The Girl Who Played Grace On The Nanny Is Unrecognizable Today

From 1993 until 1999, Fran Drescher delighted viewers on "The Nanny" with her character's impeccable wardrobe, her snarky remarks, and her endearing relationship she with the preppy Sheffield children. Now, three decades after the pilot episode, the cast of "The Nanny" is unrecognizable, especially the show's child stars, who have grown up and embarked on their own careers outside of the sitcom.

Among them is Madeline Zima, the girl who played Max's youngest and cleverest child Grace. She practically grew up in front of the camera, and now, she's absolutely killing it on screen. Although some cast members from "The Nanny" dropped out of show business, Zima's career skyrocketed after playing Grace Sheffield. She's gone on to star in several films, shows, and at one point even ventured into writing and directing her own project. From her first ever role in 1992 up until now, the actor has had an incredible transformation and is barely recognizable today in her 30s. However, there's so much more to Zima than many realize, including her true feelings about her time on "The Nanny," her charitable efforts, and her next big Hollywood role.

Rewatching some of our favorite shows years later means we're likely to pick up on things that we didn't beforehand. There are plenty of things only adults would notice on "The Nanny," but few probably picked up on the fact that Madeline Zima wasn't actually enjoying her time on the show. Her character Grace had unresolved issues, leading her to attend therapy and speak to imaginary friends, but the actor's unhappiness revolved around how she was treated by others while working on the sitcom.

In 2013, Zima spoke with TV Page about how she felt back then, claiming that she'd had positive experiences on the sets of other projects like "The Hand That Rocks the Cradle," but things were different on "The Nanny." She remarked, "There was just a kindness and a sensitivity that didn't exist on the set of 'The Nanny.' They treated me more like a prop than like a human being. At a certain point, I can't pretend like it was some great experience anymore." Zima had spent many years speaking positively about the show due to its massive fanbase, but eventually she grew tired of pretending, saying, "I would rather be honest."

The way child stars are treated early in their career can forever form how they grow up and whether they decide to pursue acting in their adult life. By the time "The Nanny" wrapped, Madeline Zima had been in quite a few films and television shows, but it wasn't until she was barely a teen that she made the decision to continue acting long term.

Zima had been cast in the 2000 TV movie "The Sandy Bottom Orchestra," and this changed everything for her. As she told Cryptic Rock in a 2019 interview, "At the time, I was really interested in Greek mythology. ... That film, and the way Glenne Headly and Tom Irwin treated me, changed me as a person and artist. I look at that as a turning point that I decided I wanted to pursue this. I felt that storytelling had a lineage all the way back to ancient Greece that can be a profound way for people to heal and understand their lives."

From that point, Zima's career flourished as she went on to book parts on shows like "King of the Hill" and "Gilmore Girls," as well as movies like "A Cinderella Story" and "Looking for Sunday." Where she may not have had the most positive experience working in the industry as a kid, Zima now knew what it felt like to be respected and uplifted while working with other actors.

"Heroes" was a breakout hit for several actors, including Hayden Panettiere, who went through a stunning transformation over the show's four seasons. Madeline Zima was already established and had been acting for more than 17 years when she was cast in the role of Gretchen Berg, who roomed with and had a major crush on Panettiere's Claire Bennet in Season 4 (resulting in a steamy kiss). Although Zima's character was only present for half of the episodes of the final season, she had also been wrapping up her final appearances on "Californication" and working on a couple of movies, so the experience served her well.

Zima spoke about joining the cast of "Heroes" while at the 2009 BAFTA/LA Tea Party. When asked if she would be playing a good character or an antagonist on the show, she teased, "Well, you never really know actually, because they tell you one thing but then they'll ... set up a whole foundation and rip it out from underneath you as far as ... twists and turns are concerned on that show." Without giving too much away, Zima enthused that the uncertainty of what her character will endure on a show is all part of the fun of acting.

Twenty-seven years after David Lynch captivated audiences with the groundbreaking murder mystery series "Twin Peaks," its third season finally hit Showtime. "Twin Peaks: The Return" was released in 2017 as an 18-episode limited series that reintroduced Special Agent Dale Cooper and enjoyed an incredible critical reception. Another Lynch project in the works was a big deal, so while it was being made, production was incredibly hush-hush.

Madeline Zima appeared in two episodes of the series, and the role was as much of a surprise to us as it was to her. In a 2017 interview with Vulture, the actor described the audition process for it, stating, "It wasn't like a normal audition. ... I went in there and they asked me some questions, mainly I was just meant to talk. ... I didn't even know what I was auditioning for, I had no idea."

Even though rumors were floating around that Lynch was considering her for "Twin Peaks: The Return," casting had given her a completely different title and there was no script to work from, so she didn't believe it. "[S]o much in Hollywood is hot air and B.S. I've just learned to be either discriminating or ... not cynical, per se, but wary of most projects. Especially things that sound too good to be true, like something involving David Lynch," Zima explained. Nevertheless, she got to play the character of Tracey for two episodes — an absolute dream for any fan of Lynch's work.

Fans of DC Comics are likely familiar with HBO Max's rendition of "Doom Patrol," its series about superhero outcasts coming together to fight evil. After a successful three-season run, the show's fourth season introduced Madeline Zima as Casey Brinke, also known as Space Case, in 2022. Playing a superhero at least once is likely on many an actor's bucket list, and as excited as Zima was to take on the role, she said that it's never easy to join an already established cast.

In a December 2022 interview with Popternative, the actor explained, "It's so 'new kid on the block.' ... Like, 'Where do I sit at lunch? Am I gonna make any friends?' Like, 'I hope somebody likes me because I'm stuck in Atlanta for, you know, five months, and I'd love to not be alone the entire time.'"

Luckily, Zima has had years of experience walking onto new sets and, despite her concerns, she clearly brought something special to the character. Show creator Jeremy Carver, for one, couldn't be happier with her performance. Speaking with Entertainment Weekly following the actor's debut on "Doom Patrol," he said, "I can't speak highly enough of the bright-eyed nuance that she brings to the character. It's really wonderful to watch that character and Madeline progress over the course of the season."