10 Best Sydney Sweeney Movies & TV Shows, Ranked (2024)

Sydney Sweeney has become a trailblazing talent of a new generation of film and television sensations. A celebrated star, Sweeney has become an icon of the small screen while endearing herself to tens of millions of fans with appearances on talk show series like Hot Ones and Saturday Night Live, While society has been quick to brandish her as a stereotypical blonde bombshell, Sweeney has exhibited an incredible knack for tackling complex and even unlikable characters with poise and sophistication.

With her career going from strength to strength in recent years, her greatest accomplishments range from hit HBO series to underrated coming-of-age gems and even to Academy Award-winning movies. She has experienced recent success with Anyone But You and Immaculate, both of which have seen her star rise higher, but one gets the impression she isn't even close to reaching her peak. That being said, these movies and series are representative of Sweeney's talents in what has been a phenomenal career thus far.

10 'Big Time Adolescence' (2019)

Director: Jason Orley

This endearing coming-of-age dramedy finds freshness in its specificity and thematic ideas and stars Griffin Gluck (Cruel Summer) and Pete Davidson (Saturday Night Live). Big Time Adolescence focuses on the complicated friendship between Mo, an intelligent teen, and Zeke, the drug-dealing college dropout he idolizes. When Mo begins dealing, it starts to become clear that Zeke is a bad influence on the 16-year-old despite being his best friend.

Its approach to some of its subject matter is a bit juvenile. Still, the ideas explored and the attitude in which they are analyzed walk a delicate line between offering a troubling observation of Mo's life and placing audiences in the youth's headspace. Sydney Sweeney co-stars as Zeke's girlfriend, Holly, who plays a major role in the context of Mo and Zeke's bond, forming close relationships with both characters. The role allows for Sweeney to showcase her acting chops in a smaller role, proving she's a scene-stealing presence regardless of the film.

Big Time Adolescence

R

Comedy

Drama

Release Date

March 13, 2020

Cast

Pete Davidson , Griffin Gluck , Sydney Sweeney , Jon Cryer , Machine Gun Kelly , Thomas Barbusca

Runtime

1h 31m

Writers

Jason Orley

Watch on Hulu

9 'Sharp Objects' (2018)

Creator: Marti Noxon

Sharp Objects is an 8-episode miniseries from HBO that was released to critical acclaim in 2018, though it perhaps hasn't garnered the widespread popularity it deserves. It follows Camille (Amy Adams), an alcoholic crime reporter recently discharged from a psychiatric hospital who returns to her hometown in Missouri to investigate the murder of two young girls. As she renews her complicated relationship with her mother, Camille must confront demons from her past.

The series flaunts an impressive cast, including Patricia Clarkson (The Station Agent), Sophia Lillis (It), and Eliza Scanlen (Little Women). Sydney Sweeney appears in a supporting role as Alice, Camille's teenage roommate from the psychiatric facility, with her performance effectively presenting a balanced yet tragic character in limited screen time. In just one episode, Sweeney makes a strong impression, keeping up with Adams, who's delivering career-best work here. The two create a compelling portrayal of human connection at its most intimate and pure.

Sharp Objects

TV-MA

Crime

Mystery

Drama

Release Date

July 8, 2018

Cast

Amy Adams , Patricia Clarkson , Chris Messina , Matt Craven , Henry Czerny , Madison Davenport , Miguel Sandoval , Elizabeth Perkins

Seasons

1

Watch on Max

8 'Everything Sucks!' (2018)

Creators: Ben York Jones & Michael Mohan

An underappreciated foray into coming-of-age television, Everything Sucks! follows a band of outcast high school students in 1996. When the school play is abruptly canceled following the destruction of the set, the drama kids and the A/V club join forces to make a movie to be presented to the entire school. Crushes develop, and friendships are tested as the kids work on the production while navigating high school life.

Imbued with a sense of adolescent angst that beautifully captures the awkward and sometimes hilarious antics of teenage life, Everything Sucks! is an endearing sleeper hit even if it did adhere to genre norms. Sweeney makes an immediate impression as Emaline Addario, an overly dramatic student whose romances bring about heartache and self-discovery for herself and her classmates. The role allows Sweeney to embrace her lighter side, especially compared to the roles that would come later in her career. The series was sadly canceled after one season, joining the many Netflix shows that never got the chance to find an audience.

Watch on Netflix

7 'Anyone But You' (2023)

Director: Will Gluck

An R-rated rom-com that hinges on the chemistry of its two stars, Sydney Sweeney and Glen Powell (Top Gun: Maverick), Anyone But You became a bit of a buzz movie with its glaring marketing campaign and its promise of edgy fun. It follows Bea (Sweeney) and Ben (Powell), whose past romance quickly disintegrated after a promising first date, as they head to Australia for a wedding. Their disdain for each other leads to interesting consequences when they pretend to be a couple to ensure the wedding goes smoothly.

While the plot doesn't re-invent the rom-com and hinges a lot of its allure on imbuing genre tropes with raunchier-than-usual gags, Anyone But You still manages to work a treat thanks to its dazzling stars. They give the film a comedic momentum that keeps the story afloat across the 103-minute runtime, while also presenting a fun and vibrant love story through their chemistry. The film has become a landmark box office achievement, with its immense popularity a hopeful sign for the future of romantic cinema.

Anyone But You

Not Yet Rated

Comedy

Romance

Release Date

December 22, 2023

Cast

Sydney Sweeney , Glen Powell , Alexandra Shipp , GaTa , Hadley Robinson , Michelle Hurd , Dermot Mulroney , Darren Barnet , Rachel Griffiths

Runtime

Writers

Will Gluck , Ilana Wolpert

Rent on Apple

6 'Americana' (2023)

Director: Tony Tost

An under-the-radar crime-comedy written and directed by acclaimed television writer Tony Tost (Damnation), Americana may not have drawn much attention, but it still offers a vibrant sense of fun that makes it one of Sweeney's best films. She co-stars alongside singer/songwriter Halsey, with the film following several independent social outcasts whose journeys violently collide when they set their sights on a rare and supposedly powerful shirt that emerges on the black market in South Dakota.

A worthy modern Western with an acidic sense of humor and a glorious penchant for obscene violence, Americana has an entertaining purity as it tracks the linking stories of its greedy, desperate characters. The result is a thoroughly enjoyable and utterly chaotic 110 minutes that thrives as a stylish adventure of non-linear storytelling and reprehensible renegades. Americana intelligently utilizes Sweeney's underrated knack for playing shady and amoral characters while featuring an eclectic supporting cast that elevates the film in spectacular fashion.

Americana is not available to rent or stream in the US and Canada.

5 'Euphoria' (2019-)

Creator: Sam Levinson

A true modern phenomenon, Euphoria is a daring teenage drama that pulls no punches in its depiction of the ugliest side of school life. Led by Emmy-winner Zendaya (Dune: Part Two), the series documents the horrific struggles of her and her classmates as they fall to the thralls of hard drugs, social media, disturbing sexual relationships, and financial desperation while trying to learn who they are as young adults. Sweeney co-stars as Cassie Howard, a student plagued by her sexual history.

A technical feat, Euphoria presents its characters' woes amid a surreal, entrancing visual display designed to capture the emotional truths of its characters through hyper-stylized cinematography and set design. While the series has been criticized for its glamorization of its troubling core themes and treatment of its female characters, it remains a current cultural icon. The show earned Sweeney a 2022 Primetime Emmy Award nomination for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series, a major recognition in the actress' blossoming career.

Euphoria

TV-MA

Drama

Release Date

June 19, 2019

Cast

Maude Apatow , Eric Dane , Nika Williams , Sydney Sweeney

Seasons

3

Watch on Max

4 'Reality' (2023)

Director: Tina Satter

An affirming outing that proved Sweeney was capable of leading a film alone, Reality serves as an urgent biographical crime drama. It follows Reality Winner, a former U.S. Air Force member and NSA translator arrested in 2017 for leaking information pertaining to Russia's involvement in the 2016 American election. Reality is a dramatization of her interrogation and eventual arrest by FBI agents.

The film is based on the play Is This a Room, which was the creation of the film's director, Tina Satter and functioned as a verbatim performance of the transcript of the interrogation. Reality thrives at taking the minimalist approach of the stage play and expanding it seamlessly to fit the scale of a feature-length film without ever compromising the story's stripped-back grit or unsettling adherence to the true events. Sweeney commands the screen with an exceptional performance, portraying a terrified young woman gradually realizing that her life is being uprooted.

Reality

TV-MA

Drama

Release Date

May 29, 2023

Cast

Sydney Sweeney , Josh Hamilton , Marchánt Davis , Benny Elledge

Runtime

83 minutes

Watch on Max

3 'The Handmaid's Tale' (2017 - Present)

Creator: Bruce Miller

Serving as a career breakthrough for Sweeney, Hulu's The Handmaid’s Tale, an adaptation of Margaret Atwood's novel, is set in a dystopian future where fertility rates have collapsed and society has been taken over by a tyrannical religious ruling class. It focuses on June Osborne, played by Emmy-winner Elisabeth Moss (Mad Men), a woman forced into slavery on account of her fertility. Season 2 sees Sweeney playing the pious Eden Spencer, who is presented as a child bride to Nick Blaine, played by Max Minghella (The Social Network).

Despite its confronting premise, The Handmaid’s Tale has become a hit in modern television, earning high praise for its narrative conviction and provocativeness, powerful presentation, and exceptional performances. With a refusal to pull its punches and offer easier alternatives to its thematic heft has made The Handmaid's Tale one of the more harrowing series on television. Its bleak setting has served as an ignition point for political discussions as well, making it an urgent conversation starter, even if not the easiest or most pleasant viewing experience.

The Handmaid's Tale

TV-MA

Sci-Fi

Thriller

Drama

Release Date

April 26, 2017

Cast

O-T Fagbenle , Joseph Fiennes , Alexis Bledel , Elisabeth Moss , Amanda Brugel , Bradley Whitford , Max Minghella , Ann Dowd , Samira Wiley , Madeline Brewer , Yvonne Strahovski

Seasons

5

Watch on Hulu

2 'The White Lotus' (2021 - Present)

Creator: Mike White

A twisty, character-driven dark comedy with plenty of shocking turns and no small amount of scandalous intrigue, The White Lotus has become a hallmark of modern television. Sydney Sweeney plays a major part in Season 1, which focuses on a wide range of visitors and staff at the eponymous luxury resort. As guests and workers begin to clash, the relaxing Hawaiian getaway deteriorates, sending everyone into a frenzied panic as their darkest secrets begin to spill out.

With its all-star cast, intense story beats, and plenty of taboo content, The White Lotus has an intoxicating allure that is difficult to resist once indulged. The characters are cruel, conniving, and materialistic, serving as critiques of class, elitism, and the lingering effects of imperialism. Sweeney embraces the opportunity to play a mean-spirited brat with sensational results, with her Olivia Mossbacher a snide and spoiled by-product of unfettered privilege. Sweeney earned another Emmy nomination for her portrayal, losing against her co-star, the hilarious Jennifer Coolidge (Legally Blonde).

The White Lotus

TV-MA

Comedy

Drama

Release Date

July 11, 2021

Cast

Jennifer Coolidge , Jon Gries , F. Murray Abraham , Adam DiMarco , Meghann Fahy , Tom Hollander , Michael Imperioli

Seasons

3

Watch on Max

1 'Once Upon a Time in Hollywood' (2019)

Director: Quentin Tarantino

The ninth film from Quentin Tarantino, 2019's Once Upon a Time in Hollywood is a loving yet revisionist look at a complicated time in Hollywood history, an era of supposed bliss that was careening towards a violent demise. It follows TV actor Rick Dalton, played by Leonardo DiCaprio (The Wolf of Wall Street), as his career begins to dwindle. All the while, his stuntman Cliff Boothe, an Oscar-winning Brad Pitt (Babylon), stays by his side, while his neighbor, Sharon Tate, played by Margot Robbie (Barbie), enjoys the beginning of her career as an actress.

The film sees Tarantino letting his creative impulses run wild. Yet, there is a controlled grasp on the narrative that carefully steers viewers through every scene, enabling the film to feel breezy and fresh in some moments and sickeningly intense in others. It has become a modern classic as an affectionate ode to American cinema in its heyday. While Sweeney only had a small part as Dianne “Snake” Lake, it remains the best picture she has appeared in thus far, and movie lovers everywhere will notice her supporting role with interest, given how far she has come since.

Once Upon a Time in Hollywood

R

Crime

Drama

Release Date

July 24, 2019

Cast

Margot Robbie , Brad Pitt , Leonardo DiCaprio , Damon Herriman , Dakota Fanning , Sydney Sweeney

Runtime

165 mins

Writers

Quentin Tarantino

Watch on Hulu

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