Summer Fontana is an American actress best known for playing Hope Mikaelson in Season 4 of the CW supernatural drama The Originals.
She made her television debut in 2015 and quickly landed major roles in both network television and studio films, including a part in the X-Men franchise.
Who is Summer Fontana?
Summer Fontana is a young American actress from Canton, Ohio. She gained wide recognition after joining The Originals in its fourth season, portraying Hope Mikaelson, the daughter of Klaus and Hayley Mikaelson.
Her character became so popular that the showrunners developed Legacies, a full spin-off series for the CW built around the Hope Mikaelson character. Summer also appeared in that spin-off in guest roles.
Beyond The Originals, Fontana has worked on major studio productions including a scene-stealing appearance in the X-Men film Dark Phoenix and a multi-episode arc in the HBO thriller The Outsider, adapted from a Stephen King novel.
Her mother, Meredith Fontana, manages her public presence and appears alongside her on social media.
Fontana also describes herself as a singer and performer alongside her acting work.
Early Life of Summer Fontana
Summer Fontana was born in Canton, Ohio, to parents Brian Fontana and Meredith Fontana.
She grew up in Ohio and showed an early interest in performing arts, including acting and singing.
Her family supported her entry into the entertainment industry from a young age. By 2015, she had landed her first television role, which led rapidly to higher-profile projects.
Canton, Ohio, is not known as an entertainment hub, which makes Fontana’s early career trajectory all the more unusual.
She pursued opportunities in film and television from an early age, building a filmography before most young performers in comparable situations.
Summer Fontana Age / Birthday
Summer Fontana was born on December 7, 2008, and is 17 years old as of 2026. Her zodiac sign is Sagittarius, a sign often linked with adventurousness and a natural flair for performance.
She continues to take on acting roles while managing her education and public presence.
Summer Fontana Ethnicity and Nationality
Summer Fontana is American by nationality, born and raised in Canton, Ohio. Her ethnicity has not been publicly confirmed across verified sources.
Her family background is rooted in the American Midwest.
Summer Fontana Height and Weight
Summer Fontana’s height and weight have not been publicly confirmed in verified sources.
She has a youthful appearance that has served her well in child and young adult roles across television and film.
Her on-screen presence has drawn consistent positive attention from directors and casting teams.
Summer Fontana Career
Summer Fontana launched her acting career in 2015 and built a diverse filmography in a short period.
She moved quickly from short film appearances to lead TV roles and major studio productions.
Her work spans network television, premium cable, feature films, and animated voice work, placing her across multiple formats before the age of 15.
Early Career (2015–2016)
Fontana made her acting debut in 2015 in The Seers, a television drama series. The role established her as a working young actress and opened doors to further opportunities.
In 2016, she appeared in three short films: Basic Witches, where she played Addison; Auntie, where she played Alice; and Karmin’s Selfie, where she played a character called Tiny.
That same year, she took on her first studio film role in Office Christmas Party, the 2016 comedy starring Jennifer Aniston and Jason Bateman.
The film gave Fontana early exposure to major Hollywood productions and professional sets.
She also appeared briefly in The Grindhouse Radio television series in 2015, adding to her early credits list.
Breakthrough Role: The Originals (2017)
In 2017, Fontana joined Season 4 of The Originals on The CW, one of the network’s most successful supernatural dramas.
She played Hope Mikaelson, the daughter of Klaus Mikaelson (Joseph Morgan) and Hayley Marshall (Phoebe Tonkin).
Hope Mikaelson appeared across 12 episodes of Season 4, and Fontana also portrayed The Hollow, a separate supernatural entity, across multiple episodes of Season 5.
The dual role required Fontana to shift between the child Hope and a far darker inhabiting spirit. The character resonated strongly with the show’s fanbase.
By the time The Originals concluded its fifth and final season in 2018, the writers and producers at the CW had already committed to a spin-off series.
Legacies, centered on a teenage version of Hope Mikaelson played by Danielle Rose Russell, launched on the CW in 2018.
Fontana reprised her version of the character in guest appearances during the Legacies run in 2021.
Film and Television Work (2019–2021)
In 2019, Fontana appeared as Young Jean Grey in X-Men: Dark Phoenix, the concluding chapter of the X-Men franchise’s main series, directed by Simon Kinberg.
The film starred Sophie Turner as the adult Jean Grey. Fontana played the character in the opening flashback sequence, a scene that established Jean’s origin before Turner took over the role.
The following year, 2020, brought Fontana several notable projects in quick succession.
She played Maya Maitland in The Outsider, the HBO limited series adapted from Stephen King’s novel of the same name.
She appeared in four episodes of the ten-episode season, which premiered on January 12, 2020.
Also in 2020, Fontana voiced a character in Ella Bella Bingo, a Norwegian animated feature.
She appeared in Wish Upon a Unicorn, the family fantasy film released through Universal. She also had a guest role in Season 5 of The Magicians on Syfy.
In 2021, she appeared in The One, a short film. She also returned to the Legacies universe with a guest appearance in Season 3, Episode 15, reprising her role as Young Hope.
Summer Fontana Filmography
| Year | Title | Role | Format |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2015 | The Seers | Student | TV Series |
| 2016 | Karmin’s Selfie | Tiny | Short Film |
| 2016 | Basic Witches | Addison | Short Film |
| 2016 | Auntie | Alice | Short Film |
| 2016 | Office Christmas Party | Supporting Role | Feature Film |
| 2017 | The Originals (S4–S5) | Hope Mikaelson / The Hollow | TV Series |
| 2019 | X-Men: Dark Phoenix | Young Jean Grey | Feature Film |
| 2020 | The Outsider | Maya Maitland | TV Series (HBO) |
| 2020 | Ella Bella Bingo | Voice Role | Animated Film |
| 2020 | Wish Upon a Unicorn | Emma Dindal | Feature Film |
| 2020 | The Magicians (S5) | Ash | TV Series |
| 2021 | The One | Supporting Role | Short Film |
| 2021 | Legacies (S3, S4) | Young Hope | TV Series |
Summer Fontana Net Worth
Summer Fontana’s estimated net worth is $5 million as of 2026. Her income comes primarily from her acting roles in television and film, including her multi-season work on The Originals, her appearances in X-Men: Dark Phoenix and The Outsider, and various film and voice acting projects.
Her Originals role, which spanned two seasons across multiple episodes, contributed significantly to her early earnings.
TV work at the network level typically carries per-episode fees, and Fontana appeared in over a dozen episodes across Seasons 4 and 5.
Her HBO work on The Outsider added premium cable credits to her income history.
Voice acting work, including Ella Bella Bingo, provides another income stream alongside her live-action credits.
Her Instagram presence, where she has built a following of over 350,000, also supports brand and promotional opportunities.
Summer Fontana Social Media
Fontana is active on Instagram under @summerfontana1, where she posts modeling and personal content.
She also maintains a presence on X (formerly Twitter) at @SummerFontana, where she describes herself as an actress, singer, and performer.
Her Instagram following and engagement reflect the loyalty of The Originals fanbase, which has continued to follow her work since the show ended in 2018.
Conclusion
Summer Fontana built a notable early career in American television and film, with her portrayal of Hope Mikaelson in The Originals standing as the role that shaped her public profile most durably.
Her appearances across HBO, studio features, and animated films in a short span from 2015 to 2021 show the range she developed as a young performer.