There are moments in a career that quietly shift everything, moments when promise transforms into purpose. For Maude Apatow, that moment arrived when she was recently honored with the Women in Film Max Mara Face of the Future Award. The distinction, now in its twentieth year, celebrates actresses whose work embodies both artistic excellence and a commitment to empowering women across the industry. Past winners include Zoë Saldana, Yara Shahidi, Gemma Chan, Joey King and Lili Reinhart. For Apatow, it marked not just a recognition of talent, but a reflection of the thoughtful, deliberate path she’s been carving for herself.
“It’s such an honour,” she says, recalling the experience. “I have to think of it as aspirational, because I look up to all the women who’ve received it before me so much. To even be mentioned in the same sentence as them feels surreal.”
It’s easy to see why she was chosen. In the past few years, Apatow has emerged as one of Hollywood’s most compelling young voices, both in front of – and now behind – the camera. After captivating audiences with her nuanced performances in the series Euphoria and Hollywood, she has just made her directorial debut, a milestone that feels like the natural next step in her evolution as an artist.
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“I’ve always wanted to be a director,” she explains. “Even as a teenager, I would watch how different directors communicated on set. I paid attention to how they treated people, how they made actors feel safe, and how they translated emotion into movement. I tried to take the best traits of all of them.”
Her first film, Poetic License, premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival in September and stars her mother, actress Leslie Mann. It felt like an extension of her artistic expression and an expansion of the sort of career she wants to curate for herself. “It was the greatest experience of my life,” she says. “My mom is my best friend, and working together was so natural. On set, it was like we were telepathic, she always knew what I was about to say.”
Apatow’s curiosity about storytelling extends far beyond her own performances. She’s passionate about the collaborative energy that arises when women work together. “It’s just better when there are more women around,” she said. “Having someone in charge who’s kind and respectful sets the tone. It changes everything.”
That belief in creative sisterhood has shaped her perspective as both a filmmaker and a woman navigating Hollywood. “My first AD on my film was incredible — she was so strong and skilled, and she supported me completely. Having that kind of woman beside you, especially when you’re doing something for the first time, means the world. You feel protected and empowered at the same time.”
And while her creative lineage includes the likes of her parents, filmmaker Judd Apatow and Mann, she’s quick to highlight the women who’ve expanded her imagination of what’s possible. “Seeing Lena Dunham create and star in Girls when I was a teenager was huge for me,” she says. “It showed me that you could be a young woman and lead something from every angle, writing, directing, producing, performing. She was so fearless. It opened me up to thinking that’s possible – otherwise I wouldn’t have even seen it.”
It’s fitting, then, that her partnership with Max Mara, the Italian fashion house synonymous with quiet power and understated elegance, feels so natural. “My grandma and my mom have always loved Max Mara,” shares Apatow. “They’re obsessed. I still borrow my mom’s coats all the time. They’re timeless, the kind of pieces that make you feel strong and beautiful.”
That sense of sartorial strength is something the artist also leans on when getting into a character she is playing. “Costume changes everything,” she explains. “It completely transforms how you move, how you think, even how you breathe. For me, putting on the wardrobe is always the final step in becoming a character.”
Over Zoom Apatow exudes a quiet confidence. There’s no trace of the precocious child star or the Hollywood insider, which are both an undeniable part of the life she has lived in Los Angeles. She has ambition but is being intentional about her choices, and comes across as both thoughtful and grounded, qualities that put her in good stead for success.
“There is still so much more work to be done, and I feel so early in my career, “ reflects Apatow. “I feel lucky that I’m being supported by fellow women in my industry and that they believe in me to keep going.”
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Images: Supplied & Feature Image: Supplied
