Maika Monroe

Maika Monroe
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Name:
Maika Monroe
Real name:
Dillon Monroe Buckley
Who is:
Birth date:
(31 y.o.)
Place of birth:
Santa Barbara, California, U.S.
Height:
5'6 ft ()
Weight:
123 lb (56 kg)
Relationship:
single
Birth Sign:
Chinese zodiac:
Links:

Biography of Maika Monroe

Maika Monroe is a young American actress who quickly burst into the global film scene after the premiere of the horror movie "It Follows" in 2014. She soon became the new "scream queen" in Hollywood, starring in horror films like "Watcher," "Tau," "Villains," and "Longlegs." Besides her acting career, she also professionally practices kitesurfing.
Actress Maika Monroe
Actress Maika Monroe

Childhood

Maika Monroe (born Dillon Monroe Buckley) was born in Santa Barbara on May 29, 1993. Her mother is a sign language interpreter and her father is a construction worker.

She became Maika at the age of 7 after asking her mom, "What was the second name option for me?" Mom replied, "Maika," and the girl loved it so much that she informed neighbors and teachers that she would respond only to that name from now on.
Maika Monroe as a child
Maika Monroe as a child
The California coast is a wonderful place for active recreation and sports. Instead of the more typical surfing, the future actress chose a different direction – kitesurfing. This sport also involves conquering waves, but it's more challenging: the athlete, standing on a board, moves with the help of a kite.
Maika Monroe kitesurfing
Maika Monroe kitesurfing
Maika completed school online because she moved to the Dominican Republic, where she had the best conditions for training. There, she started participating in major tournaments and even made it to the podium several times.

Acting Career

Mike didn't want to stop at her sports career. After some thought, rejecting interests in medicine, design, and working with animals, she chose cinema. Even in school, she was in the drama club and made progress.
Maika Monroe on Her Journey to Acting
Monroe's full-fledged debut can be considered the drama "Labor Day" (2013), where the main roles were played by Kate Winslet and Josh Brolin. The film tells the story of the complex relationships between a single mother and an escaped convict and the circumstances that hinder their happiness. Maika played Brolin's character's wife in her youth.

Earlier, the budding actress had already appeared on screen, but only in tiny roles. One such project in her filmography is "At Any Price," where Monroe played the girlfriend of racer Dean, played by Zac Efron.
Maika Monroe in the movie 'Labor Day'
Maika Monroe in the movie 'Labor Day'
Maika Monroe chooses projects not so much for their box office potential as for the appeal of the script and the character she will portray. Thus, in Maika's filmography, the modest dramatic thriller "The Guest" (2013) easily coexists with the much more successful atmospheric slow-burner "It Follows" (2014), which participated in the Cannes Festival and was named one of the best horror films of that year.
Maika Monroe in the horror 'It Follows'
Maika Monroe in the horror 'It Follows'
Monroe began to be called the new "scream queen." She herself loved horror films – her father was a big fan and passed on his love to his daughter. Although initially, the actress felt uncomfortable in the horror genre, as she candidly revealed in a 2015 interview:
I didn't realize how hard it is to shoot a horror film. The daily screams, running, and crying were emotionally and physically exhausting.
The teenage dystopia "The 5th Wave" (2016) and the sequel to the popular 90s sci-fi film "Independence Day: Resurgence" (2016) show that Monroe can fit into any genre. Her participation in the big project "Mark Felt: The Man Who Brought Down the White House" (2017) with top stars Liam Neeson and Diane Lane further highlighted the young actress's skill and ability to handle increased pressure.
Maika Monroe Interview: Making Longlegs & It Follows 2 Details
In 2017, the youth melodrama "Hot Summer Nights" premiered in the US, where Monroe's partner on set was Timothée Chalamet. The actors played modern-day Romeo and Juliet, whose love is threatened by the surrounding criminal world.
Hot Summer Nights - Kiss Scene (Maika Monroe and Timothee Chalamet)
The actress received more and more offers for filming and always approached their selection seriously, remaining faithful to independent cinema:
Studio films have their advantages and a lot of good things associated with them, but I think I want to continue loving my work. This is my way of continuing to fall in love with this art form – working with people who truly inspire me and being part of the process. And the world of independent cinema, I'm just so drawn to it, it pushes me and challenges me.
In 2018, the drama "After Everything" appeared on screens, where Maika's colleagues were Jeremy Allen White and Marisa Tomei. That same year, the actress played leading roles in the sci-fi drama "Bokeh," the thriller about the triumph of artificial intelligence "Tau," and the heart-wrenching drama "I'm Not Here."
A shot from the movie 'Tau'
A shot from the movie 'Tau'
In 2019, she could be seen in "Honey Boy," a biopic about the early years of Shia LaBeouf, who also played the lead role. Alongside Bill Skarsgård, Maika starred in the comedy horror "Villains."
Maika Monroe and Bill Skarsgård
Maika Monroe and Bill Skarsgård
Together with Dylan O'Brien, Monroe starred in the sci-fi drama "The Education of Fredrick Fitzell" (2019), and with Joel Kinnaman in the action film "Brothers by Blood" (2020).

One of the most talked-about horror films of 2022 was "Watcher" featuring Maika Monroe. The film, at the intersection of psychological thriller and drama, which viewers compared to Alfred Hitchcock's works, touched on themes of social isolation and loneliness in a foreign country and growing paranoia. Maika's character is convinced that the man in the house across the street is a serial killer, but her attempts to draw attention to him only worsen the situation.
Maika Monroe in the movie 'Watcher'
Maika Monroe in the movie 'Watcher'

Personal Life of Maika Monroe

On the set of "The 5th Wave," the actress became friends with Chloë Grace Moretz, and they often hang out together when their schedules align.
Maika Monroe is friends with Chloë Grace Moretz
Maika Monroe is friends with Chloë Grace Moretz
However, Maika keeps her personal life private from the press and fans. One exception was her relationship with Joe Keery (star of the series "Stranger Things"): they dated from 2017 to 2022. The couple attended all official events together and were often photographed by paparazzi.
Maika Monroe and Joe Keery
Maika Monroe and Joe Keery
They were last seen together on March 27, 2022. Keery mentioned that the breakup was difficult.

In October 2023, Maika was seen kissing realtor Dalton Gomez, the ex-boyfriend of Ariana Grande. They went public with their relationship in the summer of 2024.
Maika Monroe and Dalton Gomez
Maika Monroe and Dalton Gomez

Maika Monroe Now

In 2024, the horror film "Longlegs" was released, starring Maika Monroe. She plays FBI agent Lee Harker, a girl with remarkable abilities, who joins a team hunting a maniac who inexplicably drives entire families insane. The only clue is the notes found near the victims, signed with one name: Longlegs.
Maika Monroe on the set of 'Longlegs'
Maika Monroe on the set of 'Longlegs'
For the actress, this was an interesting experience, resonating with many of her interests:
...As a child, I watched a lot of true crime and thrillers. When I turned on 'The Silence of the Lambs,' I was fascinated by FBI agents, crime scenes, and killers. So playing such a character was something incredible. By the way, I never wanted to be an investigator myself. As a child, I dreamed of becoming a paramedic, but I was turned off by the sight of blood, so I gave up on that idea.