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Eliza Scanlen
Australian actor

Eliza Jane Scanlen (born 6 January 1999) is an Australian actress. She rose to prominence portraying Tabitha Ford in the Australian soap opera Home and Away (2016), before receiving critical acclaim for playing a troubled teenager in the HBO miniseries Sharp Objects (2018) and the BBC series Dope Girls (2025).

Scanlen expanded to films in 2019 with her roles in the drama Babyteeth and Greta Gerwig's period drama Little Women. She has since portrayed a young Eleanor Roosevelt in the Showtime series The First Lady (2022) and starred in the mystery film Caddo Lake (2024).

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Early life

Scanlen was born in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, and has a fraternal twin sister named Annabel.1 She learned the piano when she was about seven years old, but stopped playing when she was 13 years old. In preparation for her role as Beth March in the 2019 film adaptation of Little Women, she started practicing the piano again.2

Career

While in high school, Scanlen was cast in the recurring role of Tabitha Ford on television soap opera Home and Away.3 Scanlen starred as the titular character in the 2018 short film Grace.4 She then achieved recognition for her portrayal of Amma Crellin in the HBO psychological thriller miniseries Sharp Objects, in which she stars alongside Amy Adams.5

Scanlen made her professional theatre debut in Sydney Theatre Company's 2019 production of Lord of the Flies, directed by Kip Williams. She played the role of Eric for the play's run.6 She made her feature film debut as Milla Finlay in Shannon Murphy's Babyteeth, which premiered in competition at Venice Film Festival.7 In 2019, she portrayed Beth March in Greta Gerwig's adaptation of Louisa May Alcott's novel Little Women, co-starring alongside Saoirse Ronan, Emma Watson, Florence Pugh, Laura Dern, Timothée Chalamet, and Meryl Streep.8 The film received six Academy Award nominations (including Best Picture), and grossed $218 million at the box office.910

In 2020, Scanlen portrayed Lenora in Antonio Campos' thriller The Devil All the Time, based on Donald Ray Pollock's book. In the same year she made her directional debut with the Australian short film Mukbang which received much controversy, she also wrote the screen play.11 In 2021, Scanlen co-starred in M. Night Shyamalan's thriller Old, which was released on 23 July.12

In 2023, Scanlen had the lead role of Jem Starling in Laurel Parmet's directorial debut The Starling Girl. She received critical acclaim for her performance, with Ben Travers of IndieWire writing: "It helps that Scanlen's performance refuses to let this movie feel trite."13 Jason Bailey for The Playlist wrote: "Scanlen's work here is just as good, just as steeped in the feeling of a real-life being lived right in front of you."14

In 2024, Scanlen played Cecily Cardew in the National Theatre's acclaimed revival of Oscar Wilde's The Importance of Being Earnest, starring alongside Ncuti Gatwa, Hugh Skinner, Ronkẹ Adékoluẹjo, and Sharon D. Clarke.

Filmography

Film

YearTitleRoleNotes
2019BabyteethMilla Finlay
Little WomenElizabeth "Beth" March
2020The Devil All the TimeLenora Laferty
2021OldKara (15 years old)
2023The Starling GirlJem Starling
2024Caddo LakeEllie15
Key
†Denotes film or TV productions that have not yet been released

Short

YearTitleRoleDirectorWriterRef
2018GraceGraceNN16
2020Mukbang-YY
2022How Can I Help You-YY17

Television

YearTitleRoleNotes
2016Home and AwayTabitha FordRecurring role
2018Sharp ObjectsAmma CrellinMain cast, miniseries
2021FiresTashMain cast, miniseries
2022The First LadyEleanor Roosevelt (young)18
2025Dope GirlsViolet Davies9 episodes

Theatre

YearTitleRoleNotes
2019William Golding's Lord of the FliesEricSydney Theatre Company
To Kill a MockingbirdMayella EwellShubert Theatre
2024The Importance of Being EarnestCecily CardewRoyal National Theatre19

References

  1. Smith, Krista (August 2018). "Sharp Objects Star Eliza Scanlen Holds Her Own Opposite Her Childhood Idol". Vanity Fair. Archived from the original on 29 September 2020. Retrieved 30 August 2018. https://www.vanityfair.com/hollywood/2018/07/sharp-objects-star-eliza-scanlen-holds-her-own-opposite-amy-adams ↩

  2. Robinson, Joanna (26 August 2018). "Sharp Objects Star Eliza Scanlen on Working with Greta Gerwig for Little Women". Vanity Fair. Retrieved 30 August 2018. https://www.vanityfair.com/hollywood/2018/08/sharp-objects-finale-who-plays-amma-eliza-scanlen-little-women ↩

  3. Clayton, Cy (4 July 2018). "From Home and Away to Hollywood, Eliza Scanlen sharpens her talent". The West Australian. Archived from the original on 20 July 2019. Retrieved 19 March 2019. https://thewest.com.au/entertainment/tv/from-home-and-away-to-hollywood-eliza-scanlen-sharpens-her-talent-ng-b88883940z ↩

  4. Clayton, Cy (4 July 2018). "From Home and Away to Hollywood, Eliza Scanlen sharpens her talent". The West Australian. Archived from the original on 20 July 2019. Retrieved 19 March 2019. https://thewest.com.au/entertainment/tv/from-home-and-away-to-hollywood-eliza-scanlen-sharpens-her-talent-ng-b88883940z ↩

  5. Clayton, Cy (4 July 2018). "From Home and Away to Hollywood, Eliza Scanlen sharpens her talent". The West Australian. Archived from the original on 20 July 2019. Retrieved 19 March 2019. https://thewest.com.au/entertainment/tv/from-home-and-away-to-hollywood-eliza-scanlen-sharpens-her-talent-ng-b88883940z ↩

  6. Dow, Steve (23 July 2019). "Reinventing Lord of the Flies: chaos, cruelty and not an alpha male in sight". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 2 June 2020. Retrieved 6 January 2020. https://www.theguardian.com/stage/2019/jul/23/reinventing-lord-of-the-flies-chaos-cruelty-and-not-an-alpha-male-in-sight ↩

  7. McNary, Dave (15 October 2019). "Eliza Scanlen Drama 'Babyteeth' Lands at IFC for North America (EXCLUSIVE)". Variety. https://variety.com/2019/film/news/babyteeth-eliza-scanlen-ifc-north-america-1203371280/ ↩

  8. Harrison, Ellie (29 December 2019). "Eliza Scanlen: 'I'm tired of making excuses for young male actors – everyone should know what it means to be professional'". The Independent. Archived from the original on 12 February 2020. Retrieved 6 January 2020. https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/films/features/eliza-scanlen-little-women-movie-sharp-objects-interview-a9258176.html ↩

  9. Grady, Constance (13 January 2020). "In 2020, Little Women has a men problem. But it used to be seen as a story for everyone". Vox. Archived from the original on 31 January 2023. Retrieved 30 January 2023. https://www.vox.com/platform/amp/culture/2020/1/13/21059063/oscars-2020-little-women-best-picture-best-director-men-problem-greta-gerwig ↩

  10. "Little Women (2019)". The Numbers. Nash Information Services, LLC. Archived from the original on 3 January 2020. Retrieved 30 January 2023. https://www.the-numbers.com/movie/Little-Women-(2019) ↩

  11. Quinn, Karl (8 July 2020). "Mukbang film controversy: 'Thin line between appropriation and homage'". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 15 November 2023. https://www.smh.com.au/culture/tv-and-radio/mukbang-film-controversy-thin-line-between-appropriation-and-homage-20200708-p55a85.html ↩

  12. Hipes, Patrick (23 June 2020). "M. Night Shyamalan Thriller Gets 2021 Release Date". Deadline. Archived from the original on 10 September 2020. Retrieved 24 June 2020. https://deadline.com/2020/06/m-night-shyamalan-movie-release-date-2021-1202967664/ ↩

  13. Travers, Ben (21 January 2023). "'The Starling Girl' Review: Eliza Scanlen Shines as a Christian Teen Who Sins with Her Sexy Pastor". IndieWire. Archived from the original on 30 January 2023. Retrieved 30 January 2023. https://www.indiewire.com/2023/01/the-starling-girl-review-1234802276/ ↩

  14. Bailey, Jason (21 January 2023). "'The Starling Girl' Review: Eliza Scanlen Shines in This Deeply Felt Coming-Of-Age Drama [Sundance]". The Playlist. Archived from the original on 31 January 2023. Retrieved 30 January 2023. https://theplaylist.net/the-starling-girl-review-eliza-scanlen-shines-in-this-deeply-felt-coming-of-age-drama-sundance-20230121/ ↩

  15. Grobar, Matt (5 September 2024). "Max Unveils Premiere Date, Teaser For Thriller 'Caddo Lake' Produced By M. Night Shyamalan". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved 13 October 2024. https://deadline.com/2024/09/caddo-lake-m-night-shyamalan-thriller-sets-premiere-date-max-1236079353/ ↩

  16. Clayton, Cy (4 July 2018). "From Home and Away to Hollywood, Eliza Scanlen sharpens her talent". The West Australian. Archived from the original on 20 July 2019. Retrieved 19 March 2019. https://thewest.com.au/entertainment/tv/from-home-and-away-to-hollywood-eliza-scanlen-sharpens-her-talent-ng-b88883940z ↩

  17. "How Can I Help You". Sydney Film Festival. Archived from the original on 29 May 2023. Retrieved 29 May 2023. https://www.sff.org.au/program/browse/how-can-i-help-you ↩

  18. Petski, Denise (23 July 2021). "'The First Lady': Ellen Burstyn, Eliza Scanlen, Cailee Spaeny To Recur On Showtime Anthology Series". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on 23 July 2021. Retrieved 25 August 2021. https://deadline.com/2021/07/the-first-lady-ellen-burstyn-eliza-scanlen-cailee-spaeny-recur-showtime-anthology-series-1234798988/ ↩

  19. "The Importance of Being Earnest". National Theater. Retrieved 13 October 2024. https://www.nationaltheatre.org.uk/productions/the-importance-of-being-earnest/ ↩