Lilli Kay has steadily built a career across television, film, theater, and music. Although many viewers came to know her as Clara Brewer on Yellowstone, her path to wider recognition began years earlier with roles in Chambers and Your Honor. More recently, she has taken on a very different kind of character in Apple TV+’s Stick, showing that she’s not interested in being defined by a single role.
Kay’s family background has also attracted plenty of attention. She’s the daughter of actor and director Stephen Kay, while actress Piper Perabo is her stepmother. That Hollywood connection naturally sparks curiosity, but it doesn’t tell the whole story. Kay’s formal drama training, stage experience, and increasingly varied screen work have played an important role in shaping her career.
Quick Bio Information
| Information | Details |
|---|---|
| Full Name | Lilli Kay |
| Birth Date | March 18, 1996 |
| Age In 2026 | 30 Years |
| Birthplace | Brooklyn, New York, According To Major Biographical Sources |
| Nationality | American |
| Profession | Actress And Musician |
| Father | Stephen Kay |
| Stepmother | Piper Perabo |
| Education | Carnegie Mellon University School Of Drama |
| Degree | Bachelor Of Fine Arts In Acting And Drama |
| Known For | Your Honor, Chambers, Yellowstone, Stick |
| Yellowstone Character | Clara Brewer |
| Your Honor Character | Fia Baxter |
| Chambers Character | Penelope Fowler |
| Stick Character | Zero |
| Rustin Character | Rachelle Horowitz |
| Career | Theater, Television, Film, And Music |
| Active Since | 2010s |
| Recent Television Work | Stick And Task |
Lilli Kay Age, Birthplace, And Early Life
Lilli Kay was born on March 18, 1996, according to current entertainment databases. That makes Lilli Kay 30 years old in 2026. Some older online biographies have published different birth years, which explains the conflicting information that can still appear in search results, but the March 18, 1996 date is now consistently listed by major entertainment sources.
Kay is widely described as being from Brooklyn, New York, although she hasn’t made every detail of her childhood public. That’s worth keeping in mind when reading online biographies, since some pages repeat information without identifying a reliable original source.
What is much clearer is her early interest in performance. Rather than moving straight into a Hollywood career, Kay developed her skills through formal drama training and theater. That preparation became an important foundation for the screen career she would eventually build.
Lilli Kay’s Family Background
Lilli Kay’s family background is one of the most common reasons people search for her biography. Her father is Stephen Kay, an actor, writer, director, and producer whose career has included both acting and behind-the-camera work. His directing credits include projects such as Friday Night Lights, Sons Of Anarchy, and Yellowstone.
Stephen Kay married actress Piper Perabo in 2014, making Perabo Lilli Kay’s stepmother. The family connection has become even more interesting to Yellowstone fans because both Lilli and Perabo appeared in the series, while Stephen Kay has also worked behind the scenes on the production.
Public information about Lilli’s biological mother is considerably more limited. For that reason, a responsible biography shouldn’t speculate about her identity or private life simply to fill an information gap.
Is Stephen Kay Lilli Kay’s Father?
Yes. Stephen Kay is Lilli Kay’s father. He’s had a long career in entertainment, working as an actor, screenwriter, director, and producer. His television and film credits stretch across several decades.
Their professional connection is especially notable because both have worked on Yellowstone. Lilli appeared on screen as Clara Brewer, while Stephen Kay has been involved with the series as a director and executive producer.
Still, it’s important not to reduce Lilli’s career to her family connections. Her training at Carnegie Mellon, early theater work, and growing list of acting credits demonstrate a professional path that she’s built for herself.
Is Piper Perabo Lilli Kay’s Mother?
Piper Perabo is Lilli Kay’s stepmother, not her biological mother. Perabo married Stephen Kay in 2014, creating the family connection that frequently leads to questions online. IMDb also identifies Lilli as Stephen Kay’s daughter and Perabo’s stepdaughter.
The connection can be particularly confusing for Yellowstone viewers because Perabo also appeared on the show. She played Summer Higgins, while Lilli portrayed Clara Brewer. Their shared connection to the series is therefore both personal and professional, but they aren’t publicly established as biological mother and daughter.
Lilli Kay’s Education And Theater Background
One of the most important parts of Lilli Kay’s story is her formal theater training. She attended Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh and graduated in 2017 with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Acting and Drama, according to biographical sources.
Her stage experience included productions such as Heartless, The Three Musketeers, Eurydice, and The Playboy Of The Western World. She also had an association with the Roundabout Theatre Company.
That background helps explain the range she’s shown on screen. Theater asks performers to develop a strong command of voice, movement, timing, and character. Those skills can carry naturally into television and film, and Kay’s career reflects that foundation. Her rise wasn’t built around one sudden breakout; it developed through education, stage work, and increasingly substantial screen roles.
How Lilli Kay Started Her Acting Career
Lilli Kay’s professional screen career developed gradually, beginning with smaller and supporting appearances before she landed more prominent television work.
One of her early credits was Paterno, the 2018 television film directed by Barry Levinson, in which she played Dori. She later appeared as Ruby Bragg in an episode of Madam Secretary. These early jobs gave her experience working within established productions.
Her career gained momentum in 2019 with Chambers. Your Honor then became a major step forward, followed by her recurring role in Yellowstone. That progression is important because it paints a more accurate picture of how Kay established herself: through a series of increasingly visible opportunities rather than overnight fame.
Lilli Kay In Chambers
In Netflix’s Chambers, Lilli Kay played Penelope Fowler. The psychological horror series follows a young woman dealing with mysterious changes after receiving a heart transplant.
Kay appeared throughout the show’s ten-episode run, giving her a substantial role in a streaming production. Although Chambers lasted only one season, the series introduced Kay to a wider television audience and gave her the opportunity to work within a darker, more atmospheric story.
That experience proved useful as her career moved toward other serious dramas. Her next major television role, Fia Baxter in Your Honor, would put her in an even more prominent position.
Lilli Kay As Fia Baxter In Your Honor
One of Lilli Kay’s biggest career steps came with Your Honor, the Showtime legal crime drama starring Bryan Cranston and Michael Stuhlbarg. Kay played Sofia “Fia” Baxter, the daughter of Jimmy and Gina Baxter.
Fia becomes closely connected to the show’s central conflict through her relationship with Adam Desiato. Kay’s role eventually expanded into a series-regular position in the second season, giving her considerably more screen time and exposure.
Working alongside established actors such as Cranston and Stuhlbarg was another important stage in Kay’s development. For audiences who discovered her through Yellowstone, Your Honor provides useful context: she had already established herself in a significant dramatic role before stepping into the world of the Dutton family.
Who Does Lilli Kay Play In Yellowstone?
In Yellowstone, Lilli Kay plays Clara Brewer, an assistant who becomes closely involved with John Dutton during his time as governor of Montana. IMDb lists Kay as Clara Brewer across eight episodes from 2022 to 2024.
Clara isn’t simply a background character. She works around Dutton’s political operation and becomes part of the storyline surrounding his administration. Her scenes give Kay the opportunity to portray someone capable, direct, and comfortable navigating a complicated political environment.
The role became one of the most recognizable credits on her résumé and helped connect her with Yellowstone‘s large international audience.
How Yellowstone Helped Lilli Kay Rise To Fame
Yellowstone gave Lilli Kay a significant boost in visibility. The series had already developed a large and loyal audience, so appearing as Clara Brewer introduced Kay to viewers who may not have encountered her earlier work in Chambers or Your Honor. IMDb records her appearance in eight episodes.
The show also created an unusual family connection. Kay worked on Yellowstone while her father, Stephen Kay, was involved with the production, and her stepmother, Piper Perabo, also appeared in the series.
Another reason the role attracted attention was the show’s LGBTQ+ representation. Kay’s character became part of a storyline that generated discussion among viewers, giving the performance significance beyond her connection to the show’s political plot.
Lilli Kay’s Movies And TV Shows
Lilli Kay’s filmography shows how steadily her career has expanded. Her early screen credits include Paterno and Madam Secretary, followed by Chambers and Your Honor. She later appeared in August At Twenty-Two, Yellowstone, and the Netflix historical drama Rustin.
In Rustin, Kay played Rachelle Horowitz in the film about civil rights organizer Bayard Rustin and the planning of the 1963 March on Washington. The role gave her the chance to work in a historical drama rather than another contemporary television series.
Her filmography also includes The Luckiest Man In America, The Heiress, and For Worse. Together, these credits show a performer moving between television, film, drama, and comedy rather than remaining tied to one particular genre.
Lilli Kay In Stick And Her Recent Work
In 2025, Lilli Kay took on a different kind of role in Apple’s Stick. The sports comedy stars Owen Wilson as Pryce Cahill, a former professional golfer who turns to coaching. Kay plays Christina “Zero” Duffy, a gender-fluid character who becomes part of Pryce’s group as Santi’s caddy.
The role represented a noticeable change from the darker material associated with Your Honor and Yellowstone. Instead of another crime or family drama, Stick gave Kay an opportunity to work in a lighter, character-driven sports comedy.
She also appeared as Frankie Grasso in the HBO series Task in 2025. Current IMDb records list both Stick and Task among her recent television work.
Her recent credits suggest that Kay is continuing to experiment with different characters and genres rather than relying solely on the roles that first made her recognizable.
Lilli Kay Beyond Acting
Acting isn’t Lilli Kay’s only creative interest. She’s also been described as a musician and guitarist, adding another dimension to a career that already spans theater, television, and film.
That broader artistic background fits naturally with her theater training. Performance isn’t limited to memorizing lines; it can involve voice, movement, music, and the ability to connect with an audience. Kay’s work across these areas gives a fuller picture of her as a performer.
Lilli Kay’s Pronouns And Public Identity
Lilli Kay’s public identity has also generated discussion online. Publicly available sources have described her as queer and as a member of the LGBTQ+ community, while her acting work has included LGBTQ+ representation. IMDb’s biography currently identifies her as queer and a musician.
This subject deserves careful treatment because gender identity, pronouns, and sexuality aren’t interchangeable. Online speculation shouldn’t be presented as established fact, particularly when it concerns someone’s private life or medical history.
The more useful focus is on what Kay has publicly shared and how her professional work has contributed to LGBTQ+ representation. That approach gives readers reliable information without turning speculation into biography.
Is Lilli Kay Dating Anyone?
Lilli Kay has generally kept her romantic life away from the center of her public career. She has, however, been publicly associated with Juli Kocemba, including through their connection to Yellowstone. Some biographical sources identify Kocemba as Kay’s real-life partner, while other sources have been less definitive.
Because relationship information can change and personal details aren’t always formally announced, it’s best to avoid treating every online report as a permanent fact.
There has also been confusion surrounding Michael Stuhlbarg. The two worked together on Your Honor, where Stuhlbarg played Jimmy Baxter and Kay played his daughter, Fia. Their on-screen family relationship appears to have contributed to some online questions, but there is no established family relationship between the two actors.
Lilli Kay’s Life Away From The Spotlight
Despite her growing recognition, Lilli Kay has kept much of her private life relatively low-key. Most of the reliable information available about her centers on her acting career, theater background, music, and professional projects.
That privacy can sometimes lead to speculation, especially when an actor doesn’t regularly discuss personal matters in interviews or on social media. In Kay’s case, however, her professional work offers a much clearer picture of her development.
From theater training to streaming dramas, Yellowstone, historical film, and the sports comedy Stick, she has continued to add different kinds of work to her résumé.
Final Thoughts
Lilli Kay’s career is best understood as a gradual progression rather than a sudden leap to fame. Her theater training gave her a solid foundation, while projects such as Chambers and Your Honor helped establish her as a screen performer.
Then came Yellowstone, where her role as Clara Brewer brought her to a much larger audience. Her work in Rustin and Stick has since shown that she can move comfortably between historical drama, television drama, and comedy.
Her Hollywood family background naturally attracts attention. Being Stephen Kay’s daughter and Piper Perabo’s stepdaughter gives her a notable connection to the entertainment industry, but her own body of work tells the more meaningful story.
As of 2026, Lilli Kay has built a résumé spanning theater, television, film, and music. With recent credits such as Stick and Task adding to her earlier successes, her career continues to develop—and that ongoing evolution may prove more interesting than any single role that first brought her into the spotlight.
FAQs About Lilli Kay
How Old Is Lilli Kay?
Lilli Kay was born on March 18, 1996, which makes her 30 years old in 2026. Current IMDb and other entertainment databases list the same birth date.
Who Is Lilli Kay’s Father?
Lilli Kay’s father is Stephen Kay, an actor, writer, director, and producer. His career includes work on television and film, including directing credits connected to Yellowstone.
Is Piper Perabo Lilli Kay’s Mother?
Piper Perabo is Lilli Kay’s stepmother. Perabo married Stephen Kay in 2014, and IMDb identifies Kay as Perabo’s stepdaughter.
What Role Does Lilli Kay Play In Yellowstone?
Lilli Kay plays Clara Brewer in Yellowstone. Clara works as an assistant within John Dutton’s political operation while he serves as governor of Montana. Kay appeared in eight episodes between 2022 and 2024.
What Is Lilli Kay’s Most Famous Role?
Lilli Kay is particularly known for playing Clara Brewer in Yellowstone and Fia Baxter in Your Honor. She also played Penelope Fowler in Chambers and Zero in Stick, two other notable television roles.
Is Lilli Kay In Ozark?
No. Lilli Kay isn’t credited as a cast member of Ozark. Her better-known television credits include Madam Secretary, Chambers, Your Honor, Yellowstone, Stick, and Task.
What Did Lilli Kay Study?
Lilli Kay studied Acting and Drama at Carnegie Mellon University. She graduated in 2017 with a Bachelor of Fine Arts, giving her formal training before she established herself in television and film.
What Is Lilli Kay Doing Now?
Lilli Kay continues to build her acting career. Her recent credits include Zero in Apple’s Stick and Frankie Grasso in Task. IMDb also lists additional projects in development, suggesting that her film and television work is continuing to expand.
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