Molly Ephraim
Molly Ephraim is an American actress who has appeared in films, television, and Broadway, Off-Broadway, and regional theater productions. She is known for her role as Mandy Baxter in the ABC sitcom "Last Man Standing" during its original run (2011–2017). Ephraim has also appeared in a number of other TV series including "Brockmire" (2017), "Halt and Catch Fire" (2017), and "Casual" (2018). Most recently, Ephraim portrayed Irene Kelly in "The Front Runner" (2018), her second collaboration with "Last Man Standing" co-star Kaitlyn Dever. She is currently appearing in HBO's "Perry Mason" as Della Street’s  lover Hazel Prystock. Early life. Ephraim was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and was raised Jewish. She grew up in Bucks County, Pennsylvania. Ephraim performed in shows at the Bucks County Playhouse as a child, and in professional productions at the Prince Music Theater and at the Arden Theatre Company in Philadelphia as a teenager. In 2008, Ephraim graduated from Princeton University with a B.A. in Religious Studies. After going to Central Bucks East. At Princeton she was a member of the Triangle Club and performed in and choreographed various shows for Princeton University Players and Theatre Intime. Career. Theater. Ephraim  made her Broadway debut as Little Red Riding Hood in the Broadway revival of "Into the Woods" in 2002, receiving a Drama League Award nomination. She later played Bielke in a Broadway revival of "Fiddler on the Roof" (2004). Off-Broadway, Ephraim played Rachel Stein in "End Days" at the Ensemble Studio Theatre in 2009. She played Olive in "The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee" at the Barrington Stage Company in 2008, in a remounting of the production with new direction by Jeremy Dobrish, and at the North Shore Music Theatre. In 2010, she played Anne Frank in "The  Diary of Anne Frank" at the Westport Country Playhouse. In 2015, Ephraim appeared as "Daphna Feygenbaum" in Joshua Harmon's "Bad Jews" at the Geffen Playhouse in Los Angeles. Film and television. Ephraim appeared as a series regular in the role of Mandy Baxter, daughter of series' lead Mike Baxter (portrayed by Tim Allen), on the ABC sitcom "Last Man Standing", which premiered on October 11, 2011 and originally ended in March 2017, canceled after six seasons. The series was revived by Fox in May 2018, but Ephraim opted not to return for the show's seventh season, with Molly  McCook recast in the role. Ephraim has appeared in other television series including "Royal Pains" (2009), "Law & Order" (2008), the Michael J. Fox-produced pilot "Hench at Home" (2003), the HBO pilot "The Wonderful Maladys" (2009), and has had recurring roles on "Brockmire" (2017), "Halt and Catch Fire" (2017), "Casual" (2018) and "Perry Mason" (2020). Ephraim portrayed Wendy Greenhut in the film "College Road Trip" (2008) and Ali Rey in the film "Paranormal Activity 2" (2010) and the spin-off film "" (2014). Ephraim appeared in a supporting role in the 2018 biographical political drama "The Front Runner", portraying Irene Kelly . She also played Gypsy Rose Blanchard's attorney in "The Act" on Hulu.