Zazie Beetz Biography: Emmy-Nominated Star of Atlanta, Joker and Deadpool 2

October 21, 2026

Daniel Reed

Zazie Beetz is a German-American actress best known as Van in the FX series Atlanta (2016–2022), Domino in Deadpool 2 (2018), and Sophie in Joker (2019). Born in Berlin on June 1, 1991, she earned an Emmy nomination for Atlanta in 2018 and became one of the few actresses of her generation with credits in both the Marvel and DC universes.

Quick Facts

Full name: Zazie Olivia Beetz (pronounced “zə-SEE BAYTS”)
Born: June 1, 1991, Berlin, Germany
Nationality: German-American (dual citizenship)
Occupation: Actress
Known for: Atlanta, Deadpool 2, Joker, The Bad Guys
Spouse: David Rysdahl (married 2023)
Children: Expecting her first child (announced October 2026)

Early Life & Background

Zazie Olivia Beetz was born in Berlin, Germany, in 1991 to Thomas Beetz, a German cabinet maker who immigrated to the United States in 1990, and an African-American social worker mother from New York (Wikipedia). Her parents separated when she was very young; she spent preschool in Berlin and moved with her family to New York City more permanently at age eight, growing up in Washington Heights speaking German and English. Named after the title character of Raymond Queneau’s novel Zazie in the Metro, she performed in community theaters as a teen, graduated from Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School in 2009, and earned a bachelor’s degree in French from Skidmore College in 2013 (ScreenDollars). After college, she spent a year broke and waiting tables before being cast in Atlanta — the role that changed her life.

Career

Atlanta and breakthrough (2016–2018)

Beetz landed her breakthrough role in 2016 as Vanessa “Van” Keefer in Donald Glover’s FX comedy-drama Atlanta (2016–2022), earning a nomination for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series at the 70th Primetime Emmy Awards in 2018 (Wikipedia). She also appeared in Netflix’s anthology series Easy (2016–2019) and the disaster film Geostorm (2017).

Deadpool 2, Joker and voice work (2018–2024)

In 2018, Beetz joined the Marvel universe as Domino in Deadpool 2 — a widely praised casting that earned her a Teen Choice nomination, and the film grossed $785 million worldwide (TheWrap). In 2019 she crossed into DC as Sophie Dumond in Joker, earning a Saturn nomination; the film became the first R-rated movie to cross $1 billion globally (Reuters). She balanced indies (Wounds, High Flying Bird, Seberg, Nine Days) with voice work — Amber Bennett in Invincible (since 2021) and Diane Foxington in The Bad Guys (2022) and The Bad Guys 2 (2025) — plus The Harder They Fall (2021), Bullet Train (2022), and Joker: Folie à Deux (2024) (Wikipedia).

2026: Nocturne

In 2026 Beetz took a leading role in Apple’s crime drama Nocturne as FBI Agent Saga Bauer, opposite Liev Schreiber and Stephen Graham. The 10-episode series, based on Lars Kepler’s novels Lazarus and The Sandman, premieres October 30, 2026 — and Beetz executive produces through her production company Sleepy Poppy (eurweb, Just Jared).

Major Achievements

Emmy nomination (2018): Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series for Atlanta.
Dual-universe actress: one of the few performers of her generation with major roles in both Marvel (Deadpool 2) and DC (Joker) films.
Saturn and Teen Choice nominations for Joker and Deadpool 2; Black Reel nomination for voice work in The Bad Guys.
Apple TV lead + executive producer: Nocturne (2026), through her Sleepy Poppy production company.

Personal Life

Beetz married actor and writer David Rysdahl in 2023 after meeting him in an acting workshop nearly a decade earlier; she confirmed their engagement in Vanity Fair in May 2022 (PEOPLE). On October 20, 2026, she announced she was expecting her first child, debuting her baby bump at the New York premiere of Nocturne (Extra). The couple run Sleepy Poppy together.

Net Worth Snapshot

Zazie Beetz’s net worth is estimated at $1.5 million–$2 million as of October 2026, based on the consensus of celebrity-wealth aggregators; no Forbes, Bloomberg, or Hurun figure exists for her. Her earnings come overwhelmingly from a decade of steady acting work — four seasons of Atlanta, franchise roles in Deadpool 2 ($785M gross) and Joker (~$1.07B gross), voice work, and now a lead role and producing credit on Apple’s Nocturne. Read the full breakdown in Zazie Beetz’s net worth.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who is Zazie Beetz?

Zazie Beetz is a German-American actress born June 1, 1991, in Berlin. She is best known for playing Van in the FX series Atlanta, Domino in Deadpool 2, and Sophie in Joker, and she voices Diane Foxington in The Bad Guys.

What is Zazie Beetz known for?

Her breakout role was Vanessa “Van” Keefer in Atlanta (2016–2022), which earned her an Emmy nomination in 2018. She is also known for playing Domino in Deadpool 2 (2018) and Sophie Dumond in Joker (2019) — one of the few actresses with major roles in both the Marvel and DC film universes.

Where is Zazie Beetz from?

Zazie Beetz was born in Berlin, Germany, to a German father and an African-American mother. She grew up bilingual in German and English, moved to New York City as a child, and holds dual German and American citizenship.

Who is Zazie Beetz’s husband?

Zazie Beetz is married to actor and screenwriter David Rysdahl. The couple met in an acting workshop nearly a decade before their 2023 wedding. In October 2026, Beetz announced she was expecting her first child.

What is Nocturne, Zazie Beetz’s new show?

Nocturne is a 10-episode Apple TV crime drama premiering October 30, 2026. Beetz plays FBI Agent Saga Bauer, hunting serial killer Jurek Walter (Stephen Graham). It is based on Lars Kepler’s crime novels, and Beetz also executive produces through Sleepy Poppy.