Quick Links
- Law & Order: SVU (2011)
- Work It (2020)
- Royalties (2020)
- Adventures In Babysitting (2016)
- Emergency (2022)
- The Hate U Give (2018)
- Milo Murphy’s Law (2016-2019)
- Clouds (2020)
- The Short History Of The Long Road (2019)
- Girl Meets World (2014-2017)
In 2024, Sabrina Carpenter has been breaking streaming records for her music left and right. Every single she released has shot to the top of the charts. While she’s been singing since a very young age, Carpenter got her foot in the door in the entertainment industry in the acting world. While she primarily appeared in television roles, Carpenter has also appeared in a handful of movies as well.
Carpenter got her big break in the acting world thanks to the Disney Channel. She appeared in several shows for the network as well as some of their Disney Channel Original Movies. The network helped to boost Carpenter’s profile, and her first full-length albums as a musical artist were also through Disney’s Hollywood Records. Thanks to Disney and Carpenter’s hard work, the actress and singer has demonstrated her talent in a lot of projects.
10 Law & Order: SVU (2011)
Carpenter Appears In Season 12, Episode 12 “Posessed”
Law and Order: SVU TV-14CrimeDramaMysteryThriller Where to Watch
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Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (SVU) is a procedural crime drama series created by Dick Wolf that follows cases handled by a fictional New York Police Department’s 16th precinct that centers around sexually-based crimes. The Show follows a rotating group of detectives that will tackle some of the most heinous crimes while trying to help the victims – and themselves – adjust to the new normal as the darkness in the world reveals itself with each new case.
Cast Christopher Meloni , Mariska Hargitay , Richard Belzer , Dann Florek , Michelle Hurd , Stephanie March , Ice-T , BD Wong , Diane Neal , Tamara Tunie Release Date September 20, 1999 Seasons 24 Showrunner Robert Palm , David J. Burke , Neal Baer , Warren Leight , Rick Eid , Michael S. Chernuchin , David Graziano Creator(s) Dick Wolf
This episode of Law & Order: Special Victims Unit is known for being the episode to feature Taryn Manning as a survivor of assault. It also, however, features young performances by two future Disney Channel stars: Sabrina Carpenter and Peyton List.
Carpenter only appears in a few minutes of the episode, but her dramatic role as a young child who is a survivor of assault shows how much depth she has at such a young age. Many actors who live or work in New York when they’re just starting out in the industry get their start on one of the Law & Order shows – or even more than one. Carpenter only appeared in this one Law & Order episode, but it wasn’t too long after appearing here that Carpenter would get her next big break.
“Possessed” is Sabrina Carpenter’s first credited television role.
Related The 20 Best Law & Order: SVU Episodes
Law & Order: Special Victims Unit has been nominated for (and won) many awards, and its best episodes are a big reason why.
9 Work It (2020)
A Dance Rom-Com
Work It PG-13ComedyMusic Where to Watch
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Work It is a dance competition film directed by Laura Terruso. The plot centers around Quinn Ackerman, a high school student who forms a dance team to win a major competition and enhance her college application. Starring Sabrina Carpenter, Jordan Fisher, and Liza Koshy, the film explores themes of perseverance, teamwork, and self-discovery.
Director Laura Terruso Release Date August 7, 2020 Writers Alison Peck Cast Sabrina Carpenter , Liza Koshy , Keiynan Lonsdale , Michelle Buteau , Jordan Fisher Runtime 93 Minutes
Though Carpenter is better known for her singing now, she does possess quite a bit of dancing talent as well. She hasn’t taken on many roles that showcase those dancing skills, but Work It does.
Carpenter stars as a studious young woman who decides to try to get on a dance team to pad her college application. When she doesn’t make the team, she decides to start her own team with some of the school’s misfits who all have their own distinct styles. She enlists a former dance champion to help coach them. While much of the movie is built on the lead-up to the competition, Carpenter’s character also struggles with figuring out what she truly wants in life and falls in love.
Carpenter also has a song featured on the soundtrack, and she was a producer on the movie.
8 Royalties (2020)
A Series About Writing Music
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Carpenter fans will see the show as a welcome window, though mostly satirical, into the world of songwriting.
Royalties was a streaming series created by and starring Darren Criss. The show lasted for one season on Quibi before Quibi went under. In it, a pair of musicians write songs for singers, sometimes quirky ones, and the process presents them with a unique challenge.
Carpenter recurs in the series as Bailey Rouge. She largely plays the “straight man” to more comedic counterparts in the show. Jennifer Coolidge plays her mother, for example. This series, even though it was short-lived, did allow Carpenter to showcase her dramatic work as well as her vocals though. Because each episode features the leads writing music for other characters, she gets to sing the “perfect song” in the show. Carpenter fans will see the show as a welcome window, though mostly satirical, into the world of songwriting.
7 Adventures In Babysitting (2016)
A DCOM Remake Of An ‘80s Classic
Adventures In Babysitting is a beloved ‘80s classic starring Elisabeth Shue as a babysitter who ends up on the adventure of a lifetime. In 2016, the Disney Channel remade the movie as their 100th Disney Channel Original Movie. Carpenter and Sofia Carson, who had both appeared in multiple Disney Channel projects at that point, appeared as rival babysitters.
While the movie wasn’t as good as the original, it was updated for a modern audience. For example, the two babysitters cross paths at a photography competition where they accidentally switch cell phones, which is where most of the action kicks off. They end up on one another’s babysitting jobs and on a trek through the city to find a missing child.
The movie reimagines moments from the original, such as the teenagers participating in karaoke together, which helps to recreate that spark from the original movie. It might have received mixed reviews from adults, but kids love it, and Carpenter as a babysitter struggling to take charge is fun to watch.
6 Emergency (2022)
Carpenter Plays A Worried Sister
Emergency 
3.0 RComedyThrillerDrama Where to Watch
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Emergency is a 2022 comedy thriller directed by Carey Williams. The film follows three college students—Kunle, Sean, and Carlos—who plan an epic night out but are faced with an unexpected and urgent dilemma that tests their friendship and judgment. Set against the backdrop of contemporary social issues, Emergency examines themes of race, responsibility, and the unpredictability of youthful adventures.
Director Carey Williams Release Date May 20, 2022 Writers K.D. Dávila Cast RJ Cyler , Donald Elise Watkins , Diego Abraham , Sebastian Chacon , Madison Thompson , Sabrina Carpenter , Maddie Nichols Runtime 105 minutes
Many of Carpenter’s projects as a teenager have her playing the best friend of a main character or a supporting role in someone else’s story. She does that here as well, but she adds a lively energy to the movie.
Emergency follows a group of young Black men in college who find a young white woman unconscious on their living room floor. Not wanting to be blamed for whatever has happened to her, they try to figure out just what to do. They settle on dropping her off at a local hospital, but a series of obstacles get in their way. Because of the nature of the storyline and the way it plays out, the movie manages to find that delicate balance between thriller and dramedy.
Carpenter’s role in the movie is as the sister of the unconscious young woman. She spends the evening tracking her sister’s phone and trying to save her from whatever has befallen her. She also accidentally pepper sprays herself at one point, allowing her the chance to show off some of her comedy skills.
Related All 8 Movies Referenced In Sabrina Carpenter’s “Taste” Music Video
Sabrina Carpenter’s Taste music video, which co-stars Jenna Ortega (Wednesday), references many iconic horror movies — and some cult classic films.
5 The Hate U Give (2018)
Inspired By The Novel Of The Same Name
The Hate U Give 4.5 PG-13Drama Where to Watch
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The Hate U Give is a drama film adapted from Angie Thomas’ novel, which tells the story of Starr Carter, a teenager from a poor and mostly black neighborhood who witnesses her childhood friend being shot by a white police officer and must find her voice to stand up for what’s right.
Director George Tillman Jr. Release Date October 19, 2018 Writers Audrey Wells Cast Issa Rae , Amandla Stenberg , lamar johnson , Russell Hornsby , Common , Algee Smith , Regina Hall , Sabrina Carpenter , Anthony Mackie , kj apa Runtime 132 Minutes
The movie speaks to the systemic racism that can be prevalent…
Sabrina Carpenter is not the star of The Hate U Give. She plays Hailey, the friend of Amandla Stenberg’s Starr at the start of the movie, but a major event in Starr’s life comes between them, revealing Hailey’s true character
Starr and her friend are pulled over by the police, and when the police officer assumes that the boy is reaching for a gun, he shoots him and detains Starr. Starr, a young Black woman at a school full of white students, maintains her anonymity following the incident at first, but her friend’s death crushes her, especially when the police officer responsible doesn’t face consequences for his actions.
The movie speaks to the systemic racism that can be prevalent without someone realizing. Carpenter’s Hailey is there as a minor antagonist for Starr, someone who makes racist comments in everyday conversation without even thinking about how those are affecting her friend. Carpenter’s role here isn’t a likable one, but one that allows her to portray something far from other girl-next-door characters.
4 Milo Murphy’s Law (2016-2019)
Carpenter Voices Multiple Characters
Throughout Milo Murphy’s Law, Carpenter lends her voice to multiple characters, but her primary role in the animated series is Melissa Chase. The show follows the titular Milo whose family, the Murphys, have the worst luck.
Melissa is one of Milo’s best friends. She is smart, self-assured, and is willing to do anything to help her friends. In the series, she actually spends a lot of time researching Milo and his family and everything associated with “Murphy’s Law” to see if she can help him. Carpenter gets to show off her signature sarcastic tone here in a lot of her interactions with Milo and their other friends.
Though the show was part of Carpenter’s work right in the middle of her years working for the Disney Channel, it’s a good showcase of how well she would perform in animated projects. Plenty of fans have wondered if she’ll ever voice a Disney princess.
3 Clouds (2020)
Inspired By Real Events
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Clouds is inspired by the memoir Fly a Little Higher: How God Answered a Mom’s Small Prayer in a Big Way, written by the mother of a teenage boy who lived with cancer, but longed to be a musician. Carpenter plays the best friend of Zach. She writes songs with him, shares their music on the internet, and helps him to achieve his dream of becoming a musician before he dies.
That means that, not only does the audience here get to see Carpenter in a more dramatic role than she usually takes on, but she also gets to sing for the movie.
Unfortunately for those who want to catch Carpenter in this movie, Disney+ removed it from their platform in 2023 despite it being in the top 50 straight-to-streaming releases of 2020. They have not yet made it available in a physical format or sold it to another platform.
Related Sabrina Carpenter & Madison Iseman Interview: Clouds
We interview Clouds stars Sabrina Carpenter and Madison Iseman about their approach to their performances, the film’s powerful women, and more.
2 The Short History Of The Long Road (2019)
Carpenter Showcases A More Grounded Approach
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It’s a real gem in Carpenter’s resume.
The Short History Of The Long Road is one of Carpenter’s lesser-known movies, but also one of her best. So many of Carpenter’s projects have relied on broad humor and even absurdity, showcasing her charm and comedic timing. While there’s nothing wrong with that, Carpenter equally excels in more dramatic and grounded roles, like this one.
Carpenter plays Nola, a young woman who lives life on the road with her father. They take on odd jobs to survive, live in a mobile home, and relish in the freedom of not being tied down. When Nola ends up on her own, however, her whole world changes. Her mobile home breaks down, leaving her stuck on the way to find the mother she’s never met. Getting stuck makes her think about whether or not she wants to put down roots somewhere.
Other than Carpenter, this movie also boasts the talent of Steven Ogg, Danny Trejo, and Maggie Siff. It’s a real gem in Carpenter’s resume.
1 Girl Meets World (2014-2017)
Carpenter’s Most Iconic Role So Far
Girl Meets World Comedy Where to Watch
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Girl Meets World is a comedy series created for the Disney Channel that is a sequel to the original Boy Meets World, released in 1993. The show stars Riley Matthews and her parents, former series stars Cory and Topanga Matthews, as they navigate the trials and tribulations of school life and adolescence. Riley and her best friend, Maya, will see themselves follow a similar path to their parents as they grow up in a modern-age New York City.
Cast Ben Savage , Rowan Blanchard , Danielle Fishel , Peyton Meyer Release Date July 27, 2014 Seasons 3 Showrunner Michael Jacobs
Sabrina Carpenter’s big break came courtesy of the Disney Channel. When Disney decided to create a sequel series to Boy Meets World, Carpenter was cast as Maya Hart, the best friend to Riley Matthews (Rowan Blanchard). Maya is sarcastic, feisty, creative, and incredibly funny. She’s also incredibly scared of being vulnerable with anyone other than Riley. Carpenter quickly became the fan-favorite character on the show with her charm and her tendency to steal every scene she was in.
Girl Meets World follows Riley and Maya through their teenage years as they deal with crushes, finding their passions, and growing apart. While most will likely write the show off as something for children, the show works as a great sequel series that an entire family can enjoy. It also gives a lot of emerging talent a great space to hone their skills. Both Blanchard and Carpenter were able to learn and excel thanks to Girl Meets World.
In time, Sabrina Carpenter will likely have many roles that are even better than Maya Hart, but right now, Maya is her most iconic.