Jane Levy

Jane Colburn Levy ( ; born ) is an American actress. After attending the Stella Adler Studio of Acting, she debuted as the original Mandy Milkovich on the Showtime comedy-drama Shameless. Levy left Shameless following its first season to portray the lead of the ABC sitcom Suburgatory from 2011 to 2014.

Transitioning to film, Levy collaborated with director Fede Álvarez as the lead of the horror films Evil Dead (2013) and Don't Breathe (2016). She returned to television with series regular roles on the Hulu comedy-drama There's... Johnny! (2017) and horror fantasy Castle Rock (2018), in addition to headlining the Netflix thriller miniseries What/If (2019). From 2020 to 2021, Levy portrayed the title character of the NBC musical comedy-drama Zoey's Extraordinary Playlist, for which she received a Golden Globe nomination for Best Actress – Television Series Musical or Comedy.

Early life and education Jane Colburn Levy was born on December 29, 1989 in Santa Monica, California , the second child of Mary (née Tilbury), an artist and florist, and Lester Levy, a musician turned mediator. When Levy was an infant, her family relocated to northern California, settling in San Anselmo, where she was raised. She has one elder brother, Simon. After experiencing significant depression during her first year of studies, Levy chose to drop out of Goucher College and instead opted to study acting. She subsequently transferred to the Stella Adler Studio of Acting in New York City, where she graduated from the Conservatory.

Career 2010–2015

Levy moved to Los Angeles after two years in New York City. She played the recurring character Mandy Milkovich, her first TV role, during the first season of the Showtime comedy-drama Shameless in early 2011. In March 2011, she landed the first lead role of her career on the sitcom Suburgatory, with Jeremy Sisto and Cheryl Hines, resulting in Emma Greenwell replacing Levy in her Shameless role for season 2 onward. On May 9, 2014, Suburgatory was canceled by ABC after three seasons.

Levy was named by both TV Guide and TheInsider.com as one of the breakout stars of 2011, and was included on the top eleven list of funniest women compiled by AOL. Forbes named her as one of the handful of entertainment stars on their list of 30 under 30 who are "reinventing the world" (a list of the brightest stars of the future). Noting that Suburgatory was "one of the big hits of the new [TV] season" and that Levy would be seen in two upcoming films, Forbes called her "one to watch".

Levy appeared in two films in 2012: Fun Size, the first feature from Gossip Girl creator Josh Schwartz, and Nobody Walks directed by Ry Russo-Young and written by Lena Dunham. Levy later starred in the 2013 remake of the horror classic The Evil Dead, as the drug-dependent Mia, replacing Lily Collins, who had originally been cast. The following year, she starred in two independent films, About Alex and Bang Bang Baby. In 2015, Levy co-starred opposite Rene Russo and Oliver Platt in Frank and Cindy.

2016–present In 2016, Levy teamed up again with Evil Dead director Fede Álvarez, starring in horror film Don't Breathe, which tells the story of three friends breaking into the house of a wealthy blind man. A sleeper hit, Don't Breathe received critical acclaim and grossed over $156 million. That same year, she starred with Lucas Till in Monster Trucks, Paramount Animation's first live-action/CGI film, directed by Ice Age Chris Wedge.

In 2017, Levy appeared as Dez in I Don't Feel at Home in This World Anymore directed by Macon Blair, and as Elizabeth in an episode of Showtime series Twin Peaks. In November 2017, Levy starred in Hulu's There's...Johnny! as Joy Greenfield, the female lead. That year, Levy also co-starred with Glenn Close in the Amazon pilot Sea Oak, written by George Saunders and directed by Hiro Murai.

In 2018, Levy appeared in Sony Crackle's zombie comedy Office Uprising, and starred as Jackie Torrance, niece of Stephen King's Jack Torrance, in Hulu's critically acclaimed Castle Rock, also inspired by King's work. Levy starred in Mike Kelley's Netflix thriller miniseries What/If alongside Renée Zellweger and Blake Jenner. She appeared in James Franco's romantic drama Pretenders as Catherine, the female lead. From 2020 to 2021, she starred as the titular character in Zoey's Extraordinary Playlist from NBC, which ran for two seasons.

Personal life On March 3, 2011, Levy married actor Jaime Freitas. According to court documents, the couple separated on October 31, 2011. In April 2013, Levy filed for divorce, citing irreconcilable differences.

Levy has been in a relationship with actor and artist Thomas McDonell since they met on the set of the film Fun Size in 2011. They have a son named Desmond, born in 2024.

Filmography

Film Year Title Role Director(s) Notes 2012 Nobody Walks Caroline Ry Russo-Young Fun Size April Martin-Danzinger-Ross Josh Schwartz Here Now Mel Gregg Araki Short film Frank and Cindy Kate G.J. Echternkamp Pretenders Catherine James Franco The Toxic Avenger Cheerful Insurance Rep Macon Blair Voice The Problem with PeopleNatalyaChris Cottam Eva Gardiner Brian Duffield Filming

Television Year Title Role Notes 2011ShamelessMandy Milkovich5 episodes 2011–2014 Suburgatory Tessa Altman Main cast; 57 episodes 2014 Kroll Show Madison Episode: "Krolling Around with Nick Klown" 2016 Swedish Dicks Taylor Slow / Ruth Episode: "Howl Like a Big Dog" 2017 Twin Peaks Elizabeth Episode: "Part 5" Sea Oak Min Television film There's... Johnny! Joy Greenfield Main cast; 7 episodes 2021 Zoey's Extraordinary Christmas Television film 2023 Dave Brittany Parker Episode: "Harrison Ave"

Awards and nominations