Isabela Merced’s Best Acting Roles, Ranked From Worst to Best

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Ignacio Weil

Entertainment - December 17th 2025, 19:00 GMT+1

Isabela merced intro cropped processed by imagy — About This Gallery:

For this gallery, we focused on the roles that stuck with us, rather than how good (or messy) the movie or TV show itself might be. She’s still very early in her career, after all, so consider this list a snapshot, not a final verdict. Odds are, we’ll be updating it sooner rather than later.

Now it’s your turn. Do you have a favorite role of hers? Does the ranking make sense, or would you reshuffle a few spots without hesitation? We’re very open to friendly disagreement... and light chaos. | © HBO

Isabela merced let it snow cropped processed by imagy — 10. Let It Snow (2019)

This one sits at the bottom not because she does anything wrong, but because the movie never lets her do much of anything at all. The film is juggling too many characters, romances, and holiday obligations, and her role gets lost in the shuffle almost immediately. Isabela Merced brings natural charm and an easy screen presence, yet she’s mostly stuck reacting to plot beats instead of shaping them. There’s no real arc, no standout moment, and no scene that feels designed to linger. By the time the story wraps up, it’s hard to recall what her character actually contributed. It’s cozy, disposable, and engineered to fade from memory by January. A perfectly fine Netflix watch, just not a meaningful showcase. | © Netflix

Isabela merced Turtles All the Way Down 2024 cropped processed by imagy — 9. Turtles All the Way Down (2024)

This performance asks for restraint, sensitivity, and emotional precision, and Merced approaches all three with genuine care. She clearly understands the interiority of the character and commits to portraying it with respect rather than melodrama. The challenge is that the film itself plays everything so softly that her work often feels subdued to the point of invisibility. You can sense the emotional mechanics turning beneath the surface, but the storytelling rarely gives those moments room to resonate. It’s thoughtful, grounded, and undeniably earnest, just not especially dynamic. Nothing here is misjudged, yet very little surprises. A solid effort that earns respect, even if it doesn’t demand rewatches. | © Max

Isabela merced Rosaline 2022 cropped processed by imagy — 8. Rosaline (2022)

The tone here is loud, fast, and knowingly anachronistic, and Merced dives into it without hesitation. She matches the script’s modernized Shakespeare energy beat for beat, delivering snappy dialogue with confidence and clear comedic instincts. While the role doesn’t offer much emotional layering, she keeps it engaging through sheer momentum. There’s an ease to her performance that prevents the humor from feeling forced, even when the jokes stretch themselves thin. She knows exactly what kind of movie this is and plays along accordingly. It’s not a role designed to redefine her range, but it proves she can thrive in heightened, self-aware comedy. Fun, lightweight, and unapologetically unserious. | © 20th Century Studios

Isabela merced maya and the three widow queen cropped processed by imagy — 7. Maya and the Three (2021)

Without the aid of physical acting, Merced builds an entire heroic arc using only her voice, and that alone deserves credit. She gives Maya a sense of weight and urgency that cuts through the show’s vibrant animation and mythological spectacle. Strength, fear, anger, and resolve all come through clearly, never blurring into generic hero delivery. The performance carries emotional consistency across a sprawling narrative packed with lore and action. Even quieter moments land because her vocal choices stay grounded. It’s the kind of work that sneaks up on you rather than announcing itself loudly. A strong example of range that doesn’t rely on screen presence to make an impact. | © Netflix

Isabela merced Dora and the Lost City of Gold 2019 cropped processed by imagy — 6. Dora and the Lost City of Gold (2019)

This movie works largely because Merced commits to Dora’s sincerity without a trace of embarrassment or irony. She plays the character straight, trusting optimism and curiosity to be strengths rather than punchlines. That choice anchors the film’s humor and keeps the absurdity from tipping into parody. Her timing is sharp, her physical comedy lands, and her emotional beats feel surprisingly genuine for a family adventure film. She carries the story with confidence, even when the concept sounds questionable on paper. It’s a performance built on belief, not self-awareness. Not a prestige role, but a genuinely effective leading turn that proves she can shoulder a big studio release. | © Paramount Pictures

Isabela merced peacemaker cropped processed by imagy — 5. Peacemaker (2019)

This ranking has less to do with quality and more to do with sheer screen time. Merced appears briefly in the series’ second season as Kendra Saunders, better known as Hawkgirl, the same character she introduces on the big screen in *Superman*. Her presence is limited, but purposeful, functioning more as a tonal extension of the larger DC universe than a fully formed arc. What she brings works: confidence, physical composure, and a no-nonsense delivery that cuts through the show’s chaos. Still, there’s not enough material here to judge depth or evolution. It’s a tease, not a showcase. Effective in context, but understandably ranked lower due to how little we actually get to see. | © HBO

Isabela merced superman cropped processed by imagy — 4. Superman (2025)

As Kendra Saunders, Merced enters the DC universe without trying to steal oxygen from the room, which is exactly the right instinct. Her Hawkgirl is composed, grounded, and quietly assertive, never leaning on exaggerated toughness to make an impression. The performance relies heavily on physical presence and restraint rather than dialogue-heavy exposition. She feels like someone who’s already lived with responsibility, not someone discovering it mid-movie. While the role doesn’t allow for major emotional swings, it establishes credibility and continuity, especially when paired with her *Peacemaker* appearance. It’s a smart, measured introduction that prioritizes longevity over spectacle. Not flashy, but deliberately solid. | © Warner Bros. Pictures

Isabela merced Alien Romulus 2024 cropped processed by imagy — 3. Alien: Romulus (2024)

Here, Merced steps into a genre that punishes false notes immediately, and she doesn’t make any. Her character reacts with believable fear, tension, and survival instinct, never tipping into melodrama even when the situation escalates. The film thrives on claustrophobia, and she adjusts her performance accordingly, using physicality and silence as much as dialogue. There’s a sharp awareness of space and threat in the way she moves and listens. Nothing feels performative or self-conscious. She behaves like someone trapped in a nightmare, not like someone performing fear for the camera. It’s controlled, disciplined work that proves she understands genre mechanics. | © 20th Century Studios

Isabela merced Sicario Day of the Soldado cropped processed by imagy — 2. Sicario: Day of the Soldado (2018)

Playing Isabel Reyes places Merced in the middle of a brutal, morally indifferent landscape, and she never softens the reality of it. Her performance is defined by fear that feels earned rather than exaggerated, especially in moments where silence does more than dialogue could. Surrounded by hardened operatives and escalating violence, she becomes the emotional reference point without demanding attention. There’s a realism to her reactions that grounds the film’s harsh tone. She doesn’t ask the audience for sympathy; she lets the circumstances speak. For an early-career role, it shows remarkable restraint and instinct. This is where her dramatic credibility first becomes undeniable. | © Columbia Pictures

Isabela merced the last of us cropped processed by imagy — 1. The Last of Us (2025)

As Dina, Merced delivers a performance built on emotional precision rather than overt intensity. She balances warmth, humor, and quiet resolve in a world that constantly threatens to strip those things away. Every interaction feels rooted in character history, even when the script leaves space unspoken. Her chemistry with the rest of the cast feels lived-in, not engineered. The role allows her to shift between lightness and gravity without signaling the transition, which gives the performance texture. Nothing feels rushed or performative. It’s her most complete work to date – confident, emotionally grounded, and fully integrated into the story’s DNA. | © HBO

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Some actors arrive quietly, rack up an unexpectedly interesting résumé, and suddenly you realize you’ve been watching their career unfold without keeping score. Isabela Merced fits that description perfectly. From blockbuster franchises to smaller, more character-driven projects, her roles span genres, tones, and levels of chaos, sometimes within the same year.

This ranking isn’t about pretending every performance is flawless or rewriting history with rose-colored glasses. It’s about looking at what worked, what didn’t quite land, and which roles actually let her talent breathe. Think of it as a guided tour through the highs, the experiments, and the “oh, right, she was in that” moments counting up toward the performances that genuinely hit.