Margaret Qualley Biography: Early Life, Career, Personal Life, Awards, Movies and TV Shows

Margaret Qualley, born Sarah Margaret Qualley on October 23, 1994, is an American actress and former ballet dancer who built her career through unusual and demanding roles rather than relying only on her famous family background. The daughter of actress Andie MacDowell and former model Paul Qualley, she first became widely recognized as Jill Garvey on HBO's The Leftovers. She later earned Primetime Emmy nominations for Fosse/Verdon and Maid, appeared in films including Once Upon a Time... in Hollywood, Poor Things, Kinds of Kindness, The Substance, Happy Gilmore 2, Honey Don't! and Blue Moon, and continued expanding her range in 2026. As of September 2026, she has starred in the newly released The Dog Stars, premiered Love of Your Life at the Toronto International Film Festival, and has several more films in production or development, including Possession, King Snake and a newly announced Fred Astaire biopic.

Summary

• Full name: Sarah Margaret Qualley
• Professional name: Margaret Qualley
• Date of birth: October 23, 1994
• Current age: 31 as of September 28, 2026
• Birthplace: Kalispell, Montana, United States
• Nationality: American
• Profession: Actress; former model and ballet dancer
• Years active: 2011–present
• Parents: Andie MacDowell and Paul Qualley
• Siblings: Justin Qualley and Rainey Qualley
• Education/training: North Carolina School of the Arts, Professional Children's School in New York; ballet training and American Ballet Theatre experience
• Acting breakthrough: The Leftovers
• Major television roles: The Leftovers, Fosse/Verdon, Maid
• Major films: The Nice Guys, Once Upon a Time... in Hollywood, My Salinger Year, Stars at Noon, Poor Things, Kinds of Kindness, The Substance, Honey Don't!, Blue Moon, How to Make a Killing and The Dog Stars
• Important awards recognition: Two Primetime Emmy nominations and two Golden Globe nominations, among numerous critics' awards and nominations
• Current 2026 work: Love of Your Life, Possession, King Snake and the newly announced Fred Astaire biopic

Early Life and Childhood

Margaret Qualley was born Sarah Margaret Qualley on October 23, 1994, in Kalispell, Montana. She is the daughter of actress and model Andie MacDowell and former model Paul Qualley. She has an older sister, Rainey Qualley, who has pursued acting and music, and an older brother, Justin Qualley.

Her childhood was connected to both Montana and North Carolina. Her family lived on a ranch in Montana before moving to the Asheville area of North Carolina when she was young. Her parents separated when she was a child, and she and her siblings continued to have relationships with both parents. Later interviews have shown that family remained an important part of Qualley's life even as her career became more public.

Growing up with Andie MacDowell as her mother meant Qualley was exposed to Hollywood early, but acting was not initially her main ambition. Dance was her first serious passion. She trained as a ballet dancer from childhood and eventually pursued it at a very high level. British Vogue reported that she was dancing extensively as a teenager and was on a path that could have led to a professional ballet career.

That experience became important to her later acting career. Qualley's physical control, movement and willingness to use her body expressively became particularly noticeable in projects such as the famous Kenzo World commercial directed by Spike Jonze.

Education

Qualley attended the University of North Carolina School of the Arts as a young dancer and later studied at New York's Professional Children's School while she was living in the city. Her education was closely linked to her dance training because she was already working toward a professional career as a ballerina during her teenage years.

She also attended New York University for a period before shifting her attention toward acting. Her move from dance to acting was not an overnight change. Qualley has explained in interviews that she became increasingly interested in acting after taking an improv class and realizing that she wanted a different kind of creative life.

Her dance background remained useful. Even after leaving ballet, she continued to bring movement into her work, and that became one of the features that distinguished her from many young actors entering Hollywood at the same time.

Modeling and the Beginning of Her Career

Before becoming known primarily as an actress, Qualley worked as a model. She made her runway debut as a teenager and was associated with major fashion houses. Her early modeling experience also gave her an introduction to cameras, fashion photography and performance.

Her path into acting began with Palo Alto, Gia Coppola's 2013 drama. Qualley has explained that she was originally visiting the set when an opportunity arose for her to play Raquel. What began almost by chance became her screen debut.

Soon afterward, she was cast as Jill Garvey on HBO's The Leftovers. That role became the first major turning point in her acting career.

Breakthrough with The Leftovers

The Leftovers premiered in 2014 and became Qualley's major television breakthrough. She played Jill Garvey, the teenage daughter of Justin Theroux's character, Kevin Garvey.

Vogue's 2014 profile described her as one of the young actresses attracting attention through the HBO series. The role gave Qualley the opportunity to work in a serious dramatic production and placed her alongside established performers.

The series continued through 2017 and helped establish Qualley as an actress capable of handling emotionally difficult material. Rather than becoming known only as a celebrity's daughter, she began building a separate identity through her performances.

Major Career

The Nice Guys and Early Film Roles

Qualley's film career developed further with The Nice Guys in 2016, in which she appeared alongside Ryan Gosling and Russell Crowe. Sony Pictures Classics later described her earlier work as part of the path that brought her to Novitiate, while also noting her previous role in The Nice Guys.

She followed that with projects such as Death Note and Novitiate. In Novitiate, she played Sister Cathleen, a young woman entering religious life during a period of change in the Catholic Church. The film allowed Qualley to take on a more serious dramatic performance.

The Kenzo World Breakthrough Outside Traditional Acting

One of Qualley's most memorable early screen appearances came outside a conventional film or TV role. Spike Jonze directed her in a Kenzo World fragrance film in which she performed an energetic dance sequence.

Her ballet background made the performance especially natural for her, and the project helped make her recognizable beyond television audiences. British Vogue noted that Jonze used her dance ability as a central part of the campaign.

Fosse/Verdon

In 2019, Qualley played dancer and choreographer Ann Reinking in FX's Fosse/Verdon. Her earlier dance experience became particularly valuable because the role demanded physical performance as well as acting.

The performance earned Qualley her first Primetime Emmy nomination, for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Limited Series or Movie.

Once Upon a Time... in Hollywood

Qualley took another important step in 2019 when she appeared in Quentin Tarantino's Once Upon a Time... in Hollywood. She played Pussycat and worked with an ensemble that included Leonardo DiCaprio, Brad Pitt and Margot Robbie.

The film expanded her presence in mainstream cinema and introduced her to a much wider international audience. It was also part of a period in which her film choices increasingly mixed major commercial productions with independent projects.

Maid

Qualley's most important television lead came with Netflix's Maid in 2021. She played Alex Russell, a young mother trying to build a more stable life for herself and her daughter while working as a house cleaner.

The series was inspired by Stephanie Land's memoir Maid: Hard Work, Low Pay, and a Mother's Will to Survive. Qualley also helped bring her real-life mother, Andie MacDowell, into the project as Alex's mother. Netflix reported that Qualley personally approached producer Margot Robbie about casting MacDowell.

Her performance became a major awards moment. Qualley received Primetime Emmy and Golden Globe nominations for the role. The Television Academy lists her Emmy nomination in the Outstanding Lead Actress in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie category.

My Salinger Year

In My Salinger Year, Qualley played Joanna, a young aspiring writer who works for a literary agency connected to the reclusive author J.D. Salinger.

The film was based on Joanna Rakoff's memoir and paired Qualley with Sigourney Weaver. It was another example of her preference for character-driven stories rather than following one fixed genre.

Stars at Noon

Qualley starred in Claire Denis' Stars at Noon, playing Trish, an American journalist stranded in Nicaragua who becomes involved with an enigmatic Englishman. The film competed at Cannes in 2022 and won the festival's Grand Prix.

The movie further strengthened Qualley's connection to internationally recognized filmmakers and festival cinema.

Sanctuary

In 2022, Qualley appeared in Sanctuary and also received an executive-producer credit. The film showed another side of her career, placing her in a tightly focused two-hander built around performance, dialogue and shifting power between its central characters.

Working with Yorgos Lanthimos

Qualley's work with director Yorgos Lanthimos became another important chapter in her career.

She appeared in Poor Things in 2023, a critically acclaimed film starring Emma Stone, Mark Ruffalo and Willem Dafoe. Searchlight's official production information lists Qualley among the principal cast.

She then worked with Lanthimos again in Kinds of Kindness in 2024. The film was constructed as a three-part story, with members of the cast playing different characters across the sections. The Cannes Film Festival listed Qualley among the principal cast alongside Emma Stone, Jesse Plemons, Willem Dafoe, Hong Chau and others.

The Substance

One of Qualley's biggest recent career moments arrived with Coralie Fargeat's The Substance in 2024.

Qualley played Sue opposite Demi Moore. The film premiered at the Venice International Film Festival before becoming one of the most discussed films of its awards season. The Golden Globes nominated Qualley for Best Performance by a Female Actor in a Supporting Role in any Motion Picture, while Demi Moore won the film's acting award.

Qualley's performance also generated numerous critics' awards and nominations. IMDb's current awards record lists wins from the Kansas City Film Critics Circle, Online Film Critics Society, North Carolina Film Critics Association, Seattle Film Critics Society, Philadelphia Film Critics Circle and other critics' groups.

Drive-Away Dolls, Honey Don't! and Happy Gilmore 2

Qualley continued to move between very different genres.

She appeared in Ethan Coen's Drive-Away Dolls in 2024. She then reunited with the Coen filmmaking world for Honey Don't! in 2025, playing private investigator Honey O'Donahue. Focus Features describes it as a dark comedy about strange deaths connected to a mysterious church.

She also joined Adam Sandler in Netflix's Happy Gilmore 2, playing Sally. Netflix's official cast guide lists Qualley among the sequel's cast.

Blue Moon

In Richard Linklater's Blue Moon, Qualley played Elizabeth Weiland. The film centers on lyricist Lorenz Hart during the opening night of Oklahoma! in 1943.

Her performance earned her a 2026 Irish Film and Television Academy nomination for Best International Actress.

How to Make a Killing

Qualley appeared in John Patton Ford's 2026 black comedy How to Make a Killing, starring opposite Glen Powell, Jessica Henwick and Ed Harris. A24 identifies Qualley among the principal cast, while Apple lists her character as Julia.

The film was released theatrically in the United States in February 2026 and later became available on streaming services, including HBO Max in the U.S. in June.

The Dog Stars

Ridley Scott's The Dog Stars became another major 2026 release for Qualley. The post-apocalyptic thriller is based on Peter Heller's novel and stars Jacob Elordi, Josh Brolin, Qualley, Guy Pearce, Benedict Wong and Allison Janney.

20th Century Studios lists an August 28, 2026 U.S. release, while the studio's Australian/New Zealand site gives August 27.

The film represents another genre shift for Qualley, moving her into a large-scale science-fiction thriller directed by one of the most established filmmakers in contemporary cinema.

Major Movies and TV Shows

Filmography records also list Qualley in projects including Seberg, Native Son, Strange but True, IO, Donnybrook, The Vanishing of Sidney Hall and other productions.

Personal Life

Family

Margaret Qualley is the youngest of Andie MacDowell and Paul Qualley's three children. Her sister Rainey has pursued entertainment, while her brother Justin has largely kept a lower public profile.

Her relationship with her mother has also become part of her career story. The two worked together on Maid, where MacDowell played Alex's mother. Qualley has spoken positively about their experience working together.

Qualley has also spoken about having grown up with the unusual experience of having a famous mother while still trying to maintain an ordinary childhood and friendships.

Relationships and Marriage

Qualley began dating musician and producer Jack Antonoff in 2021. They became publicly known as a couple in 2022, became engaged that year and married on August 19, 2023, in New Jersey.

However, her relationship status changed in 2026.

In July 2026, People and the Los Angeles Times reported that Qualley and Antonoff had separated after nearly three years of marriage. The reports said sources described their relationship as being in a difficult period, but neither Qualley nor Antonoff had publicly commented on the separation. As of September 28, 2026, there is no reliable public confirmation that they have divorced.

Qualley has previously spoken about wanting children someday, but there is no reliable public confirmation that she currently has children.

Earlier in her career, she was also publicly linked to other actors, but her relationship with Antonoff became her most prominent long-term public relationship.

Philanthropy, Charity and Causes

Qualley's public profile has been centered much more strongly on acting, dance and fashion than on running a major charitable foundation or public charity campaign.

She has, however, participated in charity-related entertainment projects. She was part of Acting for a Cause, a live-reading series created to raise money for charitable organizations during 2020.

She has also appeared at charity events earlier in her life, including an event in Munich with her mother in 2011.

Because publicly documented philanthropic activity is less extensive than her acting credits, it is better not to attribute specific long-term charitable causes to Qualley without stronger current evidence.

Awards and Nominations

Qualley has built a substantial awards record, particularly since Fosse/Verdon, Maid and The Substance.

The Television Academy confirms her two Emmy nominations, while the Golden Globes confirm nominations for both Maid and The Substance. Her broader critics' awards record includes several wins for The Substance.

Latest Career Developments

As of September 28, 2026, Margaret Qualley is in one of the busiest periods of her career.

Her latest major film to reach cinemas is The Dog Stars, Ridley Scott's 2026 science-fiction thriller. It was released internationally in late August 2026.

Her next major release is Love of Your Life, directed by Rachel Morrison and written by Julia Cox. Qualley plays Maya, an ER nurse whose life changes after a major loss. The film had its world premiere at TIFF on September 13, 2026. It is scheduled for a limited U.S. theatrical release on October 7 and a worldwide Prime Video release on October 14, 2026.

The film has already generated reviews focused on Qualley's performance. The Guardian, for example, described the movie as a major showcase for her and highlighted her central role throughout the story.

Qualley also has several future projects.

Possession, a new version of the 1981 supernatural thriller, stars Qualley and Callum Turner and has been given a June 11, 2027 theatrical release date. Parker Finn is directing the remake.

King Snake, directed by Jeff Nichols and starring Qualley, Drew Starkey and Michael Shannon, entered production in Arkansas in 2026 and is currently listed in post-production.

Qualley will play Adele Astaire in a Sony Pictures Fred Astaire biopic starring Tom Holland as Fred Astaire and Sabrina Carpenter as Ginger Rogers. The film is directed by Paul King and is based on Kathleen Riley's The Astaires: Fred & Adele.

This new role is especially relevant to Qualley's background because Adele Astaire was a major dancer and stage performer, making Qualley's own dance training potentially relevant to the part.

Current Projects

Net Worth

Several entertainment websites currently estimate Margaret Qualley's net worth at about $3 million in 2026. Celebrity Net Worth lists $3 million, and other 2026 entertainment profiles have repeated the same estimate.

However, this figure should be treated as an estimate rather than a verified financial fact. Qualley does not publicly release complete information about her salary, investments, properties, contracts or taxes, so there is no authoritative public document establishing an exact net worth.

Her income has come primarily from acting, with earlier modeling work and fashion campaigns also contributing to her public career.

Career Highlights

Frequently Asked Questions

How old is Margaret Qualley?

Margaret Qualley is 31 years old as of September 28, 2026. She was born on October 23, 1994, so she will turn 32 on October 23, 2026.

Where was Margaret Qualley born?

She was born in Kalispell, Montana, United States.

What is Margaret Qualley best known for?

She is especially known for The Leftovers, Fosse/Verdon, Maid, Once Upon a Time... in Hollywood, Poor Things, Kinds of Kindness and The Substance. More recent credits include Honey Don't!, Happy Gilmore 2, Blue Moon, How to Make a Killing and The Dog Stars.

Is Margaret Qualley married?

She married musician and producer Jack Antonoff on August 19, 2023. In July 2026, People and the Los Angeles Times reported that the couple had separated. As of September 28, 2026, there is no reliable public confirmation of a divorce.

Does Margaret Qualley have children?

There is no reliable public confirmation that Qualley currently has children. In a 2023 interview, she said that having children was something she hoped for in the future, but she was not there yet at that time.

Who are Margaret Qualley's parents?

Her mother is actress and model Andie MacDowell, and her father is former model Paul Qualley.

What was Margaret Qualley's breakthrough role?

Her major television breakthrough was Jill Garvey in HBO's The Leftovers. She later strengthened her profile through Fosse/Verdon, Once Upon a Time... in Hollywood and Maid.

Did Margaret Qualley train as a dancer?

Yes. She trained extensively in ballet as a young person and was associated with the American Ballet Theatre before deciding to focus on acting.

What awards has Margaret Qualley been nominated for?

Her major nominations include two Primetime Emmy nominations, two Golden Globe nominations and a 2026 IFTA nomination for Blue Moon. She has also received numerous critics' awards nominations and wins, particularly for The Substance.

What is Margaret Qualley's latest movie?

As of September 28, 2026, The Dog Stars is her latest major film to have been released. Her next major release is Love of Your Life, which premiered at TIFF on September 13 and is scheduled for U.S. theaters on October 7, followed by Prime Video on October 14, 2026.

What is Margaret Qualley working on now?

Her current and upcoming work includes Love of Your Life, Possession, King Snake and the newly announced Fred Astaire biopic in which she will play Adele Astaire.

References

Golden Globes — Margaret Qualley biography and nominations

Television Academy — Margaret Qualley Emmy record

Netflix Tudum — Margaret Qualley and *Maid*

Festival de Cannes — *Kinds of Kindness*

Festival de Cannes — *Stars at Noon*

Focus Features — *Honey Don't!*

A24 — *How to Make a Killing*

20th Century Studios — *The Dog Stars*

The Los Angeles Times — Margaret Qualley and Jack Antonoff separation report

People — Qualley and Antonoff separation report

Variety — Fred Astaire biopic casting announcement, September 28, 2026

Irish Film & Television Academy — 2026 nominations