The Transformation Of Meryl Streep's Daughter, Louisa Jacobson

While some nepo babies find themselves in the spotlight from a young age, such as the stylishly transformed Suri Cruise, others wait to pursue Hollywood careers as adults. For Louisa Jacobson, daughter of award-winning actor Meryl Streep and acclaimed artist Don Gummer, her foray into acting was both deliberate and a long-time coming. "It's weird because we really made an attempt to move [our children] out of the public eye. I never had them photographed as children," Streep lightheartedly told interviewer Kjersti Flaa. "As a result, they all wanted to be in show business."

From growing up in a creative household to experimenting with different job opportunities as an adult, Jacobson's Hollywood entry is accompanied by a notable transformation. The youngest of Streep's four children, she ranks as one of the gorgeous, real-life actors of "The Gilded Age," debuting as Marian Brook on the historical drama in 2022. While the HBO series remains her best-known project, her list of acting credits extends to "The Materialists" as well as stage productions such as "Romeo & Juliet" and "Lunch Bunch."

It's not uncommon for nepo babies to drop their last name to distance themselves from high-profile familial connections, but Jacobson was compelled by a Screen Actors Guild rule to adopt an alternative moniker when she began her stage work. Her legal name, Louisa Gummer, was already in use by another professional, so she chose to adopt her middle name, Jacobson, as her surname. That said, while she had an existing Hollywood connection due to having Streep as her mother, Jacobson's road to success was definitely a winding one.

Born in Los Angeles on June 12, 1991, Louisa Jacobson associates her childhood with the spacious countryside and an abundance of creativity. Her family moved to The Berkshires in Massachusetts when she was just under two-years-old, where she and her three siblings lived in a contemporary house filled with unique art and classical antiques. "Both my parents were very talented, driven, and really dedicated to their crafts," she told Who What Wear. "So, it was inspiring to grow up in a household that really prioritized the arts."

The Streep-Gummer household relocated to New York City when Jacobson was nine-years-old, where they purchased a $2.1 million townhouse in Greenwich Village. At the time, Jacobson was infuriated by the change, not wanting to leave behind the tree-filled countryside for the big city. "I drew in my journal pictures of a skyline with a big circle and a slash through it," she told the Wall Street Journal. "My parents understood, validated my feelings and then we moved to New York, into a townhouse." Despite this initial reluctance, Jacobson has since looked back on the move with fondness. As she shared with Into The Gloss, "It was this perfect combination of being a kid in the countryside, and then it was great to have my adolescence in the city."

Louisa Jacobson always knew that she had a love for acting, with this affinity stemming from her creative environment and imagination-filled adventures. Specifically, the LA native recalls putting on shows with her siblings and cousins while living in Massachusetts, explaining that they made a real production out of it. "Play is essential," she told Who What Wear. "It's at the root of theater, and we were constantly engaging in that kind of imaginary play, whether it was playing dress-up together and then putting on a show. I mean, we went as far as to charge tickets at the door. We had box office systems. It was really amazing."

Theatre continued to permeate Jacobson's life as she grew up, with the budding star performing in school plays, attending theatre camps, and even doing a cappella in high school. Still, her passion for acting didn't immediately translate into a clear career path. "I always knew I wanted to act, but I didn't always know I wanted to be an actor," she told Into The Gloss, with the star's proximity to fame showcasing the pitfalls of the industry. "Because of the way I grew up, there are parts of the business that I know are difficult," she told The New York Times. "It provided us with a lot of privileges, but it also came with a lot of anxiety." In this way, Jacobson's transformation from nepo baby to TV star includes some notable stops.

Before she committed to a career in acting, Louisa Jacobson majored in psychology with a minor in art history at Vassar College, her mother's alma mater. "I wanted to have a moment of self discovery and reinvention," the LA native told Into The Gloss. She continued to act as a hobby while earning her undergraduate degree, but was interested in pursuing a more practical profession when she graduated in 2013. "I wasn't sure what I wanted to do long term, so I tried a bunch of different things," she shared with Vestal Mag.

At first, Jacobson landed a job at Clare V. as a floor salesman, experimenting with modeling at the same time. The actor found a more permanent and steady position as an account manager, working with an advertising agency she'd previously interned with. "I felt really independent all around," she continued. "But the work itself wasn't completely fulfilling." It was during this period of her life that she returned to acting in earnest, opening up about the moment she committed herself to the craft.

"I couldn't fully let go of the idea of acting," Jacobson said. "Then I had this audition for 'The Tempest' at the Public Theater. I didn't get the part, but I remember the experience being completely transcendent. It brought me so much joy." From there, the budding star was certain that she wanted to pursue an acting career, but chose to apply to the Yale School of Drama to study the craft first. "I auditioned, got to the final callbacks, and got in," she continued. "Honestly, those three years were the best of my life."

Louisa Jacobson briefly studied acting at the British American Drama Academy in Oxford before receiving her master's degree in drama from the Yale School of Drama, another Meryl Streep alma mater. She made her professional stage debut during her stint at the highly-acclaimed school, appearing in the Yale Repertory Theatre's production of Nambi E. Kelley's "Native Son" as Mary Dalton. From there, after graduating in 2019, the rising star landed the role of Juliet in the San Diego's Old Globe Theater's production of "Romeo and Juliet," an experience she speaks highly of.

"We were performing outdoors and the set was really contemporary," she told Vestal Mag. "It was a giant sandbox. We'd run around in the sand and talk about the moon while looking at the actual moon. It was really beautiful." The Hollywood figure also has behind-the-scenes experience, serving as the assistant director on the off-Broadway production of "Invasive Species" in 2024.

Even as she's expanded her career into mainstream media, appearing in the 2025 film "The Materialists" in addition to her role on "The Gilded Age," the star's background in theatre has been foundational to her career. "Drama school is where the fundamentals are built," she told Numero Netherlands. "That's where I discovered my respect for acting and the reason why I pursue this career, so I always try to hold on tightly to that."

While working in theatre arts, Louisa Jacobson landed her big Hollywood break in the form of HBO's "The Gilded Age." The period drama comes from writer Julian Fellowes, known for "Downton Abbey," and explores the tense dynamics between old and new money families in 1880s New York City. Given the early state of her career, Jacobson felt like it was an obvious choice to audition for the show back in 2019. "I was extremely excited by the fact that it was Julian Fellowes," she told Who What Wear. "I was such a Downton Abbey fan when it first came out."

The aspiring actor scored the role of Marian Brook, a destitute newcomer living with her widowed aunts, after three rounds of callbacks. Jacobson's celebrations were temporarily waylaid, though, when the COVID-19 pandemic hit and production was halted. "I went from adjusting to real life after my master's degree to basically leaving the city and spending the next six months in sweatpants," she told Vestal Mag. "Then, we came back and were one of the first productions to restart after COVID...It was my first TV job, so that transition was jarring."

Despite initial roadblocks, Jacobson has come into her own playing the character, pointing to parallels between herself and the blossoming heroine. "She's grown so much, and likewise, I feel I have as well," the actor told Who What Wear. "I mean it's kind of perfect that I went into it so green because she was coming into New York so green, so wide-eyed, so new to it all."

Back in June 2024, Louisa Jacobson made headlines when she debuted a sapphic relationship on Instagram. While the post has since been edited, Page Six reported that the post originally included a screenshot of the New York Times article "We're Entering a Joyful New Era of Lesbian Fashion." It also featured the caption "blessed to be entering the Joyful New Era bb" alongside a coupley snapshot with her partner, Anna Blundell. Not only did the moment serve to introduce a new relationship, but it marked Jacobson's public embrace of her queer identity. "The Gilded Age" star was honored with the HRC Visibility Award at the Human Rights Campaign's annual dinner in February 2025. The organization recognized Jacobson for her "impactful work expanding LGBTQ+ representation on and off-screen," as detailed in an official announcement. 

Gunning for a spot on the list of celebs who took activism to the next level, some of Jacobson's work post 2024 reflects her interest in queer issues, as she starred in the Danya Taymor-directed production of "Trophy Boys" at the MCC Theater. The satirical comedy, which centers around an all-boys prep school debate team, sees its cast of assigned female at birth (AFAB) actors in drag. "The opportunity during Pride Month to be doing drag and a show like this is so cool," the star told Vogue. "And to investigate gender as performance and dive deep into exploring the more masculine parts of myself."