Taissa Farmiga facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Taissa Farmiga
|
|
---|---|
![]() Farmiga in 2016
|
|
Born | Whitehouse Station, New Jersey, U.S.
|
August 17, 1994
Occupation | Actress |
Years active | 2010–present |
Spouse(s) |
Hadley Klein
(m. 2020) |
Relatives |
|
Taissa Farmiga (born August 17, 1994) is an American actress. She is known for her many roles in scary movies. Because of this, she is sometimes called a "scream queen." Her older sister, Vera Farmiga, is also an actress.
Taissa's sister, Vera, encouraged her to start acting. Taissa's first movie was Higher Ground (2011), which Vera directed. Taissa became very well known for her work on the TV show American Horror Story. She starred in several seasons, including Murder House (2011) and Coven (2013–2014).
She also appeared in movies like the crime drama The Bling Ring (2013) and the thriller Mindscape (2013). Taissa received praise for her acting in the comedy horror film The Final Girls (2015). She also starred in the drama films 6 Years (2015) and Share (2015). These movies were shown at the South by Southwest festival. She was named one of the festival's breakout stars.
Taissa has also voiced the superhero Raven in animated movies from 2016 to 2020. Her other films include the comedies Rules Don't Apply (2016) and The Long Dumb Road (2018). She also appeared in the drama films In a Valley of Violence (2016) and What They Had (2018). She starred in the scary movies The Nun (2018) and its sequel, The Nun II (2023).
Taissa was also a main character in the TV show Wicked City (2015). In 2016, she performed on stage for the first time in the play Buried Child.
Contents
Early Life and Family
Taissa Farmiga was born on August 17, 1994. Her birthplace is Whitehouse Station, New Jersey, in the U.S. Her parents, Lubomyra Spas and Michael Farmiga, came from Ukraine. Her mother was a schoolteacher, and her father worked with computer systems.
Taissa is the youngest of seven children. Her older siblings are Victor, Vera, Stephan, Nadia, Alexander, and Laryssa. Her sister Laryssa was born with spina bifida, a health condition.
Taissa went to public school until fourth grade. After that, she was homeschooled. She can understand the Ukrainian language but can only speak some of it. She also knows American Sign Language very well, as she took classes for four years. Her family was raised Pentecostal.
Acting Career Highlights
Starting Out in Film and TV (2011–2014)
Taissa first thought about becoming an accountant. However, her sister, Vera Farmiga, asked her to act in her first movie as a director. This movie was the drama Higher Ground. Taissa played the main character, Corinne Walker, when she was 16 years old. The movie was shown at the Sundance Film Festival in 2011. Taissa received great reviews for her acting. Soon after, she signed with a talent agency.
In the same year, Taissa starred in the first season of the TV show American Horror Story. This show made her famous around the world. In Murder House, she played Violet Harmon. Violet was a troubled teenage girl. Taissa got this role during her very first acting audition.
Next, she joined the cast of Sofia Coppola's movie The Bling Ring. This film was based on a real-life group of teenagers. Taissa played Sam Moore, a 17-year-old who liked to cause trouble. The movie was shown at the 2013 Cannes Film Festival and received good reviews. She also played Audrey Martin in the romantic comedy At Middleton. In this movie, she acted alongside her sister Vera and Andy García.
Taissa starred as Zoe Benson in American Horror Story: Coven (2013–2014). Zoe was a young witch with a powerful and dangerous ability. Critics praised Taissa's performance in this role. She then had her first main role in a movie, playing Anna Greene in the thriller Mindscape. Her acting in Mindscape was highly praised. One magazine called her "hypnotizing." She also played Sarah in the crime drama Jamesy Boy (2014).
Becoming a Mainstream Star (2015–2016)

In 2015, three of Taissa's movies were shown at the South by Southwest festival. The first was the horror comedy The Final Girls. In this movie, she played the main character, Max Cartwright. Her performance earned her an award nomination. The second movie was the romantic drama 6 Years, where she played Melanie Clark. Her acting in these films was highly praised. Taissa was named one of the festival's breakout stars.
In 2015, she also starred in the TV show Wicked City. The show received mixed reviews and was canceled after three episodes. The remaining episodes were later released online.
In 2016, Taissa performed on stage for the first time in the play Buried Child. She acted with Ed Harris and Amy Madigan. She then starred with Ethan Hawke and John Travolta in the Western film In a Valley of Violence. She played a talkative young innkeeper who becomes friends with Ethan Hawke's character. This movie also premiered at South by Southwest and received good reviews.
Taissa also started doing voice acting in 2016. She voiced the superhero Raven in the animated movie Justice League vs. Teen Titans. She returned to American Horror Story for its sixth season, Roanoke. She appeared as Sophie Green in one episode. Taissa also co-starred in the romantic comedy-drama Rules Don't Apply. She played Sarah Bransford.
Later Film and TV Roles (2017–Present)
Taissa continued to voice Raven in Teen Titans: The Judas Contract in 2017. She then played Emma Ertz in the drama film What They Had. She also worked with director Hannah Fidell again for the comedy film The Long Dumb Road. Both movies premiered at the Sundance Film Festival in 2018.
Taissa then appeared as Sister Irene in the scary movie The Nun. This film was released in September 2018. It became the highest-earning movie in The Conjuring Universe series. In August 2018, it was confirmed that Taissa would return to American Horror Story for its eighth season, American Horror Story: Apocalypse. She played both Violet Harmon and Zoe Benson again.
Taissa also played Merricat Blackwood in the movie We Have Always Lived in the Castle. This film was based on a mystery novel. She also appeared with Clint Eastwood and Bradley Cooper in the drama film The Mule, released in December 2018.
In 2019, Taissa appeared in an episode of The Twilight Zone. In 2020, she was a guest star in three episodes of the horror show 50 States of Fright.
In 2022, Taissa began starring in the HBO drama series The Gilded Age. She plays Gladys Russell, a socialite. In 2023, she played Sister Irene again in the scary movie sequel The Nun II. In 2024, she starred in the romantic drama film She Taught Love.
Personal Life
Taissa Farmiga owns a home in Los Feliz, Los Angeles. In May 2019, it was reported that she was engaged to Hadley Klein, a screenwriter and director. They got married in a small ceremony at their home on August 8, 2020.
Filmography
Film Roles
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
2011 | Higher Ground | Teenage Corinne Walker | |
2013 | The Bling Ring | Sam Moore | |
At Middleton | Audrey Martin | ||
Mindscape | Anna Greene | ||
2014 | Jamesy Boy | Sarah | |
2015 | The Final Girls | Max Cartwright | |
6 Years | Melanie Clark | ||
Share | Krystal Williams | Short film | |
2016 | In a Valley of Violence | Mary-Anne | |
Justice League vs. Teen Titans | Raven | Voice role | |
Rules Don't Apply | Sarah Bransford | ||
2017 | Teen Titans: The Judas Contract | Raven | Voice role |
2018 | What They Had | Emma Ertz | |
The Long Dumb Road | Rebecca | ||
The Nun | Sister Irene Palmer | ||
We Have Always Lived in the Castle | Merricat Blackwood | ||
The Mule | Ginny | ||
2020 | Justice League Dark: Apokolips War | Raven | Voice role |
2021 | John and the Hole | Laurie Shay | |
2023 | The Nun II | Sister Irene Palmer | |
2024 | She Taught Love | Samantha Miron |
Television Roles
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
2011 | American Horror Story: Murder House | Violet Harmon | 12 episodes |
2013–2014 | American Horror Story: Coven | Zoe Benson | 13 episodes |
2015 | Wicked City | Karen McClaren | 8 episodes |
2016 | American Horror Story: Roanoke | Sophie Green | Episode: "Chapter 9" |
2018 | American Horror Story: Apocalypse | Zoe Benson | 5 episodes |
Violet Harmon | Episode: "Return to Murder House" | ||
2019 | The Twilight Zone | Annie Miller | Episode: "Not All Men" |
2020 | 50 States of Fright | Hannah Stolsfiss | 3 episodes |
2022–present | The Gilded Age | Gladys Russell | Main role |
Stage Roles
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
2016 | Buried Child | Shelly | The New Group, Off-Broadway |
Podcast Roles
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
2023 | Radio Play Revival | Marjorie Harvey | Episode: "Bernice Bobs Her Hair" |
Awards and Recognition
Awards and Nominations
Year | Work | Award | Category | Result | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
2015 | The Final Girls | Fright Meter Awards | Best Actress | Nominated | |
2023 | The Gilded Age | Screen Actors Guild Awards | Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series | Nominated |
Special Honors
- Variety magazine named Taissa Farmiga one of "The 14 Women Who Dominated the South by Southwest Film Festival." This was for her work in The Final Girls (2015) and 6 Years (2015).
See also
In Spanish: Taissa Farmiga para niños