Betty Gilpin is to star in Netflix’s American Primeval but is no stranger when it comes to hit dramas.
The plot follows a mother and her son escaping their past and discovering a new family amidst the “freedom and cruelty of the American West.”
The 38-year-old actress has had a successful career in various hit dramas throughout her career, sparking curiosity among fans about her life.
Famous parents
Born in July 1986 in New York, Gilpin hails from a showbiz family, explaining her passion to get into the world of acting.
Her mother, Ann McDonough, has featured in numerous shows including All My Children, Law and Order: SVU, The Good Wife, The Last OG, and most recently, The Watcher in 2022.
While her father, Jack Gilpin, has appeared in Succession, The Blacklist, Billions, and portrayed Church the Butler in HBO’s historical drama The Gilded Age last year.
Inside American Primeval star Betty Gilpin’s life from tragically axed Netflix hit to steamy Starz series (Image: NETFLIX)
Actress Betty Gilpin starred as Liberty Belle in the hit Netflix drama GLOW prior to its cancellation. (Image: NETFLIX)
Netflix drama cancellation
Gilpin’s impressive portfolio includes roles in Nurse Jackie, Elementary, American Gods, Gaslit, Mrs Davis, and Masters of Sex, to name a few.
However, one of her most notable roles was as Debbie “Liberty Belle” Eagan in the comedy-drama GLOW, earning her three Primetime Emmy Award nominations for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Supporting Series.
The beloved series about women’s wrestling in the 1980s, GLOW, was axed after three successful seasons, leaving fans and cast members devastated.
Betty Gilpin penned a heartfelt “eulogy” for the show in Vanity Fair, expressing her sorrow: “GLOW was canceled. I am sad. It was the best job I’ve ever had.
“I will be forever grateful to [the show’s creators, Liz Flahive and Carly Mensch]. You changed my life. It’s sad and weird to end this way.
“But we did get to do it 30 times. I mean, I cried a lot on that subway. I never thought I’d get to do it once.
“If you, like me, are feeling insane at waking up every morning to check your phone to see if the emperor having no clothes counts as being immune-compromised, and you need a break, I have a recommendation.
“It’s not world-changing-we need to do that most right now, and focus our efforts there. But if in between fighting you need an escape, I suggest watching GLOW.”
Health scare
In a surprising revelation about her health during the preparation for GLOW, Gilpin shared on Jimmy Kimmel Live that she suffered muscle spasms.
She recounted the bizarre experience: “My shoulder just started to do this thing… it turned into dad at a rave, it was the craziest thing and I wasn’t controlling it.
“I went home, I was like ‘ok my dream’s supposed to come ‘true’ next week. I think that this will certainly go away.’
“I went to the hospital, the doctor’s face went white, and he came back with 10 medical students: ‘I think this is a psychological thing.’ I think I’m learning to believe in myself because my dream’s coming true.’
Actress Betty Gilpin stars as Lina in the steamy Starz drama Three Women. (Image: STARZ)
“[It lasted] six days. It seems so fake. I shot a day on Masters of Sex with this happening.
“To fix it, I went on Yelp, and I found a witch. I’d been to many doctors they were all like ‘I don’t know. That will be 500 dollars.
“She was like a massage therapist. The witch was like ‘I think your inner child is trying to tell you something.’
“We talked to my inner child and let her know that she was safe. The muscle spasms stopped. I think we [have] weird ways of protecting ourselves.”
Steamy drama
In her latest role, Gilpin stars in the sizzling Starz drama Three Women, where she plays Lina, a housewife.
The series, which debuted in 2023, is packed with drama and intimate scenes and according to Gilpin, filming these scenes felt different from other projects.
Speaking to The Reporter, she said: “I used to think that my purpose as a body in sex scenes was to trick the world into thinking I was a 12.
“I show up at work three hours early, and it’s all hands on deck to morph me into the video game version of myself.
“Three Women felt like the opposite. My purpose wasn’t to look like somebody’s fantasy, but to show this character having a life-changing experience.”
Personal life
Gilpin tied the knot with fellow actor Cosmo Pfeil in 2016, after the pair met on the set of ‘The Northern Kingdom’.
Both Gilpin and Pfeil have graced the screen in one-off episodes of popular series such as ‘Person of Interest’ and ‘The Good Wife’, and are proud parents to their daughter Mary, born in November 2020.
Reports have also surfaced that Gilpin was previously in a relationship with actor and musician Damon Daunno, a former high school classmate.
American Primeval premieres on Thursday, January 9, on .