Even though the 1883 star is only 21 years old, Young Sheldon actor Isabel May's career has encompassed both the big and small screens since 2018. With her professional career only beginning at the age of 16, Isabel May did not follow the standard route from child actor to grown-up star. Despite this, the 1883 heroine has already racked up an impressive number of screen credits in her short career so far. As 1883’s Elsa (and the show’s narrator), May has made a major impression thanks to her dramatic acting abilities.
However, the Big Bang Theory spinoff Young Sheldon offered May an earlier, funnier screen role, as did her 2018 Netflix series Alexa and Katie. Since that fateful year, May’s star power has only grown with numerous movie roles and small-screen parts. In her first major part, Isabel May played one of the title characters of Alexa and Katie, but the show’s cancellation after two seasons freed her up to pursue other projects.
Before appearing on Alexa and Katie, Isabel May spent a few fruitless years auditioning as a teenager. Unfortunately for the future 1883 star, she was unable to land any roles in the first three years that she spent auditioning. When May turned 16, her parents decided to switch her schooling to online learning to facilitate her acting efforts. While the actor’s role as Georgie’s love interest on Young Sheldon was still a while off, this did prove to be a pivotal decision when it came to advancing May’s screen career.
Isabel May's Career Before Young Sheldon
Before she played Georgie’s rebellious girlfriend Veronica in Young Sheldon season 2, Isabel May landed her big break by gaining the titular role of Katie in Netflix’s Alexa and Katie. While this was her first acting job, Alexa and Katie gave May experience in comedy that proved invaluable when she auditioned for a supporting part in Young Sheldon season 2. The consistency of her work on Alexa and Katie also allowed May to work on independent feature films outside the show’s schedule, such as 2020’s Run Hide Fight and 2019’s Let’s Scare Julie. It was also during her tenure on Alexa and Katie that May gained her role on Young Sheldon, playing Georgie’s church-obsessed girlfriend Veronica.
Isabel May's Role On Young Sheldon - Who Was Veronica?
Isabel May's career arguably really took off with the role of Veronica. Veronica was initially introduced as a hell-raising love interest who Georgie pursued throughout Young Sheldon seasons 2 and 3. At first, Veronica was depicted as a drinking, smoking bad influence on Georgie but, as Young Sheldon season 2 showed more of Isabel May’s character, Veronica became a much softer presence on the sitcom. May’s Veronica did a complete 180 in terms of character when she found God and pledged her life to Jesus, which eventually led (however indirectly) to Georgie’s break with her. The couple realized that they no longer worked when Veronica became more interested in religion than their relationship, causing the pair to part in Young Sheldon season 3. Veronica had not been seen since and, although some Young Sheldon fans claim older Georgie’s first wife will be May’s character, the actor’s success means she may no longer be available to return to The Big Bang Theory spinoff.
1883 Changed Isabel May's Career Forever
After her stint on Young Sheldon and the cancellation of Alexa and Katie, May auditioned for 1883. A prequel series that predates the events of Yellowstone, 1883 was a Western set in the titular era. May auditioned for and won the pivotal role of Elsa Dutton, giving the actor the most high-profile main role of her career so far. While 1883 used Elsa as the show’s narrator, this did not stop the heroine from succumbing to a tragic fate at the end of season 1. Nonetheless, the experience allowed May to work with industry veterans like 1883 star/ Western veteran Sam Elliott and Tim McGraw, while the series also exposed her to the show’s massive audience. 1883’s debut episode alone drew in almost 5 million viewers, proving that May’s role as the show’s heroine will afford her all manner of opportunities now that the star is well known to a huge audience.
Isabel May’s career boost came at just the right time for the actor, with her pre-1883 movies struggling to make much impact after the cancellation of Alexa and Katie and the end of her role on Young Sheldon. Run Hide Fight was met with largely negative reviews and the movie’s release was overshadowed by the controversial scandal surrounding its original distributor, Cinestate, while Let’s Scare Julie met similarly negative reviews and failed to make much impact upon its limited release. As such, although 1883’s Elsa Dutton didn’t last long, she reshaped Young Sheldon actor Isabel May’s career regardless.