Isabel May has quietly built one of the busiest post-1883 careers in Hollywood, with six projects currently in various stages of production as of 2026.
The Santa Monica-born actress, who turned in a career-defining performance as Elsa Dutton in Paramount+’s Yellowstone prequel series 1883, has remained largely out of the public eye — she keeps no public social media presence — yet her filmography has grown steadily since the show wrapped its single season in 2022. For fans of the Yellowstone universe who have wondered what became of the young actress, the answer is: quite a lot.
From Elsa Dutton to a Franchise Scream Queen
May first broke through in 2018, landing the role of Katie Cooper in the Netflix series Alexa & Katie, which ran through 2020. During that same period she held a recurring role as Veronica Duncan across nine episodes of Young Sheldon. Several film appearances — including Let’s Scare Julie, Run Hide Fight, and I Want You Back — preceded her casting as Elsa, the free-spirited daughter of James and Margaret Dutton, played by Tim McGraw and Faith Hill. Elsa’s fate ultimately determined why the Dutton family put down roots in Montana rather than continuing to Oregon, forming the ancestral foundation of the Yellowstone ranch.
That performance earned May the Outstanding Actress in a Made for Television Movie/Limited-Series award at the 24th Women’s Image Network Awards. She subsequently returned to the Yellowstone universe in a voiceover and narration capacity for both the flagship series and the prequel 1923.
A Packed Slate Beyond the Prairie
Since leaving the trail, May appeared in The Moon and Back in 2022, contributed a voiceover role to American Masters in 2024, and joined the ensemble of the Apple TV+ miniseries Masters of the Air that same year. In 2025 she starred in the romantic dramedy Falling, and in 2026 she took on the role of Tatum Evans — daughter of Sidney Prescott, portrayed by Neve Campbell — in Scream 7. Her romantic comedy Love Language premiered at South by Southwest in March 2026.
Looking ahead, the sports drama Mr. Irrelevant: The John Tuggle Story has completed production and is set to premiere on Christmas Day. Three additional projects — Karoshi, The Last Mrs. Parrish, and Menace — are in post-production, while Love Love and Wild World remain in pre-production, signaling that May’s momentum shows no sign of slowing.
