# Anastasia Baranova (Анастасия Баранова)
**Anastasia Baranova** (Анастасия Баранова; born 1989 in Moscow, Russian SFSR, USSR) is a Russian-born American actress best known for playing Jennifer "Scout" Lauer in the series *Scout's Safari* and Addy in the Syfy series *Z Nation*.[1](https://www.fandango.com/people/anastasia-baranova-36652) • [2](https://www.tvguide.com/celebrities/anastasia-baranova/bio/3000351395/) • [3](https://www.vokrug.tv/person/show/anastasiya_baranova/)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Born | 1989, Moscow, Russian SFSR, USSR[1](https://www.fandango.com/people/anastasia-baranova-36652) |
| Early career | Began acting at age six; worked as a child model in Moscow from age 7[1](https://www.fandango.com/people/anastasia-baranova-36652) • [2](https://www.tvguide.com/celebrities/anastasia-baranova/bio/3000351395/) |
| Breakout roles | Jennifer "Scout" Lauer in *Scout's Safari*; Addy in *Z Nation* (Syfy, from 2014)[2](https://www.tvguide.com/celebrities/anastasia-baranova/bio/3000351395/) • [3](https://www.vokrug.tv/person/show/anastasiya_baranova/) |
| Screen debut | *Lizzie McGuire*, 2002[2](https://www.tvguide.com/celebrities/anastasia-baranova/bio/3000351395/) |
| Voice work | Video games such as *The Darkness II* and films such as *Open Season 3*[2](https://www.tvguide.com/celebrities/anastasia-baranova/bio/3000351395/) |
| Training | Piero Dusa Acting Conservatory, Los Angeles[2](https://www.tvguide.com/celebrities/anastasia-baranova/bio/3000351395/) |
| Recent film | *Daruma* (2023), rated 92% by critics and 98% by audiences on Rotten Tomatoes[4](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/anastasia_baranova) |
## Early life and move to the United States
Baranova was born in Moscow and began working as a child model there; [TV Guide](https://www.edgepedia.org/tv-guide) states she started modeling at age 7, while Fandango dates the start of her acting career to age six.[1](https://www.fandango.com/people/anastasia-baranova-36652) • [2](https://www.tvguide.com/celebrities/anastasia-baranova/bio/3000351395/) The Russian film database Vokrug TV reports that in 1998 she moved with her mother to Minnesota, and TV Guide records a move to California in 2000, where she began her acting career and later completed an acting school.[3](https://www.vokrug.tv/person/show/anastasiya_baranova/) • [2](https://www.tvguide.com/celebrities/anastasia-baranova/bio/3000351395/) In a 2016 interview she said she arrived in the United States speaking almost no English and learned the language using [JumpStart](https://www.edgepedia.org/jumpstart) computer games and schoolwork, with her mother taking her to auditions.[5](https://www.finehomesandliving.com/featured/anastasia-baranova-a-russian-warrior/article_bec46d8b-0a9b-5f84-9c53-4024b5ea7156.html) She studied acting at the Piero Dusa Acting Conservatory in Los Angeles.[2](https://www.tvguide.com/celebrities/anastasia-baranova/bio/3000351395/)
## Television career
Her screen debut came in the series *Lizzie McGuire* in 2002, after which she won the lead role of Jennifer "Scout" Lauer in *Scout's Safari*.[2](https://www.tvguide.com/celebrities/anastasia-baranova/bio/3000351395/) Through the 2000s she made guest appearances on family and teen series including *7th Heaven* (1995–2007), *Malcolm in the Middle* (Fox, 1999–2006), *Joan of Arcadia* (CBS, 2003–05), *Drake and Josh* ([Nickelodeon](https://www.edgepedia.org/nickelodeon), 2003–07), and *Veronica Mars* (2004–07), later adding *90210* (CW, 2008–2013) and *Sons of Anarchy* (FX, 2008–2015).[1](https://www.fandango.com/people/anastasia-baranova-36652) • [4](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/anastasia_baranova)
In 2014 she joined the Syfy series *Z Nation*, a zombie-apocalypse drama, as Addy, the role for which she is best known alongside *Scout's Safari*.[3](https://www.vokrug.tv/person/show/anastasiya_baranova/) • [2](https://www.tvguide.com/celebrities/anastasia-baranova/bio/3000351395/)
## Film and voice work
Her film credits in the 2010s include *A Good Day to Die Hard* with [Bruce Willis](https://www.edgepedia.org/bruce-willis) (2013), *Earth to Echo* (2014), *The Sublime and Beautiful* (2014), and *Welcome to Willits* (2016).[4](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/anastasia_baranova) She also did voice-over work for video games such as *The Darkness II* and for films such as *Open Season 3*.[2](https://www.tvguide.com/celebrities/anastasia-baranova/bio/3000351395/) In 2023 she appeared in *Daruma*, the highest-rated title on her Rotten Tomatoes filmography at 92 percent from critics and 98 percent from audiences.[4](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/anastasia_baranova)
## References
1. [Anastasia Baranova Overview, Fandango](https://www.fandango.com/people/anastasia-baranova-36652)
2. [Anastasia Baranova Biography, TV Guide](https://www.tvguide.com/celebrities/anastasia-baranova/bio/3000351395/)
3. [Анастасия Баранова, Vokrug TV](https://www.vokrug.tv/person/show/anastasiya_baranova/)
4. [Anastasia Baranova Movies & TV Shows List, Rotten Tomatoes](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/anastasia_baranova)
5. [Anastasia Baranova: A Russian Warrior, Fine Homes and Living (2016)](https://www.finehomesandliving.com/featured/anastasia-baranova-a-russian-warrior/article_bec46d8b-0a9b-5f84-9c53-4024b5ea7156.html)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Screen and stage › Film and television › Screen people and creators › Screen actors of the Anglosphere and Europe › Russian actors*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 17, 2026; Sep 20, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Sep 18, 2026; Sep 19, 2026; Sep 20, 2026; Oct 12, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*
*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*
License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license