Thomasin McKenzie

Thomasin Katherin Helen Harcourt McKenzie was born on July 26, 2000, in Wellington, New Zealand, into a family with a strong background in the entertainment industry; her mother is actress Miranda Harcourt and her father is director Stuart McKenzie. Her grandmother is the esteemed actress Dame Kate Harcourt. McKenzie completed her secondary education at Samuel Marsden Collegiate School in 2018. Initially, she did not aspire to an acting career, expressing an interest in working with animals as a vet or zookeeper. Despite this, she began performing as a child, with her early roles including an appearance with her brother in the 2012 film “Existence” and playing a young Louise Nicholas in the 2014 television film “Consent: The Louise Nicholas Story.”

McKenzie gained significant critical attention for her lead role as Tom in Debra Granik’s 2018 drama film “Leave No Trace,” for which she won the National Board of Review Award for Breakthrough Performance. This breakout role propelled her into more prominent projects, including supporting roles in the 2019 historical films “The King” and “True History of the Kelly Gang.” In the same year, she played Elsa Korr in Taika Waititi’s satirical comedy-drama “Jojo Rabbit,” a role that earned her a Critics’ Choice Movie Award nomination for Best Young Actress. These early achievements showcased her ability to deliver nuanced performances, establishing her as a notable talent in the industry.

Her career continued to advance with leading roles in major films such as M. Night Shyamalan’s 2021 thriller “Old” and Edgar Wright’s psychological horror film “Last Night in Soho,” where she starred as Eloise. McKenzie has also featured in television series, including a recurring role as Pixie Hannah in “Shortland Street” from 2015 to 2020, and the lead role of Lucy Lewis in the web series “Lucy Lewis Can’t Lose.” More recently, she played the title character in the 2023 thriller “Eileen” and portrayed embryologist Jean Purdy in the 2024 biographical drama “Joy,” further solidifying her reputation for engaging and impactful performances.