Anna Van Patten on Becoming the Actress She Was Always Meant to Be

As a child, Anna Van Patten had big dreams. For a time, she imagined a future in architecture; at other moments, she saw herself working with animals. Though these fantasies may appear unrelated, Van Patten now understands that all her dreams—regardless of how different—centered on storytelling.

"I really loved architecture and thought I would pursue it in school," she tells me over Zoom. "At the same time, I also always wanted to work with animals. I used to say that I wanted to be a monkey trainer." She pauses, then laughs, acknowledging that she's not even sure what that meant.

Even before she understood it, Van Patten was crafting stories and building entire universes in her mind. However, acting, she discovered, offered a way to step into her imagination and bring these stories to fruition. "[Acting] was a way for me to play the roles I wanted to in life while seeing the world," she says.

Storytelling is more than a passion for Van Patten—it runs in her blood. Her father, Timothy Van Patten, is a director, writer, and producer; her sister, Grace Van Patten, is an actress; and her uncle and aunt are actors Dick and Joyce Van Patten. Despite growing up immersed in the world of television and film, she never felt pressure to follow in her family's footsteps. Instead, it only deepened her appreciation for the industry and made her excited about what her future could hold.

"Watching many family members work in the business and getting to go on set from an early age made me fall in love with storytelling and the magic of filmmaking," she says. "It was all very inspiring. There was never pressure [to become an actress], and my parents were really supportive in every phase I went through of wanting to pursue other things."

Van Patten didn't jump headfirst into acting without preparation. She attended a performing arts high school and then went on to The New School for college, where she studied film. She auditioned throughout college and afterward, taking classes in acting, voice, and improv. "I did everything I could do during my free time," Van Patten shares. "It's been a long, long journey for sure, but I've always been ready to work hard and put my all into something."

Her first big break came in 2021 with a recurring part in HBO Max's Gossip Girl reboot, where she portrayed Grace Byron, the girlfriend of Obie Bergmann and the daughter of a politician. The end of 2024 marked a major turning point: She landed a role in Hulu's The Twisted Tale of Amanda Knox, playing Deanna Knox—Amanda Knox's sister—alongside her real-life sister, Grace.

Grace was cast first, securing the lead role of Amanda Knox, an exchange student who was wrongly convicted of murdering her roommate in Italy. Grace initially drew Anna to the project, but it was the script that convinced her to stay. "What brought me to the role was being able to work with my sister," Van Patten says. "Then I found lots of similarities with Deanna." Deanna's honesty, groundedness, and supportiveness reminded Van Patten of herself, especially in the role of a sister dealing with many issues. "It was a really complex position to play Deanna, whose story is largely all about someone else," she adds.

At the end of the day, Van Patten just hopes she made the real Deanna Knox proud. She also values being part of a project that shines light on an important conversation. "It was an experience I learned so much from," she shares, crediting that growth to being around professionals such as her sister. "Especially watching Grace on set—how she interacts with people, asks questions, and manages set life—has taught me many lessons that I took with me on this next project."

One of the following projects? Euphoria season 3, which is set to premiere in spring 2026. While she can't say anything about her character or storyline just yet, she's embracing the moment. "I feel so lucky to have been so busy this past year," she says gratefully. "There are so many kinds of roles and projects I want to be a part of. I want to try it all."

In the interest of looking forward, I ask who in Hollywood she'd like to work with next. She lights up when mentioning filmmaker and director Yorgos Lanthimos and actor and producer Danny McBride. She doesn't want to be done working with Grace, either: "It would be cool to not play sisters next time. I really hope I get to work with her again."

From the outside, Van Patten might not seem like someone chasing the spotlight. She's introspective, reserved, and quick to mention that many are surprised to learn she was born and raised in New York City. "People often don't believe I'm from New York City," she says. "I have a very calm demeanor. I suppose I'm not the typical New Yorker—as people usually imagine."

Despite her relaxed persona, Van Patten is making a name for herself, not through her connections but by stepping outside her comfort zone, leading her to new places, different film sets, and in front of fresh faces. With each experience, she's growing into the actress she was always meant to become. "It's been surprising how right it feels," she shares.

Photographer: Bryan Carr
Stylist: Lauren Levin
Hairstylist: DJ Quintero
Makeup Artist: Fulvia Farolfi