10 Best Movies Starring The Cast Of Cruel Summer

Upon making its series premiere on April 20, 2021, the hit teen dramatic thriller series, Cruel Summer, has quickly become one of the Freeform Networks’s most popular shows ever created. Set in a small Texas town during the early 1990s, the series focuses on the disappearance of a popular high-school girl, Kate Wallis (Olivia Holt), and her accused classmate, Jeannette Turner (Chiara Aurelia), as the authorities work to uncover the truth.

In addition to Holt and Aurelia, Cruel Summer also stars Harley Quinn Smith, Blake Lee, Foy Gutierrez, Andrea Anders, Benjamin J. Cain Jr., Barrett Carnahan, Sarah Drew, and Michael Landes.

10 Froy Gutierrez – A Cowgirl’s Story (2017)

Cinematic newcomer, Froy Gutierrez, who plays Jamie Henson in eight episodes of Cruel Summer season 1, has only appeared in one feature film to date, with another (Initiation) due in theaters and VOD on May 7, 2021.

Gutirrez stars as Jason in the family film, A Cowgirl’s Story, a coming-of-age tale about Dusty Rhodes (Bailee Madison), a horse-riding teenager who forms a special bond with her grandfather when her mother goes missing in the Afghanistan war. Gutierrez plays one of Bailee’s contemporaries.

9 Barrett Carnahan – The Pledge (2011)

In addition to playing Young Kreese in Cobra Kai, Barrett Carnahan portrays Derek Turner in Cruel Summer. While he went uncredited in such worthy films as Super 8 and Fun-Size, he starred in the patriotic drama The Pledge in 2011.

The film tracks troubled 16-year-old Tory Hedderman (Carnahan), a youth ordered to do community service after defiling a statue in his new Virginia hometown. The sullen teen struggles to make amends until he encounters a series of locals who challenge his worldview and expand his horizons.

8 Blake Lee – I Am Michael (2015)

Blake Lee stars as Martin Harris in nine episodes of Cruel Summer and counting. While he’s only appeared in a few feature films so far in his career, the best of the bunch belongs to the romantic biopic, I Am Michael.

The true story tells of Michael Glatze (James Franco), a celebrated gay rights activist who disavowed his homosexuality to live his life as a heterosexual Christian pastor. Lee plays Benoit Denizet Lewis, the author who wrote the article, “My Ex-Gay Friend,” on which the movie is based.

7 Sarah Drew – Radio (2003)

Go back to 2003 to find the best film starring Sarah Drew, the actress who plays Jeanette’s mother, Cindy Turner, in Cruel Summer. With only a few films to her resume, the inspiring and uplifting Radio takes the cake.

Radio stars Cuba Gooding Jr. as the title character, a Black young man who has a developmental disability and a heart of pure gold who becomes the unlikely assistant high school football coach in 1976 South Carolina. The semiautobiographical story stars Drew as Mary Helen Jones, the daughter of Radio’s head coach, Harold Jones (Ed Harris).

6 Michael Landes – Last Chance Harvey (2008)

While Michael Landes has only appeared in a few episodes, so far, as Jeanette’s father, Greg, his cinematic resume is one of the ripest to choose from. Although he’s appeared in several worthy contenders, the mature romantic drama, Last Chance Harvey, should be seen.

Written and directed by Joel Hopkins, the film follows Harvey Shine (Dustin Hoffman), a beleaguered man in low spirits upon attending his daughter’s wedding in London. However, when he meets the radiant and ravishing Kate Walker (Emma Thompson), sparks fly through the London fog.

5 Olivia Holt – Class Rank (2017)

Olivia Holt, who plays the main character of Kate Wallis on the show, has spent the majority of her acting career on television. Of the handful of feature films she’s starred in so far, Class Rank earns the top spot.

Directed by Eric Stoltz, Class Ranks stars Wallis as Veronica Krauss, a studious Yale hopeful who is horrified to learn she ranks #2 in her class. As a way to discontinue the ranking system, Veronica nominates her friend Bernard (Skyler Gisondo) to be the head of her school board.

4 Benjamin J. Cain Jr. – Searching (2018)

One of the most riveting online techno-thrillers ever made includes Searching, the nauseating and head-spinning tale of a father’s dogged search for his missing daughter, Margot (Michelle La). Cruel Summer‘s Benjamin J. Cain Jr. stars in the film as an SVPD Homicide Agent.

When Margot goes missing one day, her loving father, David Kim (John Cho), searches her social media for answers, only to discover that his daughter is anything but the person she claims to be online. When her disappearance appears to be intentional, David has no idea where to turn.

3 Andrea Anders – Instant Family (2018)

Directed by Cruel Summer star Andrea Anders’ brother, Sean, Instant Family is a crowd-pleasing family film with tremendous heart. Mark Wahlberg and Rose Byrne star as the Wagners, new parents who agree to foster three lovable but unruly children.

Upon taking the trio of youngsters in, the Wagners’ lives are thrown into a chaotic tailspin as they try to juggle parental responsibilities along with their careers. Anders plays Jesse in the film, a rival foster parent who wants children of her own.

2 Charia Aurelia – Gerald’s Game (2017)

Despite the deeply disturbing subject matter Chiara Aurelia was asked to play as young Jessie, Gerald’s Game remains one of the all-time finest Stephen King movie adaptations.

The film follows the adult version of Jessie (Carla Gugino), a woman married to the stern Gerald (Bruce Greenwood). When tragedy strikes in the middle of their kinky sexual game, Jessie is left tied to her bedpost with nobody around to help her escape. As such, Jessie recedes into her traumatized memories to find an inner strength.

1 Harley Quinn Smith – Once Upon A Time In Hollywood (2019)

The film follows a few days in the life of washed-up TV actor, Rick Dalton (Leonardo DiCaprio), and his loyal stuntman, Cliff Booth (Brad Pitt), as they traverse the ever-changing Hollywood landscape in 1969. Smith plays Froggie, one of the Manson family members at Spahn Ranch.