Mackenzie Davis is a Canadian actress who gained widespread popularity after starring in movies like "What If", "The Martian", "Blade Runner 2049", and TV series "Halt and Catch Fire," "Black Mirror," and "Station Eleven".
Canadian actress Mackenzie Davis
Early Life
Mackenzie Rio Davis was born in Vancouver, a city in Western Canada. Her mother, Lotte, is a graphic designer from South Africa, and her father, John Davis, is a hairdresser from Liverpool. The actress's parents own AG Hair Care, a company specializing in hair care products.
Mackenzie Davis as a child with her family
After finishing school, Mackenzie enrolled at McGill University in Montreal, Canada. Later, Davis studied acting at the renowned Neighborhood Playhouse School in New York, which had notable alumni such as Kim Basinger, Diane Keaton, and Leslie Nielsen.
Acting Career
Mackenzie Davis's first film experience was in the short film "Alex" (2011) by Annalise Voza. Soon after, she took on supporting roles in dramas "Smashed" with Mary Elizabeth Winstead and Aaron Paul, and "Breathe In" starring Felicity Jones and Guy Pearce.
Mackenzie Davis in the movie 'Breathe In'
She caught the audience's attention with the romantic film "What If" (2013), where she worked alongside notable actors such as Daniel Radcliffe, Zoe Kazan, and Adam Driver, who played her character's husband.
Mackenzie Davis in the movie 'What If'
Subsequent roles included the comedy "That Awkward Moment" (2014), the fantasy horror "Freaks of Nature" (2015), and the sci-fi film "The Martian" (2016) with Matt Damon, in which she portrayed a NASA employee.
Mackenzie Davis in the movie 'That Awkward Moment'
Additionally, Davis played a lead role in the drama series "Halt and Catch Fire", revolving around the burgeoning computer industry of the 1980s and the birth of the tech era. Davis's character, programmer Cameron Howe, remained a central figure throughout the show's four seasons, aired on AMC from 2014 to 2017. Many critics hailed the show as a masterpiece, continuing the legacy of iconic series like "Mad Men".
Cameron Howe: The Characters of Halt and Catch Fire
Davis gained significant recognition for her leading role in an episode of the now-iconic dystopian series "Black Mirror". In the episode "San Junipero" from season 3, she played the shy Yorkie who falls in love with Kelly (played by Gugu Mbatha-Raw) and decides to use consciousness-uploading technology to live forever with her partner in the virtual city of San Junipero.
Mackenzie Davis in the series 'Black Mirror'
In 2017, Davis appeared in Denis Villeneuve's sci-fi film "Blade Runner 2049", a sequel to the legendary 1982 Ridley Scott film. Davis had a small but memorable role as Mariette, a prostitute who served as the 'body' for the AI character Joi (Ana de Armas) – the virtual lover of the main character, K, played by Ryan Gosling.
Mackenzie Davis on the set of 'Blade Runner 2049'
On July 12, 2018, the American dramedy "Tully" directed by Jason Reitman hit the big screens. Charlize Theron portrayed an overwhelmed mother of multiple kids, while Mackenzie Davis played her children's nanny, a woman named Tully. Their characters share a complex relationship.
Jason Reitman, Mackenzie Davis & Ron Livingston Discuss The Film «Tully»
In 2019, Mackenzie Davis became the focal point of the first installment of the rebooted "Terminator: Dark Fate" franchise, a direct sequel to the second "Terminator" movie. Many believe that Mackenzie will become the new face of the legendary saga about a machine uprising. However, the commercial failure of this installment casts doubt on the franchise's future continuation.
Mackenzie Davis on the set of Terminator
Mackenzie also appeared in the horror film "The Turning" by Floria Sigismondi, director of several music videos for David Bowie, Justin Timberlake, and Katy Perry. The movie also starred "It" and "Stranger Things" actor Finn Wolfhard and young actress Brooklynn Prince. Released in 2020, Mackenzie played Kate, a governess hired to look after two orphaned siblings.
Scene from the movie 'The Turning'
In November 2020, "Happiest Season" was released on Hulu, where Mackenzie and Kristen Stewart played Harper and Abby, a couple in love. Davis's character, Harper, comes from a very conservative family and hasn't yet come out to her parents. Thus, their Christmas family dinner doesn't go as the girls had hoped.
Scene from the movie Happiest Season
In December 2021, HBO premiered the post-apocalyptic miniseries "Station Eleven". Mackenzie Davis took on the leading role, playing Kirsten, a young woman who survived a pandemic that nearly wiped out humanity. Now, she travels with a theater group across a desolate America, performing Shakespeare plays for the few survivors.
Scene from the series Station Eleven
Mackenzie Davis' Personal Life
For a long time, Mackenzie Davis didn't date anyone, or at least she didn't share this with the media. However, she's admitted to journalists that she doesn't have many admirers and spends too much time on her work to engage in romantic relationships. People have speculated about a relationship with model Gus Thompson, as they're often seen together at social events, but neither has publicly commented on the matter.
Mackenzie Davis and Gus Thompson
Mackenzie Davis Now
In 2023, Mackenzie Davis introduced a short horror film in which she served as the writer, director, and producer. Titled "WOAKA" (an acronym for Women of a Certain Age), it stars Sidse Babett Knudsen. The plot revolves around the main character's daily skincare routine going awry.
Mackenzie Davis in the play 'Phaedra'
Simultaneously, the actress worked on a psychological thriller called "Speak No Evil" (a remake of a 2022 Danish film with the same name). She also performed on the stage of the National Theatre in London in the play "Phaedra," portraying Isolde.
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