Elizabeth Anne "Lizzy" Caplan (born June 30, 1982) is an American actress. In film, she is best known for her roles as Janis Ian in Mean Girls (2004), Marlena Diamond in Cloverfield (2008) and April in Hot Tub Time Machine (2010). On television, her most notable roles include Avery Bishop in Tru Calling (2005), Marjee Sorelli in Related (2005-2006), Kat Warbler in The Class (2006-2007), Amy Burley in True Blood (2008) and Casey Klein in Party Down (2009-2010).

Early life[link]

Caplan was born and raised in Los Angeles. She grew up in a Reform Jewish family.^[1] Caplan attended Alexander Hamilton High School,^[2] and was a student at the school's Academy of Music. At first, she focused on playing the piano but later decided to pursue drama.^[3] She graduated in 2000.^[2]

Career[link]

Caplan began her television acting career in 1999 playing the minor role of Sara, a girlfriend of Jason Segel's character, on the critically acclaimed series Freaks and Geeks.^[4] Caplan had a series of guest appearances on numerous shows. She also appeared in Jason Mraz's music video "You and I Both". In 2001, she played Tina Greer in an episode of Smallville, and reprised her role on the show in 2003. She appeared in two episodes of the ABC series Once and Again as Sarah, the ex-girlfriend of Mischa Barton's character, Katie Singer.

She gained wider notice in the 2004 movie Mean Girls. She played the alternative-styled Janis Ian, named for the singer-songwriter. In 2003, she starred in the television series The Pitts, playing Faith Pitt. In the second season of Tru Calling, she played Avery Bishop, a friend of Tru Davies.

Caplan landed a starring role in 2005, playing Marjee Sorelli, the troubled sister in Related, a one-hour dramedy on The WB. The show was canceled after one season. In 2006, Caplan played the starring role of Sara Weller in Wesley Strick's thriller, Love is the Drug. She was named one of “10 Actors to Watch” that year by Variety.^[5] After Related ended, Caplan was cast in the CBS sitcom The Class, which premiered on September 18, 2006, and lasted one season. She played Kat Warbler, one of several elementary-school friends that reunite after 20 years.^[5]

In 2008, Caplan appeared in the film Cloverfield playing Marlena Diamond, and was nominated for a Saturn award as Best Supporting Actress. She also appeared in the romantic comedy My Best Friend's Girl playing Ami, the roommate of Kate Hudson's character Alexis. She is the voice of Faith Pitt in the animated version of The Pitts, released in 2009. In 2008, Caplan guest starred on the vampire-themed HBO show True Blood in a multiple-episode story arc as Amy Burley, the drug-addled girlfriend of Sookie Stackhouse's brother, Jason.

Caplan also appeared in the critically acclaimed Starz ensemble comedy Party Down, playing a struggling comedienne who is part of a catering crew. In 2010, she appeared in 127 Hours, a film directed by Danny Boyle. Based on a true story, Caplan played the sister of hiker Aron Ralston, played by James Franco, who was forced to amputate his own arm after being trapped by a boulder.^[6]

In early 2012, Caplan premiered two films at the Sundance Film Festival: Save the Date and Bachelorette. Also in 2012, Caplan has appeared in several episodes of the Fox sitcom New Girl as Julia. In March 2012, she filmed a television pilot for Showtime's Masters of Sex. Caplan and Michael Sheen played 1960s human sexuality pioneers Masters and Johnson. The pilot was directed by John Madden.^[7]

Personal life[link]

Caplan has been in a relationship with Matthew Perry since 2006.^[8][9][10] She is godmother to Birdie Leigh Silverstein, the daughter of actress Busy Phillipps and screenwriter Marc Silverstein.^[11]

Filmography[link]

References[link]

External links[link]

• Lizzy Caplan at CBS - The Class
• Lizzy Caplan @ Hollywood.com
• Lizzy Caplan at the Internet Movie Database