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Eva Victor

Eva Victor (born February 11, 1994) is an actress, writer, and director. Born in , , to parents, Victor relocated as a child to the , where they grew up as an only child in a middle-class family. Victor first gained prominence through viral sketches on , including humorous videos that amassed significant online followings, and contributions to platforms like . They appeared as a in the Showtime series Billions from 2020 to 2023. In 2025, Victor wrote, directed, and starred in their feature film debut Sorry, Baby, a depicting a young woman's nonlinear recovery from , which premiered to critical attention.

Early life

Birth and family background

Eva Victor was born on February 11, 1994, in , , to parents. Victor's mother worked for the travel imprint Access Guides at the time of her birth, which was part of a deliberate strategy to secure French citizenship for the family. The family, including Victor as their only child, relocated to , , when she was two years old, where her father pursued a career as a while maintaining a middle-class amid the region's tech-driven . Victor was raised in a Jewish family.

Upbringing and influences

Eva Victor relocated with her American parents from to the in early childhood, where she was raised as an only child in a middle-class household amid the region's tech-driven economy. Her family emphasized artistic pursuits as valuable endeavors, even if secondary to professional occupations like her father's work as a . This environment, including a legacy of creativity from her mother, nurtured Victor's early creative inclinations. Victor's passion for acting emerged during high school in , ignited by her participation in a production of the musical Spring Awakening, in which she portrayed Wendla despite her height of 5 feet 11 inches. This experience marked a pivotal moment, drawing her toward performance and storytelling. Intellectually, Victor drew from French existentialist literature encountered in her youth, particularly , whose inquiries into life's absurdity in the face of mortality resonated deeply and shaped her worldview. These readings, combined with familial artistic encouragement, informed her later comedic and dramatic sensibilities, emphasizing humor amid existential and personal challenges.

Career

Online comedy and writing beginnings

Eva Victor's entry into comedy writing occurred after graduating from Northwestern University, where they studied acting and playwriting and first engaged with comedic performance. Relocating to with peers, Victor interned at the satirical women's magazine around 2016, progressing to a staff writer and eventually an editor role by 2019, during which they contributed pieces parodying gender dynamics and cultural tropes. Parallel to their print work, built an online presence through short, absurdist video sketches shared on platforms including and , amassing a dedicated following for content that blended humor with social observation. Notable examples include a viral clip titled "me explaining to my boyfriend why we're going to ," which highlighted Victor's style of ironic commentary on relationships and , contributing to their recognition as an emerging digital comedian by the late . These online efforts, often riffing on everyday absurdities in rants under a minute long, positioned Victor within the broader landscape of millennial satire, predating their transitions into scripted television writing and acting. The videos' success, driven by shareability and relatable edge, provided early validation but also underscored the challenges of monetizing unstaffed digital content, prompting Victor's pursuit of traditional industry roles.

Acting roles

Eva Victor's acting career includes recurring television roles and appearances in independent films. Her earliest credited role was in the Showtime series Billions, where she portrayed Rian, a trader, across multiple episodes in seasons 5 through 7 from 2020 to 2023. This role marked her entry into serialized television drama, contributing to the amid the series' focus on high and power dynamics. In film, Victor appeared as Jenna "The Rebounds" Brookes in the 2021 romantic comedy Dating & New York, directed by Jonah Feingold, which explores modern relationships in New York City. She provided the voice for the character Gail 5000 in the 2024 animated feature Boys Go to Jupiter. Victor starred as Agnes in the 2025 independent film Sorry, Baby, which she also wrote and directed; the project premiered at the Sundance Film Festival on January 23, 2025. Additional credits include a supporting role as Susan in the first season of the anthology series Super Pumped: The Battle for Uber (2022) and minor appearances in shorts like As of Yet (2021) and music videos such as Lucy Dacus's "Night Shift" (2023), where she played a flying monkey.

Directing and production work

Eva Victor made their directorial debut with the independent feature film Sorry, Baby (2025), a dark comedy-drama exploring trauma recovery, which they also wrote and starred in as . The film premiered at the in January 2025, receiving acclaim for its dialogue-driven structure unfolding across five non-linear vignettes. To prepare for directing, Victor participated in an intensive training process equivalent to a graduate-level film class, supervised by Barry Jenkins, who produced the film through his Pastel company alongside Adele Romanski and others. This collaboration enabled Victor to direct themselves in key scenes, allowing precise control over physical performance amid the film's themes of bodily autonomy post-trauma. No prior feature directing credits are documented for Victor, marking Sorry, Baby as their entry into production oversight roles, though primary producing duties were handled by Jenkins' team.

Notable works

Sorry, Baby (2025)

Sorry, Baby is a 2025 American independent black comedy-drama film written and directed by Eva Victor in their feature-length directorial debut. The story centers on Agnes, portrayed by Victor, a college student navigating the aftermath of a traumatic incident involving her professor, Preston Decker (Louis Cancelmi). As Agnes attempts to heal, the narrative examines her interactions with friends, family, and support systems, blending humor with the processing of real-life pain. The film features a supporting cast including , , , and . drew from personal experiences of recovery to craft the , focusing on the often-overlooked stages of post-trauma rather than the event itself. Production emphasized authentic emotional tones, with handling writing, directing, and starring roles to maintain a raw, introspective quality. Sorry, Baby premiered at the in January 2025, where it won the Waldo Salt Screenwriting Award. handled distribution, with a beginning June 27, 2025, followed by availability on platforms in August 2025. Critics acclaimed the film for its deft handling of tonal shifts between comedy and drama, earning a 97% approval rating on from 173 reviews. Reviewers highlighted Victor's earnest depiction of and the film's avoidance of conventional narrative reflection in favor of immediate, . On , it holds a 7.1/10 rating from over 9,000 users.

Other television and film appearances

Victor portrayed the recurring role of Rian, a junior analyst, in the final three seasons of the Showtime drama series Billions, appearing in episodes from 2020 to 2023. They also had a supporting role in the first season of Showtime's anthology series (2022). In film, Victor played Jenna "The Rebounds" Brookes, a brief romantic interest, in the romantic comedy Dating & New York (2021), directed by Jonah Feingold. They provided the voice for Gail 5000, a minor character, in the animated feature Boys Go to Jupiter (2024). On October 16, 2025, Deadline reported that Victor had joined the cast of Behemoth!, an upcoming Searchlight Pictures drama written and directed by Tony Gilroy, co-starring Pedro Pascal and David Harbour, with production commencing shortly thereafter; specific role details remain undisclosed.

Reception and impact

Critical assessments

Eva Victor's debut Sorry, Baby (2025), in which they served as , , and , garnered significant critical praise for its innovative handling of sexual , focusing on the mundane aftermath rather than the event itself. Reviewers highlighted the film's blend of tenderness, sardonic humor, and irreverence, with awarding it four out of four stars and describing it as "a somewhat irreverent tribute to everyday survival after a Bad Thing." commended its "smart, offbeat" approach to pain and healing, noting Victor's success in portraying a protagonist navigating life's absurdities post-assault without resorting to conventional narratives. The film aggregated a 97% approval rating on from 173 reviews, reflecting broad consensus on its emotional authenticity and restraint in avoiding graphic depictions of violence. Critics appreciated Victor's multifaceted role, praising their performance as Agnes—a university professor grappling with psychic fallout—for its raw vulnerability and comedic timing, which elevated the film's exploration of friendship, career ambitions, and personal betrayal. The Guardian noted the film's acclaim for "reimagining the 'trauma plot'" through non-linear storytelling and emphasis on healing's messiness, crediting Victor's background in viral comedy for infusing awkward, anxiety-driven humor into heavier themes. Publications like Pitchfork lauded it as "funnier and more deservedly harrowing" than typical scripts in the genre, arguing it convincingly demonstrates how mundane details underscore trauma's persistence. Some assessments pointed to minor shortcomings, such as a perceived meandering pace that occasionally dilutes impact, with one review characterizing the film as "imperfect, but reassured" in its directorial debut ambitions, prioritizing nuance over resolution. Victor's earlier online sketches, including videos satirizing events like , drew mixed online reactions for their sharp, discomforting edge but earned professional opportunities through their ability to channel personal awkwardness into relatable absurdity, though formal critiques of this phase remain sparse compared to the film's reception. Overall, Victor's transition from humor to filmmaking has been viewed as a maturation, with Sorry, Baby positioned as a standout 2025 release for defying sentimental or nihilistic extremes in representation.

Achievements and awards

Eva Victor's directorial debut Sorry, Baby (2025) earned the Screenwriting Award at the in January 2025, recognizing the film's script amid critical acclaim and a at its . The award highlighted Victor's transition from writing and to feature , with the script praised for its dialogue-driven dark -drama structure exploring personal trauma. In October 2025, Victor received the Mind the Gap Award at the , shared with , for advancing women directors' representation and artistry; the honor underscored Victor's role in bridging gaps in independent cinema. The festival spotlighted Sorry, Baby as a key work in Victor's emerging oeuvre. Victor was honored as an up-and-coming star at the 33rd in 2025, alongside and Tonatiuh, with the event also inaugurating an Achievement in Casting award. At the Astra Midseason Movie Awards, Sorry, Baby secured second place for in , with nominations for Best Picture and Best Screenplay, reflecting early industry recognition post-Sundance. also received the Critics Choice Seal of Female Cinema in July 2025 for its impressive debut qualities. Eva Victor received a nomination for Best Original Screenplay for Sorry, Baby at the 2026 Critics Choice Awards. Eva Victor received a nomination for Best Performance by a Female Actor in a Motion Picture – Drama for Sorry, Baby at the 2026 Golden Globe Awards. Eva Victor has been nominated for Screenwriter of the Year and Actress of the Year for Sorry, Baby at the 2026 London Critics’ Circle Film Awards. Eva Victor has been nominated for Best Actress (Comedy or Musical) for Sorry, Baby at the 2025 Satellite Awards.

Personal identity and views

Gender identity

Eva Victor identifies as non-binary and employs they/she pronouns in public communications. This self-identification has been reported in profiles tied to their professional work, including the 2025 release of their directorial debut Sorry, Baby, where Victor portrays a character sharing similar traits. In a September 2025 interview, Victor described recently adopting she/they pronouns interchangeably, framing it as an acknowledgment of evolving personal identity amid life experiences. Previously, media and professional listings, such as IMDb entries from earlier in their career, referred to Victor using she/her pronouns exclusively, reflecting a shift announced around mid-2025. Victor's non-binary identification aligns with broader cultural discussions in queer media outlets, though primary evidence stems from self-disclosed statements in promotional contexts rather than clinical or empirical documentation. No public records indicate medical interventions or transitions; the identity appears rooted in subjective experience, as articulated in interviews where Victor references influences from trans individuals without claiming transgender status themselves.

Political leanings

Eva Victor has publicly aligned with the . On March 2, 2020, Victor endorsed Joe Biden's presidential campaign via a post on . In another post on October 2, 2020, Victor expressed support for Democratic leadership, stating "a democrat in office right now." These statements reflect a preference for Democratic candidates during the 2020 U.S. cycle. No subsequent public endorsements or positions on specific political issues, such as the 2024 election, have been documented in available sources. Victor's comedic work, including contributions to satirical outlets like , has occasionally touched on social topics, but lacks explicit partisan framing beyond the 2020 expressions.

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