Sierra McCormick
Born (1997-10-28) October 28, 1997
Asheville, North Carolina, U.S.
OccupationActress
Years active2007–present
External image
image icon McCormick in 2019 (at IMDb)

Sierra McCormick (born October 28, 1997[1][2]) is an American actress. She first became known for participating in the game show Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader? (2007–2008) before making her acting debut with a recurring role as Lilith on the television series Supernatural (2008). She also starred as Scout Thomas on the comedy television series Romantically Challenged (2010), played Alice in the direct-to-DVD film Spooky Buddies (2011), for which she won a Young Artist Award, and received recognition for her role as Susan Kushner in the comedy film Ramona and Beezus (2010).

McCormick had her breakthrough starring as Olive Doyle on the Disney Channel series A.N.T. Farm (2011–2014). She has since transitioned to more mature film roles, receiving praise for starring as Moira in the horror indie film Some Kind of Hate (2015) and earning critical acclaim for her roles as Fay Crocker in the science fiction film The Vast of Night (2019), which earned her a nomination from the Critics' Choice Super Awards, and as Melissa in the horror film We Need to Do Something (2021). She returned to television playing Scarlett Winslow in three episodes of the Hulu series American Horror Stories (2021).

Early life

McCormick was born on October 28, 1997, in Asheville, North Carolina.[3] She has a younger sister.[4][5] She moved to Los Angeles, California, in 2006, after expressing an interest in acting.[3] McCormick, like many child performers, attended Brighton Hall School in Burbank, California.[6]

Career

2007–2014: Child acting and breakthrough

McCormick first began acting in 2007 at the age of nine, making an uncredited cameo on the television series 'Til Death.[7] In 2007, she was cast in the second season of the game show Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader? as one of the students.[8] Following a guest appearance on the Disney Channel series Hannah Montana in 2008,[7] she co-starred with China Anne McClain in the film Jack and Janet Save the Planet, an unaired pilot. In the same year, she appeared as Lilith on two episodes of the fantasy television series Supernatural.[9][10] In 2010, McCormick starred in the comedy film Ramona and Beezus as Susan Kushner, the rival of the title character, Ramona Quimby. The film was received positively, with the acting ensemble being praised for their performances.[11] In the same year, she was cast as Scout Thomas, the daughter of Rebecca Thomas, in the comedy television series Romantically Challenged, which was cancelled after a season.[12]

In 2011, she appeared in the television film A Nanny for Christmas. In the same year, she voiced Alice in the Disney direct-to-video film Spooky Buddies.[13] McCormick, along with the cast of the film, won a Young Artist Award for their performances.[14] Also in 2011, McCormick had her breakthrough when she was cast in the role of Olive Doyle, a girl with an eidetic memory, in the Disney Channel series A.N.T. Farm.[15] She was chosen after an audition where she continuously spoke about tigers. Dan Signer stated: "And as I heard her continually talking about tigers, I thought, 'That's just how Olive would sound.' Which is how Sierra got that part." According to an interview with McCormick, getting the role was easy because she and McClain were already friends from their previous work experience.[2] The show ran for three seasons, ending in 2014.[16] From 2011 to 2014, McCormick had a recurring role on the Disney Channel sitcom Jessie as Connie, a girl obsessed with one of the main characters, Luke.[17]

2015–present: Transition to mainstream roles

In 2015, McCormick starred in the horror film Some Kind of Hate as Moira.[18] She had been hired by director Adam Egypt Mortimer to appeal to her then younger fanbase, stating that the film would be "the first intense horror movie experience that some of these kids will ever have".[19] Although the film received mixed reviews, McCormick’s performance, along with the rest of her cast members was received positively, with Bloody Disgusting writing "The acting is largely well done, and the script by Mortimer and DeLeeuw definitely attempt to give the characters more dimension than what you’d normally expect from a film like this."[20] McCormick earned a Fright Meter Award nomination for the role.[21] From 2016 to 2018, McCormick worked in a series of short films and television films; these include her roles as Sarah in the 2016 Lifetime television film Sorority Nightmare,[22] and as Kara Gentry in the 2017 film Christmas in the Heartland, which was originally made for television, but was later released direct-to-video.[23]

In 2019, McCormick co-starred with Jake Horowitz in the science fiction film The Vast of Night,[24] based on the Kecksburg UFO incident and the Foss Lake Disappearances. She starred as Fay Crocker, a young switchboard operator in high school in the fictional town of Cayuga, New Mexico.[25] McCormick said that she was convinced to play the role after reading the script, where she then met with the film's director Andrew Patterson and auditioned.[26] To prepare for the role, she had to learn how to use a switchboard, which she practiced in her hotel room.[27] The film and McCormick's performance were acclaimed,[28][29][30] with critics particularly praising her consistency in long single takes.[31] Paste included her among the "10 Breakout Film Performances of the Year", additionally writing that "Sierra McCormick does some work in The Vast of Night that’s competitive with the best acting of the year."[31] Salon also listed her performance as one of "6 great film performances missed in 2020", comparing her to a "young Sissy Spacek."[32] For her role, she received a special mention from the Jury Awards at the Hamptons International Film Festival,[33] as well as a nomination for Best Actress in a Science Fiction/Fantasy Movie at the Critics' Choice Super Awards.[34]

McCormick next appeared in the 2019 horror film VFW, where she portrayed Lizard.[35] She commented on her experience with the role, stating "I was really excited to do something different. People got to see me being really crass and bloody and kicking some ass..."[27] She also starred in the Lifetime television film Who Stole My Daughter? as Katie Sullivan, the eponymous daughter of Samaire Armstrong's character.[36] In October 2020, it was announced McCormick would star alongside Vinessa Shaw in the upcoming thriller film We Need to Do Something;[37] she was cast as Melissa, who is part of a family trapped in their bathroom during a tornado.[38] She stated that "I felt really antsy being cooped up in my apartment, and I’m sure everyone can relate to that feeling ... when I read the script, I was struck by the nihilistic tone the movie takes, and I’m a big fan of that."[39] The film was theatrically released in September 2021,[40] and earned generally positive reviews from critics.[41][42] McCormick's performance was lauded, with Chicago Reader describing her as "captivating".[43] IGN wrote that "Sierra McCormick brings wide eyes and a sulking snarl to teen daughter Melissa, whose internal drama is signaled by a goth wardrobe topped by a bubblegum pink wig."[44]

From July to August 2021, McCormick appeared in three episodes of American Horror Stories on FX on Hulu.[45][46] Her role as Scarlett was praised;[47][48] CBR described her as having a "captivating screen presence", and went on to state that she made "a strong debut ... it’d be seriously surprising if she doesn’t eventually get cast in some of Murphy’s other projects. She’s set to be a star."[49] She will headline the coming-of-age drama film Sour Milk.[50]

Filmography

Film

Year Title Role Notes
2009 Land of the Lost Tar Pits Kid
2010 Ramona and Beezus Susan Kushner
2010 A Nanny for Christmas Jackie Ryland
2011 Spooky Buddies Alice
2015 Some Kind of Hate Moira [51]
2018 The Honor List Charlotte
2018 The Neighborhood Watch Allie
2018 Pretty Little Stalker Bridget
2019 The Vast of Night Fay Crocker [52][53]
2019 VFW Lizard [54]
2021 We Need to Do Something Melissa [37]

Television

Year Title Role Notes
2007 'Til Death Kid Episode: "Summer of Love"
2007–2008 Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader? Herself 5th grade classmate (season 2)
2007–2009 Curb Your Enthusiasm Emma Episodes: "The Bat Mitzvah", "The Reunion", "The Table Read"
2008 Boston Legal Daniella Episode: "Dances with Wolves"
2008 Supernatural Lilith Episodes: "No Rest for the Wicked", "Yellow Fever"
2009 Jack and Janet Save the Planet Molly Unsold TV pilot
2009 Criminal Minds Lynn Robillard Episode: "Bloodline"
2009 Hannah Montana Gillian Episode: "Welcome to the Bungle"
2009 Monk Anne Marie Episode: "Mr. Monk and the Dog"
2009 The Dog Who Saved Christmas Kara Bannister Television film
2010 Medium Allison (Young) Episode: "There Will Be Blood... Type A"
2010 CSI: Crime Scene Investigation Gracie Layman Episode: "Irradiator"
2010 Romantically Challenged Scout Thomas Main role
2011–2014 A.N.T. Farm Olive Doyle Main role
2011–2014 Jessie Connie 3 episodes
2013 The Breakdown Little Girl Television film
2016 Sorority Nightmare Sarah Television film; originally titled Twisted Sisters
2017 Christmas in the Heartland Kara Gentry Television film
2019 Who Stole My Daughter? Katie Sullivan Television film
2021 American Horror Stories Scarlett Winslow 3 episodes[55]

Music videos

Awards and nominations

Year Award Category Work Result Ref
2012 Young Artist Awards Best Performance in a DVD Film – Young Ensemble Cast Spooky Buddies Won [14]
2015 Fright Meter Awards Best Supporting Actress Some Kind of Hate Nominated [21]
2019 Hamptons International Film Festival Jury Awards The Vast of Night Special Mention [33]
2021 Critics' Choice Super Awards Best Actress in a Science Fiction/Fantasy Movie The Vast of Night Nominated [34]

References

  1. ↑ "HappyBirthdaySierra!!!". Radio Disney twitter. October 28, 2011. Retrieved December 30, 2011.
    "Happy birthday". China Anne McClain twitter. October 28, 2011. Retrieved December 30, 2011.
  2. 1 2 "The Meet & Greet: Disney Star Sierra McCormick From 'A.N.T Farm'". Celebuzz!. June 24, 2011. Retrieved December 25, 2011.
  3. 1 2 "SIERRA MCCORMICK "Olive Doyle"". Disney Channel Medianet. Archived from the original on October 18, 2012. Retrieved February 21, 2017.
  4. ↑ "Happy Pride 🏳️‍🌈 ❤️‍🔥 my lil sister Kayla and I enjoying queer classic But I'm a Cheerleader at @cinespia". instagram.com.
  5. ↑ "Happy birthday to my little sister Kayla! She's 11 today! 🎂". twitter.com.
  6. ↑ "Our History". Brighton Hall School. June 5, 2020. Retrieved June 1, 2023.
  7. 1 2 "NYFA High School Students Receive Guest Talk from Disney Star Sierra McCormick". New York Film Academy Summer Camp. May 12, 2015. Retrieved April 6, 2020.
  8. ↑ "Disney Star Sierra McCormick is Super Smart on 'A.N.T. Farm'". Backstage. August 21, 2012. Retrieved April 6, 2020.
  9. ↑ Charles, Tina (May 16, 2008). "Episode Recap of Season 3 Finale: "No Rest for the Wicked"". TV Guide. Archived from the original on May 24, 2009. Retrieved April 6, 2020.
  10. ↑ Seddon, Dan (August 3, 2021). "First trailer for Supernatural and Station 19 stars' new horror movie". Digital Spy. Retrieved September 5, 2021.
  11. ↑ "Ramona and Beezus: A family film with a dose of reality". Toronto Star. July 23, 2010. Retrieved April 6, 2020.
  12. ↑ "Romantically Challenged cancelled, no season two". TV Series Finale. May 16, 2010. Retrieved April 6, 2020.
  13. ↑ "'Spooky Buddies' Blu-ray Announced". High-Def Digest. Retrieved April 6, 2020.
  14. 1 2 "33rd Young Artist Awards". Archived from the original on April 4, 2012.
  15. ↑ Hibberd, James (November 11, 2010). "Disney Orders Live Action Comedy 'Ant Farm'". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on April 24, 2011. Retrieved October 25, 2015.
  16. ↑ "Disney Channel Renews 'A.N.T. Farm' for Third Season". The Hollywood Reporter. October 2, 2012. Retrieved January 3, 2021.
  17. ↑ "Disney's 'What the What?!?' Guest Star Weekend Sneak Peek: 'Jessie's' Luke Has a New Admirer, Lindy Gets an 'I Didn't Do It' Arch Nemesis, More". Yahoo.com. Retrieved April 6, 2020.
  18. ↑ McNary, Dave (April 28, 2014). "Disney Star Sierra McCormick Set for Horror Movie 'Some Kind of Hate'". Variety. Retrieved May 18, 2020.
  19. ↑ "Horror Feature: Interview With Adam Egypt Mortimer Director Of Some Kind Of Hate". www.horrorchannel.co.uk. Retrieved January 5, 2021.
  20. ↑ Wilson, Mike (October 12, 2015). "[Review] 'Some Kind Of Hate' is Conflicting With its Subject, Characters". Bloody Disgusting!. Retrieved January 5, 2021.
  21. 1 2 "2015 Fright Meter Awards Winners". Retrieved April 6, 2020.
  22. ↑ "Lifetime Review: 'Sorority Nightmare'". Geeks. Retrieved May 18, 2020.
  23. ↑ "Film Review: 'Christmas in the Heartland'". Geeks. Retrieved May 18, 2020.
  24. ↑ "Texas Is Inextricable From Film Festival Darling 'The Vast of Night'". Texas Monthly. September 27, 2019. Retrieved April 6, 2020.
  25. ↑ Thompson, Anne (June 1, 2020). "Amazon's 'The Vast of Night': Inside Oklahoma Indie Andrew Patterson's Dazzling Debut". IndieWire. Retrieved August 19, 2020.
  26. ↑ "The Vast Of Night: Interview with Sierra McCormick". SciFiNow. June 5, 2020. Retrieved January 15, 2021.
  27. 1 2 McGrew, Shannon (May 28, 2020). "[Interview] Actress Sierra McCormick for THE VAST OF NIGHT". Nightmarish Conjurings. Retrieved January 15, 2021.
  28. ↑ Hemphill, Jim (March 17, 2020). "There's Something in the Air: With The Vast of Night, Director Andrew Patterson Reinvents the UFO Movie". Filmmaker Magazine. Retrieved April 6, 2020.
  29. ↑ Wilner, Norman (September 8, 2019). "TIFF review: The Vast Of Night". NOW Magazine. Retrieved April 6, 2020.
  30. ↑ Hipes, Patrick (March 4, 2021). "Saturn Awards Nominations: 'Star Wars: Rise Of Skywalker', 'Tenet', 'Walking Dead', 'Outlander' Lead List". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved December 23, 2021.
  31. 1 2 "The 10 Breakout Film Performances of the Year". pastemagazine.com. December 31, 2020. Retrieved January 7, 2021.
  32. ↑ "Here are 6 great film performances you missed in 2020 – and how to watch them". Salon. December 16, 2020. Retrieved January 3, 2021.
  33. 1 2 "HIFF27 Award Winners". hamptonsfilmfest.org. Retrieved April 6, 2020.
  34. 1 2 Hammond, Pete (November 19, 2020). "'Palm Springs', 'Lovecraft Country' Top Movie And Series Nominations For Inaugural Critics Choice Super Awards; Netflix Lands 35 Nods". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved December 17, 2020.
  35. ↑ ". @josh_ethier edited the first horror movie I ever did (Some Kind of Hate) back in 2014, and now you can see us both in VFW (we have a pretty kick ass scene). But you definitely have to watch his short film Gutter (which he wrote, directed, AND edited!).💀". twitter.com.
  36. ↑ "Lifetime Review: 'Who Stole My Daughter?'". Geeks. Retrieved May 18, 2020.
  37. 1 2 Vlessing, Etan (October 29, 2020). "Sierra McCormick, Vinessa Shaw, Pat Healy Star in 'We Need to Do Something' (Exclusive)". The Hollywood Reporter.
  38. ↑ Miska, Brad (October 29, 2020). "'We Need to Do Something' Brings the Horror on a Family Sheltered in a Storm". Bloody Disgusting!. Retrieved January 3, 2021.
  39. ↑ "We Need to Do Something: Interview with star Sierra McCormick". 1428 Elm. September 3, 2021. Retrieved September 5, 2021.
  40. ↑ "Variety Insight: Entertainment Data • Research Tools • Industry Directory • Film in Development • TV & Streaming Pilots • Ratings & Box Office". www.varietyinsight.com. Retrieved September 5, 2021.
  41. ↑ Navarro, Meagan (June 15, 2021). "[Tribeca Review] Single-Location Horror 'We Need to Do Something' Stretches Imagination and Plausibility". Bloody Disgusting!. Retrieved September 5, 2021.
  42. ↑ Tallerico, Brian. "We Need to Do Something movie review (2021) | Roger Ebert". www.rogerebert.com/. Retrieved September 5, 2021.
  43. ↑ James, Becca (August 31, 2021). "We Need to Do Something". Chicago Reader. Retrieved September 5, 2021.
  44. ↑ "We Need to Do Something Review". IGN Southeast Asia. September 1, 2021. Retrieved September 5, 2021.
  45. ↑ Morano, Nick (July 16, 2021). "Rubber Woman unmasked: American Horror Stories star Sierra McCormick breaks down spin-off's premiere". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved July 16, 2021.
  46. ↑ Evangelista, Chris (June 15, 2021). "American Horror Stories Teaser: The American Horror Story Spinoff". SlashFilm.com. Retrieved December 23, 2021.
  47. ↑ "American Horror Stories: Every Way Scarlett & Ruby Mirror Murder House's Tate & Violet". ScreenRant. July 20, 2021. Retrieved December 23, 2021.
  48. ↑ Barr, Sabrina (August 24, 2021). "American Horror Stories review: Horror stakes veer from repetitive to terrifying". Metro. Retrieved December 23, 2021.
  49. ↑ "American Horror Stories: 5 Actors Who Nailed Their Roles (& 5 Who Fell Short)". CBR. August 7, 2021. Retrieved December 23, 2021.
  50. ↑ Grobar, Matt (October 13, 2021). "Sierra McCormick, Jason Butler Harner, Ryan Simpkins, Emily Robinson & More To Topline Coming-Of-Age-Drama 'Sour Milk'". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved December 23, 2021.
  51. ↑ "Sierra McCormick talks about playing a new kind of slasher maniac in Some Kind of Hate". ew.com.
  52. ↑ "Amazon's 'The Vast of Night': Inside Oklahoma Indie Andrew Patterson's Dazzling Debut". www.indiewire.com.
  53. ↑ "The Vast of Night review – a low-budget, high-concept sci-fi trip". www.theguardian.com.
  54. ↑ "Behind-The-Scenes: VFW (Make-Up Effects)". youtube.com.
  55. ↑ "American Horror Story Updates: Ryan Murphy Shares Creepy Art & More". April 19, 2021.
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