Maude Apatow and her character Lexi Howard finally got the recognition they deserve this year when the latter transitioned from Cassie’s nerdier, younger sister to director of the sensational play “Our Life” inEuphoriaseason 2. In the series' show-stopping finale, students of East Highland High School gathered to watch “Our Life” and were equal parts amused and horrified to discover the play was about them.
Though Lexi is new to the spotlight, Apatow is not, and following the cessation ofEuphoriaseason 2 many are only recently discovering this. Daughter of actress Leslie Mann anddirector Judd Apatow, Maude Apatow comes from Hollywood royalty and began her career playing her mother’s daughter in her father’s movies. Since then, she has taken on many roles and proven herself to be one to watch. FromThis is 40toThe King of Staten Island, here are her five best movies and series.
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This is 40 (2012)
In 2007, Maude Apatow starred as her mother’s daughter Sadie in her father’s movieKnocked Upabout a slacker (Seth Rogen) who accidentally impregnates a TV host (Katherine Heigl) after a one-night stand. In 2012, she reprised her role as Sadie in the movie’s spin-offThis is 40where she has much more screen-time.This is 40follows married couple Debbie (Leslie Mann) and Pete (Paul Rudd) — characters introduced inKnocked Up— as they approach the big 4-0 and deal with the stresses that come with middle-aged life.
One of their biggest stressors is their kids, 13-year-old Sadie and 8-year-old Charlotte (played by Maude’s real-life sister Iris Apatow). With five years separating them, Sadie and Charlotte rarely see eye to eye and, much to their parents' dismay, constantly argue. Charlotte thinks Sadie is mean and grumpy, whereas Sadie thinks Charlotte is immature and annoying; both aren’t wrong, and thoughThis is 40is a funny movie overall, theolder-sibling-younger-sibling dynamicis especially hilarious.
Girls (2012)
Created by Lena Dunham, and executive-produced by Judd Apatow, HBO’sGirlsis acomedy-drama seriesabout four 20-somethings living and struggling in New York City. These young women are wannabe writer Hannah Horvath (Lena Dunham), free spirit Jessa Johansson (Jemima Kirke), Type-A Marnie Michaels, and bubbly Shoshanna Shapiro (Zosia Mamet). During its five-year run, many celebrities made cameos onGirls, including, of course, Maude Apatow.
Apatow made her small-screen debut in the fourth season ofGirlswhere she played 15-year-old student Cleo. Working as a substitute English teacher at this point, Hannah befriends Cleo and the two enter a short-lived, inappropriate relationship. Hannah confides in Cleo about her relationship with fellow teacher Fran (Jake Lacy), gives Cleo herown(bad) dating advice, and even convinces her to get matching frenulum piercings. Again, this is another duo that just works; Dunham and Apatow bounce off each other in their scenes together and between them have some of the best lines in the season.
Other People (2016)
Written and directed by Chris Kelly,Other Peopleis a comedy-drama movie about a young, gay comedy writer named David (Jesse Plemons) who, following a break-up, moves to Sacramento to look after his dying mother Joanne (Molly Shannon). Back in his childhood home, David tries to hold it together, but his sadness is compounded by his conservative father’s (Bradley Whitford) unacceptance of his sexuality.
Apatow has a small role as David’s younger sister Alexandra, who spends most of the movie with their sister Rebeccah (Madisen Beaty). Alexandra is like any other teenage girl, except her struggles are worsened by her mother’s illness. Apatow portrays this well, allowing audiences to see past Alexandra’s tough exterior. Molly Shannon steals the show, however, as mother Joanne. Known for herstrictly-comedic workonSaturday Night Live, Shannon’s deeply moving performance inOther Peopleis a welcome surprise.
Hollywood (2020)
Created byRyan Murphyand Ian Brennan — who co-createdGlee,Scream Queens, andThe Politician—Hollywoodis a Netflix miniseries that follows a group of aspiring actors and filmmakers looking to make it big in postwar Hollywood. Described as a love letter to the Golden Age of Tinseltown, the drama features an ensemble cast, includingAmerican Horror Storyregular Dylan McDermott andGleestar Darren Criss.
Apatow has a recurring role inHollywoodas Henrietta Castello, the pregnant wife of David Corenswet’s Jack. Henrietta works as a waitress and is unsupportive of her husband’s ambition to be an actor, leading to marital issues and for both characters to find romance elsewhere. The relationship between the couple is an entertaining source of drama in the already-scandalous show which received 12Primetime Emmy nominationsand 2 wins.
The King of Staten Island (2020)
Another one of her father’s projects,The King of Staten Islandis a comedy-drama movie starringPete Davidsonas a 24-year-old wannabe tattooist named Scott who lives with his mother Margie (Marisa Tomei) and sister Claire (Apatow) in Staten Island. Still dealing with the passing of his firefighter father when he was seven, Scott is enraged when his mother begins dating Ray (Bill Burr) who also happens to be a firefighter.
Portraying Claire, Apatow proves playing sisters is what she does best, as she gives a realistic performance as a teenager who is both fed up with, and concerned about, her sibling (sound familiarEuphoriafans?). The more mature sibling, Claire asks Scott to consider his future and is met with, “I’m gonna open that tattoo restaurant … it’s the best idea ever. ‘Ruby Tattoosdays, where everyone’s welcome. Chickenandtattoos.'” What’s funnier than this pitch isClaire’s appalled reaction; clearly, all that time around her comedian father rubbed off on Apatow.
