Sofia Carson has been in a variety of projects, from popular Disney Channel Original Movie trilogies to movies on Netflix that became more popular than anticipated. She’s one of the most relevant Disney girls nowadays, appearing in the Descendants movies and series and Adventures in Babysitting. But that doesn’t mean all she’s done has been with the House of Mouse. Likewise, this actress has been in other projects outside Disney, such as Purple Hearts, which, despite its popularity, has not received the green light for a second film. These are Sofia Carson’s best performances to date.
12
Feel the Beat (2020)
Feel the Beat is a movie released in 2020 that falls into the genres of drama, dance, family, and comedy. Directed by Elissa Down, the plot centers on a girl named April, who dreams of making it on Broadway and becoming a star. However, this dream is cut short by a mistake (having stolen a cab from an old woman to get to an audition during a bad storm), and she must return to her hometown.
A Wholesome Dance Dramedy
The cast of this film includes Enrico Colantoni and Wolfgang Novogratz. Carson plays April Dibrina, the protagonist of the story. She’s described as a persistent girl who’s capable of doing anything to achieve her goals. In her hometown in Wisconsin, April ends up training a group of children in her dance teacher’s dance studio. Stream on Netflix.
11
Pretty Little Liars: The Perfectionists (2019)
Pretty Little Liars: The Perfectionists is a drama, mystery, suspense, and crime TV show that premiered in 2019. It was created by I. Marlene King and was based on The Perfectionists, a 2014 novel. It’s also the third series in the Pretty Little Liars franchise. The plot is set in the city of Beacon Heights, where each character maintains a perfect performance in their university studies.
Carson Joins the PLL Universe
However, a murder occurs, followed by a series of events that bring out the stress and tension in everyone. The series features performances by Sasha Pieterse, Janel Parrish, and Sydney Park. Carson played the role of Ava Jalali, a fashion designer and trendsetter. She’s described as a girl who has a talent for coding and hacking in the computer world. Ava gets involved in Nolan’s murder and its respective police investigation. Buy on Prime Video and stream on Max.
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10
Songbird (2020)
Songbird is a dystopian science fiction thriller film that was filmed and released in 2020. It was based on the COVID-19 pandemic. The screenplay was written by Simon Boyes and was directed by Adam Mason. The plot is set in 2024, when COVID-19 evolved into COVID-23 and the world is still in quarantine.
A Thought-Provoking & Timely Thriller
Songbird also focuses on several people trying to overcome various obstacles in the face of this crisis and society. The cast consisted of stars such as KJ Apa, Craig Robinson, and Bradley Whitford. Carson played Sara Garcia, a young artist who lives with her grandmother Lita. However, her quarantine forces them not to have any kind of physical contact. For her part, she’s also Nico’s love interest. Rent/Buy on Prime Video.
9
A Cinderella Story: If the Shoe Fits (2016)
A Cinderella Story: If the Shoe Fits is a teen musical comedy film released in 2016. It was directed by Michelle Johnston, and this installment is the fourth film in A Cinderella Story saga. The plot revolves around Tessa, who must be an assistant to her stepsisters and stepmother and will participate in auditions to play the role of Cinderella in a musical. This film starred Thomas Law, Amy Louise Wilson, and Jazzara Jaslyn.
A Fun Entry in the Popular Franchise
Carson starred as Tessa, the protagonist, who was left in the care of her stepmother and stepsisters when her father died. She first accompanied her stepsisters for the audition, which Tessa later ended up being interested in. She’ll also develop a love story with Reed West, a superstar, who will be the prince in the show. Rent/Buy on Prime Video.
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8
My Little Pony: A New Generation (2021)
My Little Pony: A New Generation is an animated comedy adventure film that was directed by José L. Ucha and Robert Cullen. It was released in 2021 and is based on the My Little Pony franchise, which is a Hasbro toy line. It’s also a sequel to My Little Pony: The Movie. The premise centers on a group of ponies living in a magic-free era far in the future to the events that occurred in My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic.
Carson Showcases Her Voice Acting Skills
The story of Twilight Sparkle and her friends is considered a legend, plus the unicorn, Pegasus, and earth ponies live in isolation from each other. Carson plays Pipp Petals, who’s a Pegasus princess from Zephyr Heights. She’s a pop star who likes to entertain others with her music. Pipp is Zipp’s sister and they both end up fleeing the city after Haven’s arrest. This film also features the voices of Vanessa Hudgens, Kimiko Glenn, and James Marsden. Stream on Netflix.
7
Adventures in Babysitting (2016)
Adventures in Babysitting was released in 2016 and was directed by John Schultz. This Disney Channel adventure comedy is a reboot of its 1987 film of the same name. The plot revolves around Jenny and Lola, who are two photography-loving teenagers who are completely different in personality. They meet at a photography internship and, from here, a series of events occur full of comedy, confusion, and emotions.
A Charming Remake of an ’80s Classic
This film featured memorable performances by Sabrina Carpenter, Nikki Hahn, and Mallory James Mahoney. Sofia Carson played Lola Perez, one of the main characters. She accepts a job by mistake when she receives a parking ticket. To pay for it, she has to get involved as a babysitter and ends up developing a relationship with Officer James. Stream on Disney+.
6
Descendants (2015)
Descendants is a comedy-adventure musical fantasy that was released in 2015 and spawned a franchise that continued a decade later. It was directed by Kenny Ortega. The plot revolves around Maleficent, Jafar, Cruella de Vil, and Evil Queen’s children as they adjust to their life outside their isolated island. They’re tasked by their parents to steal the Fairy Godmother’s magic wand in order to free everyone from the island.
Disney’s Breakout Fantasy Franchise
Descendants famously starred Dove Cameron, Booboo Stewart, and the late Cameron Boyce. Sofia Carson played Evie, who’s the daughter of Evil Queen. She travels with her friends to Auradon Preparatory and uses her mother’s magic mirror in order to find out where the wand is. During the movie, she tries to impress Chad Charming, the son of Prince Charming and Cinderella. Stream on Disney+.
5
Descendants 2 (2017)
Descendants 2 continues the fantasy-musical adventure that was released in 2017. It featured the same cast and director of the first film. The plot of this one follows the events of the first one after the four main characters settled in the Auradon Academy. Here, Ben is the king of Auradon, and Mal is forced to return to the Isle of the Lost by pressure from her mother.
A Thrilling Follow-Up Sensation
There, she meets Uma, Ursula’s daughter, who became the leader of the island gang, and she and her team are planning revenge against Auradon. Carson played Evie again and is shown as someone satisfied with her life on Auradon. She decides to look for her friend Mal, along with her friends, once she leaves to return to the Isle of the Lost. Stream on Disney+.
4
Descendants 3 (2019)
Descendants 3 is the third and final part of Disney’s original trilogy prior to the spinoff films. It was released in 2019 and featured the same director and cast of the first two films. The plot of this part revolves around the boys returning to the Isle of the Lost to recruit new villains in order to join them in the academy. However, Auradon is endangered by a breach of the barrier.
The Exciting Conclusion of the Hit Disney Saga
A dark force threatens the entire realm and the protagonists are the only ones who can stop it. Sofia Carson plays Evie once again, and she, along with her friends, begins by visiting the island. They all get trapped inside the barrier when Hades tries to enter Auradon and Mal stops him. They then face each other in an epic battle which will change everything in their world. Stream on Disney+.
3
Purple Hearts (2022)
Purple Hearts is a Netflix movie released in 2022 and was directed by Elizabeth Allen Rosenbaum. This was based on the book Purple Hearts by Tess Wakefield. The plot revolves around Cassie, a singer-songwriter, and Luke, a Marine. They decide to get married in order to pay off their debts by obtaining military benefits. The film stars Nicholas Galitzine, Chosen Jacobs, and John Harlan Kim.
Carson Ventures into Mature Acting Territory
Carson plays Cassie Salazar, the protagonist of the story. She’s a waitress and has a band. She’s diagnosed with type 1 diabetes and, for a while, has been taking various jobs in order to pay for her treatment. Cassie marries Luke to get free treatment with military insurance and to pay off her husband’s debts. Purple Hearts showcased Carson’s range as an actress and marked a turning point in her career, as she began to tackle more mature film roles. Stream on Netflix.
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2
The Life List (2025)
Based on the Lori Nelson Spielman novel of the same name, the 2025 romantic dramedy The Life List tells the uplifting story of a woman (Carson) who sets out to complete a bucket list from her childhood after her mother’s heartbreaking death. Struggling with her grief, Alex is stunned when she learns that her mom left behind a video before her passing telling her that in order to receive her inheritance, she must tackle her childhood aspirations and break out of her comfort zone.
An Inspirational & Uplifting Adaptation
Alex embarks upon a soul-searching journey while fulfilling her mother’s wishes and the dreams she wrote down as a 13-year-old, leading to stunning realizations about both herself and life. The Life List features the additional talents of stars like Kyle Allen, Connie Britton, and Sebastian de Souza, and reached the number one spot in Netflix’s Top 10 Movies List upon its release, inspiring audiences to reevaluate and reflect upon their own hopes and dreams. Stream on Netflix.
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1
Carry-On (2024)
With a star-studded cast led by Taron Egerton, Sofia Carson, Jason Bateman, and Danielle Deadwyler, the adrenaline-pumping 2024 action thriller Carry-On centers on TSA agent Ethan Kopek as he terrifyingly finds himself being blackmailed into allowing a dangerous package to board a flight on Christmas Eve by a ruthless mercenary known as The Traveler. Carson appears as Ethan’s pregnant girlfriend Nora, who is targeted by the diabolical stranger.
‘Carry-On’ Becomes a Streaming Knockout
Jam-packed full of white-knuckle thrills, exhilarating action, and top-tier performances by its stacked cast members, Carry-On became a certified knockout upon its release, garnering a stellar 87% Rotten Tomatoes score from critics and racking up more than 149.5 million views by January 2025. It is currently the fifth-most-watched Netflix English-language film of all time and is Carson’s most critically-successful project to date, with many praising both her work and her chemistry with Egerton. Stream on Netflix.