Julia McDermott
Julia McDermott (born January 4, 1998) is an American actress best known for her starring role in Weather Girl by Brian Watkins, which she performed on the West End, for which she received a Laurence Olivier Award nomination, and Off-Broadway.
Early life
McDermott was born in Manhattan Beach, California. She began performing with her sister solely for her grandmother, which introduced her to performance. She later participated in community theatre and school theatre productions. After high school, she was accepted to Juilliard School of Drama and graduated with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in acting in 2019.
Career
After graduating, her first major role was in Brian Watkins' play, Epiphany, at the Galway Arts Festival in 2019. Later in 2019, she was seen as Emily in the Off-Broadway production of Heroes of the Fourth Turning by Will Arbery, telling the story of Catholic intellectuals reuniting in rural Wyoming. The production ran at Playwrights Horizons from September 13 to November 17, 2019.
In 2022, she made her screen debut as Carolyn Bryant in the ABC TV miniseries Women of the Movement. In 2023, she had a recurring role as Fiona in Up Here, followed by a guest appearance on Elsbeth as Lana Brolin in 2025.
In 2024, she was cast in Brian Watkins' new play, Weather Girl, as Stacey, a weather girl suffering from alcoholism and nihilism about climate change. The production premiered at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe in 2024 to critical acclaim, and then transferred to the West End in London at Soho Theatre, running from March 5 to April 5, 2025. For her performance, McDermott was nominated for the 2026 Laurence Olivier Award for Best Actress.
The production then transferred Off-Broadway at St. Ann's Warehouse, running from September 16 to October 12, 2025. For her performance as Stacey, she was nominated for the 2026 Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Solo Performance.
In 2026, Netflix acquired the rights to produce a limited series of Weather Girl, with McDermott set to reprise her role.
In March 2026, she was cast as Brandi Chastain in The 99'ers, an upcoming American biographical sports drama film following the United States women's national soccer team during the 1999 FIFA Women's World Cup.
Filmography
Year |
Title |
Role |
Notes |
Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
2022 |
Women of the Movement |
Carolyn Bryant |
5 episodes |
|
2022 |
The Method |
Podcast Voice |
Feature Film |
|
2023 |
Up Here |
Fiona |
3 episodes |
|
2024 |
Elsbeth |
Lana Brolin |
Episode: "Pilot" |
|
scope="row" |
Brandi Chastain |
Filming |
||
scope="row" |
Filming |
Stage credits
Year |
Title |
Role |
Venue |
Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
2019 |
Epiphany |
Performer |
Galway Arts Festival |
|
Heroes of the Fourth Turning |
Emily |
Off-Broadway, Playwrights Horizons |
||
2024 |
Weather Girl |
Stacey |
Edinburgh Fringe Festival |
|
2025 |
West End, Soho Theatre |
|||
Off-Broadway, St. Ann's Warehouse |
Awards and nominations
Year |
Award |
Category |
Work |
Result |
Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2020 |
Obie Award |
Special Citation |
Heroes of the Fourth Turning |
||
2026 |
Laurence Olivier Award |
Best Actress |
Weather Girl |
||
Drama Desk Award |
Outstanding Solo Performance |
||||