At 31 years old, Victoria Pedretti has already carved a distinct path through some of contemporary television and film’s most haunting and resonant dramas.
Emerging from the eerie corridors of The Haunting of Hill House and The Haunting of Bly Manor with performances that married vulnerability to visceral intensity, she swiftly became one of the most talked‑about young actors of her generation.
Her journey from Carnegie Mellon’s drama studios to Netflix’s global stages and into the fabric of cinematic dramas speaks to a career built not just on visibility, but on the gravity she brings to every character.
Nell Crain – The Haunting of Hill House
Victoria Pedretti’s breakthrough came as Nell Crain in The Haunting of Hill House, the 2018 Netflix horror series that earned critical acclaim for its emotional heft and chilling atmosphere.
In this role, Pedretti portrayed the youngest Crain sibling, whose experience with trauma and loss becomes one of the most powerfully haunting threads of the show. Her portrayal combined raw vulnerability with an eerie presence, helping make the series not just scary but deeply resonant.
What set her performance apart was the emotional truth she brought to every moment — whether confronting ghosts or confronting her own fears. Critics and audiences alike noted how her ability to convey pain and resilience elevated Hill House above standard genre fare, turning Nell into a character viewers couldn’t easily forget. This role firmly established Pedretti as a rising star capable of anchoring intense, character‑driven stories.
Love Quinn – You
In Netflix’s thriller You, Victoria Pedretti stepped into the shoes of Love Quinn, a character who redefined what it means to be an antihero in a psychological drama. Introduced in the show’s second season, Love begins as a seemingly grounded and empathetic chef whose connection with the obsessive protagonist Joe Goldberg eventually leads to unexpected twists.
Pedretti’s performance blended charm and unpredictability, making Love one of the most fascinating figures in the series’ world. What makes Love stand out is the way she evolves: from partner to complex co‑conspirator, capable of her own dark decisions and dramatic turns.
Pedretti balanced warmth with chilling intensity, giving dimension to a role that could have easily been one‑dimensional. Her work on You proved that she could take on psychologically layered material and make it memorable, cementing her status as a formidable dramatic presence on television.
Dani Clayton – The Haunting of Bly Manor
Returning to Mike Flanagan’s anthology world, Pedretti embodied Dani Clayton in The Haunting of Bly Manor (2020), a role that carried both emotional fragility and haunting strength.
This iteration of the series leaned into gothic romance as much as supernatural mystery, and Pedretti’s Dani is at the heart of that tonal blend — a caregiver drawn into a mansion full of secrets while simultaneously confronting her own past.
Her performance married empathy with a sense of wonder and fear, grounding the otherworldly elements in something deeply human. Rather than merely reacting to the paranormal, Dani’s choices reveal her longing for connection and her struggle with grief, giving the story a softness beneath its eerie surface. In doing so, Pedretti showed that her range extends far beyond jump scares — into the nuanced territory where fear and love intersect.
Victoria Pedretti attends the Netflix’s “Something Very Bad Is Going to Happen” in 2026 (Source: Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty Images)
Leslie “Lulu” Van Houten – Once Upon a Time… in Hollywood
Victoria Pedretti’s first major film role came in Quentin Tarantino’s Once Upon a Time… in Hollywood (2019), where she portrayed Leslie “Lulu” Van Houten, a member of the Manson Family.
Even with a relatively brief screen presence among a large ensemble cast, her inclusion in the film placed her alongside Hollywood heavyweights like Leonardo DiCaprio and Brad Pitt, showcasing her ability to step into high‑profile cinematic worlds early in her career.
The movie itself — a stylized take on late‑1960s Hollywood — offered Pedretti a chance to be part of a narrative that blends history with fiction. Though her role didn’t carry the dramatic weight of her TV characters, it highlighted her versatility and willingness to dive into complex ensemble pieces.
Katherine – Shirley
In the biographical drama Shirley (2020), Victoria Pedretti appeared as Katherine, contributing to a film that blends fictional elements with the life of famed horror writer Shirley Jackson.
Although not the central figure, Pedretti’s role added texture to a story that explores the creative mind and personal struggles of its protagonist, played by Elisabeth Moss. Her work in Shirley demonstrated how she could support ensemble storytelling with subtle yet meaningful presence.
The film’s tone — introspective, layered, and literary — gave Pedretti an opportunity to navigate dramatic nuance in a period setting. By adding depth to her character’s interactions, she helped reinforce the film’s exploration of identity, creativity, and emotional complexity.
Irma Eckler – Origin
In Ava DuVernay’s biographical drama Origin (2023), Pedretti took on the role of Irma Eckler, contributing to a film that explores race, identity and the origins of systemic divisions throughout American history.
While Origin is a broad, ambitious narrative with many voices, Pedretti’s involvement demonstrated her readiness to engage with material that tackles weighty themes beyond genre fiction.
Her performance added nuance to a story that spans generations and perspectives, reflecting how individual lives intersect with larger historical forces. By anchoring her part with authenticity, she helped amplify the film’s emotional resonance and intellectual ambition.
Angel – Ponyboi
In the 2024 thriller‑drama Ponyboi, Victoria Pedretti plays Angel, a character wrapped in the gritty narrative of survival, identity, and personal risk. The film garnered attention for its edgy, provocative storytelling and premiered at Sundance, where its raw exploration of queer themes and human vulnerability stood out.
Pedretti’s Angel brings both intensity and emotional depth to the story, revealing her ability to handle complex material with care and commitment. Rather than relying on familiar tropes, the film uses Angel’s interactions to explore power, loyalty, and intimacy in unexpected ways.
Pedretti’s expressive performance walks that line between danger and compassion, offering a portrait that lingers in the viewer’s mind — a clear example of her growing willingness to tackle challenging roles outside mainstream genre work.
Edie – Uncovering Eden
One of Victoria Pedretti’s earliest screen roles was Edie in the short film Uncovering Eden, a 2014 project made shortly after she began acting professionally.
While limited in scope, this early part allowed her to begin honing her craft in a small, character‑driven narrative, setting the groundwork for her emotional sensibilities as a performer.
Short film roles like Uncovering Eden often act as creative incubators for emerging actors, and for Pedretti, this was no exception. Her ability to convey layers of feeling in limited screen time hinted at the dramatic range that would later define her career, illustrating her dedication to character regardless of format or budget.
Girl – Sole
In another early career credit, Pedretti appeared as “Girl” in the short film Sole (2014). Though her role here is simple by credit name, these early projects offer a glimpse into the formative phase of her artistic voice.
Short films often demand concise, immediate emotional clarity, and Pedretti’s work in Sole underscores her instinctive screen presence even before her bigger breakout roles. While not widely known, Sole represents the starting point of a journey that would soon see her in major Netflix dramas and feature films.
Every career has humble beginnings, and for Pedretti, these early steps laid the foundation for a nuanced, thoughtful approach to performance that continues to grow with each project.
