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She plays Beck in "You."
By Samantha Maffucci — Written on Jan 14, 2019
Though You originally aired on Lifetime, it has since gained a major following after being released on Netflix at the end of December. The psychological thriller follows Joe, a bookstore owner, who becomes increasingly obsessed with his girlfriend, Beck.
How far will Joe go for love? Apparently, way over the line! No spoilers, but this is a show you need to binge-watch in one sitting. The series has already been renewed for a second season and is currently filming.
Elizabeth Lail plays the lead role of Beck, opposite Penn Badgley, who plays Joe. And whether or not you recognize her, she’s actually been featured in a number of starring television roles.
But she is much different than the character she portrays, making us wonder, just who is Elizabeth Lail and what is her personal life like? Here are six things to know about the actress.
1. She’s been interested in acting since a young age.
She initially dreamed of performing on stage rather than on screen. She attended a showing of Seven Brides for Seven Brothers at a community theater, sparking her interest in acting. When she first moved to New York City, she did so in an attempt to pursue a career in theater.
2. She’s had feature roles in numerous television series.
She landed an audition and was cast as Anna (from Frozen) in ABC’s Once Upon a Time! She then had a starring role in the horror series Dead of Summer, and had small parts on The Blacklist and The Good Fight. However, her breakout role is as the female lead in You.
3. But she didn’t start acting without an education.
When she graduated high school, Lail attended the University of North Carolina School of the Arts, and graduated in May 2014 with a BFA.
4. And she quickly landed a role straight out of college.
After graduating college, Lail was working as a babysitter. But only six months after getting her BFA, she landed the role of Anna on Once Upon a Time. How lucky is that?
5. She also does fundraising.
In addition to acting, she fundraises for a charity called Space on Ryder Farm, which is “designed to help artists create work in a safe environment.”
6. She has a lot to say about her role as Beck.
When asked about the subject matter of You, Lail didn’t hold back:
“I think what was most important was that she a whole, complex person. She’s not just this naive bimbo, she’s very smart and what happens to her is not her fault. There’s a lot of people that point at the blinds or social media but I want people to remember it’s the person that’s peeking, it’s the person doing the stalking.
People are so quick to say, ‘You should be doing this and this and this.’ But the world that I hope for is a world where, no, you’re safe and this is bad behavior. The stalking is the bad behavior, not your lack of blinds.”
Samantha Maffucci is an associate editor for YourTango who focuses on writing trending news and entertainment pieces. In her free time, you can find her obsessing about cats, wine, and all things Vanderpump Rules.