Catherine Missal, also known professionally as Cat Missal, is an American actress and singer-songwriter whose career began on the stage when she was young and later expanded into film, television, and music. She is best known to a wide audience for playing Bree in Hulu’s Tell Me Lies, a role she portrayed throughout the show’s three-season run.
What makes Missal’s career particularly interesting is that Tell Me Lies was not her first major professional opportunity. Long before she became associated with Bree, she had already worked as a child performer, appeared on Broadway, acted in films and television programs, and performed for President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama at Ford’s Theatre.
Her career also extends beyond acting. Under the name Cat Missal, she has released music and contributed songs to Tell Me Lies. In 2026, she spoke publicly about her personal life and relationship with Jess Panneton, while also discussing her ambitions for future acting and music projects.
This biography brings together her early performing career, Broadway work, film and television roles, Tell Me Lies breakthrough, music, family, personal life, and what is publicly known about her career today.
Who Is Catherine Missal?
Catherine Missal is an American actress and singer-songwriter best known for playing Bree in Hulu’s Tell Me Lies. She was born on November 15, 1999, in New Jersey and began performing at a young age.
Her professional background is broader than her most famous television role. She worked in theater as a child and appeared in Broadway productions including A Tale of Two Cities and Mary Poppins. She later developed a screen résumé that included Shopping, Vijay and I, Movement and Location, Vacation, Natural Selection, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, Doubt, and The Blacklist.
Her role as Bree became the defining television opportunity of her adult career. Tell Me Lies gave her the opportunity to play the same character over three seasons, allowing viewers to follow Bree through friendship, romance, betrayal, marriage-related decisions, and other complicated developments.
Missal also has a music career under the name Cat Missal, with releases including Next to You, Batman Song, and Fix. She also recorded music connected with Tell Me Lies, including a version of “Mr. Brightside.”
Catherine Missal Quick Facts
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| Full name | Catherine Missal |
| Professional name | Cat Missal |
| Date of birth | November 15, 1999 |
| Age | 26 years old as of August 2026 |
| Birthplace | New Jersey, United States |
| Nationality | American |
| Profession | Actress, singer-songwriter |
| Best known for | Bree in Tell Me Lies |
| Notable film | Vacation |
| Recent film | A House of Dynamite |
| Broadway credits | A Tale of Two Cities, Mary Poppins |
| Other stage work | The 101 Dalmatians Musical |
| Sister | Kelley Missal |
| Current partner | Jess Panneton |
| Music name | Cat Missal |
| Years active | Since the late 2000s |
| Confirmed college degree | Not publicly established |
| Confirmed parents | Steve Missal and Karen Missal |
| Verified net worth | No authoritative figure available |
| Official personal website | No clearly verified official website identified |
Early Life and Childhood
Catherine Missal was born on November 15, 1999, in New Jersey. Public sources consistently identify New Jersey as her birthplace, although detailed information about her childhood home and upbringing is limited.
Missal became involved with performing while she was young. Public biographical sources describe her as starting community theater at around five years old, while later accounts of her professional career place her first screen work at approximately age 10.
That distinction matters. Her early involvement in theater was part of a longer development process rather than an overnight entry into professional acting.
By childhood, she was already gaining experience in front of audiences. Stage work provided a foundation that later helped her move into professional productions, Broadway, television, and film.
An important point about her childhood
Catherine Missal Father name is Steve Missal and Mother name Karen Missal.
The strongest publicly supported family connection is her relationship with actress Kelley Missal, who is Catherine’s sister.
Catherine Missal’s Education
Detailed information about Catherine Missal’s formal education is surprisingly limited.
There is no sufficiently authoritative public record establishing a specific college, university, degree, or formal acting qualification.
Some entertainment and biography websites publish school-related claims, but these details do not have enough reliable documentation to justify presenting them as fact.
This is an important part of understanding Missal’s biography because her career developed through professional performance experience from childhood. Rather than filling the gap with an unsupported school or degree, it is more accurate to say that her publicly documented professional training came largely through practical stage and screen experience.
Catherine Missal’s Broadway Career
One of the most important facts about Catherine Missal is that she was already a Broadway performer before becoming widely known for television.
Her Broadway history gives important context to her later acting career.
A Tale of Two Cities
Missal appeared in the Broadway production of A Tale of Two Cities as Little Lucie.
The musical adaptation was based on Charles Dickens’ famous novel and gave Missal an early opportunity to work in a major professional theatrical environment.
Her involvement demonstrated that she was already working at a high level as a young performer before her film and television career developed.
The 101 Dalmatians Musical
Missal also performed in The 101 Dalmatians Musical, including work connected with the production’s touring history.
The experience expanded her stage résumé and helped establish a pattern that would become important later in her career: moving between different forms of entertainment rather than relying exclusively on screen acting.
Mary Poppins
Missal later joined Broadway’s Mary Poppins as Jane Banks.
Broadway.com reported that a new group of Banks children joined the production in May 2010, including Missal. Her role as Jane Banks placed her in one of Broadway’s most recognizable family musicals.
This was an especially significant milestone because it gave a very young Missal experience with a large-scale commercial production and a highly visible theatrical property.
Catherine Missal Performed for Barack Obama and Michelle Obama
One of the lesser-known highlights of Missal’s childhood career was her performance for President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama.
During her time connected with Mary Poppins, Missal recalled performing “Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious” at Ford’s Theatre for the presidential couple.
That experience stands out because it demonstrates the level of professional exposure she had achieved while still a young performer.
It is also one of the most distinctive facts in her biography and a detail that is often missing from generic celebrity biography pages.
Catherine Missal’s Screen Acting Career
After gaining stage experience, Missal expanded into film and television.
Her screen credits show a gradual progression from smaller projects and guest appearances to increasingly substantial roles.
Shopping — 2009
Missal’s early screen résumé includes Shopping, in which she played Sophie.
The 2009 project is generally cited as her screen debut.
The timing is significant because it places her professional screen career at approximately age 10, following her earlier theater experience.
Law & Order: Special Victims Unit — 2012
Missal appeared on Law & Order: Special Victims Unit as Emily Culphers in the episode “Friending Emily.”
The episode aired during the show’s 14th season in 2012.
The role placed Missal in one of American television’s longest-running procedural franchises and added network television experience to her growing résumé.
Vijay and I — 2013
In 2013, Missal appeared in Vijay and I as Lily.
The film was directed by Sam Garbarski and featured an international ensemble cast.
This was another step in her movement from childhood stage work into feature filmmaking.
Movement and Location — 2014
Missal appeared in the independent science-fiction film Movement and Location as Rachel.
The project was associated with the 2014 Brooklyn Film Festival, where the film received several awards, including the Audience Award, Best Screenplay, and Best Original Score.
Those were film-level awards rather than individual acting awards for Missal, an important distinction when describing her achievements.
Catherine Missal in Vacation
One of Missal’s most recognizable early film roles came with the 2015 comedy Vacation.
She played Adena in the film.
The movie was part of the broader National Lampoon’s Vacation franchise and featured stars including Ed Helms, Christina Applegate, Leslie Mann, and Chris Hemsworth.
For Missal, Vacation was significant because it placed her in a large studio comedy with established Hollywood performers.
It also remains one of the projects most frequently associated with her pre-Tell Me Lies career.
Natural Selection — 2016
In 2016, Missal appeared in Natural Selection as Tiffany.
The film was a drama/thriller featuring performers including Anthony Michael Hall, Mason Dye, and Katherine McNamara.
This continued her work in feature films after Vacation and showed that her screen career was not limited to one particular genre.
Catherine Missal’s Television Roles
Missal continued to make television appearances during the late 2010s.
Doubt — 2017
She appeared in the television drama Doubt as Young Amy in the pilot.
Although the series had a short run, the appearance added another television drama to her résumé.
The Blacklist — 2018
Missal later appeared on The Blacklist as Tara Rayburn.
Her appearance came in the fifth season, in the episode “Anna-Gracia Duerte (No. 25),” which aired in 2018.
At this point, Missal had built a résumé spanning:
- Broadway
- Independent film
- Studio comedy
- Network television
- Television drama
Yet her biggest television opportunity was still ahead.
The Career Gap Before Tell Me Lies
One of the more important details in Catherine Missal’s career is the gap between her late-2010s acting credits and Tell Me Lies.
South China Morning Post has described Tell Me Lies as arriving after roughly a four-year gap between acting roles.
That period is worth mentioning because online biographies can make an actor’s career appear continuous when the public record actually shows stretches with fewer credited roles.
Rather than treating the gap as a failure, it is more useful to view it as part of the uneven development of a young performer transitioning from childhood and teenage work into adult acting.
Catherine Missal in Tell Me Lies
Why Is Catherine Missal Famous?
Catherine Missal is best known for playing Bree in Hulu’s Tell Me Lies.
The series premiered in 2022 and was developed by Meaghan Oppenheimer from Carola Lovering’s novel.
Missal became one of the central members of the ensemble alongside performers including:
- Grace Van Patten
- Jackson White
- Spencer House
- Sonia Mena
- Branden Cook
- Alicia Crowder
Her character, Bree, is part of the show’s central group of college friends.
Who Is Bree in Tell Me Lies?
Bree is one of the close friends of Lucy Albright and Pippa.
Unlike a character who remains fixed throughout a series, Bree undergoes major changes over the show’s three seasons.
Her story involves:
- Friendship
- Romantic relationships
- Betrayal
- Trust
- Secrecy
- Power differences
- Marriage
- Infidelity
- Emotional conflict
- Difficult personal choices
Her relationship with Evan becomes one of the early major elements of her story.
Later, her relationship with Oliver, a married professor, introduces another morally complicated dimension to the character.
The show’s nonlinear storytelling also allows audiences to see how choices made in college affect the characters’ later lives.
Catherine Missal’s Importance to Bree
Playing Bree became an important professional turning point for Missal because the role gave her much more room to develop a character over time.
Her earlier credits often involved:
- supporting film roles
- guest television appearances
- child or teenage characters
- single-project performances
Tell Me Lies was different.
As a series regular, she had the opportunity to explore Bree across multiple seasons and different stages of her life.
That gave viewers a much fuller picture of her acting ability.
Bree’s Relationships in Tell Me Lies
It is important to separate Bree’s fictional relationships from Catherine Missal’s real life.
Bree’s story includes relationships with characters such as:
- Evan
- Oliver
- Wrigley
These relationships are part of the fictional narrative and should not be confused with Missal’s own personal relationships.
This distinction is particularly important because celebrity searches frequently blend information about actors with information about their characters.
Tell Me Lies Season 3 and the Series Finale
The third season of Tell Me Lies premiered in January 2026 and concluded the series in February 2026.
For Missal, Season 3 represented the final chapter of her three-season run as Bree.
The final season continued exploring Bree’s relationships and her complicated place within the show’s group of friends.
Her story with Wrigley became one of the season’s notable emotional threads.
The end of Tell Me Lies therefore marked more than the conclusion of a television show. It also closed the most prominent sustained acting role of Missal’s career to date.
Catherine Missal’s Music Career
Catherine Missal is not exclusively an actress.
She also works as a musician under the name Cat Missal.
Her publicly listed music includes:
- Next to You — 2022
- Batman Song — 2023
- Fix — 2024
- Crazy featuring Cat Missal — 2024
- Mr. Brightside featuring Cat Missal — 2024
This musical work adds another dimension to her creative career.
Rather than being an actor who occasionally sings for a role, Missal has an identifiable music catalog under her own professional name.
Catherine Missal and “Mr. Brightside”
One of the most recognizable music connections in her career is “Mr. Brightside.”
Missal contributed a version of the song associated with Tell Me Lies.
Her involvement in the soundtrack helped connect her two professional identities:
Cat Missal the musician and Catherine Missal the actress.
That overlap is particularly relevant to her career because music has increasingly become part of the public conversation around her work.
Catherine Missal’s Role in A House of Dynamite
Missal also returned to feature-film work with A House of Dynamite, directed by Kathryn Bigelow.
She was credited as a CIA Duty Officer.
The film featured a major cast that included:
- Idris Elba
- Rebecca Ferguson
- Jared Harris
- Anthony Ramos
Her appearance in the film is notable because it followed the major visibility she gained through Tell Me Lies and represented continued movement between television and film.
Catherine Missal and Kelley Missal
Is Catherine Missal Related to Kelley Missal?
Yes. Catherine Missal and Kelley Missal are sisters.
Kelley Missal is also an actress and is known for work including One Life to Live, The Crossing, and Law & Order: Special Victims Unit.
Their shared involvement in acting makes the Missal family connection particularly interesting.
However, information about other members of Catherine’s immediate family is less consistently documented by authoritative sources.
What should readers know about Catherine’s parents?
Some celebrity websites publish names for her Steve Missal and Karen Missal parents.
A reliable biography should therefore avoid presenting those claims as established facts.
Catherine Missal’s Partner and Personal Life
Catherine Missal has generally maintained a relatively private personal life.
That changed in a more public way in 2026 when she discussed her relationship and sexuality in an interview with Teen Vogue.
Who Is Catherine Missal Dating?
Catherine Missal is in a relationship with Jess Panneton.
Missal and Panneton publicly discussed their relationship in February 2026.
They said they met at a drag show in West Hollywood.
The couple has also been publicly associated with life in the Los Angeles area, where they live together with their two cats, Chicken and Bunny.
Catherine Missal Publicly Discussed Her Sexuality in 2026
In her February 2026 Teen Vogue interview, Missal publicly identified herself as gay.
Because this was information she chose to discuss publicly herself, it can be included in a biography as a factual part of her public life.
It should not, however, be framed as a controversy.
Her sexuality is separate from the fictional storylines of Bree in Tell Me Lies*, and a responsible biography should avoid sensationalizing it.
Catherine Missal’s Life Outside Acting
Public information suggests that Missal keeps much of her private life away from entertainment coverage.
The 2026 Teen Vogue interview provides some of the clearest recent insight into her life outside work, including her relationship, home life, pets, and interests.
This relative privacy helps explain why many online biography pages contain more speculation than verifiable personal information.
For a trustworthy biography, the strongest approach is to prioritize what Missal herself has publicly discussed.
Catherine Missal’s Current Career Direction
The conclusion of Tell Me Lies does not appear to represent the end of Missal’s acting ambitions.
In her 2026 interview, she expressed interest in pursuing additional acting projects, particularly roles with more grit and science-fiction elements.
She also expressed an interest in continuing her music.
That direction makes sense given the range of her previous work.
Her career has already moved through:
child theater → Broadway → film → television → streaming drama → music
The next phase could therefore continue across several entertainment formats rather than being restricted to one medium.
Catherine Missal’s Achievements
Catherine Missal is an accomplished American actress, singer, and songwriter known for her prominent Broadway career and her major role in the television series Tell Me Lies.
Major career achievements include:
Broadway as a child performer
Working on major Broadway productions such as A Tale of Two Cities and Mary Poppins was a significant early achievement.
Performance for a U.S. president and first lady
Her performance connected with Mary Poppins for Barack Obama and Michelle Obama is one of the most distinctive milestones in her early career.
Multi-season television role
Playing Bree throughout all three seasons of Tell Me Lies gave Missal her most sustained major television role.
Feature-film work
Her filmography includes both independent projects and larger productions, including Vacation and A House of Dynamite.
Music
Her work as Cat Missal demonstrates that her creative career extends beyond acting.
Did Catherine Missal Win Any Awards?
No major individual acting award win has been reliably established from the available authoritative sources.
It is important not to confuse awards won by films in which she appeared with personal acting awards.
For example, Movement and Location received recognition at the 2014 Brooklyn Film Festival, including awards for Audience, Screenplay, and Original Score. Those honors belong to the film and its relevant creators rather than constituting an individual acting award for Missal.
Catherine Missal Net Worth
What Is Catherine Missal’s Net Worth?
Several celebrity websites publish estimates ranging from approximately $500,000 to more than $1 million, but these figures vary and are not supported by publicly available financial records.
For that reason, these numbers should be treated only as unverified third-party estimates, not as facts.
Why celebrity net-worth figures should be treated carefully
Entertainment websites often estimate wealth using:
- Acting credits
- Assumed salaries
- Public appearances
- Music activity
- Career length
But without access to Missal’s private contracts, taxes, investments, assets, debts, and other financial information, an exact net-worth calculation is impossible.
Therefore, the most accurate statement is:
Catherine Missal’s exact net worth is not publicly confirmed. Online estimates vary, and none should be treated as an official financial figure.
Catherine Missal’s Social Media
Missal has a public Instagram presence associated with the handle @catherine.missal.
Follower numbers are constantly changing, so a biography should avoid presenting a permanent follower count.
Her social-media presence offers fans access to parts of her professional and personal world, but it should not be treated as a substitute for independently verified biographical information.
Catherine Missal Movies and TV Shows
Movies
| Year | Title | Role |
|---|---|---|
| 2009 | Shopping | Sophie |
| 2013 | Vijay and I | Lily |
| 2014 | Movement and Location | Rachel |
| 2015 | Vacation | Adena |
| 2016 | Natural Selection | Tiffany |
| 2025 | A House of Dynamite | CIA Duty Officer |
Television
| Year | Television show | Role |
|---|---|---|
| 2012 | Law & Order: Special Victims Unit | Emily Culphers |
| 2017 | Doubt | Young Amy |
| 2018 | The Blacklist | Tara Rayburn |
| 2022–2026 | Tell Me Lies | Bree |
Catherine Missal Broadway Credits
| Production | Role / involvement |
|---|---|
| A Tale of Two Cities | Little Lucie |
| The 101 Dalmatians Musical | Patch / stage production |
| Mary Poppins | Jane Banks |
Her Broadway work is one of the strongest pieces of evidence that her professional acting career began well before Tell Me Lies.
Catherine Missal Career Timeline
| Period | Milestone |
|---|---|
| Childhood | Began performing in community theater |
| 2008 era | Broadway work in A Tale of Two Cities |
| 2009 | Screen appearance in Shopping |
| 2009–10 | Work with The 101 Dalmatians Musical |
| 2010 | Joined Mary Poppins as Jane Banks |
| 2010 | Performed for Barack Obama and Michelle Obama at Ford’s Theatre |
| 2012 | Appeared in Law & Order: SVU |
| 2013 | Appeared in Vijay and I |
| 2014 | Appeared in Movement and Location |
| 2015 | Played Adena in Vacation |
| 2016 | Played Tiffany in Natural Selection |
| 2017 | Appeared in Doubt |
| 2018 | Appeared in The Blacklist |
| 2022 | Became widely known as Bree in Tell Me Lies |
| 2022 | Released Next to You as Cat Missal |
| 2023 | Released Batman Song |
| 2024 | Released Fix and music connected with Tell Me Lies |
| 2025 | Appeared in A House of Dynamite |
| Jan.–Feb. 2026 | Appeared in the third and final season of Tell Me Lies |
| Feb. 2026 | Publicly discussed her relationship with Jess Panneton and her sexuality |
| 2026 onward | Expressed interest in additional acting and music projects |
Interesting Facts About Catherine Missal
She was a Broadway performer before becoming a TV star
Many people first encountered Missal through Tell Me Lies, but she had already worked professionally on Broadway as a child.
Her professional name is Cat Missal
Her music is released under Cat Missal, while her acting credits commonly appear under Catherine Missal.
She performed for Barack Obama and Michelle Obama
Her childhood stage career included a performance associated with Mary Poppins for the presidential couple at Ford’s Theatre.
She is related to another actress
Her sister Kelley Missal also works as an actress.
She has worked in several entertainment formats
Her résumé spans:
- Broadway
- Touring theater
- Film
- Network television
- Streaming television
- Music
Tell Me Lies was a breakthrough, not a debut
Missal had been acting for more than a decade before becoming widely recognized as Bree.
She has a music catalog of her own
Her music includes releases under the name Cat Missal, rather than being limited to acting-related performances.
Her Tell Me Lies role lasted three seasons
Playing Bree over the full series gave her significantly more character development than most of her earlier screen roles.
She appeared in A House of Dynamite
Her 2025 role connected her to filmmaker Kathryn Bigelow and a major ensemble cast.
She has expressed interest in science fiction
After Tell Me Lies, Missal discussed wanting to explore more intense and gritty roles, including science-fiction projects.
What Makes Catherine Missal’s Career Different?
Catherine Missal’s career is interesting because it does not follow the simple path of an actor who becomes famous through one television series.
Instead, it has several distinct stages.
Stage 1: Child performer
She developed performance skills through theater at a young age.
Stage 2: Broadway
She moved into professional theatrical productions, including A Tale of Two Cities and Mary Poppins.
Stage 3: Film and television
She gradually built screen credits across independent movies, studio comedy, network television, and drama.
Stage 4: Career pause
Her credited acting work shows a significant gap before Tell Me Lies.
Stage 5: Streaming breakthrough
Bree became her most visible sustained screen role.
Stage 6: Music
Her work as Cat Missal added a second creative path.
Stage 7: Post-Tell Me Lies career
With the series completed in 2026, Missal has indicated an interest in pursuing new acting and music opportunities.
This progression makes her career less about one sudden breakthrough and more about long-term development across several branches of the entertainment industry.
What Is Catherine Missal Doing Now?
As of 2026, Missal’s three-season run as Bree in Tell Me Lies has concluded.
Her publicly discussed plans include:
- Continuing acting
- Exploring grittier characters
- Pursuing science-fiction opportunities
- Continuing music
Her 2025 appearance in A House of Dynamite also demonstrates that she has continued working in feature films alongside television.
The next stage of her career therefore remains open across both acting and music.
FAQs
Catherine Missal was born on November 15, 1999, making her 26 years old as of August 2026.
She was born in New Jersey, United States.
She is best known for playing Bree in Hulu’s Tell Me Lies. She is also known for Vacation, Broadway productions such as Mary Poppins, and her work as the musician Cat Missal.
She plays Bree, one of the central characters in the series and a close friend of Lucy and Pippa.
Yes. Kelley Missal is Catherine Missal’s sister. Kelley is also an actress.
Yes. Her documented Broadway work includes A Tale of Two Cities and Mary Poppins. She also performed in The 101 Dalmatians Musical.
Yes. She releases music professionally as Cat Missal. Her catalog includes Next to You, Batman Song, and Fix, along with music connected to Tell Me Lies.
Her publicly discussed partner is Jess Panneton. Missal spoke about their relationship in a February 2026 Teen Vogue interview.
Yes. Missal publicly identified herself as gay in her February 2026 Teen Vogue interview.
Her film credits include Shopping, Vijay and I, Movement and Location, Vacation, Natural Selection, and A House of Dynamite.
Her exact net worth is not publicly confirmed. Several celebrity websites publish estimates, generally ranging from hundreds of thousands of dollars to around $1 million or more, but these figures are not verified financial records.
Missal has discussed wanting to continue acting, explore more gritty and science-fiction roles, and continue developing her music career.
Conclusion
Catherine Missal’s career is much broader than her role as Bree in Tell Me Lies. She was already a professional performer long before the Hulu series made her widely recognizable, beginning with childhood theater work and progressing to Broadway, film, and television.
Her early stage credits included A Tale of Two Cities and Mary Poppins, and her childhood career even included a performance for Barack Obama and Michelle Obama. She subsequently built a screen résumé through projects such as Shopping, Vijay and I, Movement and Location, Vacation, Natural Selection, Doubt, and The Blacklist.
Her defining television opportunity came with Tell Me Lies. As Bree, Missal had the opportunity to develop a complex character over three seasons, making the role the most substantial sustained part of her screen career to date.
At the same time, Cat Missal’s music career demonstrates that her creative ambitions extend beyond acting. Her releases and contributions to the Tell Me Lies soundtrack show a performer working across multiple forms.
