Julia Garner, born on February 1, 1994, is a talented American actress who has captivated audiences with her outstanding performances across both television and film. Garner first garnered widespread recognition for her portrayal of Ruth Langmore in the Netflix crime drama series Ozark (2017–2022).
Her remarkable performance earned her three Primetime Emmy Awards for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series, as well as a Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actress. Garner’s talent and versatility have since made her one of the most sought-after actresses of her generation.
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✅ Early Life and Background
Julia Garner was born in the Riverdale neighbourhood of the Bronx, New York. Her mother, Tamar Gingold, is a therapist who also had a career as an actress and comedian in Israel, while her father, Thomas Garner, is a painter and art teacher from Shaker Heights, Ohio. Garner’s heritage is Jewish, as her mother is of Jewish descent. She grew up alongside her older sister, Anna Garner, who is an artist. Julia is fluent in English and understands Hebrew, thanks to her mother’s background, though she does not speak the language fluently.
Garner attended the Eagle Hill School in Greenwich, Connecticut, where she developed an interest in acting. At the age of 15, she began taking acting lessons to overcome her natural shyness. During the 2023 SAG-AFTRA strike, Garner continued her education by studying clowning under Philippe Gaulier at École Philippe Gaulier in France, expanding her range as an actor.
✅ Early Career Beginnings
Julia Garner made her film debut at the age of 17 in Sean Durkin’s Martha Marcy May Marlene, where she portrayed the character Sarah. Her early career showed promise when she received an invitation from director David Chase to play a small yet significant role in the film Not Fade Away (2012). This same year, she landed her first leading role in the film Electrick Children. The following year, in 2013, Garner starred alongside Ashley Bell in the horror film The Last Exorcism Part II, and played the lead role in the American remake of the Mexican horror film We Are What We Are.
In 2014, Garner appeared in Sin City: A Dame to Kill For as Marcie, a young stripper who crosses paths with Johnny, played by Joseph Gordon-Levitt. This project marked her first experience acting with a green screen.
✅ Breakthrough Roles and Critical Acclaim
2015 marked a pivotal year in Garner’s career when she starred in the comedy film Grandma, directed by Paul Weitz, alongside Lily Tomlin. In this film, Garner played a teenage student seeking the help of her lesbian grandmother (Tomlin) to obtain an abortion. That same year, she also made a guest appearance on Lena Dunham’s HBO comedy series Girls, in the episode titled “The Panic in Central Park.”
Garner’s talent was further recognized when she joined the cast of the FX period spy-thriller series The Americans, where she had a recurring role in its third season and continued through to the sixth season. She was also slated to make her off-Broadway debut in Noah Haidle’s Smokefall in 2016 but had to withdraw due to scheduling conflicts.
✅ Breakout Role in Ozark and Further Success
In 2017, Julia Garner landed the role of Ruth Langmore in the highly acclaimed Netflix crime drama Ozark. Starring alongside Jason Bateman and Laura Linney, Garner’s portrayal of Ruth, a smart yet troubled young woman from a criminal family, earned her widespread critical acclaim. Her performance helped solidify her status as one of Hollywood’s brightest stars, winning her three Primetime Emmy Awards for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series.
✅ Other Projects and Expanding Horizons
In addition to her role in Ozark, Julia Garner’s talent also shone in other high-profile projects. In 2018, she appeared in the Paramount Network miniseries Waco, portraying Michelle, the sister of Melissa Benoist’s character. Garner also starred in the Netflix miniseries Maniac as Ellie, the sister of Emma Stone’s character. Her role in Dirty John (2018-2019), the Bravo true crime anthology series, earned her a recurring role as Terra Newell, the daughter of Connie Britton’s character.
In 2022, Garner portrayed the infamous con artist Anna Sorokin in the Netflix miniseries Inventing Anna. Her exceptional performance in the lead role earned her nominations for both a Primetime Emmy Award and a Golden Globe Award for Best Actress.
✅ Upcoming Projects and Film Appearances
Julia Garner’s impressive career continues to expand into the world of film. She has appeared in notable films such as Martha Marcy May Marlene (2011), The Perks of Being a Wallflower (2012), and Sin City: A Dame to Kill For (2014). Her filmography also includes The Fantastic Four: First Steps (2025), as well as lead roles in Grandma (2015), The Assistant (2019), The Royal Hotel (2023), and upcoming films like Wolf Man (2025) and Weapons (2025).
Filmography
Film
Film Career of Julia Garner: Julia Garner’s film career began with her role as Sarah in Martha Marcy May Marlene (2011). In 2012, she played Rachel McKnight in Electrick Children and Susan in The Perks of Being a Wallflower. She then appeared as “Girl in Car” in Not Fade Away. In 2013, she starred as Rose Parker in We Are What We Are and Gwen in The Last Exorcism Part II, followed by Shauna Holder in Hair Brained. Garner continued her film career in 2014, portraying Cassidy in I Believe in Unicorns and Marcie in Sin City: A Dame to Kill For. In 2015, she took on the role of Sage in Grandma.
In 2016, she appeared as Tinsley in Good Kids. By 2017, Garner played Jamalee Merridew in Tomato Red and Catherine in One Percent More Humid. The same year, she also featured as Rola in Everything Beautiful Is Far Away. Garner’s role as Jane in The Assistant came in 2019. In 2023, she played Hanna in The Royal Hotel, and in 2024, she portrayed Terry Gionoffrio in Apartment 7A. The following year, she appeared as Charlotte Lovell in Wolf Man, and in The Fantastic Four: First Steps, she took on the dual role of Shalla-Bal and Silver Surfer. Most recently, she starred as Justine Gandy in Weapons.
Television
Television Career of Julia Garner: Julia Garner’s television career began with a recurring role as Kimberly Breland in The Americans (2015–2018), where she appeared in 10 episodes. In 2016, she played Charlie’s Roommate in the episode “The Panic in Central Park” of Girls. The same year, she also starred as Claudia Gunns in The Get Down (2016–2017) for 2 episodes. From 2017 to 2022, Garner portrayed Ruth Langmore in the main role of Ozark, a role that solidified her as a standout talent in the industry.
In 2018, she appeared as Michelle Jones in the miniseries Waco, and she also played Ellie Landsberg in Maniac. She took on a major role in Dirty John (2018–2019) as Terra Newell during season 1. In 2019, she made a brief appearance as Maddy in Modern Love for 2 episodes. Garner also showcased her voice talent in 2020, voicing various characters in Robot Chicken, including an appearance in the episode “Callie Greenhouse in: Fun. Sad. Epic. Tragic”. In 2022, she starred as Anna Sorokin (Delvey) in Inventing Anna, a miniseries that earned her widespread acclaim.
In 2023, Garner appeared as a guest judge on RuPaul’s Drag Race in the episode “The Crystal Ball: Episode 200”, and she also appeared in RuPaul’s Drag Race: Untucked. Finally, she is set to star in The Altruists, a miniseries where she will play Caroline Ellison and serve as an executive producer.
Awards
Awards and Nominations of Julia Garner: Julia Garner has received significant recognition for her exceptional performances. In 2018, she was nominated for Best Supporting Actress in a Movie/Miniseries at the Critics’ Choice Television Awards for her role in Dirty John. She also received nominations for Best Supporting Actress in a Drama Series for her role in Ozark in 2020 and 2022. Additionally, she was nominated for Best Actress in a Movie/Miniseries for her portrayal of Anna Sorokin in Inventing Anna.
At the 2020 Golden Globe Awards, Garner was nominated for Best Supporting Actress in Television for Ozark, and she won the award in 2022. She also received a nomination for Best Actress in a Miniseries or Television Film for Inventing Anna. In 2022, Garner was nominated for Best Supporting Actress in a Streaming Series, Drama at the HCA TV Awards for Ozark.
Garner’s early career also garnered recognition at the Gotham Awards in 2011, where she was nominated for Best Ensemble Cast for Martha Marcy May Marlene. She was nominated for Best Female Lead at the 2020 Independent Spirit Awards for The Assistant.
In the Primetime Emmy Awards, Garner won Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series in 2019 for her role in Ozark (episode “The Gold Coast!”), and she won again in 2020 for the episode “In Case of Emergency” and in 2022 for “Sanctified”. She was also nominated for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie for Inventing Anna.
Garner’s acting prowess has also been acknowledged by the Screen Actors Guild Awards, where she was nominated for Outstanding Ensemble in a Drama Series for Ozark in 2018, 2020, and 2022, as well as Outstanding Female Actor in a Drama Series in 2018, 2020, and 2022. She also received a nomination for Outstanding Female Actor in a Miniseries Series or Television Movie for Inventing Anna in 2022.
✅ Frequently Asked Questions
Q1: Who is Julia Garner?
A1: Julia Garner is an American actress, best known for her role as Ruth Langmore in the Netflix series Ozark. She has won three Primetime Emmy Awards and a Golden Globe Award for her work in the series.
Q2: What other notable roles has Julia Garner played?
A2: Apart from Ozark, Julia Garner has starred in projects such as The Americans, Maniac, Dirty John, and Inventing Anna. She has also appeared in films like Sin City: A Dame to Kill For and The Perks of Being a Wallflower.
Q3: What is Julia Garner’s background?
A3: Julia Garner was born in the Bronx, New York. She is the daughter of Tamar Gingold, a therapist and former actress, and Thomas Garner, a painter and art teacher. Garner has a Jewish heritage and grew up with her older sister, artist Anna Garner.
Q4: What is Julia Garner’s latest project?
A4: Julia Garner’s most recent project is her portrayal of Anna Sorokin in the Netflix miniseries Inventing Anna, for which she received nominations for both a Primetime Emmy Award and a Golden Globe Award for Best Actress.
