In Depth Guide to Julia Butters

Julia Butters is a 16-year-old actress from Los Angeles who has quietly become one of the most compelling young talents working in Hollywood today.

Here's a quick snapshot of who she is:

Her father, Darrin Butters, is a Disney animator who worked on Frozen and Ralph Breaks the Internet. Storytelling has been part of her world from the very beginning.

What makes her story interesting isn't just the roles she's landed. It's how she's navigated a career that started before kindergarten -- working with Hollywood legends while still attending high school and singing in friends' backyard bands on weekends.

Important julia butters terms:

Growing up in the heart of the entertainment industry, Julia Butters didn't just stumble into acting; she seemed destined for it. Born on April 15, 2009, in Los Angeles, she spent her earliest years surrounded by the magic of animation and storytelling. Her father, Darrin Butters, is a renowned Disney animator, which meant that the dinner table conversations in the Butters household likely revolved around character arcs and visual timing.

As a toddler, Julia displayed a natural aptitude for performance. We've learned that she would often spend her afternoons acting out scenes from her favorite films at home, showing a level of focus that was unusual for a two-year-old. This early spark led her parents to secure her first agent when she was still in diapers. Her career officially kicked off with print advertisements and television commercials, but it wasn't long before her talent demanded more substantial work.

By the time she was five, Julia was already a professional. Her trajectory has been so impressive that she has consistently climbed the IMDbPro Starmeter ranking, often finding herself in the top 5,000 -- a massive feat for an actor who hasn't even reached adulthood.

Julia's first major speaking role came at the age of four in the procedural drama Criminal Minds. Interestingly, the role of Gabby Hoffer was written specifically for her after a producer spotted her in a commercial. It's a rare occurrence in Hollywood for a script to be tailored to a preschooler, but Julia's presence was that undeniable.

Following her debut, she landed a series regular role in the Disney Channel show Best Friends Whenever, where she played the five-year-old version of one of the lead characters. She also secured a recurring role in the critically acclaimed Amazon series Transparent, appearing in eight episodes between 2015 and 2016. These early roles allowed her to hone her craft alongside seasoned professionals, preparing her for the massive breakout that was just around the corner.

To give you an idea of her range, here is a comparison of her early notable roles:

While Julia was already a familiar face on television, 2019 was the year she became a household name. Her performance as Trudi Fraser in Quentin Tarantino's Once Upon a Time in Hollywood was nothing short of a revelation. Playing a precocious child actress who shares a deep, philosophical scene with Leonardo DiCaprio's character, Rick Dalton, Julia stole every scene she was in.

Working with legends like DiCaprio and Brad Pitt could be intimidating for anyone, let alone a ten-year-old. However, Julia handled the experience with a professional "poker face." She later shared in interviews that she didn't really know who DiCaprio was before filming, which perhaps helped her treat him as a peer rather than a daunting icon. Her performance was so strong that she earned a Critics' Choice nomination for Best Young Actor/Actress.

The momentum didn't stop there. In 2022, she was cast by Steven Spielberg in his semi-autobiographical film The Fabelmans. Julia played Reggie Fabelman, a character based on Spielberg's own sister, Anne. Being handpicked by both Tarantino and Spielberg in the span of three years is a distinction very few actors can claim, regardless of age.

The story of how Julia landed her role in Tarantino's film is now a part of Hollywood lore. Quentin Tarantino was reportedly sitting at home, writing the script, when he happened to see Julia on an episode of American Housewife. He was so impressed by her performance that he knew he had found his Trudi Fraser.

On set, Julia was famously compared to a young Meryl Streep by her co-stars. This wasn't just because of her talent, but because of her discipline. She was known for being incredibly prepared and for her creative assertiveness. In a Variety interview on working with stars, it was noted that she even improvised some of her lines, showing a level of confidence that allowed her to hold her own against Oscar winners.

For four seasons, Julia was a series regular on the ABC sitcom American Housewife, playing the youngest daughter, Anna-Kat Otto. Anna-Kat was a fan favorite -- a quirky, high-strung child with a penchant for obsessive-compulsive tendencies. Julia's comedic timing was a cornerstone of the show's success.

However, in September 2020, it was announced that Julia would be leaving the series. The role was eventually recast with Giselle Eisenberg for the fifth season. The decision to leave was professional rather than personal. Following the massive critical acclaim she received for Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, Julia and her team decided to focus on pursuing film opportunities.

Leaving a steady television gig is always a risk, but for Julia, it was a necessary step toward professional growth. It allowed her the flexibility to take on more complex, dramatic roles in feature films that required long shooting schedules, such as The Gray Man and The Fabelmans.

In the last couple of years, Julia Butters has continued to diversify her portfolio. She starred in the high-octane Netflix action film The Gray Man, directed by the Russo Brothers. In the film, she played Claire Fitzroy, the niece of a retired CIA chief. While the movie was packed with action sequences involving Ryan Gosling and Chris Evans, Julia’s character served as the emotional core of the story.

Beyond live-action, Julia has also ventured into voice acting, following in her father's footsteps within the Disney ecosystem. She lent her voice to the series Monsters at Work, proving that her talent translates well to the recording booth. She is also set to star in the horror film Queen of Bones alongside Jacob Tremblay and Martin Freeman, further expanding her range into darker genres.

One of the most anticipated projects on Julia’s slate is Disney’s Freakier Friday, the sequel to the 2003 classic. Julia joins the original cast members Jamie Lee Curtis and Lindsay Lohan, playing the role of Harper Coleman.

This project is particularly exciting because it showcases Julia’s musical talents. She recorded a duet titled "Baby" with Lindsay Lohan for the film’s soundtrack. We’ve heard that the experience was a highlight for Julia, who enjoyed the collaborative atmosphere on set and the chance to learn from Lohan. As Julia enters her late teens, projects like Freakier Friday signal her transition into more mature, "teen-lead" roles while maintaining the charm that first made her a star.

Despite her meteoric rise, Julia remains remarkably grounded. Now a high school junior in Los Angeles, she faces the same challenges as any other teenager -- like navigating math tutoring and preparing for exams. She has been vocal about the importance of "pacing herself" to avoid the burnout that often plagues child stars.

In her downtime, Julia isn't always at a red-carpet event. You're more likely to find her singing in her friends' backyard bands or working on her own creative writing. She views acting as a form of storytelling and observation, believing that having a "normal" life outside of the industry is essential for her growth as an artist.

Her philosophy is simple: she wants to be an actor because she loves the work, not necessarily the fame. By keeping one foot in the "real world" of Los Angeles high schools and the other in major film productions, she's building a foundation for a career that could last a lifetime.

Quentin Tarantino discovered Julia Butters while he was watching television at home. He happened to catch an episode of the sitcom American Housewife while he was in the process of writing the script for Once Upon a Time in Hollywood. He was so struck by her performance as Anna-Kat Otto that he immediately sought her out for the role of Trudi Fraser.

Julia left American Housewife after four seasons to pursue a career in film. Following the success of her role in Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, she received numerous offers for movie roles that would have conflicted with the demanding production schedule of a network sitcom. Her departure was amicable and allowed her to take on projects like The Fabelmans and The Gray Man.

As of mid-2025, Julia's most recent major project is Freakier Friday, where she stars as Harper Coleman. She is also slated to appear in the upcoming horror-drama Queen of Bones.

The journey of Julia Butters is a testament to what happens when natural talent meets a disciplined work ethic. From her early days as a toddler in Los Angeles commercials to her breakout moments with the world's greatest directors, she has handled the spotlight with grace and a level of maturity that is rare for her age.

As she continues to evolve as an artist, we look forward to seeing how she shapes her future roles. Whether she's singing on a soundtrack or delivering a powerhouse dramatic performance, Julia remains a proud product of the L.A. creative community. At Edible L.A., we love celebrating local talent who stay connected to their roots while reaching for the stars.

For more stories on the people and culture that make our city unique, check out our More info about seasonal produce to see what's growing in the same soil that nurtured this rising star.