With a professional career spanning less than a decade, Isabel May has built an impressive resumé in film and television. Making her debut on television, May has starred in more memorable roles on the small screen than in film. The California-born actress, who turned 24 in 2024, has had a passion for acting from a young age. Despite facing setbacks in her early career, Isabel May persevered until she landed her debut role.
As an only child, her parents stayed committed to her acting goal, choosing to homeschool May from the tenth grade to afford time to audition for projects. In November 2024, she joined the Scream cast and franchise as Sidney Prescott’s daughter. May will make her debut in the franchise in the 2026 Scream 7. As fans anticipate her Scream debut, here’s a look at Isabel May’s top career roles through the years.
Alexa & Katie
Interestingly, when Isabel May landed the role of Katie in the Netflix sitcom Alexa & Katie, she had little to no experience with minimal training. Cast as one of the titular characters, May’s Katie Cooper had a quirky personality. Still, she was loyal and supportive of her best friend, Alexa Mendoza (Paris Berelc), who was battling leukemia. Alexa & Katie revolve around the titular character’s close friendship as they navigate the challenges of high school together.
However, as Alexa’s support, Katie always provided humor and encouragement despite dealing with her own insecurities. Despite Isabel May’s lack of acting experience, her performance was praised for its warmth and relatability, making her a fan favorite. Alexa & Katie aired for 3 seasons from March 23, 2018, to June 13, 2020. Isabel May was 17 years old when the show premiered.
Young Sheldon
In the same 2018, Isabel May landed another major project, joining the cast of CBS’s famous spin-off prequel series Young Sheldon. May was cast as Veronica Duncan, Georgie Cooper’s (Montana Jordan) love interest. May’s character is introduced in season 2 as the school’s “hottest girl.” Georgie asks Veronica to be his Halloween date.
However, she becomes a Christian after her experience in Mr. Gene Lundy’s (Jason Alexander) haunted house. Despite losing interest in Georgie and dating, Georgie continues pursuing her until he takes a liking to Jana Owens and begins dating Jana (Ava Allan). Isabel May starred in two seasons of Young Sheldon, exiting the show after season 3.
1883 & 1923
The Yellowstone prequel series, 1883 and 1923, have been Isabel May’s biggest project of her career. An interesting BTS fact is that May inspired Yellowstone co-creator Taylor Sheridan to create a prequel series, famously known today as 1883. When they first met, Isabel May auditioned for another of Sheridan’s co-created series, Mayor of Kingstown. Although May didn’t land the role in Mayor of Kingstown, Taylor Sheridan wasn’t only impressed by her audition to begin writing the 1883 script, he also had Isabel May in mind.
Cast as 1883’s narrator and one of its main characters, Isabel May played Elsa Dutton. Her character is James Dillard Dutton (Tim McGraw) and Margaret Dutton’s (Faith Hill) daughter. As 1883’s narrator, May’s Elsa Dutton character guides viewers through the Dutton family’s treacherous journey westward as they seek a new life in Montana. Elsa is portrayed as a free-spirited and adventurous young woman, deeply curious about the world.
Also, she isn’t afraid to challenge societal norms. Her story arc revolved around love, loss, self-discovery, and death. In the 1883 sequel series, 1923, Isabel May does not appear. However, her character, Elsa Dutton, serves as the narrator. Elsa’s narration links the events of 1883 to 1923, further expanding the Dutton family saga and revealing how the family legacy unfolded into Yellowstone’s future timeline.
The Moon & Back
In the 2022 indie film The Moon & Back, Isabel May played the protagonist, Lydia Gilbert. The story follows Lydia as she copes with the loss of her father, a sci-fi screenwriter. To help deal with her loss and find closure, Lydia attempts to produce her late father’s unfinished screenplay. The journey becomes creative, overwhelming, and an emotional exploration as Lydia learns about herself, her relationships, and her father’s legacy. Although The Moon & Back largely flew under the radar, critics praised Isabel May for her versatility, going from Elsa Dutton to Lydia Gilbert, and being able to portray the polarized characters excellently. Besides Isabel May’s top roles, here are things you probably didn’t know about the actress.
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