Beginning her dance training at age two in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Madison Nicole Ziegler transitioned from a reality television standout into a multifaceted performer in film and music. Her career evolved from the Abby Lee Dance Company into a global digital presence, marked by high-profile collaborations and a consistent shift toward feature film acting roles within the American entertainment industry.
Reality Television and Dance Origins
Ziegler emerged into public view in 2011 as a cast member on Lifetime's Dance Moms, where she performed with the Abby Lee Dance Company for six seasons. Prior to this, she appeared on the reality program Live to Dance in 2010. Her participation in competition-based dance programming established her profile as a polished performer. She eventually left the series in 2016, following guest appearances on related projects like Abby's Ultimate Dance Competition.
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The 2014 music video for Sia's track Chandelier gained extensive reach, exceeding 2.5 billion views on YouTube and securing the artist significant international recognition. Ziegler starred in this production and continued her work with Sia across a trilogy from the album 1000 Forms of Fear, including Elastic Heart and Big Girls Cry. These performances extended to television appearances on programs such as Saturday Night Live, The Ellen DeGeneres Show, and the 2015 Grammy Awards. Further collaborations with Sia included Cheap Thrills, The Greatest, Thunderclouds, No New Friends, and Together.
Film and Television Acting
Ziegler's professional acting career began in 2012 with a guest role on Drop Dead Diva. She secured various television guest spots on series including Pretty Little Liars, Austin & Ally, and Nicky, Ricky, Dicky & Dawn. Her transition to feature films includes voicing Camille Le Haut in Ballerina (2016) and appearing as Christina Sickleman in The Book of Henry (2017). Her subsequent film credits include the title role in Music (2021), Mia in The Fallout (2021), Velma in West Side Story (2021), Lindy in Fitting In (2023), and Ruthie in My Old Ass (2024).
Professional Recognition
Beyond performing, Ziegler authored the 2017 memoir The Maddie Diaries, which attained status as a New York Times Best Seller. Her industry impact was noted by Time magazine, which named her among the 30 most influential teens from 2015 to 2017. In 2023, she was listed in the Forbes 30 Under 30 within the Hollywood and Entertainment category. She continues to maintain a significant digital footprint through platforms such as Instagram.
Fast facts
- Born: 2002, Pittsburgh, United States
- Early Training: Abby Lee Dance Company, age four
- Television debut: Live to Dance, 2010
- Dance Moms tenure: 2011 to 2016
- Memoir: The Maddie Diaries, 2017
- 2021 film roles: Music, The Fallout, West Side Story
- 2023 recognition: Forbes 30 Under 30
- Social media: Instagram following exceeding 13 million
Questions readers ask
Did Maddie Ziegler appear in film before 2020?
Yes, her early film roles include voice acting in Ballerina (2016) and a role in The Book of Henry (2017).
What was the significance of the Chandelier music video?
The 2014 video gained over 2.5 billion views on YouTube and won Best Choreography at the 2014 MTV Video Music Awards.
Achievements
- Worked as dancer, actor and model
