Lake Bell

Lake Siegel Bell was born on March 24, 1979, in New York City. Her early life included attending The Chapin School, Westminster School, and School Year Abroad in Rennes, France, and Saint Edwards School in Vero Beach, Florida. She later focused on acting, transferring from Skidmore College to Rose Bruford College in London, where she gained theatrical experience. Bell began her acting career in 2002 with roles in the film “Speakeasy” and the TV medical drama “ER.” Early television appearances included “Miss Match,” “The Practice,” and a main role in “Boston Legal” from 2004 to 2006. She also took on the lead in the science fiction series “Surface” (2005–2006). Her early film work included “Over Her Dead Body” (2008), “What Happens in Vegas” (2008), and “It’s Complicated” (2009).

Bell expanded her career into writing and directing, making her debut with the short film “Worst Enemy,” which premiered at the Sundance Film Festival in 2012. This was followed by her feature film directorial debut, “In a World…” (2013), which she also wrote, produced, and starred in, earning her the Waldo Salt Screenwriting Award at Sundance. She continued to write, direct, co-produce, and star in “I Do… Until I Don’t” (2017). Her voice acting credits include prominent roles such as Poison Ivy in the HBO Max series “Harley Quinn” (2019–2025) and Natasha Romanoff / Black Widow in the Disney+ series “What If…?” (2021–2023), and “X-Men ’97” (2026). She also appeared in “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever” (2022) as Dr. Graham, showcasing her range in both live-action and animated productions.

Throughout her career, Bell has consistently pursued projects that highlight her versatility as an artist. She has held main roles in television series such as “How to Make It in America” (2010–2011), “Childrens Hospital” (2008–2016), and “Bless This Mess” (2019–2020), the latter of which she also co-created. Her filmography includes roles in “No Strings Attached” (2011), “Million Dollar Arm” (2014), “No Escape” (2015), and “The Secret Life of Pets” (2016). Bell’s work has been recognized with awards, including the Newport Beach Film Festival Award for Outstanding Performance in Acting for her role in “Under Still Waters” (2008). In a notable achievement in 2022, she directed two episodes of the Hulu biographical miniseries “Pam & Tommy” further solidifying her contributions as a director.