Julia Garner Biography
Julia Garner is an American actress who shot to fame playing Ruth Langmore in Netflix's "Ozark." She's known for her work in "The Americans," "Martha Marcy May Marlene," "Sin City: A Dame to Kill For," "We Are What We Are," "The Assistant," and "Inventing Anna." In 2022, she was cast as Madonna in the upcoming biopic about the legendary singer.
Childhood
Julia Garner was born in Riverdale, a neighborhood in the Bronx, on February 1, 1994, to a Jewish family. Her mother, Tami Gingold, lived in Israel in her youth and was a successful comedian before moving to the US at 20 to become a therapist. Her father, Thomas Garner, is an artist and art teacher from Ohio.
At nine, Julia's favorite film was the drama "All About Eve," directed by Joseph L. Mankiewicz in 1950. At 11, it was "Rosemary's Baby," and at 12, she watched Martin Scorsese's crime drama "Taxi Driver" for the first time on her own laptop.
Julia was a shy child. To build confidence, at 15 she started taking acting classes on her parents' advice. She once landed a small role in a short film, and Julia enjoyed filming so much that she decided to develop her skills, land a significant role, and dedicate herself to acting.
Acting Career
In 2011, Garner made her debut in the psychological indie film "Martha Marcy May Marlene," and in 2012, her childhood dream came true – she was offered a leading role. Playing Rachel, a pregnant girl who escaped from a Mormon community in Rebecca Thomas's tragicomedy "Electrick Children," became the launching point in the actress's career, pushing her toward creating characters on the edge.
In 2012, the teen drama "The Perks of Being a Wallflower" also hit theaters, with Julia playing Susan. The film starred Logan Lerman and Emma Watson in the lead roles. Then 2013 brought the thriller "We Are What We Are," where the actress played Rose Parker – a brutal cannibal killer disguised as an angel.
In 2023, "The Royal Hotel" hit theaters. Garner reunited with director Kitty Green, who previously directed her in "The Assistant." It's a thriller about two American backpackers working at a remote Australian bar.
In September 2024, "Apartment 7A" premiered on Paramount+, a prequel to the cult horror film "Rosemary's Baby." Garner played Terry Gionoffrio, an ambitious dancer who falls under the influence of a sinister elderly couple.
Source:
The Hollywood Reporter
In April 2024, Garner joined the cast of "The Weapons," a new horror-thriller from Zach Cregger, director of "Barbarian." In this mysterious film, she plays Justine Gandy, a teacher whose class mysteriously disappears overnight — all 17 children simultaneously leave their homes at 2:17 AM.
Source:
IMDb
On January 17, 2025, "Wolf Man" directed by Leigh Whannell hit theaters. In this modern interpretation of the classic monster, Garner played Charlotte, a wife and mother who becomes trapped with her family in an isolated house in Oregon.
Source:
IMDb
Julia Garner's Personal Life
Julia Garner is married to musician Mark Foster, the frontman of Foster the People. The couple first met at the Sundance Film Festival. When they got to talking, they discovered that Julia's grandmother and Mark's father both live in the same small town near Cleveland. For several years running, the two kept bumping into each other in Cleveland during Christmas visits before they finally started dating.
The couple couldn't decide between throwing a big wedding or eloping Vegas-style, ultimately settling on a ceremony at New York City Hall.
In December 2024, the couple starred in a Gucci ad campaign. Their kiss became a symbol of winter magic. The brand's tagline read: "This is a story about family, about kisses, lots of kisses."
In her rare free moments, Garner unwinds by watching her favorite shows – she's into "The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills" and "Bodyguard." She also spends a lot of time with her Ozark co-stars, especially Trevor Long, who played her character's father – they usually watch TV together.
Julia Garner Now
In April 2024, Garner made headlines by landing the role of Shalla-Bal, the female version of the Silver Surfer, in Marvel Studios' "Fantastic Four: First Steps," becoming the first woman to play this iconic character.At first, the actress was thrown for a loop:
This marked her first experience with motion capture technology: "It was wild. Usually the finishing touches are hair and makeup, and here it's wires..."I was confused because I was like, 'Wait, isn't the Silver Surfer a man?' I just said, 'Okay, I'll play anything.'
Source:
IMDb
The film, released July 25, 2025, shows the Fantastic Four in a retro-futuristic 1960s world. The main heroes must protect Earth from the planet-devouring Galactus. Garner prepared for the role with yoga and Pilates.
In May 2025, Netflix ordered an eight-episode miniseries "The Altruists" about the rise and fall of the FTX cryptocurrency exchange. Garner has been confirmed for the role of Caroline Ellison, former CEO of Alameda Research and ex-girlfriend of FTX founder Sam Bankman-Fried, who will be portrayed by Anthony Boyle.
According to the official description, it's "the story of Sam Bankman-Fried and Caroline Ellison, two super-smart, ambitious young idealists who tried to remake the global financial system in the blink of an eye – and then seduced, cajoled, and teased each other into stealing $8 billion." The premiere is expected in late 2026.
One of the most intriguing chapters in Garner's career remains the Madonna biopic. In July 2025 on the SmartLess podcast, the actress confirmed that the project "should still happen," despite Universal Pictures allegedly dropping the film in January 2023.
Source:
Yahoo!
I don't expect everyone to watch 'Ozark' or 'Anna,' or The Assistant. Some people will only watch certain things, so I want to branch out in all genres, and that's one of the reasons why I wanted to do Marvel — it's for a different type of audience.
