Maria Sten

• Name — Maria Sten • Birthplace — Copenhagen, Denmark • Born — 29 October 1989 • Other Names — Maria Sten-Knudsen • Occupation — Actress, filmmaker, writer • Height — 5 ft 10 in • Hair Color — Black • Eye Color — Brown • Title — Miss Denmark • Competitions — * Miss Denmark Universe 2008 (winner) • Miss Supertalent of the World 2011 (top 7)

Sten was born in Copenhagen, Denmark to Danish painter Nina Sten-Knudsen with Swedish heritage and a Congolese father. She has eight siblings: one brother, four sisters, two step-sisters and one unrelated sister. She grew up with only one of the sisters, an older sister who was her mother’s only other child. As a child, Sten often posed for her mother's art and, as a child, she also started doing theater in school; participating in a youth acting program at Scandinavian Theater School. Her other childhood activities included horseback riding, gymnastics, kickboxing, track and field and playing the piano. As she grew older, she grew taller and was convinced to try modeling. Sten moved to New York City in the United States when she was 18 years old to pursue a career in Performing Arts.

Sten competed in Miss Supertalent of the World 2011 and was placed in the top seven women among 50 candidates.

As an actor, Sten played the lead role of Jillian Hope Hodgson in the fourth season of the television show Channel Zero: The Dream Door. She portrayed Liz Tremayne in the DC Universe television series Swamp Thing, which also starred Crystal Reed. Since 2022, she has starred as the character Frances Neagley in the Amazon Prime Video series Reacher.

• Year — Title — Role — Notes • 2012 — The Doctors — Woman in Bedroom — Episode: "Secrets to Look & Feel Better Naked"; as Maria Sten-Knudsen • Eros.Emmanuel and Me — Christina — Television mini-series • 2014 — Celebrity Crime Files — Angela Davis — Episode: "The Black Panthers" • Out the Box — Maria — Episode: "These Hands" • 2018 — Channel Zero: The Dream Door — Jillian Hope Hodgson — Main role; 6 episodes • 2019 — Swamp Thing — Liz Tremayne — Main role; 10 episodes • 2021 — Big Sky — — — Writer; Episode: "The Wolves Are Always Out for Blood" • 2022–present — Reacher — Frances Neagley — Main role; 12 episodes • 2026 — Neagley — Lead role; 8 episodes

• Year — Title — Role — Notes • 2015 — Persuasion — Terry — Main role; 9 episodes • 2022 — Narcissa — Andie — Main role; 8 episodes

• Year — Title — Notes • 2015 — In the Still of the Night — Short film