Elizabeth Anne Caplan (born June 30, 1982) is an American actress. Her performances asVirginia E. Johnson in theShowtime seriesMasters of Sex (2013–2016) and as Libby Epstein inFX on Hulu'sFleishman Is in Trouble (2022) have earned her nominations at thePrimetime Emmy Awards.

Lizzy Caplan
Caplan at the 2014PaleyFest
Born	Elizabeth Anne Caplan (1982-06-30)June 30, 1982 (age 42) Los Angeles,California,U.S.
Occupation	Actress
Years active	1999–present
Spouse	Tom Riley ​ (m. 2017)​
Children	1
Relatives	Howard Bragman (uncle)

Her first acting role was on the television seriesFreaks and Geeks (1999–2000). Since then, she had series-regular roles in several television series includingRelated (2005–2006),Party Down (2009–2010; 2023),Das Boot (2018),Castle Rock (2019),Truth Be Told (2019),Fatal Attraction (2023), andZero Day (2025).

Caplan's film breakthrough came with her role as Janis Ian inMean Girls (2004). Her other film appearances includeMy Best Friend's Girl (2008)Cloverfield (2008),Hot Tub Time Machine,127 Hours (both 2010),Save the Date,Bachelorette (both 2012),The Interview (2014),Now You See Me 2,Allied (both 2016), andCobweb (2023).

Elizabeth Anne Caplan was born on June 30, 1982, inLos Angeles, California,^[1] and grew up in itsMiracle Mile district.^[2] Her family areReform Jews ofAshkenazi Jewish descent.^[3][4][5] She had aBat Mitzvah and attendedJewish summer camp.^[6][7][8] Her father, Richard Caplan, was a lawyer and her mother, Barbara (née Bragman), was a political aide.^[9] She is the youngest of three children with a brother, Benjamin, and a sister, Julie.^[10] Her mother died of cancer^[11] when she was 13 years old.^[2][12][13] Her uncle was publicistHoward Bragman.^[14] Caplan attendedAlexander Hamilton High School inCastle Heights,^[15] and attended the school's Academy of Music. She first focused on playing the piano, then later decided to pursue drama.^[16] She was also on her school's soccer team.^[17] She graduated in 2000, but did not attend college because she wanted to focus on acting.^[17]

Caplan began her acting career in 1999, first playing a girl named Sara in the critically acclaimed seriesFreaks and Geeks.^[18] Due to her performance, her character became the girlfriend ofJason Segel's character.^[19] She then had a series of guest appearances on numerous shows, and appeared inJason Mraz's music video "You and I Both". In 2000 she appeared in her first filmFrom Where I Sit which was released straight to television.^[20] In 2001, she played Tina Greer in an episode ofSmallville, and reprised her role on the show in 2003.^{[citation needed]} She appeared in two episodes of theABC seriesOnce and Again. In 2003, she starred in the television seriesThe Pitts, playing Faith Pitt. She gained wider notice for playing Janis Ian in the 2004 filmMean Girls. She playedAvery Bishop in the second season ofTru Calling.^{[citation needed]}

In 2005, Caplan played troubled sister Marjee Sorelli inRelated, a one-hour comedy-drama onThe WB that was canceled after one season. In 2006, she starred as Sara Weller in the thriller filmLove is the Drug and was named one of "10 Actors to Watch" byVariety.^[21] AfterRelated ended, Caplan was cast in theCBS sitcomThe Class, which premiered in September 2006 and lasted for one season. She played Kat Warbler, one of several elementary school friends that reunite after 20 years.^[21]

In 2008, Caplan played Marlena Diamond in the filmCloverfield and was nominated for aSaturn Award for Best Supporting Actress. She also appeared as Ami in the romantic comedyMy Best Friend's Girl. Later that year, she guest-starred asAmy Burley on theHBO vampire showTrue Blood. She was the voice of Faith Pitt in the proposed animated version ofThe Pitts, which was developed in 2007.^{[citation needed]} She also appeared in the critically acclaimedStarz ensemble comedyParty Down, playing a struggling comedian who is part of a catering crew. In 2010, she appeared in127 Hours.^[22]

In early 2012, Caplan premiered two films at theSundance Film Festival:Save the Date andBachelorette. Also in 2012, she appeared as Julia in several episodes of theFox sitcomNew Girl.^{[citation needed]}

She played Agent Lacey in the 2014 filmThe Interview.^{[citation needed]}

In 2013, she began playing 1960s human sexuality pioneerVirginia E. Johnson on theShowtime seriesMasters of Sex.^[23] Caplan also provided her own vocals for a cover version of the song "You Don't Know Me" in theMasters of Sex episode "Phallic Victories".^[24] Her performance on the show was well-reviewed, and on July 10, 2014, she was nominated for thePrimetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series.^[25]

Caplan was cast in her role as Johnson before they signed her co-starMichael Sheen asWilliam H. Masters because he was busy working on another production. Producer Sarah Timberman said of Caplan, "The minute we met Lizzie we thought that she just embodied so much of the spirit of Virginia Johnson."^[26] Caplan also stated herself that as a single woman pursuing her career above a family, she identified with many of Johnson's characteristics.^[2] Once she met the producers, it took several months before Caplan was officially signed, and she turned down several other roles in the meantime.^[27]

Virginia Johnson had worked alongsideWilliam H. Masters as they completed research of human sexual response and sexual dysfunction beginning in the late 1950s. To learn about the characters they were portraying, Caplan along with her other co-stars readThomas Maier's 2009 biographyMasters of Sex.^[28] The author also allowed Caplan to listen to some of his interview tapes with Johnson. Caplan also attempted to spend some time with Johnson before she died in 2013, but Johnson was ambivalent about the development of the show.^[2] It was the first time Caplan portrayed a real person and she mentioned in an interview that she felt a "deep responsibility" to Johnson, but that she had some wiggle room because most people have no idea what Johnson looked or sounded like.^[29] Maier stated that the developers of the show have remained mostly accurate to his book and have included other events that are historically relevant toSt. Louis, where the series takes place and where Masters and Johnson lived.^[30] Caplan has discussed becoming comfortable with the large number of sex scenes inMasters of Sex.^[19][27][31]

Her portrayal earned her nominations for thePrimetime Emmy Award,Satellite Award andCritics' Choice Television Award, all for Outstanding Lead Actress.^[32]

Caplan became engaged to British actorTom Riley in New York in May 2016.^[33] They had met in January 2015 while Caplan was filmingNow You See Me 2^[34] in London and made their red carpet debut as a couple at thePrague Opera Ball in February 2016.^[35] They married in September 2017,^[36] and have a son born in 2021.^[37] Previously, Caplan datedMatthew Perry from 2006 until 2012.^[38]

•   Media related toLizzy Caplan at Wikimedia Commons
• Lizzy Caplan atIMDb