Cailee Spaeny
Biography
Cailee Spaeny is an American actress born on July 24, 1998, in Springfield, Missouri. Known professionally by her birth name, Cailee Johnamae Spaeny, she spent much of her youth participating in productions at the Springfield Little Theatre. She has gained recognition for her performances in both film and television, earning critical acclaim for her portrayal of historical figures and fictional heroines. Spaeny is frequently noted for her understated acting style, which brings a sense of quiet strength to the characters she portrays. Her professional career spans a variety of genres, ranging from science fiction and neo-noir to biographical drama and dystopian action, establishing her as a versatile performer in contemporary cinema and television.
Career overview
Spaeny began her professional acting career with major roles in the 2018 science fiction film Pacific Rim Uprising and the neo-noir film Bad Times at the El Royale. She expanded her work into television with appearances in the 2020 miniseries Devs and the 2021 project Mare of Easttown. Her filmography also includes a role in the 2024 dystopian action film Civil War, where she played the character Jessie, an aspiring photojournalist. Additionally, she is credited with a role in the science fiction film Alien: Romulus and is slated to appear in the second season of the anthology series Beef, scheduled for 2026.
In 2023, Spaeny received significant critical acclaim for her performance as Priscilla Presley in the biographical film Priscilla, directed by Sofia Coppola. This role earned her the Volpi Cup for Best Actress and a nomination for a Golden Globe Award. Throughout her career, she has been recognized for portraying formidable heroines, including her work as an outer space mine worker. With a total of 24 known credits, Spaeny continues to build a diverse portfolio across major motion pictures and television productions.
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Frequent co-stars
Career timeline
Full filmography
- Elden Ring (2028)
- BEEF: The Official Podcast (2026) as Self - Guest
- Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery (2025) as Simone Vivane
- Netflix Tudum 2025 (2025) as Self
- Alien: Romulus (2024) as Rain
- Civil War (2024) as Jessie
- Torn Asunder: Waging Alex Garland's Civil War (2024) as Self
- BEEF (2023) as Ashley Miller
- BEEF (2023) Executive Producer
- Priscilla (2023) as Priscilla
- The Making of Priscilla (2023) as Self
- The First Lady (2022) as Anna Eleanor Roosevelt
- Unlimited World (2022) as Lars
- Mare of Easttown (2021) as Erin McMenamin
- How It Ends (2021) as Young Liza
- Devs (2020) as Lyndon
- The Craft: Legacy (2020) as Lily
- Pacific Rim: Uprising (2018) as Amara Namani
- Vice (2018) as 17 Year Old Lynne Vincent
- Bad Times at the El Royale (2018) as Rose Summerspring
- On the Basis of Sex (2018) as Jane C. Ginsburg
- Counting to 1000 (2016) as Erica
- The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon (2014) as Self
- Jimmy Kimmel Live! (2003) as Self - Guest
- Deep Cuts as Percy Marks