If you’ve been paying attention to the big screen lately, you’ve definitely seen her. Maybe she was fighting for her life in a derelict space station in Alien: Romulus, or perhaps you caught her as the wide-eyed but resilient lead in Sofia Coppola's Priscilla. She has this uncanny ability to disappear into a role—one minute she’s a 14-year-old in a poodle skirt, the next she’s a hardened survivor.
But here is the thing.
Before she was a bona fide movie star, Cailee Spaeny was quietly putting in some of the most impressive work on the small screen. Honestly, if you only know her from her films, you’re missing the foundation of what makes her so good. From mind-bending sci-fi to gritty Pennsylvania murder mysteries, tv shows with cailee spaeny offer a masterclass in range.
And with her starring role in the upcoming second season of Beef set to drop on Netflix on April 16, 2026, there’s never been a better time to look back at the shows that got her here.
The Tragic Center of Mare of Easttown
Most people remember Mare of Easttown for Kate Winslet’s incredible (and incredibly stressed) performance as Mare Sheehan. It was a cultural phenomenon. Everyone was obsessed with the Delco accent and those Wawa hoagies. But the entire emotional weight of that show rests on the shoulders of Erin McMenamin, played by Spaeny.
She isn't in every episode. She can't be—her character’s death is the inciting incident. Yet, through flashbacks and the sheer impact of her absence, Spaeny makes Erin feel like a living, breathing person. You feel her desperation as a teen mother trying to pay for her son’s ear surgery. You see the loneliness in her eyes when her volatile father yells at her.
It’s a brutal watch.
Spaeny plays Erin with a vulnerability that isn't just "sad girl" tropes. It’s a specific, localized kind of pain. When you see her get lured into the woods by people she thought were friends, it’s gut-wrenching. The show received massive critical acclaim, and while Winslet took home the trophies, many critics, including those at Collider, noted that Spaeny’s performance was the "glaring, unmendable hole" that drove the narrative forward. If you haven't seen it, prepare to be devastated.
Gender and Genius in Alex Garland’s Devs
Before the tragedies of Easttown, Spaeny took a massive swing in the FX limited series Devs. This show is weird. It’s an Alex Garland project, so you know it’s going to involve high-concept philosophy, gorgeous cinematography, and probably some existential dread.
In Devs, Spaeny plays Lyndon.
Interestingly, Lyndon is a young, brilliant male engineer working at a secretive tech company called Amaya. This wasn't a "gimmick" casting. Spaeny played the role with such a convincing, youthful boyishness that many viewers didn't even realize it was her until the credits rolled. She captured that specific brand of arrogant, adolescent genius—someone who is smart enough to rewrite the laws of the universe but still young enough to be dangerously impulsive.
Lyndon’s arc is one of the most philosophical parts of the show. He argues for a "Many Worlds" interpretation of quantum mechanics, a stance that puts him at odds with the company’s founder, played by Nick Offerman. The tension between them leads to one of the most heart-stopping scenes on a bridge that I won't spoil here. Basically, it’s a performance that proves Spaeny doesn't care about "looking pretty" or playing the same role twice. She wants the challenge.
The First Lady and the Mixed Reviews
Look, not every project is a home run. In 2022, Spaeny appeared in the Showtime anthology series The First Lady. She played Anna Eleanor Roosevelt, the daughter of Eleanor and Franklin D. Roosevelt.
The show had a stacked cast: Viola Davis, Michelle Pfeiffer, Gillian Anderson. On paper, it was an awards-season juggernaut. In reality? It was a bit of a mess.
Critics felt the pacing was off and the storytelling was a bit shallow. It currently sits at a 41% on Rotten Tomatoes, which is pretty rare for a Spaeny project. However, her performance wasn't the problem. Even in a show that felt overstuffed, she managed to bring a groundedness to the Roosevelt family dynamic. It served as a bridge between her early "discovery" phase and her eventual leap into leading lady status in Hollywood.
What’s Next: Beef Season 2 (2026)
If you’re looking for the next big thing in tv shows with cailee spaeny, mark April 16, 2026, on your calendar. Netflix has confirmed that the second season of the hit anthology Beef will star Spaeny alongside Charles Melton, Oscar Isaac, and Carey Mulligan.
This time, the "beef" isn't a road rage incident in a parking lot. The story moves to a hyper-exclusive country club. Spaeny and Melton play a young couple who witness a massive fight between their bosses (Isaac and Mulligan). That one moment spirals into a "chess game" of manipulation and social climbing.
According to reports from Hypebeast, Spaeny is also serving as an executive producer on this season. That’s a huge move. It shows she’s not just showing up for the paycheck; she’s helping shape the narrative. Given how intense the first season was with Steven Yeun and Ali Wong, expectations are sky-high.
Why Her TV Career Matters
It’s easy to dismiss TV as a stepping stone to movies, but for Cailee Spaeny, it seems to be where she does her most experimental work. You’ve got:
- The Victim: Mare of Easttown (Vulnerability)
- The Prodigy: Devs (Transformation)
- The Socialite: Beef (Complexity and Power)
She doesn't repeat herself. Most actors find a "lane" and stay in it. Spaeny seems to be actively trying to drift into every lane on the highway just to see if she can handle the turns.
Actionable Insights for Fans
If you're ready to dive into her filmography, here is how you should handle it. Don't just watch them in order; watch them based on the vibe you're after.
- For the Mystery Obsessed: Start with Mare of Easttown on Max. It’s seven episodes. You can finish it in a weekend, but you’ll think about it for a month.
- For the Sci-Fi Nerds: Watch Devs on Hulu. It requires your full attention. Do not scroll on your phone while watching this one, or you will have no idea what "determinism" means by the end.
- For the Completionists: You can find The First Lady on Paramount+, but maybe save it for a rainy afternoon when you just want to see some good acting in a mediocre script.
- The Future: Get your Netflix subscription ready for the Beef Season 2 premiere on April 16, 2026. This is likely going to be the "water cooler" show of the year.
Cailee Spaeny is clearly one of the most versatile actors of her generation. Whether she's playing a boyish tech genius or a struggling teen mom, she brings a level of truth that is rare to see. Keep an eye on her—she's just getting started.
Next Steps for Your Watchlist:
Check your streaming subscriptions for Max and Hulu to catch Mare of Easttown and Devs before the new season of Beef arrives. If you want to see her cinematic range before then, Alien: Romulus and Civil War are currently available for digital rental or streaming on Disney+ and Max respectively.