Brittney Leigh Lower (; born August 2, 1985) is an American actress. She is best known for her roles in the crime drama series Unforgettable (2011–2014), the romantic comedy series Man Seeking Woman (2015–2017), and the sci-fi series Severance (2022–present), the last of which earned her a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series in 2025.
Early life and education Brittney Leigh Lower was born in Bloomington, Illinois, the daughter of Mickey and Steve Lower. Lower lived in Heyworth, Illinois and graduated from Heyworth High School. Her mother was a home economics teacher at Clinton Junior High School in Clinton, Illinois. she was running a face painting business, known throughout Central Illinois as "the Zoo Lady",https://www.facepaintingzoolady.com/ which Britt occasionally joined, and Britt later cited it as where she "first encountered circus performers and artists who live on the road and work on the road as a living [and] just became totally enamored by the tightrope walkers and jugglers". She has an older brother named Brugh.
After graduating as the valedictorian from Heyworth High School in 2004, she earned a BSc in Communication from Northwestern University in 2008. She also worked with the Upright Citizens Brigade and ImprovOlympic.
Career Lower had a recurring role as technology expert Tanya Sitkowsky in the 2011 series Unforgettable. In 2015, she had her breakout role as Liz Greenberg in the FXX comedy series Man Seeking Woman. In 2016, she had a recurring role as Sarah Finn in the second season of the Hulu series Casual. She later appeared in the second season of American Horror Stories and portrayed the main character in the music video for the Yeah Yeah Yeahs song "Wolf". She also starred in commercials for Verizon and was a guest on The George Lucas Talk Show.
Lower has starred as Helly R. in the Apple TV+ sci-fi psychological thriller series Severance since 2022. With an interest in the circus world stemming from her mother's face painting career, and her own research for the 2020 short film Circus Person, which she wrote and directed, Lower spent a month playing a character in Circus Flora's Quest for the Innkeeper's Cask show in St. Louis during the three-year hiatus between the first and second seasons of Severance.
Personal life Lower married British hairstylist Kenna Kennor in 2024. They met when he styled her hair for the 74th Primetime Emmy Awards ceremony. The two live in Brooklyn, with his two children from a previous marriage.
Filmography Film YearTitle RoleNotes 2008 Imogen Natalie Short film2010 Benny to Benny May Short film Spark Suze Short film2012 Revenge for Jolly! Mary Ann The Letter Kathleen The Worst Ryan Short film Roomie Sarah Short film2013 Beside Still Waters Olivia Mutual Friends Trish One Trick Dieter Ellen Short film 2014 Re: Jess Jess Short film2015 The Shells Alex Those People Ursula Sisters Mrs. Geernt Don't Worry Baby Anna2016 How to Lose Weight in 4 Easy Steps Rachael Short film Swell Ana Short film Domain Phoenix/Kimberley Miller The Shadow Hours Dorothy Short film 2017 Mr. Roosevelt Celeste Jones2018 Faith Padma Short filmThe Shadow Hours DorothyShort film Staycation Jill Short film A Civilized Life Jack Short film2020 Circus Person Ava Also director, writer, and executive producer Holly Slept Over Audra 2022 Show Pony Kate Short film 2023 Until the Wedding Naomi2024 Psycho Therapy: The Shallow Tale of a Writer Who Decided to Write About a Serial Killer Suzie Also executive producer Darkest Miriam Miriam Gordon 2026 Sender Julia Also executive producer
Television Year Title RoleNotes 2010 Big Lake Meg 7 episodes 2011–2014 Unforgettable Tanya Sitkowsky 13 episodes2012 A Gifted Man Nina Episode: "In Case of (Re)Birth" Law & Order: Special Victims Unit Jess Hardwick Episode: "Strange Beauty" 2015–2017 Man Seeking Woman Liz Greenberg Main role2016 Bad Internet Rayne Episode: "The Seven Billionth Wheel" Casual Sarah Finn Recurring role2017 Wrecked Margot Wallace Episode: "Ransom" Pillow Talk Emma 4 episodes 2017–2018 Ghosted Claire Jennifer 3 episodes 2017–2019 Future Man Jeri Elizabeth Lang 5 episodes 2018 WASP Desiree Episode: "Joshua Tree Was Amahzing"2019 High Maintenance Lee 4 episodes It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia Lisa Episode: "The Gang Gets Romantic" 2020–2024 The George Lucas Talk Show Herself 2 episodes2022 American Horror Stories Fay Mallow Episode: "Facelift" The Late Show with Stephen Colbert No-One's Mother Episode: "Kerry Washington/Joe Walsh" 2022–present Severance Helena Eagan / Helly R. Main role 2026 I Will Find You Rachel Mills Main role
Music videos Year Song Artist 2022 "Wolf" Yeah Yeah Yeahs
Video games Year Title Role 2020 NBA 2K21 Alex Williams (voice)
Awards and nominations Year Award Category Work Result Ref.FilmQuestBest Supporting Actress – FeatureDomainNashville Film FestivalAudience AwardCircus Person Hollywood Critics Association AwardsBest Actress in a Streaming Series, DramaSeveranceSaturn AwardsBest Actress in a Streaming SeriesGotham AwardsOutstanding Performance in a New SeriesScreen Actors Guild AwardsOutstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series Canadian Screen AwardsBest Performance in a Leading Role, DramaDarkest MiriamAstra AwardsBest Actress in a Drama Series SeveranceCritics' Choice Super AwardsBest Actress in a Science Fiction/Fantasy Series, Limited Series or Made-for-TV MovieTCA AwardsIndividual Achievement in DramaPrimetime Emmy AwardsOutstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series Critics' Choice Television AwardsBest Actress in a Drama SeriesGolden Globe AwardsBest Actress – Television Series DramaActor AwardsOutstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Drama Series Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series Satellite Awards Best Actress in a Drama or Genre Series Saturn AwardsBest Actress on Television
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