Celebrity Info
Grace Gummer, daughter of the highly acclaimed actress Meryl Streep, has carved out a path that is distinctly her own, far removed from the character she portrayed in TeenNick’s “Gigantic” (2010–11)—a show centered around the daughter of a famous acting duo. Rather than relying on her famous lineage, Gummer has steadily built her career through substantive theater roles, such as her performance in Tom Stoppard’s “Arcadia,” as well as understated parts in film and television. Unlike what one might expect from someone with such a prominent mother, Gummer has taken the less flashy route, working her way through the industry with persistence and dedication.
As the third child of Meryl Streep and her husband Don Gummer, a sculptor, Grace Gummer did not initially set out to pursue acting. Growing up in a family brimming with artistic talent—her sister Mamie is an actress, and her brother Henry is both an actor and musician—finding her own creative identity was no small task. Her earliest brush with the film world came as a child in “The House of the Spirits” (1993), where she appeared billed as Jane Gray (her middle name being Jane), playing the young version of the character later portrayed by her mother. However, aside from that experience, Gummer spent much of her childhood far removed from Hollywood’s spotlight, living with her siblings in a quiet Connecticut town.
While she dabbled in costume design and acting during her time at Vassar College, Gummer had no real intention of returning to the screen. In fact, she served as captain of the swim team and once aspired to compete in the Olympics. After graduating with a degree in art history and Italian, she moved to Rome with dreams of becoming a fashion designer. However, in 2008, everything changed when the director of the play “The Sexual Neuroses of Our Parents” invited her to design costumes for his production. She returned to the U.S. and quickly realized she wanted to be more than just behind-the-scenes—she wanted to act. After several auditions, she landed a role that would set her on a new course.
Positive reviews from that play led to her next professional opportunity: a part in the crime film “Meskada” (2010). Since then, Gummer has remained consistently active in theater, film, and television. She appeared in the Tom Hanks-directed “Larry Crowne” (2011), starring Julia Roberts, and took on roles in various TV shows, including a lead in the web series “Paloma” (2013), directed by Julia Stiles, and a guest appearance on Aaron Sorkin’s HBO drama “The Newsroom” (2012–14), where she portrayed the daughter of Mitt Romney.
Her breakout moment came with her role on the science fiction series “Extant” (CBS 2014–15). That was followed by memorable performances in “American Horror Story: Freak Show” (FX 2014–15) and the dystopian thriller “Mr. Robot” (USA 2015– ). During this time, she also starred alongside Patricia Clarkson in the romantic drama “Learning to Drive” (2015) and played a central role in Amazon’s “Good Girls Revolt” (2016), portraying a young reporter inspired by Nora Ephron. Through it all, Grace Gummer has steadily built a reputation as a versatile and grounded performer in her own right.
Grace Gummer is perhaps best known for her role in the critically acclaimed film Frances Ha (2012), which remains her highest-rated movie to date. On the other end of the spectrum, her performance in Beast of Burden (2018) received the lowest ratings among her filmography. While Grace Gummer has appeared in a variety of roles throughout her career, these two films represent the extremes in terms of critical reception. Grace Gummer’s work in Frances Ha showcased her talent in a more favorable light, whereas Beast of Burden seemed to fall short in resonating with audiences and critics alike.
United States
