Celebrity Profile

By Dana Simpson TV Media

Amid the changing television landscape, some faces have remained a constant. Whether appearing in major cable shows or streaming content, one-hour family dramas or half-hour sitcoms, some actors just have what it takes to grow their career on the small (and/or silver) screen. One such actor is Mae Whitman, who has become known for her voice work and on-screen presence since her career debut as a child. Despite being the subject of many doubting “Her?” jokes as Ann in “Arrested Development,” it’s clear the rest of the world is just as smitten with Whitman as George Michael (Michael Cera, “Juno,” 2007) was. Thankfully, fans of the “Good Girls” actress won’t have long to wait for another dose of her on-screen wit and sarcasm: Whitman’s newest project, “Up Here,” a musical series about dating in New York City, releases Friday, March 24, on Hulu.

Born June 9, 1988, in Los Angeles to voice actor Pat Musick (“An American Tale,” 1986) and Hollywood set carpenter Jeffrey Whitman (“Basic Instinct,” 1992), Mae Whitman has had the essence of the industry coursing through her veins since infancy. In fact, her first job came at the age of 4 when she interrupted her mother’s audition for a commercial. Before they knew it, young Whitman had entered into the voice acting industry alongside her mother as the new voice of Tyson Chicken.

Once she’d made a name for herself in advertising, Whitman made her silver screen debut alongside Meg Ryan in “When a Man Loves a Woman” (1994). She went on to star in “Bye Bye Love” (1995), “Independence Day” (1996), “One Fine Day” (1996), “Hope Floats” (1998) and episodes of “Friends,” “Early Edition,” “The Legend of Calamity Jane” and more, all before the age of 10.