Maisy Stella

Early life and family

Maisy Stella was born on December 13, 2003, in Oshawa, Ontario. Her parents, MaryLynne and Brad Stella, are both musicians who perform as the country duo the Stellas. She has an older sister, Lennon Stella, with whom she would later collaborate professionally. Growing up in a musical household, Stella was exposed to performance from an early age. She has publicly identified as queer, a facet of her identity that later informed some of her acting roles. The family's background in country music provided a natural entry point for the sisters into the entertainment industry.

Career beginnings with Nashville and Lennon & Maisy

Stella's professional career began in 2009, but her major breakthrough came in 2012 when she was cast as Daphne Conrad on the ABC/CMT musical drama series Nashville. The series premiered on October 10, 2012, and Stella starred alongside her real‑life sister, Lennon Stella, who played her on‑screen sister Maddie Conrad. The show aired its final episode on July 26, 2018, providing Stella with a six‑year foundation in television acting. During this period, she and her sister also performed as the country music duo Lennon & Maisy, gaining popularity for their covers of songs. The duo's performances were often featured on the show and its associated soundtracks, blending their acting and musical careers. Their work on Nashville established them as recognizable performers in North America. The show's setting in the country music scene of Nashville, Tennessee, allowed Stella to develop her performance skills in both acting and singing from a young age. This early exposure to a long‑running network television series provided invaluable industry experience. The success of Lennon & Maisy also led to opportunities beyond the show, including live performances and a dedicated fanbase.

Solo music and early projects

Parallel to her work on Nashville, Stella pursued individual projects. In 2016, she appeared in the YouTube web series We Are Savvy. The following year marked a significant step in her solo career with the release of her debut single, 'Riding Free,' which was created for the soundtrack of the DreamWorks Animation series Spirit Riding Free. Also in 2017, she served as a guest judge for an episode of the cooking competition series Top Chef Jr. These ventures demonstrated her versatility and ability to engage with different media formats and audiences beyond her established television role.

Return to acting and critical breakthrough

After Nashville concluded, Stella returned to acting with a lead role in the 2024 coming‑of‑age comedy film My Old Ass, directed by Megan Park. The film premiered at the Sundance Film Festival to positive reviews and served as a major breakthrough for Stella. She played Elliott, a queer teenager in Ontario who, during a psychedelic experience, is visited by her older self, portrayed by Aubrey Plaza. Critics praised Stella's performance for its screen presence, comic timing, and emotional depth. Christy Lemire of RogerEbert.com awarded the film three and a half stars out of four, highlighting Stella's convincing portrayal of both dramatic and comedic moments. Richard Lawson of Vanity Fair noted the film's distinctly Canadian setting in Lake Muskoka and called Stella's performance charming and high‑energy. The film's success brought Stella significant industry recognition and several major awards. Her performance earned her the Critics' Choice Movie Award for Best Young Performer and the Independent Spirit Award for Best Breakthrough Performance. She also received a nomination for the Gotham Independent Film Award for Breakthrough Performer. The film was celebrated by other filmmakers, including Chris Columbus, who named it one of his favourites of 2024. This period re‑established Stella not as a child actor but as a compelling lead performer in independent cinema.

Subsequent film roles and commercial success

Building on her critical success, Stella appeared in Maude Apatow's directorial debut, the comedy drama Poetic License, in 2025. The film premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival and featured Stella in a supporting role as the girlfriend of a character played by Andrew Barth Feldman. Critics like Gregory Ellwood of The Playlist praised the film's natural performances and humour. The film is scheduled for a theatrical release in 2027. Stella achieved her largest commercial success to date in 2026 with the science fiction survival film The End of Oak Street, in which she starred alongside Anne Hathaway. The film was a box office hit, grossing over 122 million dollars worldwide, and was also well‑received by critics. Also in 2026, Stella was cast in a leading role for the television adaptation of the video game Life Is Strange, set to stream on Amazon Prime Video. She will portray the character Chloe Price, marking a return to series television in a high‑profile project.

Key projects that defined this phase of Maisy Stella's career include the musical television series Nashville, which she starred in from 2012 to 2018. Her return to acting in 2024 featured a lead role in the coming-of-age film My Old Ass. She then acted in the comedy drama Poetic License in 2025. In 2026, she starred in the science fiction film The End of Oak Street, which was a major box office success.

• My Old Ass (2024), Lead role as Elliott, premiered at Sundance.
• Poetic License (2025), Supporting role, premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival.
• The End of Oak Street (2026), Lead role, grossed over $122 million.
• Life Is Strange (TBA), Lead role as Chloe Price for Amazon Prime Video.

Filmography

Maisy Stella's body of work includes several notable film and television projects. She starred in the television series Nashville from 2012 to 2018. Stella returned to acting with a lead role in the 2024 film My Old Ass. She acted in the 2025 film Poetic License. In 2026, she starred in the film The End of Oak Street. She is also cast in the upcoming television adaptation Life Is Strange.

Awards and recognition

Stella's work, particularly in My Old Ass, has been recognized with several prestigious awards. These honours highlight her transition from a child performer to an award‑winning actress in the film industry. She won the Critics' Choice Movie Award for Best Young Performer and the Independent Spirit Award for Best Breakthrough Performance for her role in the 2024 film. She also received a nomination for the Gotham Independent Film Award for Breakthrough Performer for the same performance. These awards, coming from critics' groups and independent film organizations, reflect the impact of her performance in a Canadian‑set story that resonated widely. The recognition also shows the industry's acknowledgment of her skill in carrying a lead role in a critically acclaimed film.

Maisy Stella has won a Critics' Choice Movie Award for Best Young Performer. She has also won an Independent Spirit Award for Best Breakthrough Performance. These awards were for her role in the 2024 film My Old Ass. She received a nomination for a Gotham Independent Film Award for Breakthrough Performer for the same film.

• Critics' Choice Movie Award for Best Young Performer (2024, for My Old Ass)
• Independent Spirit Award for Best Breakthrough Performance (2024, for My Old Ass)
• Gotham Independent Film Award nomination for Breakthrough Performer (2024, for My Old Ass)

Personal life and public incidents

In November 2018, Stella was the victim of a stalking incident that led to an arrest. Joshua Andrew Stephen Fox, then aged 41, was arrested by Metro Nashville Police after having contacted and stalked Stella for over a year. The contact began when Fox reached out to the Stella family through their website, stating he had moved to Nashville to be with them. On November 8, 2018, the FBI met with Fox after he allegedly sent Stella a sexual invitation, ordering him to cease contact. After temporarily deactivating his social media, Fox reactivated his accounts and sent Stella 85 messages and videos, some of a sexual nature. Fox subsequently sent Stella a picture of a woman he had kidnapped and raped at gunpoint. The woman reported the crime the next day, leading to Fox's arrest in Asheville, North Carolina. He was transferred to Smith County, Tennessee, to face charges of rape and kidnapping and was later released on an 80,000 dollar bond. The incident was a serious violation of privacy and safety, though Stella has continued her career in the years since.

In November 2018, a man named Joshua Andrew Stephen Fox was arrested for stalking Maisy Stella. The contact started when he reached out to the Stella family through its website. The FBI met with Fox after he sent Stella a sexual invitation. Fox later sent Stella many messages and videos, including ones of a sexual nature. He also sent a picture of a woman he had kidnapped and raped. Fox was arrested and faced charges of rape and kidnapping.

• Perpetrator: Joshua Andrew Stephen Fox, age 41 at time of arrest in November 2018.
• Duration: Stalking occurred for over a year.
• Initial contact: Fox contacted the family via their website after moving from Miami to Nashville.
• FBI intervention: Occurred on November 8, 2018, at a Panera Bread near Vanderbilt University.
• Number of messages: Fox sent 85 messages and videos to Stella after reactivating social media.
• Additional crime: Fox sent a picture of a woman he had kidnapped and raped at gunpoint.
• Arrest location: Asheville, North Carolina.
• Charges filed in: Smith County, Tennessee, for rape and kidnapping.
• Bond: Released on an $80,000 bond.

Questions about Maisy Stella

What awards has Maisy Stella won?

Maisy Stella won the Critics' Choice Movie Award for Best Young Performer. She won the Independent Spirit Award for Best Breakthrough Performance. These were for her role in My Old Ass. She was also nominated for a Gotham Independent Film Award for Breakthrough Performer.

How old is Maisy Stella?

Maisy Stella was born on December 13, 2003, which makes her age dependent on the current date. She is a Canadian singer and actress from Oshawa, Ontario. She began her career in 2009 and was eight years old when she started on the television series Nashville in 2012. Her career has since expanded to include major film roles into 2026.

What is Maisy Stella's most famous role?

Maisy Stella is best known for her breakthrough role as Daphne Conrad on the musical drama television series Nashville, which aired from 2012 to 2018. She gained greater recognition in 2024 for her critically acclaimed lead role as Elliott in the coming of age film My Old Ass. For this performance, she won the Critics' Choice Movie Award for Best Young Performer and an Independent Spirit Award for Best Breakthrough Performance. She also performed alongside her sister Lennon Stella as part of the duo Lennon and Maisy during her time on Nashville.

Is Maisy Stella related to Lennon Stella?

Yes, Maisy Stella is the younger sister of Lennon Stella. They are both daughters of parents MaryLynne and Brad Stella, who are members of the country duo the Stellas. The sisters starred together as sisters on the television series Nashville from 2012 to 2018. They also performed together as the country music cover duo Lennon and Maisy, which gained them early attention in their careers.

What was Maisy Stella's first solo song?

Maisy Stella's debut solo single was a song called Riding Free. She released it in 2017 for the soundtrack of the DreamWorks Animation series Spirit Riding Free. This release marked a step in her solo career outside of her work with her sister. Prior to this, her musical output was primarily through the duo Lennon and Maisy and contributions to the Nashville soundtrack.

Sources and further reading

• Maisy Stella (Wikipedia)
• Maisy Stella Movies & TV Shows List (rottentomatoes.com)
• 'A star is born': Actor Maisy Stella breaks through in 'My Old ... (townandcountrytoday.com)
• 'My Old Ass' Star Maisy Stella Took a Break From Acting ... (variety.com)

Checked by the Yadude Books desk. Last updated 2026-10-31.