Lily Rabe is kind of a shapeshifter. Honestly, if you’ve watched any prestige TV in the last decade, you’ve definitely seen her, even if you didn't realize it was the same person. One minute she’s a swamp-dwelling witch with a Stevie Nicks obsession, and the next she’s playing a buttoned-up lawyer or a real-life political figure like Liz Cheney. She’s got this weirdly captivating energy that makes it impossible to look away, yet she doesn't carry the "movie star" ego that usually comes with that level of talent.
Most people know her from the American Horror Story (AHS) universe. That’s the big one. But Lily Rabe movies and shows span way beyond Ryan Murphy's fever dreams. She’s a Tony-nominated stage powerhouse who grew up in the industry—her mom was the legendary Jill Clayburgh and her dad is playwright David Rabe—so acting is basically in her DNA.
The American Horror Story Era: More Than Just a Scream Queen
You can’t talk about Lily Rabe without talking about AHS. She’s one of the few "OG" cast members who has stuck around for the long haul. What’s wild is how she manages to play characters that are polar opposites within the same franchise.
In Murder House, she was Nora Montgomery, a ghostly, grieving socialite from the 1920s. Then, she did a total 180 in Asylum to play Sister Mary Eunice. If you haven't seen Asylum, it's arguably her best work. She starts as this timid, stuttering nun and ends up possessed by the Devil himself. Watching her transition from "pure innocence" to "pure evil" was some of the best television of 2012.
Then came Coven. Misty Day. The shawl, the mud, the Fleetwood Mac. Fans became obsessed. There was something so fragile and earthy about Misty that made her the emotional heart of a very chaotic season.
Every Lily Rabe AHS Character So Far:
- Nora Montgomery (Murder House): The original lady of the house.
- Sister Mary Eunice (Asylum/Freak Show): The nun who lost her soul.
- Misty Day (Coven/Apocalypse): The swamp witch we all wanted to protect.
- Aileen Wuornos (Hotel): A terrifyingly good take on the real-life serial killer.
- Shelby Miller (Roanoke): The "real" person behind the reenactment.
- Lavinia Richter (1984): A ghostly mother with a dark past.
- Doris Gardner / Amelia Earhart (Double Feature): A struggling wife and a historical icon.
Breaking Out of the Horror Bubble
While horror fans claim her as their own, Rabe has been busy doing some of the most grounded, heartbreaking work in indie films and limited series.
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Take Miss Stevens (2016). If you missed this one, go find it. She plays a high school teacher who chaperones a drama competition. It’s quiet, it’s awkward, and it’s deeply human. It also happens to be one of Timothée Chalamet's first big roles. Rabe won the Best Actress award at SXSW for it, and for good reason. She plays "barely holding it together" better than almost anyone else in the business.
She’s also been a staple in high-end streaming dramas. You might have spotted her in The Undoing on HBO, playing Sylvia Steineitz. She was the only person in that entire show who seemed to have a functioning brain. More recently, she showed up in Shrinking on Apple TV+ and played the real-life Betty Gore in Love & Death.
Playing Betty Gore was a massive challenge because the story is so well-known—it’s the Candy Montgomery axe-murderer case. Rabe didn't play her as a caricature or a victim; she made her feel like a real, frustrated woman living in 1970s Texas.
The Big Screen and Beyond
Lily Rabe doesn't just do TV. She’s been in some heavy-hitting movies, though she often takes supporting roles that anchor the whole film.
In Vice, she played Liz Cheney. It was a transformation that involved a lot of prosthetic work, but she nailed the mannerisms. She also starred in The Tender Bar, directed by George Clooney, playing the mother of a young boy growing up in Long Island. It’s a warm, nostalgic film, and her chemistry with Ben Affleck (who played the uncle) was surprisingly sweet.
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Notable Film Credits You Might Have Missed:
- All Good Things (2010): A creepy true-crime-inspired flick with Ryan Gosling.
- Pawn Sacrifice (2014): She played Joan Fischer, sister to the chess legend Bobby Fischer.
- Fractured (2019): A Netflix thriller where she plays a mom in a very, very stressful situation at a hospital.
- Downtown Owl (2023): This was actually her directorial debut (co-directed with her partner, Hamish Linklater). It’s a dark comedy set in a fictional North Dakota town.
Why She Matters in 2026
As of early 2026, Lily Rabe is still everywhere. She recently wrapped up work on the legal thriller Presumed Innocent and has been involved in several high-profile stage readings and workshops, including the recent DirectorFest 2026 in New York.
What makes her career so interesting is that she hasn't "sold out" for a Marvel paycheck (not that there's anything wrong with that). She seems to pick roles based on the complexity of the writing. Whether she's on Broadway playing Portia in The Merchant of Venice (opposite Al Pacino!) or doing a voice for Voltron: Legendary Defender, she brings a specific "theater-kid" discipline to the screen.
She’s also part of a Hollywood power couple. Her long-term partner is Hamish Linklater—you might know him from Midnight Mass. They frequently work together, and their creative partnership has produced some of the most interesting independent projects of the last few years.
The Lily Rabe Watchlist: Where to Start?
If you're new to her work, don't just binge-watch AHS and call it a day. You're missing the range.
For the Horror Fans:
Watch American Horror Story: Asylum. It is her masterclass. Then, check out The Veil, a 2016 cult-themed horror movie that’s a bit of a hidden gem.
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For the Drama Seekers:
Tell Me Your Secrets on Amazon Prime. She plays a woman in witness protection who might or might not have been involved in a series of murders. It’s twisty, dark, and lets her lean into that "unreliable narrator" vibe she does so well.
For the Movie Buffs:
Watch Miss Stevens. It’s a reminder that you don't need a $200 million budget to tell a story that actually sticks with you.
Actionable Insights for Fans and Aspiring Actors
Looking at Lily Rabe's career provides a blueprint for longevity in an industry that usually throws people away after they hit 40.
- Diversify your portfolio: She never stayed in one lane. She does Broadway, indie movies, big-budget TV, and even voice acting.
- Choose the character, not the paycheck: Her best roles are often in smaller projects like Miss Stevens or The Underground Railroad.
- Keep your private life private: Despite her fame, she isn't a tabloid fixture. This allows her to "disappear" into her characters more effectively.
To really appreciate the depth of her work, start by watching her performance in Asylum followed immediately by The Tender Bar. The contrast is jarring in the best way possible. Lily Rabe isn't just an "AHS actress"—she is one of the most reliable, nuanced performers of our generation.
If you want to keep up with her latest, keep an eye on her upcoming production company projects, as she is increasingly moving into the producer and director chairs. Following her work through Kill Claudio Productions is the best way to see the stories she actually wants to tell, rather than just the ones she's cast in.