Why Everyone Will Be Talking About Mae Schenk After Amy Sherman-Palladino’s Netflix Eloise
Netflix has its next family crowd-pleaser, with breakout newcomer Mae Schenk leading as Eloise in Amy Sherman-Palladino’s live-action adaptation opposite Ryan Reynolds.
Netflix just snagged a big crowd-pleaser in the making: a live-action Eloise movie from Amy Sherman-Palladino, with newcomer Mae Schenk stepping into the tiny, chaotic shoes of the Plaza Hotel's most famous resident. And yes, she will be acting opposite Ryan Reynolds. Here's the rundown on the casting, the movie, and how this all landed at Netflix.
Meet Mae Schenk (aka the new Eloise)
Mae Schenk is as fresh as it gets. She’s repped by Paradigm and Goodman Genow, and she did the thing every young actor dreams of: walked into the room and immediately became the character. Sherman-Palladino brought her to Ryan Reynolds’s company Maximum Effort, and the bosses there did not play coy.
"When Amy introduced us to Mae Schenk, we knew instantly she was Eloise"
That line came from Ashley Fox and Johnny Pariseau, the co-presidents of production at Maximum Effort. Translation: she had the spark, the wit, and the little glint of troublemaking you need for Eloise.
Why Eloise is a big deal
The character goes all the way back to Kay Thompson’s 1955 book 'Eloise: A Book for Precocious Grown-ups,' about a six-year-old running riot on the 'tippy-top floor' of New York’s Plaza Hotel. Eloise has been adapted before, including versions toplined by Julie Andrews. So, no pressure for a first-time film lead or anything.
The movie: who’s making it and what’s new
This is Amy Sherman-Palladino’s feature directing debut. She co-wrote the script with Hannah Marks and Linda Woolverton, and the team is keeping story specifics under wraps, but they’re promising a brand-new adventure rather than a simple retread of the books.
Ryan Reynolds isn’t just producing through Maximum Effort — he’s playing a newly created villain designed specifically for this movie. MRC is overseeing production, and the Thompson estate and original Eloise illustrator Hilary Knight are in the mix as well. That’s a strong bench of stakeholders keeping the tone and look on target.
How it ended up at Netflix
The project started life at Paramount and then shifted to Netflix after the Skydance merger shuffle. Netflix, predictably, was happy to reteam with Reynolds after the massive numbers on 'Red Notice.' Call it a savvy rebound for a title with four-quadrant potential.
Production and release timing
Cameras are scheduled to roll in London in November 2025. If that holds, expect the movie to land on Netflix in late 2026 or early 2027.
- Lead: Mae Schenk (newcomer)
- Director: Amy Sherman-Palladino
- Writers: Amy Sherman-Palladino, Hannah Marks, Linda Woolverton
- Co-star: Ryan Reynolds as a new, original villain
- Where to watch: Netflix
- Production start: November 2025
- Filming location: London
- Based on: Kay Thompson’s Eloise books, with a new story
- Production partners: Maximum Effort, MRC, the Thompson estate, Hilary Knight
Bottom line
This is a swing for Netflix and a career-launcher for Mae Schenk. If she nails Eloise’s chaos-with-charm energy, you’re going to be seeing a lot more of her. I’m curious to see Sherman-Palladino’s first big-screen move and what kind of trouble Reynolds cooks up as the villain. For now, file this under: smart casting, promising package, clock officially ticking.