Leslie Mann's Daughter Maude Apatow Has Grown Up To Be Gorgeous
Maude Apatow is the daughter of actress Leslie Mann and writer-director Judd Apatow — the man responsible for some of your favorite films and TV shows. And, she's a total star-on-the-rise.
The 40-Year-Old Virgin, Knocked Up, and Superbad are just a handful of films that bear Apatow's signature stamp, along with a host of television shows — such as Lena Dunham's Girls (via IMDb). The famed producer also happens to be a family man, sharing daughters Iris and Maude with his wife, Leslie Mann. However, while some children of Hollywood couples may forever live under the shadow cast by their famous parents, Maude refuses to blend into the background. Known for her clever and sometimes nervous demeanor, Maude has proven that while she is indeed a chip off of the old block — she's also a unique and talented woman following her own rules.
But what else is there to know about Maude besides her acting ambitions? What other accomplishments does the young actress have on her resume? And what has her life been like with such well-known parents? Read on to find out the truth about Maude Apatow, who has truly grown up to be gorgeous.
Growing up, Mauda Apatow's life was "normal"
Maude Apatow was fortunate enough to have been born into a family of film industry professionals — something that has undoubtedly helped the budding star as she's flexed her acting muscles over the years. However, as her father Judd Apatow tells it, her life growing up wasn't super glam or anything. In fact, the writer-director says it was quite normal. "I feel like my life is basically the same as everybody else's," Judd shared in an interview with Variety. He continued, saying, "We all have a family that we're trying to make function." He added that his daughters had the same issues and concerns that all kids have growing up.
By all accounts, Maude had everything that she needed, including a family that was loving and a bedroom that she adored. "It was very pink," Maude told InStyle. She continued, revealing, "I had a bunk bed that had a desk underneath, and I thought it was the coolest thing ever."
Judd Apartow and Leslie Mann may be super famous — but it's refreshing to hear they're huge stars who live like normal people.
Can you guess who Maude Apatow is named after?
Maude Apatow isn't a name you hear everyday. So just how did Maude come to be called, well, Maude?
Well, it's not a name that's been in the family for generations, or the moniker of a long-deceased ancestor. Rather, Maude is named after the female lead character in the 1971 cult film Harold and Maude. "My parents told me recently that they start calling me Maude when my mom was pregnant as a joke, and then it stuck," she revealed in an interview with W Magazine. "And, I was like, 'Oh, that's kind of offensive. But, okay.'"
Even though the unique baby name started out as a gag, the Apatow family does sincerely enjoy the film, which Maude first saw when she was a kid. "I think I was too young, like eleven," she revealed. Maude continued, saying, "I liked it then, and then I watched it recently, and liked it way more." The daughter of Judd Apatow and Leslie Mann also added that Harold and Maude is actually one of her favorite movies of all time now. Fortunately, her parents didn't give her a celebrity baby name they'd regret in 10 years!
Maude Apatow was just a kid when she appeared in her father's films
While Maude Apatow has her own acting career now that she's an adult, she actually started working in the industry when she was much younger. Specifically, she had roles in Knocked Up, Funny People, and This Is 40, according to her IMDb profile.
"I was so little when my dad cast me in movies," she explained in a chat with W Magazine. She continued, saying, "I didn't even realize what was going on, but I knew that I liked it." That also helped her to get good acting experience in a safe space, which is especially important for someone so young. Hollywood isn't exactly known for treating child actors very well, after all.
Judd Apatow may cast his own kids in movies, but he wasn't the only parent who had an impact on Maude's career. Leslie Mann also provided her daughter with wisdom and guidance. "My mom's given me so much acting advice," Maude revealed. She continued, gushing, "She's always told me to commit. That's the main thing she says and I always keep that in mind when I'm acting." Like mother, like daughter!
Maude Apatow always knew she wanted to be an actor
Maude Apatow is a girl who knows what she wants!
Approximately 50 percent of American adults make at least one dramatic career change in their working lives, according to CNBC. But this former child star likely isn't going to be one of them, as she's wanted to be an actor since she was a small child. "I guess I just started doing theater when I was five, and then it really never was a question for me," the star told InStyle. She continued, revealing, "I feel very lucky that I knew that this was what I wanted to do."
After those early musicals and plays came working with her father in his films, then time spent in the classroom perfecting her craft. "There were times that I felt especially inspired in school, doing more serious theater and acting, and having my drama teachers be super supportive and inspiring," she added. It's no small wonder that Maude ended up becoming a Hollywood actor; it was simply in her DNA.
Maude Apatow's first kiss was super embarrassing
Maude Apatow's adolescence was as uncomfortable and challenging as anyone else's, as noted by The New York Times. That of course includes her rites of passage — one of which is extremely relatable.
"My first kiss was at my house," Maude revealed in an interview with W Magazine. She continued, saying, "I remember it almost happened a bunch of times, and I'd get so nervous that I'd get up and go get water to distract from the situation." Boy, that'll take you right back to middle school, won't it?
Looking back on that moment isn't something that Maude especially enjoys doing, as the experience really left an impression on the young teen. "It was really awkward," said Maude. She continued, telling the publication, "If I think about it, it makes me want to have a heart attack." She added that it was super embarrassing — which could honestly sum up plenty of folks' first time locking lips. We've all been there, girl!
Maude Apatow got famous for her tweets
Maude Apatow is a total social media queen!
Plenty of teenagers are on social media, whether it's on Snapchat, TikTok, or any number of the networking sites out there. But what set Maude apart from the herd when she joined Twitter, however, was her deft and hilarious use of the platform. "I just joined Twitter one day, and within the first week I got 75 followers," she told Teen Vogue. Maude continued, saying, "I was so excited. Then it just kept going, and now it's like 75,000." That number freaked her out back in 2012, so imagine how she feels now that it's nearly tripled.
In the beginning she would just tweet about the people she went to school with, as that's who she spent the most time with. "And now everyone reads it," Maude continued. Added the star, "So I can't really do that because people will talk about it and say, 'Did you hear Maude tweeted about so-and-so?'" Hey, that's the price of becoming super popular on social media.
Maude Apatow's high school experience wasn't typical
Maude Apatow isn't a typical young woman — so it makes sense that her high school experience was far from typical, as well.
High school seems to be one of those experiences that you either really, really loved, or absolutely couldn't stand, depending on the school you attended. As far as Maude Apatow is concerned, the daughter of Judd Apatow and Leslie Mann says that her time in the varsity corridors didn't exactly resemble other people's experiences. "I went to a pretty alternative high school," Maude shared in a chat with Interview. She continued, saying, "It wasn't traditional in the sense that there weren't football games, or cliques, since we had all gone to school together since kindergarten." That certainly sounds more like a family environment than a big, crowded institution.
Because Maude went to a school that deviated from the norm, she didn't feel especially pressured to be anyone other than herself. "It was a very different vibe, so I didn't have that traditional high school experience," she added.
Maude Apatow is a die-hard musical theater fan
Although Maude Apatow's parents are both heavy hitters in the film industry, Maude's love of acting isn't confined to that specific medium. "I love all musical theater," she gushed in an interview with W Magazine. She continued, revealing, "I was saying that recently I saw Patti LuPone in Gypsy, and it was, like, the best thing I'd ever seen in my whole life, so that was one of my favorites."
However, Maude's love for musical theater and its fandom reaches much further than an unforgettable performance of Gypsy. In fact, Judd Apatow and Leslie Mann knocked it out of the park as parents for one especially memorable occasion. "For my sweet sixteen, my parents had Andrew [Rannells] come and sing The Book of Mormon which was literally the best moment of my life," Maude told W Magazine. She continued, saying, "We're all musical theater kids, so like, everyone was freaking out."
Maude told W Magazine she has also seen the Broadway smash hit Hamilton no fewer than three times, both in the states and across the pond. Talk about a lucky girl!
When Maude Apatow turned 18-years-old, her parents let her act again
Maude Apatow's name is meant to be in lights — especially now that she's all grown up!
Given that Judd Apatow cast his daughters in several of his films in the girls' early years, you might be led to believe that he pushed them into acting careers as children. Howver, that wasn't the case at all. In fact, according to Maude Apatow, her father's films were the only movies she appeared in as a youth. "My parents didn't allow me to do anything else, but they weren't involved until I was a little bit older," Maude explained to Collider. She continued, saying, "They thought it was important for me to finish high school, and I'm glad that I did, but the second I graduated, I was like, 'Let's go!'"
That time out of the spotlight living a normal life allowed Maude not only to grow up, but to better understand the career she chose. "I definitely take acting way more seriously now," she confessed in an interview with InStyle. Added Maude, "I just feel a lot more responsible and just more like a person than a kid."
Euphoria gave Maude Apatow her big breakout role
Maude Apatow put her studies on hold at Northwestern University in 2018; however, she didn't do so because she didn't like the chilly, Illinois winters, like some folks suspected. Instead, Maude had actually been having a really hard time while away at college (via Vanity Fair). And while she was initially planning on going back to finish her studies, her breakout role came calling — and she just couldn't turn it down.
"I got cast in Euphoria," Maude recalled to Vanity Fair. She continued, saying, "I wanted to make sure if I was leaving school to act that it was worth it, and Euphoria is unlike anything I've ever seen."
In fact, writer-director Sam Levinson wrote the role of Lexi with Maude specifically in mind, after being impressed by her work in the past. "This opportunity presented itself, and I needed to take it," she told Variety. She continued, "I love Sam; I adore the show." Maude added that she hopes viewers can take one message away from the show, too. "Hopefully it helps us understand the pressures of social media and college, because people are going insane right now," she said.
Maude Apatow is a triple threat
Maude Apatow has ambitions beyond acting – which should come as no surprise, considering her father is famed writer-director-producer Judd Apatow. However, Maude aspires to go a step beyond her father, who has never put himself at the center of his own films. "I love writing and I love directing," Maude gushed in an interview with W Magazine. She continued, saying, "That's my ultimate goal. And acting. If I could do all of them at the same time that would be cool."
In fact, Maude already proved that she's a triple threat with a project she did all the way back in 2017. "I did a short film last summer that I wrote and directed and acted in," Maude revealed to W Magazine. She continued, telling the publication, "So, that was the greatest thing ever, and hopefully I can do more of that."
The project was a short comedy entitled Don't Mind Alice, which Maude co-wrote and co-directed with Olivia Rosenbloom. It was screened at the Santa Barbara Film Festival in early 2018, according to an Instagram post by Judd Apatow — who is obviously a very proud papa.
Mauda Apatow says that the show Hollywood timely and relevant
Maude Apatow is one busy gal!
Fresh off of season one of Euphoria (and enthusiastic about her burgeoning acting career), Maude soon landed a role in the 2020 Netflix show Hollywood. Maude plays Henrietta in the mini-series, which she says is especially relevant thanks to its premise. "It's about a group of actors and filmmakers in post-war Hollywood, and it talks about old power dynamics and what the entertainment landscape might look like if it had been dismantled," she explained to Who What Wear. Hey, who doesn't love scandalous stories from Old Hollywood?
Maude also believes that she show does a good idea driving home the point that everything has changed — but at the same time, nothing has changed at all. "I mean, representation of people of color and women and the LGBTQ+ community, it's a struggle then and now," Maude said. Added the star, "Things have gotten better, but we still have a long way to go." Maude certainly seems like a wise young woman — as well as one of Hollywood's most down-to-earth celebrities.
Years later, Maude Apatow is excited to work with her father again
Maude Apatow once again returned to the set of one of her father's film's in 2020 for Judd Apatow's film The King of Staten Island, starring SNL fan favorite Pete Davidson.
While she didn't know what to expect at the start, Maude said that it was wonderful to be reunited with her father once again. "So obviously, it's really different because the last time I worked with my dad, I was 12, and the first time I worked with him, I was six or seven," she shared in an interview with Who What Wear. And of course, she wasn't as serious about acting at the time, as she was quite young. That's right — Maude is one of those celebs who will make you feel old.
However, armed with the knowledge she's gained over the years, Maude has a new appreciation for her dad. "I feel really lucky to work with him because he really knows how to talk to me and push me," Maude told Who What Wear. She continued, "I don't want to say this because it's really cringy, but he pushes me to my full potential."
Maude Apatow is determined to pave her own way
While Maude Apatow may have gotten her start in the movie business thanks to parents Judd Apatow and Leslie Mann, it's taken more than her famous family to land her where she is today.
According to the star, her parents have always made a point to stress to Maude and her younger sister Iris that their privilege has afforded them more opportunities than most — and that they shouldn't rest on their laurels. "I know that people definitely see me as my parents' kid, so it's important to me to work twice as hard to prove myself," she confessed in a chat with Who What Wear.
Fortunately it looks like Apatow is up for the task, ready and willing to do whatever it takes to make it on her own terms and prove herself to those who doubt her talents. "I just know how hard it is and how much work it takes," she told the publication. Added the star, "I guess I just gotta keep working." Well, that's good news to us, because we can't wait to see what you do next, Maude!