What You Don't Know About Maude Apatow
When it comes to young Hollywood, it's safe to say that no one is hotter these days than the cast of the HBO hit series, "Euphoria." The teen drama not only solidified its star, Zendaya's, A-list status, but pretty much launched the careers of the rest of the cast, including Maude Apatow. Sure, Apatow had been working in show business since she was a kid, having been practically born into fame — but more on that later. Yet it was her role as Lexi Howard that definitely made her a household name in her own right. "It's crazy. I still can't believe that so many people watch it," Apatow gushed to L'OFFICIEL.
Since "Euphoria" debuted in 2019, Apatow has gone on to appear in the 2020 TV mini-series "Hollywood," as well as the Pete Davidson comedy, "King of Staten Island." If that's not enough, she revealed in 2022 that she had also written a screenplay to make into a film, which is something she had done before in 2017 with the short "Don't Mind Alice." And Apatow apparently doesn't plan on slowing down anytime soon. She explained to The Columbus Dispatch, "I'm always thinking I need to keep going ... I'm pretty hard on myself. I should stop and be happy sometimes, but I'm very 'onto the next' mindset."
While it's clear Apatow is a very gifted and driven actor, there's a lot about the Los Angeles native that fans don't know about. So let's dive into Apatow's life and learn more about the rising star.
Her parents are Judd Apatow and Leslie Mann
If you can't tell from her last name, Maude Apatow is the daughter of famed director Judd Apatow and actor Leslie Mann. While that clearly has its perks, Maude revealed the downside to The Columbus Dispatch, saying, "I've acted in so many of my parents' movies, and people are going to say it's nepotism." She even added, "I'm gonna spend my whole life trying to prove myself as an individual." Of course, Maude has acknowledged how it has positively impacted her career too, telling L'OFFICIEL,"My dad's like my mentor ... so getting to work with him is a really special experience ... I feel like I learned a lot from watching him work."
Yet, just because Maude's parents are famous, doesn't mean they don't have a typical family dynamic. "It's hard to take advice from your parents without automatically wanting to stand up to them or be rebellious," Maude admitted to High Snobiety. It's clearly something her mother has noticed too, since when asked about giving her daughter advice, Mann joked to Us Weekly, "She doesn't really listen to me." Maude has given Mann some credit though, telling Harper's Bazaar, "I definitely got good work ethic from my mom."
And Maude doesn't just share the spotlight with her parents, considering that her younger sister, Iris Apatow, is also an actor. She's clearly had similar experiences to Maude's, telling Interview Magazine, "It's definitely something I'm very lucky to have in my life, memories of working with my family throughout my life."
Maude Apatow has been acting since childhood
While Maude Apatow may be best known for her role in "Euphoria," she's actually been acting since she was a child. In fact, Apatow made her debut when she was only 10-years-old in her father, Judd Apatow's, 2007 comedy "Knocked Up" where she played the daughter of her mother, Leslie Mann's, character. She went on to do that twice more, in 2009's "Funny People" and 2012's "This is 40." Looking back at it, Apatow told W Magazine, "I was so little when my dad cast me in movies. I didn't even realize what was going on, but I knew that I liked it." Yet she did add, "It was really nice to be able to do that with them first to get practice."
Apatow didn't grow up acting in just her parents' movies either, considering she told Nylon she had done school plays since the second grade. She even got involved in a theater-based community service program in high school and says it was that particular experience that made her truly realize she wanted to be an actor. She recalled, "Even though we're, like, weird ninth graders doing a show, was life-changing. After that I was like, 'Oh, of course, this is what I want to do.'"
Apatow also told Vanity Fair that she thought she would actually pursue theater over on-camera acting, despite what her parents did for a living. She dished, "I can always count on watching a musical to remind me why I'm acting."
Maude Apatow briefly went to college
Fans may be surprised to learn that Maude Apatow went to college, briefly attending Northwestern University in Illinois. While Apatow majored in theater there, it was Hollywood that was apparently on her mind. That's because she told The Columbus Dispatch, "When I got to college, I started auditioning all the time — taping auditions." One of those auditions was for Sam Levinson, who would later create "Euphoria." Apatow recalled to EW, "Sam and I Skyped in my dorm room my freshman year of college just about 'Assassination Nation' ... And then I flew to New York and auditioned for him."
Apatow eventually left Northwestern her sophomore year in 2018. She explained to Vanity Fair, "I took a break [from college] because I was having a really hard time there, and when I was planning on going back, I got cast in 'Euphoria.'" Yet she did point out, "I wanted to make sure if I was leaving school to act that it was worth it." Her family supported her decision, with her mother, Leslie Mann, even telling ET, "I stand behind her. So, if she wants to stay in school, great, and if she wants to start working now, great."
It seemed that leaving school was something Apatow had always considered. "I always kind of knew in the back of my head that I was ready to start working," she said. However she's not totally ruling out finishing her degree either, adding, "I still maybe would like to go back at some point."
The Euphoria star writes and directs
Although Maude Apatow is famous for being onscreen, she's actually very into working behind-the-scenes as a writer and director. She even revealed to W Magazine, "I love writing and I love directing. That's my ultimate goal." Apatow seems to be well on her way to accomplishing her goal, having co-directed, co-written, and starred in the 2017 short film "Don't Mind Alice." "That was the greatest thing ever, and hopefully I can do more of that," she gushed. She apparently has, since she later told L'OFFICIEL in 2022, "I just sold my first script over the summer."
Of course Apatow's father, director Judd Apatow, has had a big influence on her work with her dishing, "He reads what I write and gives me notes." He apparently gives some good advice too. "My dad has always said, 'Write for yourself.' Because as an actor, you don't have much control over what happens, " she told Nylon. In terms of directing though, Apatow dished to Collider that it's not just her dad she watches, but others who have directed "Euphoria" as well. "Everyone directs in such like a different way, and we've had a few directors on the show," she said.
When asked by Who What Wear about what is most challenging for her, she dished, "Acting is a little easier because you have to step outside of your head in order to do it correctly, but when writing, you are all in your head, so it's tricky."
Maude Apatow is willing to compromise for her art
You could definitely say that Maude Apatow is willing to compromise for her work considering she's put a lot on the line for some parts. It's apparently something she's been doing since she was a child. She recalled on "Late Night with Seth Meyers," "I did a Gold Rush day [at school] and I wanted to look like a miner. So I like ripped out my tooth." She added, "It was not a loose tooth at all!"
In high school, things seemingly got more intense for Apatow after her dedication to a school play led to some real life drama, similar to what happened to her "Euphoria" character. In fact, Apatow told Variety that when it came to that particular storyline, "It was loosely inspired by my high school play that I produced. Everyone in the theater department hated me, but I really wanted to do a good job." She reiterated that to L'OFFICIEL, saying, "I took it really, really seriously. I lost a lot of friends during the show."
Apatow has also apparently used her personal experiences with having anxiety to get into her "Euphoria" character. She told EW, "Being able to channel all of that anxiety and those feelings into making something and using it." It seemed to have helped Apatow though, since she told The Columbus Dispatch, "Having them talk about OCD and that pressure — I'd never seen it in a show where it felt so real and I felt so connected to it."
She's been linked to Lucas Gage and Angus Cloud
It should come as no surprise that fans have speculated about Maude Apatow's love life. While Apatow has kept that relatively private, she did confirm her past relationship with British talent manager, Charlie Christie, back in 2018. That's because when showing off her business card collection to Us Weekly, she gushed about one, saying, "It's from one of my first dates with my boyfriend." Christie also shared photos of Apatow on his Instagram, captioning one with a heart. They eventually broke up in 2020 though, since that's when Apatow deleted all her photos of him, according to Elite Daily.
Since then, Apatow has been linked to her "Euphoria" co-star Lucas Gage. The two have posted photos hanging out, where they're shown canoodling or with their arms around one another. Gage has also left flirtatious comments on Apatow's posts, writing, per Seventeen, "u making me crazy maude," and calling her a "smoke show." Apatow too has commented on one of Gage's posts, writing, "God you're gorgeous." Although they may be just friends, when asked if they were dating, Apatow's own sister joked to Us Weekly, "I can confirm!!"
Then, there are reports that Apatow is dating her other "Euphoria" co-star and onscreen love interest, Angus Cloud. Those rumors also started on social media after Cloud tweeted a photo of them twinning during New York Fashion Week. He even posted an Instagram story of them hanging out later too, captioning it, per Elle, "A lil NYC date."
Maude Apatow is close with Sydney Sweeney
It appears that Maude Apatow is friends with her "Euphoria" co-stars in real life and is particularly close with Sydney Sweeney, who plays her onscreen sister. The two apparently met on set and have been friends ever since. "It's lucky that you're able to spend that much time with someone you actually like," Apatow told People. Their relationship not only makes working together more fun but helps them get through difficult scenes. Apatow explained to EW, "There are moments in the show that are intense between us, but I feel like because we're such close friends in real life, we just have that trust and know that we have each other's backs."
Sweeney apparently feels the same way about Apatow, even gushing to People, "She's the sister I always wished I had." She also made it clear how much they just enjoy each other's company, revealing, "If we're not filming, we're just in each other's trailers."
Apatow has a good relationship with Angus Cloud as well, who plays her onscreen love interest. She told EW, "I hope we get to do more scenes together because it's fun. He's just a great partner ... I just love working with him." Apatow is also quite fond of the show's star, Zendaya. She dished to Access Hollywood, "She's so fun to act with and like such a nice person ... so she's just like the perfect person to be a leader [on] this show."
Maude Apatow's net worth
Maude Apatow already has quite an impressive net worth. That's because, according to Celebrity Net Worth, as of 2022, the "Funny People" actor is worth $2 million on her own. It can be presumed she made most of that through acting, considering that she has worked in Hollywood since she was a kid, before landing a steady gig on "Euphoria." Apatow may have earned around $350,000 for 13 episodes since that's what her co-star Sydney Sweeney reportedly made.
Apatow seemingly brings in money from endorsements as well. She and her mother, Leslie Mann, have been doing commercials for Jergens since 2018. She even told People, "I was excited to join the Jergens family, because we've been using the products forever in my house." In 2022, Apatow also landed a campaign with Asos and Adidas, modeling their resort collection.
In terms of how Apatow spends her money, by the looks of her Instagram, she's into designer fashions, often posting photos of herself wearing high-end brands like YSL and Armani. It can be assumed she likes to spend on traveling too since there's also photos of her in fabulous locations like Paris, Italy, and Denmark. When it comes to real estate, that's more unclear, because in 2020, she told High Snobiety she was still living with her parents. Yet in 2022, she suggested to L'OFFICIEL she was either renting or had bought in New York City, saying, "I actually just got a place here, so hopefully I'll make the official move soon."
Maude Apatow is into skincare
Almost every celebrity has their own beauty line these days and Maude Apatow could be next, considering that she seems to be super into skincare. The "King of Staten Island" actor often talks about beauty products in interviews, especially when serving as spokesperson for the skincare line Jergens. When it comes to her routine, Apatow revealed to Marie Claire, "I'll put toner on my face and moisturizer." For nighttime, she added, "I started using retinol actually, which has really helped my skin. That's a big one that I'll do before bed."
Apatow has also given her mother, Leslie Mann, major credit for her good skin. She gushed to Harper's Bazaar, "I mean, my mom taught me everything I know about makeup and product ... and since I was a kid, I would always try on all of her makeup and lotions." Mann appears to like sharing her self care practices with her daughter as well, telling Shape, "We do infrared sauna sessions together." Yet Mann has made it a point to emphasize feeling good about yourself on the inside, over just wearing the right products.
As for makeup, Apatow's show "Euphoria" is obviously known for its bold looks, yet she prefers to keep it simple. She told Marie Claire, "I definitely love to wear pretty minimal makeup ... But I love bold lipstick." Apatow may prefer that because she suffered from acne in the past. She even told People, "When I started working and wearing more makeup, my skin got a lot worse."
Maude Apatow was famous on Twitter
As a teen, Maude Apatow gained notoriety on social media, thanks to her popular Twitter account. "I just joined Twitter one day, and within the first week I got 75 followers. I was so excited. Then it just kept going," she dished to Teen Vogue in 2012. Apatow told The New York Times that she thinks her Twitter took off after she live-tweeted the 2011 royal wedding. She then continued to gain followers seemingly because of her hilarious and relatable musings that her dad, director Judd Apatow, would often retweet. He revealed, "We both started using Twitter around the same time and both compliment and insult each other's tweets."
Eventually, Apatow's Twitter led to her landing a writing gig for HelloGiggles."I wrote an essay for the site that ended up getting tweeted by Mindy Kaling and posted to Tumblr by Zooey Deschanel, and things just sort of took off from there," Apatow explained. Teen Vogue was also interested in Apatow, using her tweets from a Taylor Swift concert for a story before asking her to interview One Direction for their website. "I didn't want to expect anything, but they turned out to be such nice guys," Apatow gushed.
These days, it appears Apatow is more active on Instagram where she has an even bigger reach, with 4.8 million followers (and counting!). It seems she wants to keep her TikTok more low key though, telling Elle, "My TikTok "For You" page feels too personal to watch in front of other people."
Maude Apatow is a cat person
From the looks of Maude Apatow's Instagram, it's pretty evident that she's a cat person, since a good amount of her posts feature, well, cats. According to The Wildest, Apatow is not only often with her parents' cats, Honey and Pumpkin, but has two of her very own, Christopher and Dolly. She even introduced Dolly on Instagram with a selfie appropriately captioned, "Hello Dolly." Some of Apatow's other cat posts have included her snuggling them, wearing matching shirts, and even Honey using her computer. She's also shared photos of one of her cats guarding her bed and another of the matching hats she crocheted for her and Dolly, writing, "This was a good idea in theory." Of course, Apatow did a post to celebrate International Cat Day, as well.
While Apatow has seemingly admitted that she spends a lot of time with her cats, she also revealed to Interview Magazine that her cat, Dolly, is the photo on her phone's lock screen. If that's not enough, when asked who she feels the closest to, Apatow answered, "Christopher Yuzu Enzo Apatow. My cat." Fans have apparently taken notice, considering that her cats now have their own fan page on Instagram called Meow Apatow, which according to their bio is a "maude, iris and cats stan account."
So there you have it, Apatow is not just a fan-favorite from "Euphoria," but a successful, multi-talented, cat loving, skincare fan, who appears to get along with and impress pretty much everyone she works with.