Maika Monroe (born Dillon Monroe Buckley; May 29, 1993) is an American actress and professional

kiteboarder Kiteboarding or kitesurfing is a sport that involves using wind power with a large power kite to pull a rider across a water, land, or snow surface. It combines aspects of paragliding, surfing, windsurfing, skateboarding, snowboarding, and wak ...

. She had her breakthrough headlining the horror film '' It Follows'' (2014), which won her several accolades—including an Empire Award nomination. She is recognized for her work in the horror genre, particularly for starring in the thriller '' The Guest'' (2014), the sci-fi thriller '' Tau'' (2018), and the psychological thrillers '' Greta'' (2018) and '' Watcher'' (2022). Monroe made her film acting debut with the drama film ''

At Any Price ''At Any Price'' is a 2012 American drama film directed by Ramin Bahrani and written by Ramin Bahrani and Hallie Newton. The film, starring Dennis Quaid and Zac Efron, was selected to compete for the Golden Lion at the 69th Venice International ...

'' (2012). Aside from her work in horror, she has also had roles in the drama film ''

Labor Day Labor Day is a federal holiday in the United States celebrated on the first Monday in September to honor and recognize the American labor movement and the works and contributions of laborers to the development and achievements of the United St ...

'' (2013), the action film '' Independence Day: Resurgence'' (2016), the neo-noir coming-of-age film '' Hot Summer Nights'' (2017), the comedy-drama film ''

After Everything ''After Everything'' (also known as ''Eternal Love'' (UK); originally titled ''Shotgun'') is a 2018 American comedy-drama film written and directed by Hannah Marks and Joey Power. It stars Jeremy Allen White, Maika Monroe, DeRon Horton, Sasha L ...

'' (2018) and the black comedy film ''

Villains A villain (also known as a " black hat" or "bad guy"; the feminine form is villainess) is a stock character, whether based on a historical narrative or one of literary fiction. ''Random House Unabridged Dictionary'' defines such a character ...

'' (2019).

Early life

Monroe was born Dillon Monroe Buckley on May 29, 1993, in

Santa Barbara, California Santa Barbara ( es, Santa Bárbara, meaning " Saint Barbara") is a coastal city in Santa Barbara County, California, of which it is also the county seat. Situated on a south-facing section of coastline, the longest such section on the West ...

, the daughter of sign language interpreter Dixie and construction worker Jack Buckley. She later changed her first name to Maika, by which she had already been known for most of her life. At the age of 17, Monroe left Santa Barbara and moved to

Cabarete Cabarete is a town in the Puerto Plata province of the Dominican Republic, noted for its tourism and beaches. It is located on Camino Cinco approximately from the airport of Puerto Plata (POP). History Cabarete was founded in 1835 by the merc ...

in the

Dominican Republic The Dominican Republic ( ; es, República Dominicana, ) is a country located on the island of Hispaniola in the Greater Antilles archipelago of the Caribbean region. It occupies the eastern five-eighths of the island, which it shares with ...

to continue training in kiteboarding after spending the previous summer there. She subsequently completed her senior year of high school online.

Career

In April 2012, Monroe signed up for the drama film ''

'', an adaptation of the novel of the same name. She played Mandy, a farm girl who romances with a young man and eventually becomes his wife and the mother of his child. In June 2013, she joined the cast of the psychological thriller film '' The Guest''. In 2014, she starred as Jay in the horror film '' It Follows'', which became a cult hit. In 2016, she co-starred in the invasion thriller film '' The 5th Wave'', based on the novel of the same name. Monroe also co-starred in the 2016 movie '' Independence Day: Resurgence'', the sequel to ''

Independence Day An independence day is an annual event commemorating the anniversary of a nation's independence or statehood, usually after ceasing to be a group or part of another nation or state, or more rarely after the end of a military occupation. Many ...

'' (1996), playing former First Daughter Patricia Whitmore.

Filmography

Film

Television

Awards and nominations

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Monroe, Maika 1993 births Living people American film actresses American television actresses 21st-century American actresses Actresses from Santa Barbara, California American kitesurfers Sportspeople from Santa Barbara, California Female kitesurfers American sportswomen