Maria Sten

Maria Sten (born October 29, 1989) is a Danish actress, writer and director best known for playing Frances Neagley in Amazon Prime Video’s hit Reacher (since 2022) and for headlining its 2026 spin-off series Neagley.

Born in Copenhagen to Danish and Congolese parents, Sten was crowned Miss Denmark Universe 2008 and represented Denmark at Miss Universe before moving to New York to study the performing arts. She led the horror anthology Channel Zero: The Dream Door (2018) and played Liz Tremayne in DC’s Swamp Thing (2019). Behind the camera she has written for David E. Kelley’s Big Sky, written and directed the short films Wild Things Run Free and When It Burns, and was selected for the 2017 Black List x WIF Episodic Lab.

Her profile rose sharply with Reacher, where Neagley — Reacher’s sharp, loyal former Army colleague — became a fan favourite across the show’s run. That popularity led Prime Video to build the 2026 spin-off Neagley around the character, making Sten the lead of her own series.

Sten’s path is unusually multifaceted: before acting she competed internationally as a beauty-pageant titleholder, and she has continued to work as a writer and director even as her on-screen career has taken off, lending episodes of network drama and her own short films a distinct authorial voice. She also starred in the sci-fi audio series Narcissa (2022). In Neagley, the Prime Video spin-off, she steps fully into the spotlight as the lead, following the investigator as she seeks the truth after an old friend dies in a suspicious accident — a role that has made her one of the franchise’s breakout figures.

How tall is Maria Sten?

Maria Sten’s exact height has never been officially confirmed. Estimates that circulate online differ, placing her between roughly 5′9″ (about 175 cm) and 5′10″ (about 178 cm). We list that range rather than a single figure because none of the sources is verified; treat it as an approximation. If a reliable official figure appears, we’ll update it here.