Sophia Lillis is an American actress who gained fame for her role in the horror film "It." After this, critics predicted a promising future for her in the film industry, and Amy Adams invited her to her series "Sharp Objects" to play her character's younger self.
Sophia Lillis
Childhood and Family
Sophia Lillis was born on February 13, 2002, in Brooklyn, a borough of New York. Her parents, Juliana and David, divorced early, and her mother, a costume designer, remarried. Sophia's stepfather became Christopher Mellevold, a photographer and director.
Sofia Lillis as a kid
Sophia has a twin brother, Jake, who was born one minute earlier. Speaking about him, she recalled: "He has always been really smart, has an amazing memory, and an incredibly organized mind."
Sofia and her twin brother Jake
Acting Career
Sophia started performing on stage at the age of 7 - that's when she entered the Lee Strasberg Theatre and Film Institute, an acting school whose graduates at various times have included many famous actors.
Sofia made her stage debut early
In 2014, the young actress made her debut in a leading role in the short film "Lipstick Stain" by Dagny Looper, which tells the story of a complex relationship between a father and daughter.
The Lipstick Stain short film starring Sophia Lillis
The following year, Sophia played a small role in the movie "A Midsummer Night's Dream" - an adaptation of Shakespeare's romantic comedy by director Julie Taymor.
Sophia Lillis Reacts To Adorable First Acting Video At Age 7
In 2016, Sophia appeared in the drama "37," which reveals the horrifying story of the murder of a young woman in front of 37 people. The lead role in the film was played by Samira Wiley. In the same year, Lillis appeared in the short film "The Garden" by Polish-American director Natalia Iyudin. In August 2017, Lillis could be seen in two episodes of the weekly entertainment show "Movie TriviaSchmoedown". She also worked again with director Dagny Looper, starring in her short film "Tiny Mammals".
Sofia Lillis in 37
In September 2017, the horror movie based on Stephen King's novel "It" was released. The plot of the film is based on the story of schoolchildren who are terrorized by a clown-monster (Bill Skarsgård). Sophia played Beverly Marsh - the only girl among the main characters. Marsh lives in a low-income family in a modest house and constantly endures the bullying of her tyrannical father.
Sofia Lillis as Beverly Marsh
"I'm already used to such scenes, to be honest," Lillis says of the episodes in which her character suffers from her father's (Stephen Bogaert) attacks, "All the roles I usually play are characters with a sad fate."
Sofia Lillis in It (2017)
Beverly is an honest and brave girl who half the boys in the group are secretly in love with.
It's amazing how strong she is and how desperate she is. She's very much like someone I'd like to be: she had the courage to go into the clown's trap, who could have killed her at any moment.
Marsh's friends were played by Jaeden Martell, Jeremy Ray Taylor, Finn Wolfhard, Wyatt Oleff, Jack Grazer, and Chosen Jacobs. The film won the 2017 Golden Trailer Award for "Best Horror."
In October 2017, Lillis starred in the music video for "The War on Drugs" song "Nothing to Find."
The War on Drugs – Nothing To Find
Following this, Sophia landed a role in the series "Sharp Objects". In the story, reporter Camille Preaker returns to her hometown where a terrible murder has taken place and confronts the psychological demons from her past. The main role in the series was performed by Amy Adams, and the young actress played Camille in her childhood.
Sofia Lillis in Sharp Objects
In 2019, the children's movie "Nancy Drew and the Hidden Staircase" premiered. Sophia landed the main role of the curious and clever girl-detective Nancy Drew. At the same time, she was participating in the filming of the second part of "It."
Sofia Lillis as Nancy Drew
She also landed the leading role in the folk-horror "Gretel & Hansel," a new vision of the famous fairy tale from director Oz Perkins. Her character, young Gretel, ends up in a witch's house with her younger brother, but initially, nothing foretells trouble.
Sofia Lillis in Gretel & Hansel
And in 2020, Sophia appeared before viewers as Sydney Novak, a schoolgirl-outsider who gains paranormal abilities shortly after her father's suicide, in the Netflix series "I Am Not Okay With This."
A still from I Am Not Okay With That
Sophia Lillis's Personal Life
The actress does not disclose her personal life. She was rumored to be in a relationship with Jaeden Martell, but neither of them ever confirmed this.
Sofie Lillis and Jaeden Martell
Sophia is passionate about photography and manages to take interesting shots of fellow actors and crew members during breaks between filming. The actress revealed that her love for the camera and black and white photography was instilled in her by her stepfather.
Sophia Lillis First Talks About Her First Times
Sophia Lillis Now
In the spring of 2023, the movie "Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves" inspired by the popular role-playing game Dungeons & Dragons was released on the big screen. Sophia landed one of the central roles – she played a druid named Doric who can transform into animals.
Sofia Lillis in Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves
In addition, the actress took part in the filming of Wes Anderson's comedy "Asteroid City," the premiere of which was scheduled for the summer of 2023.
