Isabel May: Age, 1883 Breakout, Scream 7, Movies and TV Shows

Isabel May is an American actress, born on November 21, 2000, in Santa Monica, California, which makes her 25 years old as of September 2026. She first became known as Katie Cooper in the Netflix sitcom Alexa & Katie, broke out as Elsa Dutton in Taylor Sheridan’s Western 1883, narrated the follow-up series 1923, and in 2026 joined the Scream franchise as Sidney Prescott’s daughter in Scream 7. This profile covers her age and background, every major role in order, how 1883 changed her career, what she is reportedly working on next, and what is (and is not) publicly known about her private life.

Isabel May quick facts

Early life and the long road to a first job

May grew up in the Los Angeles area. Unlike many young actors, she did not come up through a drama school or a long list of child roles. In a 2026 interview with Glamour, she said she started auditioning at around 13 and spent roughly three years trying before she booked her first significant job. She has also said she had no formal acting training and learned on set and in audition rooms.

That background matters for understanding her later choices. She has consistently talked about acting as a craft she is still learning rather than as a route to fame, and that attitude shows in the kinds of roles she has pursued since.

Alexa & Katie and Young Sheldon: the television foundation

Her first big break was Alexa & Katie, a Netflix family sitcom that ran from 2018 to 2020. May played Katie Cooper, the best friend of Paris Berelc’s Alexa, a teenager going through cancer treatment as she starts high school. The show mixed comedy with a serious storyline and gave May three seasons of steady work, with credit databases listing her across 39 episodes.

At the same time, she had a recurring part on CBS’s Young Sheldon as Veronica Duncan, a teenager who briefly dates Georgie and later takes an interest in religion. That role put her in front of a broad network audience and showed she could handle a different comic rhythm from the Netflix show.

She also appeared in the 2020 thriller Run Hide Fight, playing Zoe Hull. It was a small release, but it was her first real step away from comedy and a hint of the darker material she would take on later.

Why 1883 was the turning point

1883, the Paramount+ prequel to Yellowstone, follows the Dutton family’s journey west across the Great Plains. May played Elsa Dutton, the eldest child of James and Margaret Dutton, played by Tim McGraw and Faith Hill. Elsa is not a side character: her voiceover narration frames the whole series, and much of the story is told through her eyes.

May has described how she got the part in interviews. She originally auditioned for a different Taylor Sheridan project, Mayor of Kingstown. She was not right for that role, but Sheridan reportedly remembered her and offered her Elsa instead. Working opposite Sam Elliott, McGraw and Hill, with the narration resting on her voice, she became the emotional center of a prestige Western.

The role did not end with 1883. May returned as the narrator of 1923, the next Dutton prequel starring Harrison Ford and Helen Mirren, so Elsa’s voice links the two series. For viewers, that connection is why many people who never saw her sitcom work still recognize her voice.

Watching the Dutton story in order

If you want to see May’s work in context, the chronological order of the Dutton saga is:

1. 1883: the family’s journey west, with Elsa on screen and narrating.
2. 1923: the next generation of Duttons, with May as narrator.
3. Yellowstone: the modern-day ranch drama that started the franchise.

1883 and 1923 are Paramount+ originals in the U.S. Streaming availability outside the U.S. varies by country and changes over time, so check your local services.

Isabel May movies and TV shows

Her selected screen credits show a clear move from sitcom television toward drama and feature films:

Masters of the Air, the Apple TV+ World War II drama from the producers of Band of Brothers, was a smaller part, but it kept her in period drama while she began shifting toward film.

Scream 7: joining a major horror franchise

Scream 7 opened in U.S. theaters in February 2026 with Neve Campbell back as Sidney Prescott and franchise co-creator Kevin Williamson directing. May plays Tatum, Sidney’s teenage daughter, a casting that put her at the center of a new generation of the series.

She told Glamour she had not seen the Scream films before she got involved, and watched all six earlier movies before meeting Williamson. Coverage of the film, including in Entertainment Weekly, noted that she approached Tatum as a full character rather than just a legacy tie-in. For her career, the role did two things: it put her in a wide theatrical release, and it broke the image of her as a period-drama actress.

What is Isabel May doing next?

Industry coverage and credit databases list several upcoming projects. Release plans change often, so treat anything without a firm date as provisional:

• Mr. Irrelevant: The John Tuggle Story: a sports drama starring David Corenswet, reported as scheduled for U.S. theaters on December 25, 2026.
• The Last Mrs. Parrish: a thriller adaptation reported to star Jennifer Lopez and Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, with May cast as Amber Patterson.
• Other feature projects: her 2026 interviews mentioned further films in development or post-production, but details and dates had not been firmly confirmed at the time of writing.

The mix of sports drama, thriller and horror suggests she is choosing roles that keep her from being typecast, which is the main challenge for any actor after a defining part like Elsa Dutton.

Why she stays off social media

May is unusual among actors her age in not running a public social media presence. In 2026 interviews with outlets including Glamour and V Magazine, she said she stays offline to protect her time, focus on the work and keep her private life private.

That has a practical consequence for fans: accounts using her name or photos are not necessarily official, and claims that circulate on fan pages should not be taken as confirmed. If a profile claims to be hers, look for verification or a link from her representatives before trusting it.

Is Isabel May married or dating?

There is no public confirmation that May is married, and she has not publicly named a partner in the major interviews available. Because she keeps her personal life out of the spotlight, any claim about a boyfriend or relationship should be treated as speculation unless she or a credible outlet confirms it. The same caution applies to figures about her net worth, which are not publicly disclosed and vary widely between celebrity sites.

What makes her career path stand out

Plenty of young actors move from a teen sitcom into adult roles. What makes May’s path worth watching is how few steps it took: from a Netflix comedy to the narrator and heart of a Taylor Sheridan drama, then into one of horror’s best-known franchises, all within about eight years and without leaning on a social media following. Her next films will show whether she can build a lasting movie career beyond the Dutton saga.

If you like tracking actors who built careers across TV and film, see our profiles of Masiela Lusha, who moved from sitcom fame to writing and producing, and Blythe Danner, whose career spans six decades. For another familiar television face, read our look at Stephanie Courtney’s career.

Frequently asked questions

How old is Isabel May?

Isabel May was born on November 21, 2000, so she is 25 years old as of September 2026 and turns 26 in November 2026.

Who did Isabel May play in 1883?

She played Elsa Dutton, the eldest child of James and Margaret Dutton. Elsa also narrates the series, and May returned as narrator for 1923.

Who does Isabel May play in Scream 7?

She plays Tatum, the teenage daughter of Sidney Prescott, with Neve Campbell returning as Sidney. The film was released in U.S. theaters in February 2026.

Was Isabel May in Young Sheldon?

Yes. She had a recurring role as Veronica Duncan on Young Sheldon between 2018 and 2020.

Does Isabel May have Instagram?

She has said in 2026 interviews that she deliberately stays off social media, so accounts using her name should not be assumed to be official.