Who is Sophia Lillis? 7 facts about the I Am Not Okay With This star who plays Sydney

Netflix’s newest teen series I Am Not Okay With This stars Sophia Lillis as a teenager dealing with the trials and tribulations of coming of age - while also discovering she has superpowers.

Based on a graphic novel by Charles Forsman, the series’ first season debuted on the streaming service last week to strong reviews.

So who is Sophia Lillis, who plays the lead character Sydney?

Here are eight things you may not know about the star…

1. Her breakthrough role was in It

If you were wondering where you might have seen Sophia Lillis before while watching I Am Not Okay With This, you might have been thinking of her breakout role in It.

In the 2017 box office-hit horror It, Lillis played Beverly Marsh, one of the members of the “Loser’s Club” who was being terrorised by a demonic clown.

Lillis was praised for her performance in the film, with Variety calling her “revelatory,” while Vulture called her a “bright, empathetic screen presence”.

2. She was born and raised in Brooklyn

Sophia Lillis, 18, was born and raised in Crown Heights, Brooklyn.

Lillis recently told the New York Post that the benefit of being from New York is that her peers aren’t that impressed with her premature screen success.

“It’s not a big deal to them really at all, which is fun,” she said. “That’s one real good thing about New York — that nobody cares!”

3. She’s a twin

Lillis has a twin brother called Jake, also an actor, who joined her for a photoshoot for her feature with The Laterals.

“I feel like I’ve always looked up to Jake,” she said.

“He is older after all by one minute or so. He’s always been really smart and has an amazing memory and organised mind.

“As we’ve gotten older, I’ve tried to rely on him less, but I still do a lot. He’s also really good in social contexts so if I need a ‘date’ for a fashion or other kind of event, it’s always good to have him along.”

4. She fell into acting via her stepfather

According to i-D, Lillis fell in love with acting through her stepfather Christopher Mellevold, who asked her to star in his final project while he was at film school.

That role led Lillis to enrol in acting classes at NYU’s Lee Strasberg Theatre & Film Institute.

5. She’s struggled with Hollywood beauty ideals

Lillis told Zimbio that Hollywood studios still prioritise actresses with more stereotypically feminine looks.

“I think the way I look —a little androgynous, I guess, with short hair,” she said when asked the biggest obstacle she has faced in Hollywood.

“A lot of studios like a more "feminine" look, particularly for my age group. I think as women get older they have a bit more freedom to sometimes move away from that look in acting. Hopefully.”

6. If she wasn’t acting, she’d be doing fine arts

In an interview with The Laterals magazine, Lillis said that as high school was drawing to a close, she was excited to pursue acting full time.

If she wasn’t acting, she said: I think I would be interested in pursuing a career in the fine arts. I like to draw, and I think I would enjoy art school.

Lillis is also known for her photography after she snapped pictures of her It co-stars and shared them on Instagram.​

7. She wants to do a musical

Lillis has expressed her interest in musical theatre, saying she hopes to be in one at some point.

Speaking to Zimbio, she said: “I would love to be in a musical someday. I love musicals and the whole Broadway scene. I need to work on my singing though!”

8. She's friends with her I Am Not Okay With This co-star, Wyatt Oleff

Lillis is friends with Wyatt Olef, who plays Sydney's friend and neighbour Stanley Barber in the new Netflix series.

Lillis and Oleff became friends on the set of It, in which they both starred.

“I didn’t know he was going to audition,” she told New York Post. “I got the role first so I was there throughout the whole process of trying to find a Stanley.

"We were thinking of different actors and I totally forgot about Wyatt. I realised once he was auditioning that he’s so perfect for it. He’s almost exactly like that character and we have such a similar relationship. It was so much fun to work with him. I’m really happy that he got the role.”

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