Biography
Who is Lily Rabe?
Early life and upbringing
Lily Rabe was born on June 29, 1982, in New York City. Her parents were the playwright David Rabe and the actress Jill Clayburgh. She has a younger brother named Michael who works as an actor and playwright, and an older paternal half-brother named Jason who is a musician. She spent her early years in Bedford, New York.
During her time in the seventh grade, the family moved to Lakeville, Connecticut. While living there, she attended the Hotchkiss School.
Education and initial interest
Before pursuing acting, she focused on dance for a decade. While teaching ballet at a summer arts program in Connecticut, an acting instructor noticed her potential. He encouraged her to perform a monologue from the play Crimes of the Heart by Beth Henley. This specific experience during the final production made her consider acting as a career.
Following this realization, she enrolled at Northwestern University. She graduated from the school in 2004 with a focus on acting.
Professional stage debut and early work
In 2001, she appeared in the film Never Again, which featured her mother, Jill Clayburgh. She started her professional stage career at the Gloucester Stage Company in Massachusetts, also performing alongside her mother. Her early roles included parts in Speaking Well of the Dead and The Crazy Girl. These performances allowed her to obtain an Equity Card.
In 2003, she returned to the Gloucester Stage Company for a production of Proof by David Auburn. That same year, she appeared in the film Mona Lisa Smile. She also performed in White Jesus by Deirdre O'Connor during the fall of 2004.
Broadway success and television roles
She made her Broadway debut in 2005 within a revival of Steel Magnolias. This role earned her a nomination for a Drama Desk Award. Later that year, she performed in the American premiere of Colder Than Here at the MCC Theater. In 2006, she acted in the Roundabout Theatre Company production of Heartbreak House.
Her work in Shakespeare in the Park productions, such as The Merchant of Venice, earned her critical attention. Specifically, her performance as Portia led to a Tony Award nomination for Best Actress in a Play. She joined the cast of the FX series American Horror Story in 2011. She played various characters throughout the show, including Nora Montgomery, Sister Mary Eunice McKee, and Misty Day.
Relationships
Lily Rabe shares a life with the actor Hamish Linklater. Reports from December 2016 indicated that they were expecting their first child. The couple welcomed a daughter in 2017. They continued to grow their family in June 2020.
She and Linklater have also appeared together in stage productions, such as the play Seminar at the Golden Theatre, which opened in November 2011.
Birthday and age
Lily Rabe was born on June 29, 1982, which makes Lily 44 years old today. That birthday falls under the Cancer sign. Lily shares the date with 52 other famous people.
Explore more
