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Lake Bell, you surely know this face between comedy and drama, but you may still have plenty of surprises to discover about her. She was born on March 24, 1979, in New York, is 45 years old, and frankly, she has traveled quite a bit in many directions: actress, director, screenwriter, and producer. Her height is around one meter sixty-five, and since 2013, she has been married to Scott Campbell, with whom she has two children.
She grew up between Manhattan and Florida; this urban and beach mix surely shaped her character. What I like about Lake Bell is that vibe of an actress who is not content to be in front of the camera, she thinks of everything, she directs, she writes… In short, she touches everything in cinema. Honestly, her journey is not just a classic Hollywood success story.
Before becoming known, she did somewhat atypical studies, all over the United States, then attended a drama school in London. There, she did theater and honed her craft, which allowed her to return to the United States ready to start. That’s a bit it; this European experience certainly brought depth to her artistic approach, you know the type?
What has always amazed me is her ability to juggle genres and media. She has never been confined to a single role, she has done TV, the big screen, voice acting too, and not just a little. That makes her a truly complete and fascinating actress to follow. Come on, I’ll take you a little further into her world.
Lake Bell: an American actress revealed by Boston Justice and Surface
She appeared on our screens in 2004 with Boston Justice, a lawyer role which, although quite short, got her noticed. You may also remember Surface, that fantasy series where she played an oceanographer. Even though the series only lasted one season, it left an impression, especially in France where TF1 reran the series to give it a better ending. It’s not often that a foreign channel asks to change a US series, is it?
After that, she moved on to cinema with films like The There-I-Ended-My-Engagement-Haunting (Le Fantôme de mon ex-fiancée) where she starred alongside Paul Rudd. She also followed with roles in Jackpot, Easy A (Pas si simple), and No Escape, a real diversity! And on the independent cinema side, she is also well present with projects like Burning Palms or A Good Old Fashioned Orgy, showing she isn’t afraid to experiment.
At the same time, note her extended role in Childrens Hospital, a parody sitcom where she stayed almost the entire series, between 2008 and 2016. This series is really her comedic playground, with a rather offbeat character who changes a lot through the seasons. A real blast with a super fun cast.
A private life discreet but full between family and career
Let’s talk a bit about her life off-camera, because that’s rarely the case for American stars. Lake has been married since 2013 to Scott Campbell, a tattoo artist quite well known in his field. They have two children together, which didn’t stop Lake from continuing to work tirelessly, quite the opposite.
She willingly talks about her balance between professional and personal life, something many parents in showbiz struggle to find. And for Lake, it’s not just a job, it’s a passion that feeds her. When she’s not filming, she writes or directs. A seriously talented woman.
An amusing detail: just when her first film as a director “In a World…” came out, she posed nude for a New York magazine. It may surprise, but I’ve always thought it’s precisely this boldness that makes her endearing and authentic. She’s not afraid to show herself in all her facets.
Projects showing a constant evolution and real creativity
Since her critical success at Sundance with “In a World…” in 2013, she continued on her path as director/filmmaker with “I Do… Until I Don’t” in 2017, a romantic comedy she also brought to the screen. And in 2019, she launched the series “Bless This Mess,” a nice combo of humor and quirky couple life.
At the same time, she also does voice acting, notably in “The Secret Life of Pets” (Comme des bêtes) where she lends her voice to Chloe. And in 2022, she even acted in “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever,” an unexpected blockbuster for someone who also likes small independent projects. She has that talent to navigate between worlds.
What I admire most is her ability to constantly renew herself, to not lock herself in, which is rather rare in this field. She has that free artist side, a bit rebellious, without ever falling into cliché. It’s a real pleasure to watch her evolve.
Some little-known anecdotes about Lake Bell
- 🎭 She was trained at the Rose Bruford College in London where she acted in plays like The Seagull.
- 🌊 The series Surface didn’t succeed in the United States but was a hit in France, where TF1 even reran the episodes!
- 🎥 For In a World…, her first film, she was inspired by the voice-over world, a very male-dominated sector, and she broke the codes.
- ❤️ She had a relationship with Colin Farrell during the filming of The Way Back (Le Prix de la loyauté).
- 🎙️ Lake lends her voice to several characters in animated series like Robot Chicken and BoJack Horseman.
Where to follow Lake Bell’s career and projects in 2025?
If you want to stay up to date on her latest creations, I recommend taking a look at Famous Birthdays or on more cinephile profiles like Cinefeel. For those who like detailed info, her IMDB page is also a goldmine here.
The films and series she has acted in, but also directed, are carefully listed on AlloCiné, ideal if you want to organize a Lake Bell night.
For a somewhat more “people” perspective but still interesting, Gala also gives you an overview of her life and news. As you can see, Lake Bell is really worth checking out for curious cinephiles and series fans.
