Frances Pen Benioff: Who Is Amanda Peet’s Eldest Daughter?
Frances Pen Benioff, nicknamed Frankie, is the eldest child of actress Amanda Peet and Game of Thrones co-creator David Benioff. She was born on February 20, 2007, so she is 19 in 2026. Her middle name, Pen, honors Amanda Peet’s mother, Penny. One detail most pages miss: her legal surname is Friedman, not Benioff.
She isn’t an actress and has kept a fairly low profile. Her name gets searched because of her parents and because Amanda Peet tells funny stories about her on talk shows. This page sticks to what’s reported by real outlets.
Quick facts
| Detail | Information | Source quality |
|---|---|---|
| Legal name | Frances Pen Friedman | Reported by AOL |
| Nickname | Frankie | Reported |
| Born | February 20, 2007 | Confirmed (2007 birth announcement) |
| Birth weight | 6 pounds, 10 ounces | Confirmed (2007 birth announcement) |
| Age | 19 (as of October 2026) | Calculated |
| Zodiac sign | Pisces | Based on birth date |
| Mother | Amanda Peet, actress | Confirmed |
| Father | David Benioff, writer and producer | Confirmed |
| Siblings | A younger sister (born 2010) and a younger brother (born 2014) | Confirmed |
| Education | In college; reported as Cornell University | Reported |
| Profession | Student | Not an actress |
Why Frances Pen Benioff’s real surname is Friedman
This is the most useful fact on the page, and most profiles get it wrong.
Her father was born David Friedman on September 25, 1970, in New York City. His father, Stephen Friedman, ran Goldman Sachs. When David started writing, there were already other authors named David Friedman, so he took a pen name: Benioff, his mother’s maiden name.
So “Benioff” is his professional name, and the family’s legal surname is Friedman. AOL lists all three children with the Friedman surname. People search “Frances Pen Benioff” because Benioff is the name they know from Game of Thrones credits. Any official record, such as a school roster or a future credit, would most likely use Friedman.
The meaning of “Frances Pen”
Each part of her name has a story:
- Frances: her first name, shortened to Frankie by family.
- Pen: a tribute to her maternal grandmother, Penny, Amanda Peet’s mother.
- Friedman / Benioff: her father’s legal surname and his pen name.
The family seems to like names that carry relatives. Her younger brother’s middle name is Peet, his mother’s surname.
Frances’ birth in 2007
Frances was born on February 20, 2007, weighing 6 pounds, 10 ounces. Her parents had married about five months earlier, on September 30, 2006, in a Jewish ceremony in New York City.
At the time, her parents’ careers were moving fast:
| Year | What happened |
|---|---|
| 2002 | Benioff’s 25th Hour screenplay, adapted from his own novel, hits theaters |
| 2004 | Benioff writes the screenplay for Troy |
| 2007 | Frances is born; Benioff’s The Kite Runner screenplay is released |
| 2008 | Benioff publishes the novel City of Thieves |
| 2009 | Peet appears in the disaster film 2012 |
| 2011 | Game of Thrones premieres on HBO |
Amanda Peet was already known for The Whole Nine Yards (2000) and Something’s Gotta Give (2003). Benioff’s biggest work was still ahead of him.
Growing up with a Game of Thrones creator
Frances was four when Game of Thrones premiered and 12 when it ended in 2019. Her father and D.B. Weiss ran the show for its full eight seasons, winning multiple Emmys along the way.
After the show ended, Benioff and Weiss signed a deal with Netflix in 2019, reported at around $200 million. That led to 3 Body Problem. The family keeps homes in Manhattan and Beverly Hills.
Amanda Peet has spoken about wanting her kids to see parents who follow their passions. In a 2009 Self interview, she said children need role models who identify their passions and pursue them. Frances grew up watching both parents do exactly that, in very public careers.
Frankie today
Frances is now in college. According to AOL, she shared her acceptance in a TikTok video, and she’s reported to be at Cornell University.
She has made only a few public appearances. As a toddler, she went to a Michael J. Fox Foundation event with her parents in 2009. Most of what the public knows comes from her mother’s stories, told with obvious affection on late-night TV.
The best known came on The Tonight Show in April 2025. Peet said Frances once asked her and David a blunt question: “Do you guys ever miss being young and attractive?” It’s a typical teenage line, and it shows how the family jokes about life at home.
How motherhood changed Amanda Peet’s work
Frances’ arrival changed more than her parents’ schedules. In 2008, a year after she was born, Amanda Peet became a spokesperson for Every Child By Two, a nonprofit that promotes childhood vaccination. The advocacy began soon after she became a mother. She spoke out strongly on the issue at a time when vaccine debates were heated, and she drew a lot of criticism for it. It remains one of the causes she’s best known for outside acting.
Peet’s career also widened as her kids grew up. She moved into writing, and in 2021 she co-created the Netflix series The Chair, starring Sandra Oh. For Frances, that meant two parents who both wrote for a living, one in fantasy epics and one in campus comedy.
Frances’ siblings
Frances is the oldest of three. She has a younger sister, born in April 2010, and a younger brother, born in December 2014. Both are still minors and are kept out of the public eye, so this page doesn’t go into details about them.
Common myths you’ll see online
| Claim you may see | What the record shows |
|---|---|
| Her surname is Benioff | Her legal surname is Friedman |
| She is an actress | She has no acting career |
| Her father’s birth name is Benioff | He was born David Friedman |
| She was born in 2006 | She was born February 20, 2007 |
| Her net worth is a set figure | She is a student with no public earnings |
FAQs
Who is Frances Pen Benioff?
She is the eldest child of actress Amanda Peet and Game of Thrones co-creator David Benioff.
How old is Frankie Benioff?
She was born on February 20, 2007, so she is 19 in 2026.
What is Frances Pen Benioff’s real name?
Her legal name is reported as Frances Pen Friedman. Benioff is her father’s pen name.
What does the “Pen” in her name mean?
It honors her maternal grandmother, Penny, Amanda Peet’s mother.
Is Frances Pen Benioff an actress?
No. Unlike her mother, she has no acting career and is a college student.
How many children do Amanda Peet and David Benioff have?
Three: Frances (2007), a daughter born in 2010, and a son born in 2014.
Where does Frankie go to college?
She is reported to attend Cornell University, which she shared on TikTok.
The bottom line
Frankie is Amanda Peet and David Benioff’s first child, born in February 2007 and now a college student. The key facts are her age, her name’s meaning, and the fact that her real surname is Friedman. Beyond that, she has kept a private life, and her family has helped her do it.
If you want to see the family’s personality, watch Amanda Peet’s talk-show interviews. That’s where Frankie’s best lines usually come out.
JacksonPadilla is a writer at Around Celebrities, covering celebrity families, relationships, biographies, and the stories behind the stars. With a focus on clear and engaging storytelling, JacksonPadilla helps readers discover the people and connections beyond the spotlight.
