# Nell Verlaque
**Nell Verlaque** (born 2000) is an American actress known for playing Louise Gruzinsky on the Disney+ series *Big Shot* (2021–2022) and Jessica Wright in [Eli Roth](https://www.edgepedia.org/eli-roth)'s slasher film *[Thanksgiving](https://www.edgepedia.org/thanksgiving-2023-film)* (2023).[1](https://mn2s.com/booking-agency/live-roster/nell-verlaque/) • [2](https://bloody-disgusting.com/interviews/3793029/nell-verlaque-and-mile-manheim-thanksgiving-interview/) Born in New York City, she has since taken main roles in the MGM+ comedy *[American Classic](https://www.edgepedia.org/american-classic-tv-series)* (2026) and recurring roles in the A24 Prime Video series *Overcompensating*.[1](https://mn2s.com/booking-agency/live-roster/nell-verlaque/) • [3](https://tvbrittanyf.com/2026/03/01/american-classic-mgm-jon-tenney-nell-verlaque-interview/)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Born | 2000, New York City, United States[1](https://mn2s.com/booking-agency/live-roster/nell-verlaque/) |
| Training | Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School of Performing Arts; one year at the University of North Carolina School of the Arts[4](https://lumiere-a.akamaihd.net/v1/documents/nell_verlaque_bio_21de979b.pdf) |
| Breakthrough role | Louise Gruzinsky, main cast, *Big Shot* (Disney+), 20 episodes, 2021–2022[5](https://www.tvmaze.com/people/188118/nell-verlaque) |
| Film lead | Jessica Wright, the final girl, in *Thanksgiving* (2023), directed by Eli Roth[2](https://bloody-disgusting.com/interviews/3793029/nell-verlaque-and-mile-manheim-thanksgiving-interview/) |
| Current series | Miranda Bean in *American Classic* (MGM+, 2026), opposite Kevin Kline, Laura Linney, and Jon Tenney[3](https://tvbrittanyf.com/2026/03/01/american-classic-mgm-jon-tenney-nell-verlaque-interview/) |
| Upcoming films | *Crave* (2027), a vampire film with Jason Isaacs, in production in Spain; *Thanksgiving 2* in pre-production[6](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm9321325/news/) |
| Music | Single "Marigold (from *American Classic*)" with Bluejay Friese, released April 24, 2026[7](https://music.apple.com/cy/artist/nell-verlaque/1714531344) |
## Training and early roles
Verlaque graduated from Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School of Performing Arts in New York and spent a year at the [University of North Carolina School of the Arts](https://www.edgepedia.org/university-of-north-carolina-school-of-the-arts), one of the top drama schools in the country, before booking her series-regular role on *Big Shot*. Her Disney+ biography also describes her as a trained singer and dancer.[4](https://lumiere-a.akamaihd.net/v1/documents/nell_verlaque_bio_21de979b.pdf)
Her first screen appearance was a guest role as Emily Connor in the *[Bull](https://www.edgepedia.org/bull-2016-tv-series)* episode "Already Gone", broadcast October 3, 2017.[5](https://www.tvmaze.com/people/188118/nell-verlaque) In 2019 she played the lead, Sarah Porter, in the Lifetime television movie *Secrets in a Small Town* (also released as *Nowhere*), a Canadian thriller directed by Thomas Michael.[4](https://lumiere-a.akamaihd.net/v1/documents/nell_verlaque_bio_21de979b.pdf) • [8](https://www.filmtv.it/persona/345746/nell-verlaque/) Her feature debut came as Becky Harlow in *The Marijuana Conspiracy* (2020), a Canadian drama directed by Craig Pryce about a 1970s government experiment on young women.[9](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt8461042/fullcredits/)
## Big Shot
*Big Shot*, which premiered on Disney+ in April 2021, stars [John Stamos](https://www.edgepedia.org/john-stamos) as Marvyn Korn, a men's basketball coach exiled to an elite private high school girls' team. Verlaque played Louise Gruzinsky, one of the players, across both seasons and 20 episodes.[5](https://www.tvmaze.com/people/188118/nell-verlaque) • [10](https://whatsondisneyplus.com/nell-verlaque-sophia-mitri-schloss-monique-green-discuss-upcoming-disney-original-big-shot-exclusive-interview/) In interviews for the show she identified with the character's ambition, calling it a positive quality, especially for a young woman.[11](https://www.monstersandcritics.com/tv/exclusive-interview-sophia-mitri-schloss-nell-verlaque-and-monique-green-talk-big-shot-on-disney/)
## Thanksgiving and horror work
In *Thanksgiving* (2023), Eli Roth's slasher developed from the parody trailer in the 2007 film *Grindhouse*, Verlaque played Jessica Wright, the final girl targeted by a masked killer in [Plymouth, Massachusetts](https://www.edgepedia.org/plymouth-massachusetts) after a deadly Black Friday riot. The film was released theatrically on November 17, 2023, with a cast that included [Patrick Dempsey](https://www.edgepedia.org/patrick-dempsey), Addison Rae, and [Milo Manheim](https://www.edgepedia.org/milo-manheim).[2](https://bloody-disgusting.com/interviews/3793029/nell-verlaque-and-mile-manheim-thanksgiving-interview/) • [12](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt8461042/news/) In a Bloody Disgusting interview around the film's premium video-on-demand release, she and Manheim discussed keeping the teenage characters authentic and working with Roth, who consulted actual teenagers when writing the high school characters.[2](https://bloody-disgusting.com/interviews/3793029/nell-verlaque-and-mile-manheim-thanksgiving-interview/)
Between the two horror projects she played Haley in the drama *Notice to Quit* (2024), directed by Simon Hacker and starring [Michael Zegen](https://www.edgepedia.org/michael-zegen).[8](https://www.filmtv.it/persona/345746/nell-verlaque/) In 2026 she was announced as the star of *Crave*, a vampire film directed by David Charbonier and Justin Powell from a script by Jason and Peter Filardi, in which a grieving girl is drawn to a mysterious traveling carnival; the cast includes [Jason Isaacs](https://www.edgepedia.org/jason-isaacs), Paulina Chávez, and Kieron Moore, and the film was in production in Spain.[6](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm9321325/news/)
## American Classic and recent work
In the MGM+ comedy *American Classic*, which premiered March 1, 2026, Verlaque plays Miranda Bean, the daughter of Jon ([Jon Tenney](https://www.edgepedia.org/jon-tenney)) and Kristen ([Laura Linney](https://www.edgepedia.org/laura-linney)) and the niece of Broadway star Richard Bean ([Kevin Kline](https://www.edgepedia.org/kevin-kline)), whose public meltdown brings him home to the family's failing theater in Millersburg, Pennsylvania. Miranda is the character who dreams of a life in the theater.[3](https://tvbrittanyf.com/2026/03/01/american-classic-mgm-jon-tenney-nell-verlaque-interview/) • [13](https://thathollywoodshow.com/latest-news/stars-jon-tenney-nell-verlaque-on-the-hilarious-family-dynamics-in-mgms-american-classic-interview/) Verlaque said she gravitated to the script before learning who would play her parents, and that singing with Kline and Tenney was a highlight; Tenney described her voice as extraordinary.[3](https://tvbrittanyf.com/2026/03/01/american-classic-mgm-jon-tenney-nell-verlaque-interview/) A review of the season-one finale, built around a production of Thornton Wilder's *Our Town*, singled out her performance as the center of the episode.[14](https://tvbrittanyf.com/2026/04/13/american-classic-mgm-plus-season-1-episode-8-review/)
She also played Emily in a recurring role in the first season of *Overcompensating*, the A24-produced Prime Video comedy created by [Benito Skinner](https://www.edgepedia.org/benito-skinner), and was among the returning cast announced for its second season.[1](https://mn2s.com/booking-agency/live-roster/nell-verlaque/) • [6](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm9321325/news/) In April 2026 she released "Marigold (from *American Classic*)", a single recorded with Bluejay Friese.[7](https://music.apple.com/cy/artist/nell-verlaque/1714531344)
## References
1. [Nell Verlaque, MN2S booking profile](https://mn2s.com/booking-agency/live-roster/nell-verlaque/)
2. [Nell Verlaque and Milo Manheim on 'Thanksgiving' Slasher Kills and Collaborating with Eli Roth, Bloody Disgusting (December 19, 2023)](https://bloody-disgusting.com/interviews/3793029/nell-verlaque-and-mile-manheim-thanksgiving-interview/)
3. [American Classic stars Jon Tenney and Nell Verlaque preview MGM+ comedy, TVBrittanyF.com (March 1, 2026)](https://tvbrittanyf.com/2026/03/01/american-classic-mgm-jon-tenney-nell-verlaque-interview/)
4. [Nell Verlaque biography, Disney Big Shot press document](https://lumiere-a.akamaihd.net/v1/documents/nell_verlaque_bio_21de979b.pdf)
5. [Nell Verlaque, TVmaze](https://www.tvmaze.com/people/188118/nell-verlaque)
6. [Nell Verlaque news, IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm9321325/news/)
7. [Nell Verlaque, Apple Music](https://music.apple.com/cy/artist/nell-verlaque/1714531344)
8. [Nell Verlaque, FilmTV.it](https://www.filmtv.it/persona/345746/nell-verlaque/)
9. [The Marijuana Conspiracy (2020) full cast and crew, IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt8461042/fullcredits/)
10. [Nell Verlaque, Sophia Mitri Schloss & Monique Green Discuss Big Shot, What's On Disney Plus (April 15, 2021)](https://whatsondisneyplus.com/nell-verlaque-sophia-mitri-schloss-monique-green-discuss-upcoming-disney-original-big-shot-exclusive-interview/)
11. [Exclusive interview: Sophia Mitri Schloss, Nell Verlaque and Monique Green talk Big Shot, Monsters & Critics](https://www.monstersandcritics.com/tv/exclusive-interview-sophia-mitri-schloss-nell-verlaque-and-monique-green-talk-big-shot-on-disney/)
12. [The Marijuana Conspiracy news, IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt8461042/news/)
13. [Stars Jon Tenney & Nell Verlaque On The Hilarious Family Dynamics In MGM+'s American Classic, That Hollywood Show (March 3, 2026)](https://thathollywoodshow.com/latest-news/stars-jon-tenney-nell-verlaque-on-the-hilarious-family-dynamics-in-mgms-american-classic-interview/)
14. [American Classic season 1 finale sees Nell Verlaque steal the MGM+ show, TVBrittanyF.com (April 13, 2026)](https://tvbrittanyf.com/2026/04/13/american-classic-mgm-plus-season-1-episode-8-review/)
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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 › American actors: 2000s onward › Surnames U to We*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Oct 11, 2026; Oct 12, 2026; Oct 15, 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