Cinvibe
Still from Beneath the Planet of the Apes (1970)
Character · by Priya Nair

Nova in Planet of the Apes: Every Version and Actress

Nova in Planet of the Apes is a name carried by three screen roles: the mute woman who flees with Taylor in Planet of the Apes (1968), played by Linda Harrison, the orphan girl in War for the Planet of the Apes, played by Amiah Miller, and the human credited as Nova / Mae in Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes, played by Freya Allan. The name appears in four of the ten films, and Planet of the Apes (2001) is not one of them.

Image: TMDB

Who Plays Nova / Mae?

Who Is Nova in Planet of the Apes?

Nova is the name of a mute human who travels beside the hero in planet of the apes 1968, directed by Franklin J. Schaffner, and the name returns for a human girl in war for the planet of the apes (2017), directed by Matt Reeves. It appears once more as the credit Nova / Mae in kingdom of the planet of the apes (2024), directed by Wes Ball. Across the series that makes four films, which is why searches for Nova often return mixed answers.

The series falls into three runs, and Nova belongs to two of them. The original run, from 1968 to battle for the planet of the apes in 1973, gives her two appearances. Tim Burton's planet of the apes 2001, a standalone remake, lists no Nova among its top fifteen billed cast (Estella Warren plays Daena there). The modern run, from rise of the planet of the apes in 2011 onward, brings the name back in War for the Planet of the Apes and Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes.

Three actresses play the Novas. Linda Harrison is billed seventh as Nova in Planet of the Apes (1968) and fifth in beneath the planet of the apes (1970), directed by Ted Post. Amiah Miller is billed sixth in War for the Planet of the Apes. Freya Allan is billed second in Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes as Nova / Mae. For the wider list of roles, see the planet of the apes characters index.

Nova / Mae Films

Nova in Planet of the Apes: Story Arc Across the FilmsSpoilers

In Planet of the Apes (1968), Nova is one of the mute humans of a world ruled by talking apes. After the astronaut Taylor is shot in the throat and treated by the chimpanzees Zira and Cornelius, she leaves with him, escaping into the Forbidden Zone. Dr. Zaius follows with soldiers, shows Taylor evidence of an older human civilization, and lets the pair ride on. They follow the shoreline and find the half buried Statue of Liberty, and the film ends on Taylor's despair.

In Beneath the Planet of the Apes, Taylor disappears in the Forbidden Zone and Nova is left alone. A second astronaut, Brent, finds her wearing Taylor's dog tags and follows her toward Ape City. The two are captured, and Zira helps them escape into a cave that proves to be a ruined subway station. Below the city, Brent meets telepathic mutant humans led by Mendez. When Mendez forces Brent and Taylor to fight, Nova's scream breaks his hold.

In War for the Planet of the Apes, a different Nova arrives as a mute orphan girl. Caesar's party takes her in on the road to hunt the Colonel, and Maurice gives her the name. In the prison camp, a mutated strain of the virus is stripping humans of speech and intelligence. Nova and the chimp Bad Ape help the apes break out through a tunnel, and she reaches the new refuge with the survivors.

In Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes, Freya Allan plays the character credited as Nova / Mae, called Mae in the story. She is a human scavenger who can speak. She is captured with the young chimpanzee Noa and taken to Proximus Caesar's coastal kingdom. She wants something from a sealed human vault, and Noa agrees to help her while trying to free his clan.

Who Is Nova Close To?

Nova's closest bond in the original films is with George Taylor, played by Charlton Heston, and the taylor planet of the apes profile covers his side of that pairing. In Beneath, her bond with Taylor passes to Brent, played by James Franciscus, who finds her wearing Taylor's dog tags. Zira, played by Kim Hunter, is the ape who helps the pair escape, and there is more on her in the zira planet of the apes profile.

In War, the relationships are with the apes who take her in. Maurice planet of the apes names her, and Caesar, played by Andy Serkis, allows the girl to travel with a group that has every reason to distrust humans. Bad Ape, played by Steve Zahn, travels with her too. See caesar planet of the apes for the leader of that journey.

In Kingdom, the central pairing is with Noa (see noa planet of the apes), played by Owen Teague. Mae also faces Trevathan, played by William H. Macy, the human advisor to Proximus Caesar. Mae kills him after he catches her planting charges.

What Happens to Nova?Spoilers

The 1968 Nova survives her first film and dies in her second. She is last seen riding beside Taylor to the ruined Statue of Liberty, and she is killed in the battle between the apes and the mutants in Beneath the Planet of the Apes, shortly before Taylor sets off the bomb that destroys the planet.

The War Nova survives. The avalanche buries the attacking soldiers, and she reaches the oasis with Caesar's tribe. Caesar dies there from his wound, and the film leaves her among the apes in the new refuge.

Mae in Kingdom is alive at the end of the film and her story is left open. She says goodbye to Noa while secretly armed, travels to a human satellite base, and uses the data she took from the vault to switch the satellites back on and contact other human settlements. Her armed farewell hints that humans and apes are heading for renewed conflict. Studio plans for what comes next are covered in the kingdom of the planet of the apes sequel page. The reported next film is a new original story directed by Matt Shakman and is not a sequel to Kingdom.

Best Nova Moments: Where the Name Matters Most

In my opinion, the strongest Nova scene is Mendez losing his grip when she screams in Beneath the Planet of the Apes, because the film gives its quietest character the one sound that breaks a telepathic mind. It could be argued that this is the most useful thing the original series asks of her, and it makes Linda Harrison's role more than that of a silent companion.

The second pick is the shoreline ride in Planet of the Apes (1968). Nova is beside Taylor when the Statue of Liberty appears and, as a result, the twist lands on two people, one who understands it at once and one who cannot say anything. In my opinion, that contrast is a large part of why the ending works.

The third is Maurice naming the orphan in War for the Planet of the Apes. Perhaps it is the gentlest scene in the modern trilogy, since an orangutan gives a name to a girl who cannot speak. The tunnel escape with Bad Ape then shows she is no passive survivor.

The fourth is Mae's armed farewell to Noa in Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes, which leaves her story open. I would stay cautious about linking her to the War girl: the credit reads Nova / Mae, but neither film states a connection.

If you want to see how the three eras compare, start with planet of the apes movies in order and the planet of the apes original vs reboot guide. For costume or collectible ideas, see planet of the apes merchandise.

Facts

FAQs

Who is Nova in Planet of the Apes?

Nova is a mute human character. In Planet of the Apes (1968) she is the woman who flees into the Forbidden Zone with Taylor, played by Linda Harrison. The name returns for the orphan girl in War for the Planet of the Apes, played by Amiah Miller, and for the character credited as Nova / Mae in Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes, played by Freya Allan.

Why do apes call humans Nova?

Apes do not call humans Nova as a group: in these films it is a personal name. Taylor's companion carries it in 1968, and Maurice gives it to the orphan girl in War for the Planet of the Apes. None of the films explains the choice of name, so Cinvibe does not guess one.

What is the first new Planet of the Apes movie?

Rise of the Planet of the Apes (2011), directed by Rupert Wyatt, is the first film of the modern run and the first in chronological order. The newest release is Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes (2024). Matt Shakman is reported to be directing an untitled new film for 20th Century Studios, which TheWrap says is an original story and not a Kingdom sequel. No release date has been announced.

What is Linda Harrison doing now?

Cinvibe can only confirm her screen work as Nova, in Planet of the Apes (1968) and Beneath the Planet of the Apes (1970). No studio or trade source on her current activities has been checked, so Cinvibe does not guess.

Who plays Nova in War for the Planet of the Apes?

Amiah Miller plays Nova in War for the Planet of the Apes (2017), billed sixth. Her character is a mute orphan girl whom Maurice names, and she travels with Caesar's group to the refuge.

Does Nova die in Planet of the Apes?

It depends on the film. The 1968 Nova is killed in Beneath the Planet of the Apes during the battle with the mutants. The Nova of War for the Planet of the Apes survives and reaches the refuge. The Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes character, credited as Nova / Mae, is alive at the end.