(Photo by Mary Cybulski)
It’s not easy to be a success in Hollywood. But Judd Apatow’s daughter, Maude Apatow, is doing so at just 22 years old.
For the first time since she was a teenager, the young phenom worked with her father on the set of a movie. In The King of Staten Island, she plays the important role of Scott’s sister, Claire, who helps him cope with all of his issues.
“It was fun because I worked with her when she was a little kid,” the family patriarch said. “Sometimes, those situations were about me trying to get her to behave the way she does around the house on film. There was a lot of improvisation and it was very loose. She was basically being herself. I haven’t worked with her in eight years, and now I get to work with her as a person who is great at her craft.”
The younger Apatow has starred in the shows Euphoria and Hollywood, but she’s never had a role quite like this.
“She’s great in character,” he said. “She’s a very strong actress, and she’s very inventive and grounded. You feel the pain of Scott’s sister and you understand how difficult it is to be related to someone who is struggling like this. She does a beautiful job in this. Her and Pete had a great, hilarious time together.”
Claire’s role is significant in the film. She is Scott’s role model, the person he leans on while having so many trials and tribulations by the time he reaches his mid-20s. As she heads to college, everyone is worried about Scott’s mental health, something quite relatable to Davidson in real life.
She articulates a very real character, one that is seen in many families as someone leaves home for the first time. This is essentially the first time Scott will be without her since their father died. But her journey is one that pushes him to succeed in the film.
“I’m really proud of her,” Apatow said of his daughter. “She puts in a lot of time and she studied for many years. She’s gotten a chance to collaborate with people like Sam Levinson and Ryan Murphy. With each experience, she gets stronger and learns more. As a parent, you’re always proud when your daughter has a passion and pursues it with so much energy in a very difficult business.”
