Molly Gordon

Molly Gordon, born on December 6, 1994, in Los Angeles, California, is an American actress and filmmaker. Her parents are director Bryan Gordon and writer-director Jessie Nelson, and her family is Jewish. Gordon began performing on the LA stage at a young age, often alongside actor Ben Platt. They starred in productions like “Fiddler on the Roof” at age four and “How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying” at age five. Her early interest in comedic acting was influenced by regularly watching “Saturday Night Live” and attending performances by The Groundlings comedy troupe. She briefly attended New York University, but left after two weeks to pursue acting professionally.

Gordon’s career began with early film appearances in her mother’s 2001 drama “I Am Sam” as Callie, and a small role in Nora Ephron’s 2005 film “Bewitched.” In 2014, she moved to New York City to focus on her acting career. A significant turn came in 2015 when she was cast as Nicky in the TNT pilot for “Animal Kingdom,” a role she maintained as a series regular until 2018. She gained further recognition for her role as Maddie, Melissa McCarthy’s daughter, in the 2018 comedy film “Life of the Party.” Gordon continued to build her filmography with roles in notable independent comedies, including “Booksmart” (2019) as Triple A, “Good Boys” (2019) as Hannah, and “Shiva Baby” (2020) as Maya.

More recently, Gordon has expanded her career into writing and directing. She co-directed, co-wrote, and starred in the musical comedy film “Theater Camp” (2023), which earned a Special Jury Award at the Sundance Film Festival. Her recurring role as Claire Dunlap in the FX series “The Bear” (2023–2026) has further elevated her profile, portraying a love interest for Carmy Berzatto. She also co-wrote and starred in “Oh, Hi!” (2025) and is set to direct and co-write “Peaked,” an A24 high school reunion comedy, while also having a role in “The Sheep Detectives” (2026). Her work has garnered awards, including a Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Ensemble in a Comedy Series for “The Bear” in 2024.