Cloverfield: Everything Lizzy Caplan Did After The Movie 

American actress Lizzy Caplan has had a successful acting career since she appeared as the character Marlena in the 2008 alien invasion movie Cloverfield. In the movie—which is shot in found-footage style—Marlena is part of a group of friends who attempt to make it through an apparent monster attack on New York City. Marlena ends up dying before the movie ends, succumbing to injuries she got while saving Hud (T.J. Miller) from parasites. Caplan’s work in Cloverfield earned her a Saturn Award nomination for Best Supporting Actress.

Before she was known for her role in Cloverfield, Caplan already had experience in film. Her movie debut came as “party girl” in 2002’s Orange County, and she appeared in the short film Hardcore Action News in 2003. Her big break came in 2004 with Mean Girls; she played the character Janis Ian, a goth artistic girl who befriends Lindsay Lohan’s character. Caplan went on to act in two more movies before Cloverfield: 2006’s Love Is The Drug and 2007’s Crashing. My Best Friend’s Girl, in which Caplan plays the character Ami, was released in 2008.

Also pre-Cloverfield, Caplan had some television experience under her belt. Her TV and overall acting debut came with a four-episode arc on cult series Freaks and Geeks. She also appeared in two television films—From Where I Sit and Everybody’s Doing It and in episodes of Undeclared, Smallville, Once Again, Try Calling, Family Guy, and American Dad!. Plus, she played the main role in the shows The Pitts, Related, and The Class. In 2008, Caplan appeared in six episodes of True Blood and did voice work on an episode of The Life & Times of Tim.

Cloverfield: Everything Lizzy Caplan Did After The Movie 

Caplan’s first film role after Cloverfield was in 2009 as Marla in the movie Crossing Over. In 2010 alone, Caplan was in the short film Successful Alcoholics and feature movies Hot Tub Time Machine, The Last Rites of Ransom Pride, and 127 Hours. She went on to make thirteen movies from 2011-2020, the most notable among them rom-com Bachelorette, comedy The Interview, Christmas comedy The Night Before, heist thriller Now You See Me 2, biographical comedy-drama The Disaster Artist, and sci-fi thriller Extinction. In 2020, the movie Honest Thief, in which Caplan plays the character Ella, is in post-production.

Caplan has also been part of several television shows since she appeared in Cloverfield. From 2009-2010, she played Casey Klein in Party Down, and from 2010-2011 she was in two episodes of Children’s Hospital. Also in 2011, she did voice work on The Cleveland Show and appeared in episodes of Mr. Sunshine and Wainy Days. In 2012, Caplan landed a four-episode arc on New Girl, and in 2013 she was in Newsreaders. From 2013-2016, Caplan saw critical acclaim when she starred as Virginia E. Johnson in Masters of Sex, a period drama series that explores the relationship between Michael Sheen’s William Masters and Caplan’s character, two researchers of human sexuality in the 1950s. Caplan’s work on Masters of Sex earned her nominations for a Primetime Emmy, two Satellite Awards, and a Critics’ Choice Award. She also served as one of the show’s producers.

Between 2013 and 2019, Caplan occasionally did TV work on shows including The League, Kroll Show, Comedy Bang! Bang!, The Simpsons, Angie Tribeca, Ill Behavior, I’m Sorry, and Das Bot. Another big break came in 2019; Caplan scored the main role of Annie Wilkes on season 2 of Castle Rock, a psychological horror anthology on Hulu featuring many Stephen King characters—and containing many Stephen King easter eggs. Also in 2019, Caplan played the main roles of twin sisters Josie and Lanie Burham in the drama series Truth Be Told. Cloverfield was only the beginning for this versatile actress, who has cultivated a promising career in the years since 2008.

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