Lizzy Caplan has come a long way from her first role in Freaks and Geeks. Leaps and bounds, in fact. The native Angeleno entered the macrocosm of Hollywood entertainment with an unyielding punch, bursting onto the scene as the sulking sidekick integral to Y2K cinema’s adolescently edgy histrionics. Her breakout role as Mean Girls‘ Janis lan, and her glorious portrayal of the misunderstood goth, elevated Caplan into that seldomly reached realm of quasi-supporting cast—an indispensable major masquerading as a secondary role.

And in the legend of Lizzy, history has proved to repeat itself. The charmingly sardonic ingénue possesses a very special, and very indelible, skill. Versed in voicing the sour sidekick, Caplan has amassed an impressive pedigree of secondary characters. Her iconic depiction of Janis needs no introduction, and her heartrending interpretation of Libby Epstein—a stay-at-home mom battling a midlife crisis—in Fleishman Is in Trouble, demonstrates just how adept Caplan is at posing as a grippingly skilled wolf in a sidelined sheep’s clothing.

“I’ve definitely felt the need to mourn certain characters I’ve loved when the job ends,” Caplan tells V. “I’ve felt that sadness in saying good-bye.” And so have her viewers, noting her exceptional ability to transform a seemingly supplementary character into an emblem representative of an entire culture. Whether it’s the snarky prepubescent goth or the housewife floundering in suburban isolation, audiences find versions of themselves embedded in each of her staggering spectacles.

Her latest project, however, is a striking shift. In Zero Day, a tensely wrought political drama laden with conspiracies and cyberattacks, Caplan enlists in a role that strips that deadly humor of its farce. The daughter of a former U.S. president (played by the legendary Robert De Niro), congresswoman Alexandra Mullen (played by Caplan) remains steadfast in carving a path independent of her father’s political legacy.

Although tightlipped about her upcoming portrayal, the actress was able to divulge a characteristically cryptic quip. “I can’t really give much away,” Caplan says, “but l’d say all that is repellant about Alex Mullen is what drew me to her.” The limited series, a brainchild born out of Netflix’s insatiable appetite for historic(ish) thrillers, is chock-full of additional veteran performers: Angela Bassett, Jesse Plemons, Connie Britton, Joan Allen.

“I’ve always been a fan of political thrillers, so it wasn’t a hard sell,” Caplan tells V. “Plus, De Niro. I mean, who would say no to that?” She gets it. Nearly four years ago, Caplan welcomed a bubbly baby boy, and suddenly, work-life balance took on a whole other dimension. The trials and tribulations of a flourishing career in the arts were now compounded by the wonders and woes of raising a new child. And yet, life went on, the scales tipping back into place whether she liked it or not. “In some ways, this job is really tough for finding that balance, but in many ways, it’s easier than so many other careers,” Caplan maintains. “The truth is, as unremarkable as this is as an answer, I get to keep working at a job I love, that has shaped so much of who I am as a human, and then I get to go back to my ‘real life’ which includes my hot husband and hilarious son. I’d be an idiot to not appreciate all of that.”

This story appears in the pages of V153: now available for purchase!

Photography Jinglyu Lin

Fashion Willyum Beck

Creative Director / Editor-in-Chief Stephen Gan

Hair Andrew Chen (Kramer + Kramer) using Stephen Knoll NY

Makeup Kevin Cheah (Kramer + Kramer) using Charlotte Tilbury

1st photo assistant Heins Evander

Stylist assistant Emma Nusbaum

Location The Manner Hotel