Movies
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ByKristi Roe-Owen/
Alexandra Daddario has been charming fans since her teen years, when she showed up on "All My Children" as Laurie Lewis. But it was her entry into the world of Camp Half-Blood as demigod Annabeth Chase that introduced Daddario's iridescent blue eyes to the wider world — and this proved just the beginning of Daddario's memorable acting roles. From Woody Harrelson's mistress in "True Detective" to the frighteningly unstable Jade in "Why Women Kill" and newlywed clickbait writer Rachel in "White Lotus," Daddario has certainly shown that she's got acting chops over the years. With her leading role as Dr. Rowan Fielding in "Mayfair Witches," the actor's future is looking more enchanted than ever.
But true blue Daddario fans know the actor's life is much more than long days filled with gaffer tape and craft service. When she's not memorizing lines, this New York gal is busy proving she's one of the most well-rounded, interesting, and downright intelligent actors in the biz. Here are 13 little-known facts that make Alexandra Daddario one of the most charming witches around.
She's quite the chef
Before her mask starts to slip and the truth of her grift is revealed In "Why Women Kill," Alexandra Daddario's volatile character Jade works hard to win married couple Taylor and Eli over. She serves up a healthy slice of that charm in the kitchen by cooking delicious meals for the pair. As it turns out, Daddario is no slouch in the kitchen herself.
In a 2020 interview with Daddario and her then-roommate Kate Easton, People asked what she would teach in a masterclass, and Daddario's answer was cooking. "I never used to cook. I always used to do takeout," Daddario confessed. But during the pandemic, she started cooking three meals a day for herself and her roommate while they were quarantined together. Daddario says she's especially particular about onion chopping, explaining that she learned a very specific way to chop onions and taught it to her roommate. Easton agreed, joking, "She taught me so well I could be a sous chef at a Danny Meyer restaurant tomorrow." Besides onions, Daddario says she also likes to use mushrooms, garlic, and turmeric in her cuisine. Now anyone can benefit from Daddario's new cooking skills, thanks to her Delish chocolate chip pancake tutorial.
And she's also a talented pianist
It's not uncommon for actors to have a little musical talent, but Alexandra Daddario's gifts as a pianist are nothing short of exceptional. Speaking to Interview Magazine, Daddario confessed she used to try to pad her resume with every little talent and ability. But there was one thing she knew she had down, telling Interview, "I'm a really good pianist, actually."
It's all thanks to Daddario's mom, who made sure the future Mayfair Witch started piano lessons at the tender age of nine. As it turns out, all of that time and effort spent practicing and memorizing pieces helped her develop the discipline that served her well in her career as an actor. Daddario even got to show off those piano skills in "Parenthood" when she got a chance to play Beethoven's "Moonlight Sonata" for her role as Rachel — one of her favorite songs.
Daddario has posted videos of herself playing piano on Instagram, and as if it wasn't enough that she can competently tickle the ivories, the actor also writes music, telling Interview that composing her own tunes is "a good way of de-stressing."
Daddario is a huge music fan
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Given Alexandra Daddario's considerable musical gifts, it should come as no surprise that she highly values the art form. "I find music to be a great source of joy," Daddario shared in an interview for The Laterals. The actor has starred in a handful of music videos herself, including the Jonas Brothers' song "Love is on its Way," Imagine Dragons' "Radioactive," and Maroon 5's "Wait." Daddario's only tattoo, as of 2023 — a double cross-like symbol — was inspired by her favorite musicians, the Scottish band Frightened Rabbit. "The lead singer of the band has this exact same tattoo," Daddario told Women's Health. "I was that obsessed with the band — and still am."
Other popular musicians on Daddario's playlist include Fiona Apple, the Lumineers, and WC. But that's just the beginning of her musical interests, which range from Disney music to country and classical. Like many music fans, it all comes down to what she's in the mood for at the moment. For Daddario, that might mean being "out with a boy in the back of a pickup truck," joyfully dancing with friends, or belting out tunes from "The Little Mermaid."
She can't do a British accent
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Some actors make adopting new accents look like a piece of cake, and it's easy to forget just how much time and work goes into that transformation. Take Tatiana Maslany's performance in "Orphan Black," in which the actor seemed to slip effortlessly from British and American to Ukrainian and German and back again. But for some actors, nailing certain accents can prove incredibly tricky. In the case of Alexandra Daddario, it's a British accent.
In an interview with Collider, Daddario was asked to discuss an audition high and low. Admitting that she had "plenty" of audition lows as a kid, Daddario explained that her accent attempts were largely at fault. "I, for a while, would attempt a British accent when I was brought in for a British character. I cannot do one." The actor went on to share how she would be well into the middle of the scene before "realizing it was just a very pointless thing to be doing." According to Daddario, she could tell that she'd bombed the audition by the looks on the casting team's faces, and it was not a great feeling.
Daddario used to be terrified of flying
For any actor with hopes of international success, jetsetting is part of the bargain, whether they like it or not. It's hard to imagine someone could get by for very long as a high-profile actor with a fear of flying. But for Alexandra Daddario, her fear of flying was something she had to overcome for her job.
Daddario addressed her former phobia during her Collider interview when the actor was asked to discuss her biggest fear. She explained that like everyone, she had faced her share of fears through the years — for example, the fear of failure. But few other fears had come close to Daddario's phobia of flying. "I used to really, really struggle with it," she shared. The actor went on to explain that overcoming that fear had ultimately come down to facing it. "I have to fly. I fly all the time, and over time you just fly enough ... you go to the airport and you don't cry every time the plane takes off." But that doesn't mean she's completely cured. Daddario confessed that she still struggles with her fear of flying sometimes — she has just learned to manage it.
She considered becoming a lawyer
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We've already established that Alexandra Daddario has plenty of brains. But not many fans realize that in another life, Daddario could have easily found herself performing to an audience of 12 instead of the millions who watch her on TV and film. That's because Daddario comes from a lawyering family and even considered going into the profession at one point herself — if briefly.
The actor's grandfather, first-generation Italian American and Massachusetts native Emilio Quincy Daddario, got his law degree from the University of Connecticut before going on to run a law practice and eventually moving into politics. Her parents are both lawyers, too — Daddario's dad is a former U.S. prosecutor and politician, while her mom has had a lucrative career across several legal areas including civil litigation, real estate, and corporate law.
With a family like that, it's easy to understand why a very young Alex thought that she might one day follow in her family's footsteps. But her mom always knew Daddario was meant for other things. As she told Interview's Chris Wallace, "When I was little, I thought about becoming a lawyer like my parents, and my mother would always tell me, 'You can do anything you want—except be a lawyer.'"
She's a hardcore Steve Martin fan
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It's always fun to see celebrities getting starstruck and giddy over their favorite actors the same way the rest of us normies do. And that's exactly what happens every time Alexandra Daddario brings up Steve Martin — which is a lot. Watch enough Daddario interviews, and you're sure to catch a glimpse of the actor's adorable Steve Martin crush. In a Facebook video answering fans' questions, Daddario called him her favorite actor, explaining, "I'm obsessed with Steve Martin. He's absolutely incredible," adding that fans should check out his work, particularly "The Jerk." For Daddario, part of what makes Martin so gifted is his ability to bring depth and nuance to his humor, something she has found inspiring for her own acting career.
It was after driving to see Martin's banjo concert that she learned she had landed the audition for "It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia." Daddario told CinemaBlend that she learned this news on her way to Las Vegas for the Steve Martin show and had to book it back to L.A. in time for the morning audition — but not until after the concert. When asked by GQ who she would want to speak at her funeral, her answer was none other than Martin himself. "Steve Martin doesn't know me or know who I am, so I would like to get to know him first ... I feel like he'd do a good job of making it humorous and touching at the same time."
Daddario loves playing chess
Brainy gal that she is, Alexandra Daddario likes to spend her time pursuing intellectual pursuits, including the centuries-old game of chess. She even generated a little controversy after sharing her love for the game via a January 2022 Instagram post captioned "Snow Day," featuring a photo of Daddario and a chess board planted next to a fireplace. Chess fans were quick to point out her board was set up incorrectly, with Indonesian chess master Irene Sukandar responding on Twitter (now X) with advice on how to correct it. Sukandar added, "I love it when celebrities pick up chess, it's a very good promotion for our game." Grateful for the help, Daddario quickly fixed her mistake, and the International Chess Federation even invited her to join them as a special guest.
And despite the light roasting from the chess world, it's a sport she takes seriously. Daddario later toldWomen's Health that playing chess with her husband and a bottle of wine is one of her favorite pastimes. "It's our version of a night out at the club," she explained, adding that she can get pretty competitive on the chessboard. "I'm a total monster." Daddario even has her own Chess.com account to refine her chess skills.
She loves dogs
If the fact that Alexandra Daddario is a bookish chess geek with a love for cooking and Steve Martin wasn't enough to win us over, it turns out the actor also has a huge heart when it comes to animals. A serious dog lover, Daddario has a special passion for rescues. In a 2020 Facebook post for Subaru's Dog Day, the actor wrote, "As a rescue dog mom, pet adoption is something I feel passionate about." After her beloved dog of seven years Levon died of leptospirosis in 2020, Daddario wrote a lengthy, touching tribute on Instagram. In it, she praised Levon for his sweet, nonjudgmental spirit before encouraging pet owners to vaccinate their pets and donate to pet rescues and animal hospitals.
In 2022, Daddario adopted Eunice from NYC Second Chance Rescue Dogs. Second Chance saved Eunice after she had been severely injured when she was hit by a car in Georgia. Toward the end of 2023, she began fostering a pit bull/husky mix named Bruno while he waited for a forever home. In an Instagram post extolling his canine virtues, Daddario mused, "I want to name him Gary but I'm not allowed to change his name."
Daddario is a homebody
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For some celebs, one major perk of becoming a famous face is the chance to hobnob with the cool kids. But that's not the case for Alexandria Daddario, who might look amazing in a party dress but would much rather be at home with a pint of ice cream and some reality TV. In fact, she seems most comfortable in casual clothes or even pajamas — something she's not afraid to rock in public spaces.
Reflecting on her wardrobe and personal presentation, the actor told InStyle, "I think as you get older, you get out of your head a bit more, and you get more confident with your decisions, and not dressing for other people; you're doing it for yourself." While recalling her time working with Daddario on Prime's "We Summon the Darkness" for ReelTalk, Maddie Hasson recounted how she, Amy Forsyth, and Daddario purchased animal onesies from the nearby Wal-Mart and wore them on set and around the hotel.
Besides hanging in onesies and chess with her fella, Daddario says her idea of a good time involves a remote control and some grub. In a 2018 Twitter post, she wrote, "Much prefer to be inside, microwaving gluten-free mac and cheese while the same episode of Jersey Shore plays on a loop." And in 2019, Daddario confessed, "I seriously thought Netflix and chill was literal, have been telling friends I spend most nights Netflix and chilling and inviting them to do it with me on a regular basis."
She waited tables before her big break
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It's always nice to learn a favorite celebrity has put in enough time grinding away at a service job to have some real-world perspective as their fame and income continue to grow. Before her big break, Alexandra Daddario spent time working in food service in New York City. After dropping out of acting school, Daddario took a gig tending bar and waiting tables at Pop and Pop Burger, located in Union Square and the Meatpacking District. It was a tough time, and Daddario found herself struggling to balance long nights at the bar with her ongoing search for acting gigs. Speaking to the New York Post, Daddario said she was acutely aware that her acting career might never pan out.
It was during her time in the service industry that she crossed paths with the late actor Luke Perry, who she says was as friendly as they come. After his death in 2019, Daddario tweeted, "Luke Perry used to come into the restaurant I worked in over a decade ago and he was always so kind to me and friendly in an industry where most people would just dismiss me." Although her big break arrived months later with her casting in "Percy Jackson & The Olympians," Daddario says Perry's kindness served as a reminder to be compassionate no matter what.
Someone once changed her day with a plastic chicken
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Sometimes, a random act of kindness from a stranger can be life-changing. Alexandra Daddario was once so profoundly affected by one such chance encounter that she continues to talk about it today — and it was a strange one. Tweeting in 2017, Daddario says she had been having a pretty rough day when she walked into an L.A. juice bar. In her early 20s at the time, Daddario had recently made the move to Los Angeles but found lining up work to be something of a headache. "I was feeling low and sad," she wrote. Apparently, she was telegraphing her anxieties about work and money when Daddario strolled into a Santa Monica Boulevard juice bar because a random guy felt inspired to give her something — a little piece of plastic with a kernel of wisdom.
It was at this point that a stranger came into the bar and approached Daddario, pulling a small plastic chicken out of his pocket. "And he said 'here' and he put it in my hand," Daddario told The Laterals. The man continued, "You need this, I just want you to know. Let go and the world will be yours," and then promptly left. Although anyone else might have brushed off the encounter or even been annoyed, Daddario took the chicken and its accompanying message to heart. To this day, the actor says she still keeps that tiny chicken in her jewelry box.
She really loves love stories
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Alexandra Daddario might play something of a homewrecker on "Why Women Kill," but the actor behind that hot mess is actually a serious romantic. Her own love story got a few new chapters during the pandemic, when she met, fell in love with, and eventually married film and TV producer Andrew Form ("Black Sails," "The Purge"). An avid reader, Daddario says some of her favorite stories are romantic ones, and it's one of the reasons she went for her role in "Die in a Gunfight." For Daddario, the Romeo and Juliet theme was too good to pass up. "I love the idea of a good love story," she told Collider.
When asked what movie she'd love to remake, Daddario chose "Pride and Prejudice." Recalling the tale, Daddario gushed, "The guy that she's gonna end up being with — she doesn't know what his deal is and then, you know, she finds out that he loves her and all the drama with that ... the lovers that can't really get on the same page."
