Why Monica From Impeachment: American Crime Story Looks So Familiar
The highly anticipated third season of the true crime anthology "American Crime Story" is quickly approaching. While the first and second seasons of the riveting series focused on the murder trial of O.J. Simpson and the murder of the fashion designer Gianni Versace, respectively, Season 3 is set to dive into the scandal and subsequent trial of former U.S. President Bill Clinton, following his affair with a then-White House intern named Monica Lewinsky.
Fans are excited to watch "Impeachment: American Crime Story," thanks to the notorious popularity of the subject matter, as well as the starring cast. Sarah Paulson is set to play Linda Tripp, Lewinsky's former confidant who played a crucial part in the scandal. Clive Owen will portray Bill Clinton. Annaleigh Ashford is set to play Paula Jones, who first accused Clinton of sexual harassment and kicked off the investigation into his actions. And finally, an actor named Beanie Feldstein will be the one playing Monica Lewinsky herself.
If the name Beanie Feldstein sounds familiar, it's probably because the talented actress has appeared in several award-winning films over the last few years. Here's where you've likely seen her before.
Beanie Feldstein's film debut was in Neighbors 2: Sorority Rising
Beanie Feldstein grew up as the youngest of three siblings — her older brothers are actor Jonah Hill and the tragically deceased Maroon 5 manager Jordan Feldstein. However, while it's clear that she comes from a family of talented individuals, there's no question that she has managed to make a name for herself based primarily on her own talents and charm. One of her first starring roles was in the 2016 comedy "Neighbors 2: Sorority Rising," and it was thanks to this film that the entertainment world started noticing her.
"Neighbors 2: Sorority Rising" also featured Seth Rogen, Rose Byrne, Zac Efron, Kiersey Clemons, and Chloë Grace Moretz. Feldstein played the role of Nora Clerk, a college freshman who creates a new sorority with her friend in defiance of outdated Greek life rules. While "Neighbors 2: Sorority Rising" received mixed reviews, Feldstein's performance stood out, and earned her praise from several media outlets. The Independent Critic noted "newcomer Beanie Feldstein may be the true find of Neighbors 2," and Dwight Brown of the National Newspaper Publishers Association wrote "Moretz, Clemons and Feldstein have firmly placed themselves in the hall of fame of young comic actresses who are not afraid to say anything to get a laugh."
With a reputation as a budding comic actress now cemented by her first film role, Feldstein made a flashy debut into the world of entertainment, and has only continued to shine ever since.
Beanie Feldstein earned mainstream recognition in Lady Bird
The first role that shot Feldstein into the public's attention was her portrayal of Julianne "Julie" Steffans in 2017's "Lady Bird." In this film, she played the best friend to Saoirse Ronan's Christine "Lady Bird" McPherson, and the two earned praise for their depiction of high-school friendship goals. The heartwarming film also earned over 200 award nominations according to IMDb, with five of them being Academy Award nominations.
Feldstein spoke to her brother Jonah Hill for Interview Magazine about her rise to fame thanks to "Lady Bird." After Hill noted that Feldstein's name was everywhere following the film's release, she responded by saying "I had such an immensely lucky break with 'Lady Bird.' I got to play the ultimate best friend, so people feel friendly with me. The fact that people feel a coziness with me is my dream."
In an interview with The Guardian, Feldstein disclosed that "Lady Bird" was a life changing experience. "It's been so special -– not only because so many people have seen the film but how they hold it close," she explained. "You get the sense it's truly beloved. The movie was a turning point for me, too. I'll remember my life as pre-Lady Bird and post-Lady Bird."
2019 was a "smart" year for Beanie Feldstein
Following her breakout role in "Lady Bird," Feldstein landed a role in the 2019 coming of age comedy "Booksmart," directed by Olivia Wilde. Here, she played another half of a best-friend duo — this time as a bookish high school senior named Molly Davidson who, alongside her equally accomplished best friend Amy Antsler (Kaitlyn Dever), decides to attend a graduation party as one final chance to have fun before college, after coming to the decision that they spent too much of their past four years focused on academics.
"Booksmart" received overwhelming praise, as did Feldstein's performance. For Little White Lies, film critic Hannah Strong wrote "Feldstein builds on her standout supporting performance in Lady Bird to prove she's becoming one of the most exciting young actors in Hollywood today."
Speaking about the themes of the movie in an interview with Slashfilm, Feldstein said, "I think everyone is judged at some point in their life. First of all, everyone goes to high school in some capacity, hopefully. Everyone has some sort of stereotype put onto them by society, and I think what our film does is bust that wide open."
Hello, Beanie!
We'd be remiss not to mention Feldstein's success not just on film, but also as a stage actress and singer. Not only has she been a singer since her childhood years — as seen in her many Instagram throwback posts — but she made her Broadway debut in an iconic show, and is soon to star in another. In 2017, Feldstein landed the role of Minnie Faye in the musical "Hello, Dolly!" alongside Bette Midler. She described the moment when she learned that she'd gotten the part to Playbill, revealing "I couldn't believe it. And I was staying in my childhood home, so I was with my parents when I found out I was going to be on Broadway!"
Recently, Feldstein landed the role of Fanny Brice in the upcoming Broadway revival of "Funny Girl," which was originated by Barbara Streisand. In a statement released by The New York Times, Feldstein said "The first time I played Fanny Brice was at my third birthday party, in a head-to-toe leopard print outfit my mom made for me. So, it's safe to say that stepping into this iconic role, on Broadway and not in my family's backyard, is truly my lifelong dream come true."