Emma Mackey is the Undisputed Breakout Star of Netflix’s ‘Sex Education’

I had no idea what to expect when I pressed play on Episode 1 of Netflix’s new teen comedy Sex Education. Premiering today, Laurie Nunn’s charming coming-of-age series follows endearing underdog Otis Milburn (Asa Butterfield), a sexually repressed teen virgin who lives with his sex therapist mother (Gillian Anderson). Otis’ in-depth knowledge of sex is put to the test when he reluctantly agrees to team up with an edgy, secretly brilliant social outcast, Maeve Wiley (Emma Mackey), to run an underground sex therapy clinic for their classmates.

That brief synopsis, however, doesn’t do Sex Education justice. An endlessly enjoyable mix of humor and heart, Sex Education is primed to be the surprise streaming hit of 2019. Similar to last year’s critically-acclaimed The End of the F***ing World, Sex Education is a British teen comedy featuring dazzling theatrical performances and a killer soundtrack. There are many, many things to love about this series, and at the top of the list is the debut of scene-stealer Emma Mackey.

At first glance, Maeve Wiley might seem like your standard teen comedy character, but as the series progresses the many layers of this multi-faceted protagonist are revealed. She’s a unique combination of acerbic and erudite, and Mackey’s subtle, nuanced portrayal of the character stands out amidst an immensely talented young cast. In the hands of a lesser actress, the character could have been considered a retread of past teen comedy ingénues, but Mackey makes you care about Maeve by injecting the character with an understated, painfully realistic vulnerability.

Mackey’s captivating performance makes it impossible to root against Maeve Wiley. We learn more about the character as the season progresses, but what about the actress? Not much is known about newcomer Emma Mackey, but here’s everything we know about the Sex Education scene-stealer:

WHERE HAVE I SEEN EMMA MACKEY BEFORE? MAEVE WILEY LOOKS FAMILIAR.

Sex Education is Mackey’s first major role, but the actress also portrays Isabelle in the upcoming drama Summit Fever and played Michelle in the TV horror movie Badger_Lane. If Mackey seems familiar, it may be because many people are mistaking her for a certain high-profile actress.

WAIT, ARE WE SURE EMMA MACKEY ISN’T MARGOT ROBBIE??!

No. Emma Mackey isn’t Margot Robbie. Well, I’m 95% sure that Emma Mackey isn’t Margot Robbie.

Okay. 85% sure.

Sex Education is one of the smartest, funniest new shows of the year. While there’s no official news regarding Season 2, I’m optimistic that we haven’t seen the last of Maeve Wiley. Then again…

Season 1 of Sex Education is now streaming on Netflix.

RELATED: ‘Sex Education’ Is Primed to be the Surprise Streaming Hit of 2019

Stream Sex Education on Netflix