Makayla Lysiak is an American actress and model best known for her recurring role as Barbara Robinson in the Stephen King thriller series Mr. Mercedes.
She began acting as a child in Los Angeles and built her TV career through guest appearances on some of the most popular American network comedies and dramas of the 2010s.
Who is Makayla Lysiak?
Makayla Lysiak is an American actress, model, and social media personality who grew up in Los Angeles, California. Her career spans television drama, comedy, and online content creation.
She gained her widest television exposure through Mr. Mercedes, the AT&T Audience Network thriller based on Stephen King’s Bill Hodges trilogy.
Her role as Barbara Robinson appeared across both Season 1 (2017) and Season 2 (2018) of the series, which starred Brendan Gleeson as the retired detective Bill Hodges.
Before that breakthrough, Makayla logged appearances on several hit network series. Shows including The Fosters, The Last Ship, Instant Mom, New Girl, and Brooklyn Nine-Nine all featured her in guest roles during the mid-2010s.
She also runs her own YouTube channel, where she has shared vlogs and reaction videos with a following that has grown into the hundreds of thousands.
Early Life of Makayla Lysiak
Makayla Lysiak was born on December 19, 2003, in Los Angeles, California. She grew up in LA and developed a love for performing from an early age, taking part in school productions before pursuing professional work.
Her family background is multiracial. Makayla has kept her parents’ details private over the years, though she has a younger brother named Mikey.
Her first taste of professional acting came through a school production of The Wizard of Oz, where she played Dorothy.
That experience deepened her interest in the craft and led to her first TV auditions.
Makayla Lysiak Age / Birthday
Makayla Lysiak is 22 years old as of 2026, born on December 19, 2003. Her zodiac sign is Sagittarius, a sign traditionally linked with adventure and a natural ability to connect with others.
At 22, she has already accumulated over a decade of on-screen experience.
Makayla Lysiak Ethnicity and Nationality
Makayla Lysiak is American by nationality, born and raised in Los Angeles, California. She is multiracial in heritage, a fact she has acknowledged publicly.
Her upbringing in LA placed her in one of the world’s most active entertainment markets from a young age.
Makayla Lysiak Height and Weight
Makayla Lysiak’s exact height and weight are not publicly confirmed. She maintains an active presence through her social media accounts, where she regularly shares photos and video content.
Her on-screen appearances across multiple TV series show a slim, petite build.
Makayla Lysiak Career
Makayla Lysiak started her acting career as a young child in Los Angeles and has built a varied resume across television drama, comedy, and online content.
She landed her first professional role on the NBC family drama Parenthood at around age nine.
Her career spans multiple network series, premium cable drama, and a significant social media presence built in parallel with her acting work.
Career Start and Guest Roles (2012-2016)
Makayla’s first television credit came on Parenthood, the long-running NBC drama that aired from 2010 to 2015.
That early guest appearance gave her a foothold in the industry and led to further work across multiple genres.
Over the next several years, she appeared on a range of popular network series. Credits during this period include The Fosters, The Last Ship, Instant Mom, New Girl, Speechless, and Brooklyn Nine-Nine.
These shows covered everything from family drama to workplace comedy, giving Makayla exposure across a wide audience.
Her ability to move between drama and comedy at an early age reflected strong versatility.
Guest roles on hit network shows also helped her develop the professional routine that would support her bigger breakthrough in 2017.
Mr. Mercedes (2017-2018)
Makayla’s most substantial role came with her casting as Barbara Robinson in Mr. Mercedes, the AT&T Audience Network crime thriller developed by David E. Kelley.
Based on Stephen King’s Bill Hodges trilogy, the series ran for three seasons from 2017 to 2019.
She appeared as a guest in multiple episodes across both Season 1, which premiered on August 9, 2017, and Season 2, which aired in 2018.
The show starred Brendan Gleeson as the retired detective Bill Hodges, with Harry Treadaway as the antagonist Brady Hartsfield. Jharrel Jerome played Jerome Robinson, the brother of Makayla’s character Barbara.
The series earned strong critical attention for its performances and its tonal faithfulness to King’s source material.
Makayla’s recurring appearances alongside that main cast gave her some of the most high-profile dramatic work of her early career.
YouTube and Social Media Career
Alongside her acting work, Makayla built a substantial online audience through her YouTube channel, where she posts vlogs, reaction videos, and personal content.
The channel grew to over 160,000 subscribers, with the full library accumulating more than 7 million views.
She also maintains an active Instagram presence under the handle @makaylalysiak.
Her social media activity gave her a direct relationship with fans outside the traditional TV schedule, and it became a consistent source of income through brand sponsorships and sponsored posts.
Those sponsorship arrangements, alongside her acting income, have made Makayla one of the more well-rounded young performers of her generation.
Makayla Lysiak Filmography
| Year | Title | Role | Network/Platform |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2012 | Parenthood | Guest role | NBC |
| 2014-2016 | Instant Mom | Guest role | Nick at Nite |
| 2016 | New Girl | Guest role | Fox |
| 2016 | The Fosters | Guest role | Freeform |
| 2016 | Speechless | Guest role | ABC |
| 2016 | Brooklyn Nine-Nine | Guest role | Fox |
| 2017-2018 | Mr. Mercedes | Barbara Robinson | AT&T Audience |
Makayla Lysiak Boyfriend
Makayla Lysiak has kept her personal and romantic life private. No boyfriend or partner is publicly known as of 2026.
She has not disclosed any relationship status on her social media accounts, and no verified reports of a partner have surfaced in the media.
Her focus in public appearances has remained squarely on her acting and content work.
Makayla Lysiak Net Worth
Makayla Lysiak’s estimated net worth is $4 million as of 2026. Her income comes from two main streams: her acting career in television and her social media and YouTube work.
Her YouTube channel, with over 160,000 subscribers and more than 7 million views, generates ongoing ad revenue.
Her Instagram following also brings in income through brand sponsorships, with sponsored posts on her account reported to bring between $3,000 and $5,000 per placement.
On the acting side, her guest and recurring roles across network TV and premium cable have contributed consistent earnings since she was a child performer.
Together, these income sources give her a solid financial foundation for someone still in the early stage of her career.
Makayla Lysiak Social Media
Makayla is active on both Instagram and YouTube. On Instagram, she posts under the handle @makaylalysiak, where she shares personal updates, behind-the-scenes content, and sponsored posts.
Her YouTube channel operates under her own name and features reaction videos, vlogs, and personal content. She has built her online presence consistently alongside her TV work.
Conclusion
Makayla Lysiak started acting as a child in Los Angeles and turned that early start into a body of work that spans nearly a decade of television credits and a loyal social media audience.
Her role as Barbara Robinson in Mr. Mercedes stands as her most substantial dramatic credit, appearing alongside Brendan Gleeson in one of the more acclaimed Stephen King adaptations of the 2010s.