Margaret Qualley

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Who is Margaret Qualley?

Sarah Margaret Qualley is an American actress. A daughter of actress Andie MacDowell, she trained as a ballet dancer in her youth. She made her acting debut in the 2013 drama film Palo Alto and gained recognition for her supporting role in the HBO drama series The Leftovers (2014–2017).

Qualley then appeared in films such as The Nice Guys (2016), Death Note (2017), and Once Upon a Time in Hollywood (2019), and performed in the video game Death Stranding (2019). She received critical acclaim and nominations for Primetime Emmy Awards for playing Ann Reinking in the FX biographical miniseries Fosse/Verdon (2019) and the title role in the Netflix drama miniseries Maid (2021). Qualley has since appeared in Yorgos Lanthimos’ films Poor Things (2023) and Kinds of Kindness (2024), as well as in the body horror film The Substance (2024). The last of these earned her a nomination for a Golden Globe Award.

Quick Details

Full NameSarah Margaret Qualley
Date of BirthOctober 23, 1994 (age)
BirthplaceKalispell, Montana, U.S.
Current ResidenceNew York, U.S.
NationalityAmerican
GenderFemale
BirthdayOctober 23
Age30 years
Height5′ 8″ (1.73 m)
Weight58 kilograms (approx)
Hair ColorBrown
Eyes ColorBrown
ParentsPaul James Qualley
Andie MacDowell
RelativesRainey Qualley (sister)
Justin Qualley(Sibling)
SpouseJack Antonoff (married. 2023)​
OccupationActress, Producer
Years active 2011–present
Debut filmPalo Alto (2013)

Early Life and Education

Sarah Margaret Qualley was born on October 23, 1994, in Kalispell, Montana, to actress and model Andie MacDowell and former model Paul Qualley. She has two older siblings: Justin and Rainey Qualley, the latter an actress and singer. Margaret’s childhood was spent on a ranch in Missoula, Montana, before her family moved to Biltmore Forest near Asheville, North Carolina when she was four. Her parents separated when she was five, and Margaret divided her time between them, as they lived just three miles apart. Her mother’s home remained in North Carolina, where their extended family is also based.

As a teenager in Asheville, Margaret and her sister debuted as debutantes at the Bal des débutantes in Paris. At 14, Margaret left home to attend the North Carolina School of the Arts, where she pursued ballet. She trained extensively, apprenticing at the American Ballet Theatre and studying at New York’s Professional Children’s School. Despite earning an apprenticeship with the North Carolina Dance Theater company at 16, she decided to leave ballet, opting instead to model in New York.

Margaret’s transition to acting began with her attendance at a summer program at London’s Royal Academy of Dramatic Art. She later enrolled at New York University but left after one semester to focus on acting opportunities.

Career

Modeling

In 2011, at age 16, Qualley made her modeling debut during New York Fashion Week, walking for Alberta Ferretti. She modeled during Paris Fashion Week Spring/Summer 2012 for Valentino and Chanel. She walked for Chanel again during their Fall/Winter 2012 show.

She has appeared on the covers and editorials of Evening Standard, Jolie, Teen Vogue, Paper, Elle, W, Hunger, Porter, Document Journal, AnOther, Interview, Vogue (including Vogue Russia and China), Vanity Fair, Nylon, V, The Cut, and C. She appeared in advertising campaigns for Kenzo, Ralph Lauren, Kate Spade, and Celine. Qualley was in numerous campaigns for Chanel, for which she is a house ambassador.

Acting

Margaret Qualley made her on-screen debut in 2013 with a small role in Gia Coppola’s Palo Alto, a part she landed while visiting her then-boyfriend, Nat Wolff, on set. Later that year, she joined the cast of HBO’s The Leftovers as Jill Garvey, a role she reprised for all three seasons until 2017. In 2015, she appeared in the short film L’Américaine for Tory Burch and gained attention in 2016 for her striking performance in a Spike Jonze-directed commercial for KENZO World, showcasing her ballet background. That same year, she appeared alongside Ryan Gosling and Russell Crowe in The Nice Guys.

Qualley starred in several notable films from 2016 onward. She joined the cast of The Vanishing of Sidney Hall and the Sundance-premiered Novitiate, where she played a young nun questioning her faith. She also appeared in Death Note and Soko’s music video for Sweet Sound of Ignorance with her sister, Rainey. In 2018, she starred in Donnybrook, which premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival.

Her career soared in 2019 with diverse roles, including the Netflix sci-fi film IO, HBO’s Native Son, and the FX miniseries Fosse/Verdon, where she played Ann Reinking and earned Emmy and Critics’ Choice nominations. She also appeared in Quentin Tarantino’s Once Upon a Time in Hollywood as a Manson Family member, earning a SAG Award nomination with the ensemble cast. That year, she starred in Seberg and voiced characters in Hideo Kojima’s Death Stranding.

In 2020, Qualley featured in Olivia Wilde’s short film Wake Up and the feature My Salinger Year, which premiered at the Berlin International Film Festival. In 2021, her role in Netflix’s Maid earned her Golden Globe and SAG nominations. In 2022, she starred in Claire Denis’s Stars at Noon.

In 2023, Qualley executive produced and starred in the thriller Sanctuary and appeared in Yorgos Lanthimos’s Poor Things. She reunited with Lanthimos for Kinds of Kindness, playing multiple roles, and starred in the body horror film The Substance, both premiering at the Cannes Film Festival.

Looking ahead, Qualley will appear in Ethan Coen’s comedy Honey Don’t! alongside Aubrey Plaza and Chris Evans, as well as John Patton Ford’s thriller Huntington with Glen Powell.

Personal Life

As of November 2019, Qualley lives in New York. Qualley formerly lived in Los Angeles with her sister Rainey, whom she described as “my idol, my best friend in the whole world”.

Qualley was briefly romantically linked to Pete Davidson in 2019. She began dating actor Shia LaBeouf in 2020 after they were co-stars in Rainey’s music video “Love Me Like You Hate Me”. Qualley and LaBeouf’s relationship ended in January 2021 after controversies began with LaBeouf, including his ex-girlfriend and singer FKA Twigs’s lawsuit against him for sexual battery and assault. In September 2021, Qualley told Harper’s Bazaar that she believed FKA Twigs’s allegations.

Margaret Qualley Jack Antonoff (Husband)
Margaret Qualley with Jack Antonoff (Husband)

In May 2022, Qualley announced her engagement to musician Jack Antonoff. They married on August 19, 2023.

She is the subject of the 2023 song “Margaret” by Lana Del Rey from her album Did You Know That There’s a Tunnel Under Ocean Blvd. Her voice is on the track “Taco Truck x VB” which is on the same album.

Filmography

Margaret Qualley Movies

[Related Content: Margaret Qualley Upcoming Movies]

YearTitleRole
2024The SubstanceSue
2024Kinds of KindnessVivian / Martha / Ruth / Rebecca
2024Drive-Away DollsJamie
2023Poor ThingsFelicity
2022SanctuaryRebecca
2022Stars at NoonTrish
2020My Salinger YearJoanna
2020Wake UpJane Doe
2019SebergLinette Solomon
2019Strange But TrueMelissa
2019Once Upon a Time… in HollywoodPussycat
2019AdamCasey
2019Native SonMary Dalton
2019IOSam
2018DonnybrookDelia Angus
2018Light BeingsGirl (uncredited)
2017Death NoteMia Sutton
2017The Vanishing of Sidney HallAlexandra
2017NovitiateSister Cathleen
2016Dream GirlNora
2016The Nice GuysAmelia Kuttner
2013Palo AltoRaquel

Related Content: 15 Best Margaret Qualley Movies & TV Shows (Ranked)]

Margaret Qualley TV Series

YearTitleRoleNotes
2021MaidAlexandra “Alex” RussellMain role (10 episodes)
2020Acting for a CauseJuliet(1 episodes)
2019Fosse/VerdonAnn ReinkingMiniseries (5 episodes)
2018Asesinato en el Hormiguero ExpressHerselfTelevision special
2014–2017The LeftoversJill GarveyMain role (22 episodes)

Video games

YearTitleVoice RoleNotes
2019Death StrandingMama/LockneAlso provided the 3D model and motion capture for both characters

Music videos

YearSongArtistNotes
2023“Tiny Moves”BleachersDanced as Jack Antonoff’s wife
2023“Alma Mater”BleachersCameo, as Jack Antonoff’s wife
2020“Love Me Like You Hate Me”RainsfordDanced with Shia LaBeouf
2019“Emotions”Cashmere CatDanced as Princess Catgirl using motion capture
2019“For Your Eyes Only”Cashmere CatDanced as Princess Catgirl using motion capture
2017“Sweet Sound of Ignorance”SokoAs the mascot dancer with sister, Rainey Qualley

Awards & Nominations

AwardYearWorkCategoryResult
Austin Film Critics Association2025The SubstanceBest Supporting ActressWon
Columbus Film Critics Association2025The SubstanceBest Supporting PerformanceNominated
Critics’ Choice Awards2025The SubstanceBest Supporting ActressPending
DiscussingFilm Global Film Critics2025The SubstanceBest Supporting ActressBronze
Dorian Awards2025The SubstanceBest Supporting PerformancePending
Golden Globe Awards2025The SubstanceBest Supporting Actress – Motion PictureNominated
Great Western New York Film Critics Association2025The SubstanceBest Supporting ActressNominated
Hawaii Film Critics Society2025The SubstanceBest Supporting ActressNominated
Houston Film Critics Society2025The SubstanceBest Actress – Supporting RolePending
Portland Critics Association2025The SubstanceBest Supporting Performance FemaleRunner-up
Satellite Awards2025The SubstanceBest Actress in a Supporting RoleNominated
Saturn Awards2025The SubstanceBest Supporting Actress in a FilmPending
Vancouver Film Critics Circle2025The SubstanceBest Supporting ActressPending
Alliance of Women Film Journalists2024The SubstanceBest Supporting ActressNominated
Astra Film Awards2024The SubstanceBest Supporting ActressNominated
Astra Film Awards2024The SubstanceBest Performance in a Horror or ThrillerNominated
Boston Online Film Critics Association2024The SubstanceBest Supporting ActressWon
Chicago Film Critics Association2024The SubstanceBest Supporting ActressNominated
Chicago Indie Critics Awards2024The SubstanceBest Supporting ActressWon
Dallas–Fort Worth Film Critics Association2024The SubstanceBest Supporting ActressRunner-up
Film Critics UK Association2024The SubstanceBest Supporting ActressNominated
Georgia Film Critics Association2024The SubstanceBest Supporting ActressNominated
Indiana Film Journalists Association2024The SubstanceBest Supporting PerformanceWon
Kansas City Film Critics Circle2024The SubstanceBest Supporting ActressWon
Las Vegas Film Critics Society2024The SubstanceBest Supporting ActressNominated
London Film Critics’ Circle2024The SubstanceBest Supporting ActressPending
Michigan Movie Critics Guild2024The SubstanceBest Supporting ActressNominated
Minnesota Film Critics Association2024The SubstanceBest Supporting ActressNominated
MTV Video Music Awards2024“Tiny Moves”Best Direction (with Alex Lockett)Nominated
MTV Video Music Awards2024“Tiny Moves”Best ChoreographyNominated
Music City Film Critics’ Association2024The SubstanceBest Supporting ActressWon
North Carolina Film Critics Association2024The SubstanceBest Supporting ActressWon
North Dakota Film Society2024The SubstanceBest Supporting ActressWon
Online Association of Female Critics2024The SubstanceBest Supporting ActressWon
Online Film Critics Society2024The SubstanceBest Supporting ActressPending
Philadelphia Film Critics Circle2024The SubstanceBest Supporting ActressWon
Phoenix Critics Circle2024The SubstanceBest Supporting ActressWon
Seattle Film Critics Society2024The SubstanceBest Supporting ActressWon
Critics’ Choice Awards2022MaidBest Actress in a Movie/MiniseriesNominated
Golden Globe Awards2022MaidBest Actress – Miniseries or Television FilmNominated
Primetime Emmy Awards2022MaidOutstanding Lead Actress in a Limited or Anthology Series or MovieNominated
Screen Actors Guild Awards2022MaidOutstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Miniseries/Television MovieNominated
Television Critics Association Awards2022MaidIndividual Achievement in DramaNominated
Prix Iris2021My Salinger YearBest ActressNominated
Critics’ Choice Awards2020Fosse/VerdonBest Supporting Actress in a Movie/MiniseriesNominated
Screen Actors Guild Awards2020Once Upon a Time in HollywoodOutstanding Ensemble Cast in a Motion PictureNominated
Primetime Emmy Awards2019Fosse/VerdonOutstanding Supporting Actress in a Limited Series or MovieNominated

Photo Gallery

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