Starz ensemble comedy Party Down, playing a struggling comedian who is part of a catering crew. In 2010, she appeared in 127 Hours.

In early 2012, Caplan premiered two films at the Sundance Film Festival: Save the Date and Bachelorette. Also in 2012, she appeared as Julia in several episodes of the Fox sitcom New Girl.

She played Agent Lacey in the 2014 film The Interview.

Masters of ... (2013–2016)

In 2013, she began playing Virginia E. Johnson on the Showtime series Masters of .... Caplan also provided her own vocals for a cover version of the song "You Don't Know Me" in one of its episodes. Her performance on the show was well-reviewed, and on July 10, 2014, she was nominated for the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series.

Caplan was cast in her role as Johnson before they signed her co-star Michael Sheen as William H. Masters because he was busy working on another production. Producer Sarah Timberman said of Caplan, "The minute we met Lizzie we thought that she just embodied so much of the spirit of Virginia Johnson." Caplan also stated herself that as a single woman pursuing her career above a family, she identified with many of Johnson's characteristics. Once she met the producers, it took several months before Caplan was officially signed, and she turned down several other roles in the meantime.

Her portrayal earned her nominations for the Primetime Emmy Award, Satellite Award and Critics' Choice Television Award, all for Outstanding Lead Actress.

Personal life

Caplan became engaged to British actor Tom Riley in New York in May 2016. They had met in January 2015 while Caplan was filming Now You See Me 2 in London and made their red carpet debut as a couple at the Prague Opera Ball in February 2016. They married in September 2017, and have a son born in 2021. Previously, Caplan dated Matthew Perry from 2006 until 2012.

Filmography

Film

Television

Awards and nominations

See also

In Spanish: Lizzy Caplan para niños