Sadie Stanley may only be beginning her career, but the American actress already has a string of hit performances to her name across both film and television. Also a talented singer, she doesn’t come from an acting family, so there’s not a single nepo-performance in sight, either. Since her first (and breakout) role in the live-action television film adaptation of Kim Possible (where she also sang an updated version of the theme song), she’s been working consistently, and most recently had a recurring part on the teen drama anthology series Cruel Summer. But out of all of her television and film performances, which ones will live longest in the memory? Here are all the best Sadie Stanley movies and TV shows!
8. Room 104
This HBO anthology series is set in Room 104 of an American motel, and each episode delves into the life of whoever is passing through there. The inventive show uses a variety of different styles depending on what the episode storyline is, and has generally been seen as a great watch, despite some episodes being a bit hit-and-miss. Many of the episodes have a slightly unsettling tint to them that might remind viewers of Black Mirror, including the one that Stanley was in: “Oh, Harry!”
The episode follows a man named Harry who soon realizes he’s stuck in a terrible sitcom with a family he doesn’t know, and following a script he can’t change. Stanley plays the eldest child and puts in a great performance that makes the somewhat predictable episode a lot more watchable. It’s a trope that’s been done plenty of times before, and much better, but there are worse ways to spend 30 minutes, and at least the acting in it is good, even if the message is stale.
7. Let Us In
Sci-fi horrors can be hit or miss, and this convoluted movie definitely leans toward the latter. Stanley plays the part of Jessie, the older sister of one of the main characters and a victim of the Jungspar, an evil race of aliens who kidnap kids and teens. The film mostly follows a character called Elizabeth as she deals with the unresolved trauma that stems from one of her childhood friends dying, but the super confusing nature of the plot and the fact that very little of it actually connects really does make this film a struggle. In fact, it’s fair to say that Stanley is probably the best thing about it — her scenes are captivating, especially when she’s attacked by the Jungspar and you can feel the tension flowing out of the screen and slathering you. One to watch if you’ve completed the rest of your streaming services, unless you’re a committed Stanley fan.
6. Dead to Me
When you’ve got Christina Applegate and Linda Cardellini as co-stars, you’re bound to get an excellent show, and dark comedy Dead to Me is that and more. Another victim of the great Netflix canceling sickness, the show ran for three excellent seasons, and its startling blend of humor, emotion, and gore makes it one of the most binge-able series on the streaming giant. Dead to Me follows Jen (Applegate) and Judy (Cardellini), two women who meet at a grief support group only for Jen to realize that Judy already knows a lot more about her than she let on. The show gets crazier over the course of the three seasons, and Stanley’s character — Parker, Jen’s son’s love interest and a satirical take on influencer culture — is a brilliant addition during her three episodes. Almost every scene she’s in is hilarious, and she manages to keep pace with her incredible co-stars and then some. A great show with a wonderful three-episode arc from the young actress.
5. The Sleepover
This family action comedy begins with what seems like your standard teen trope: Clancy (Stanley) gets invited to a party by her crush, but on that same day, her brother Kevin is filmed dancing by some bullies, but they’re stopped by the lunch monitor, who’s also Kevin and Clancy’s mother Margot. Sadly, the video still goes viral, gaining millions of views. Clancy, alongside her friend Mim, asks her parents if she can go to the party, but is denied and eventually grounded after insulting her parents. Of course, they later sneak out, but they see masked men breaking into their house and kidnapping their parents — but strangely, the criminals are referring to her mother as Matilda. The teens, accompanied by Kevin and his friend Lewis, follow the trail of clues left by Margot/Matilda, which soon leads them to realize she was once in the witness protection program, and the viral video alerted those searching for her to her whereabouts. What follows is a classic caper, with Stanley putting on a brilliant show that culminates in the family being saved, and her kind of getting the boy. A fun family romp with a great performance from the young actress.
4. Cruel Summer
Stanley is one of the co-stars of the second season of this critically acclaimed teen drama anthology series, and gives an immense performance across all the episodes that are out so far. She plays Megan, a super smart high schooler and computer geek, and the season charts her increasingly intense relationship with Isabella, an exchange student who Megan’s family agrees to host. Each episode that’s out has begun in the summer of 1999 and stretches out to a year later, although lots of information is left missing depending on the perspective we’re seeing. The first episode is entirely from Megan’s view, and we learn how she feels about her hometown, and her closest friends — including Luke, who she has a crush on. However, as the episode wears on and we skip in time, what seems like teen romance drama morphs into an altogether more unsettling mystery. Stanley carries her role brilliantly, and will have you hooked with her fantastic performance.
3. Somewhere in Queens
Although Stanley isn’t one of the main roles in this family comedy, she has more than enough screen time to show off her talent, and does so with aplomb. Somewhere in Queens is about Leo Russo (Ray Romano), a blue-collar father whose main joy in life is seeing his high school-aged son, Sticks, dominate in local basketball games. However, when a college scout says that Sticks has what it takes to make it, Leo suddenly becomes obsessive about giving Sticks everything he needs to become a star and drag the family out of the working class. As it transpires, Sticks has been secretly seeing Dani (Stanley), and when they have an inevitable break up as a result of going to different colleges, his performances on the court slump, leading Leo to bargain with Dani to at least pretend she’s willing to get back together with his son so he’ll start shooting three-pointers again. Funny and adorable in parts (even if it is just Ray Romano playing himself once again, as he did in the show that made him rich and famous), Stanley is excellent as Dani and really makes you empathize with her character and the tough situation she’s placed in.
2. The Goldbergs
Stanley had a recurring role across three seasons of hit sitcom The Goldbergs, where she played Brea Bee, one of the most popular girls in school and the eventual girlfriend of the show’s protagonist, Adam Goldberg. Although the character is a bit of a classic hot-girl-with-a-golden-heart who falls for the nerdy main character, Stanley really makes the part her own, showcasing great comedic timing as well as showing us some really intense emotions, especially as we learn more about her character’s troubled home life. A great three seasons of acting from a star in the making.
1. Kim Possible
Kim Possible wasn’t just Stanley’s first role, but her first major audition, and she absolutely killed it in the live-action version of the popular animated series about a high school-aged spy and crime-stopper. The film is brilliantly goofy and charming, but Stanley is genuinely incredible as the titular star, managing to do what so many live-action adaptations fail at and actually be a convincing version of a famous animated character. It’s almost impossible to believe that this was her first part, but as we’ve seen, Stanely is one heck of a performer. Definitely worth a watch, even if you didn’t grow up with the show.