Why Lucy Albright From Hulu's Tell Me Lies Looks So Familiar
Hulu has just premiered a new romance drama series titled "Tell Me Lies." Set over the course of eight years, the series follows the tumultuous relationship between Lucy Albright and Stephen DeMarco (Jackson White), who meet in college and are instantly drawn to one another. According to the official synopsis, "Although their relationship begins like any typical campus romance, they quickly fall into an addictive entanglement that will permanently alter not only their lives, but the lives of everyone around them." The series is based on the novel of the same name by Carola Lovering.
If you've already watched the first few episodes, or maybe just the trailer, you may think that you have seen the show's female lead before. Well, if you're curious as to where you've seen her in the past, here's a breakdown of her most notable roles — in other words, why she may look so familiar.
Grace Van Patten got her start on The Sopranos
Grace Van Patten is the actress who plays Lucy in "Tell Me Lies," and she took her first-ever acting role in 2006 on a highly acclaimed, ultra-popular drama, "The Sopranos." Created by David Chase, the show, of course, follows New Jersey mobster Tony Soprano (James Gandolfini) as he balances his crime life with his family life. Van Patten played Ally Pontecorvo, the daughter of gangster Eugene Pontecorvo (Robert Funaro), and appeared in two episodes of Season 6 (via IMDb).
As it turns out, Van Patten had a connection to "The Sopranos" before appearing on the crime drama — her father, Timothy Van Patten, was a frequent director for the series (he directed 20 total episodes, according to IMDb). However, Van Patten said that all he did was get her the audition, and she took it from there.
In 2017, Van Patten told W Magazine, "My dad was like, 'I'll get you an audition, and then I'm out. I'm not going to do anything.' He wasn't there when I auditioned, and I remember being really scared." After she landed the role, the experience was formative for her. The actress added, "That was definitely my first vivid memory of acting and being like, 'I love this.'"
One early movie role of Grace Van Patten's was Tramps
After "The Sopranos," Grace Van Patten took a few years off from acting before returning in 2013. Then, in 2016, she landed her first leading role in the Netflix film "Tramps," which premiered at the 2016 Toronto International Film Festival before being made available on the streaming platform. Written and directed by Adam Leon, the film follows two criminals, Ellie (Van Patten) and Danny (Callum Turner), who are forced to work together in the same heist — and begin developing feelings for one another in the process. In an April 2017 interview with Vogue, the actress described what it was like filming "Tramps," stating, "We were running around New York and stealing shots in Grand Central. The whole thing was a real adventure."
Van Patten also discussed the role in a May 2017 interview with Harper's Bazaar, including the fact that she immediately fell in love with the character. She was also drawn to the opportunity to fill in details of the character's life that didn't come up in the script. The actress explained, "She's so straightforward and fair, but you can tell there's so much going on from what she says. I wanted to make up this whole life for her. She's this unsentimental romantic; she takes everything for how it is and she's so realistic, but she has this hope."
Next Grace Van Patten starred in The Meyerowitz Stories
The following year, Grace Van Patten co-starred in Noah Baumbach's "The Meyerowitz Stories" opposite a slew of big names — Adam Sandler, Ben Stiller, Dustin Hoffman, Elizabeth Marvel, and Emma Thompson. The film focuses on a set of adult siblings who come together in New York for their father Harold Meyerowitz's (Hoffman) career retrospective. Van Patten plays Eliza Meyerowitz, Danny's (Sandler) daughter and a film student who primarily works on provocative short films.
Speaking with Harper's Bazaar in May 2017, Van Patten discussed her experience filming "The Meyerowitz Stories." She said, "[It] was unreal. I still can't believe I got to work with all those people and learn so much: to see how comfortable and composed they are, and how much fun they can have ... I'm so thankful that every experience has been so amazing." Further, in a June 2017 interview with Town & Country, Van Patten discussed her intense audition process to land a spot in the ensemble drama. The actress explained that she auditioned for six months before finally getting a callback. Naturally, given that length of time, she was not expecting to land the role. She continued, "But then half a year later I got a call saying Noah liked me and wanted to see me again. I was confused but so excited ... Then it was another few months of having no idea how I did before they told me I got it. But I kind of appreciate it now, because I was so surprised when I did get it."
Grace Van Patten starred in Mayday
A few years later, in 2021, Grace Van Patten starred alongside Mia Goth and Juliette Lewis in "Mayday," written and directed by Karen Cinorre. The film follows Ana (Van Patten), who, in the midst of a dreamlike setting, joins a female army whose mission is to lure men to their deaths. But after joining the army, Ana questions whether she has it in her to go through with these crimes.
In an October 2021 interview with The Observer, Van Patten described what drew her to the leading role of "Mayday." She explained, "I feel like I was transported just by reading the script. And I had never felt that way reading anything." She elaborated that she was drawn to the many ways that the film can be interpreted and was able to find her own meaning within it. The actress continued, "Within all of the fantasy elements and the magic of it, it really was a story about a young woman finding her inner strength and power. I thought it was told in such a unique, original way, that I'd never seen before."
Grace Van Patten had a major role on Nine Perfect Strangers
Most recently, Grace Van Patten starred on the 2021 Hulu drama "Nine Perfect Strangers," which boasted an all-star ensemble cast including names such as Nicole Kidman, Michael Shannon, and Melissa McCarthy. Created by David E. Kelley, the series follows a group of strangers who travel to an isolated health and wellness resort called Tranquillum House. Led by founder Masha Dmitrichenko (Kidman), the resort turns out to hold more secrets than was let on. Van Patten plays Zoe Marconi, a young guest who has come to the resort with her parents Napoleon (Shannon) and Heather (Asher Keddie); the family is mourning the death of Zoe's twin brother.
In the October 2021 interview with The Observer, Van Patten also discussed her experience filming "Nine Perfect Strangers" with the star-studded cast. Van Patten said, "It was like, so many emotions. I was so excited. I'm a huge fan of literally every single person I got to work with, which is crazy. And they were all such amazing human beings. I think because we were all shipped off to Australia in a place we were all unfamiliar with, it forced us to connect on a different level ... It was a really beautiful experience."