Carly Chaikin

As a newcomer to the industry, budding star Carly Chaikin established herself quickly in the public eye, landing parts in movies such as the Nicholas Sparks tearjerker "The Last Song" (2010) starring Miley Cyrus, before landing her big break playing snarky mean-girl Dalia Royce on the hit sitcom "Suburgatory" (ABC, 2011-13). It was a role that immediately connected with viewers. Although the show focused around the character of high school student Tessa Altman (Jane Levy), Chaikin proved to be the scene-stealer, punctuating comedic moments with her blasé yet barbed line delivery. The role was not something she initially gravitated toward; she originally auditioned for the lead role, which she felt was more like her real personality. But the show's creator, Emily Kapnek, saw something different in her and convinced Chaikin that she would be perfect as Tessa's nemesis instead. Chaikin may have initially felt the role was a stretch, but fan reaction proved differently. Born in Santa Monica, CA, Chaikin dreamed of becoming an actress since she was 11 years old. Although she had no acting training, the then 19-year-old aspiring actress nevertheless won her first meaty role co-starring opposite Miley Cyrus and teen heartthrob Liam Hemsworth in the teen romance "The Last Song." A manager took a chance on Chaikin despite her inexperience, and his hunch paid off. Chaikin's role as the rebellious Blaze was a memorable contribution to the movie, adding a little bad girl attitude to the otherwise tame fare. Chaikin's initial success convinced her that the life of a performer was definitely something she wanted to pursue. She next landed a small role in the indie comedy "My Uncle Rafael" (2010) and played a would-be victim of a maniac in "Escapee" (2011). Neither role made much of an impact, but Chaikin was on the cusp of landing the part that would bring her to TV audiences on a weekly basis. By her own admission, Chaikin thought she was nothing like the acidic, gaudily dressed Dalia on ABC's "Suburgatory," and even cried the first time she dyed her natural brown hair blonde for the role. Her time spent growing up in Southern California and attending an all-girls school further helped to prepare her for the role. Also starring Jeremy Sisto of "Clueless" (1995) fame and Cheryl Hines from "Curb Your Enthusiasm" (HBO, 2000-), "Suburgatory" proved to be a modest success for the network and drew a loyal fan base -- much of that due to Chaikin's appeal. In 2012, Chaikin guest starred on the web series "Harder Than It Looks" (2012-) and appeared in the indie comedy "In a World " (2013), starring Lake Bell as a struggling voice actor. After "Subugatory" came to an end, Chaikin returned to series television as Darlene in the dystopian thriller "Mr. Robot" (USA 2015-).