Sydney Sweeney is best known today for her standout roles in Euphoria and The White Lotus, where her portrayal of complex and deeply troubled characters has earned her acclaim. Not to mention her portrayal of a young woman in the troubled world of The Handmaid’s Tale caught significant attention.
However, long before Sweeney brought depth to Gilead’s harsh world in The Handmaid’s Tale, she appeared in an episode of a popular crime drama that could quietly foreshadow the same intensity. While it wasn’t the role that made her famous, her portrayal of a tragic character in a brutal crime drama marked the beginning of her journey. The episode in the crime drama Criminal Minds remains one of her most chilling performances to date.
Sydney Sweeney made a guest appearance in the crime drama series Criminal Minds
Long before Euphoria’s Cassie Howard became a pop sensation, and even before her stirring role as Eden Spencer in The Handmaid’s Tale, Sydney Sweeney‘s talent was already beginning to shine. In 2009, at the age of 12, she appeared in a haunting episode of Criminal Minds, a show that was then a cornerstone of TV crime dramas.
The episode Outfoxed saw Sweeney playing Dani Forester, a young girl tragically caught in a brutal crime. Dani and her family are murdered by a copycat killer mimicking the infamous criminal “The Fox.”
The role may have been brief, but Sweeney’s grief-stricken character left a lasting impact. At the young age of 12, she started showcasing her haunting acting talent she would later display in much more high-profile projects.
Criminal Minds was already one of the best crime dramas on TV at the time, with its mix of psychological profiling and thrilling cases. Despite the show’s massive popularity and critical acclaim, however, it didn’t immediately propel Sweeney into the spotlight. At the time, she was still building her resume, with smaller roles in shows like Grey’s Anatomy and 90210.
Fast forward to 2017, and Sweeney was cast in The Handmaid’s Tale as Eden Spencer. Sweeney’s role, though brief, was another young woman caught in an oppressive system, much like her early role on Criminal Minds.
Although the show was popular, it didn’t act as a launchpad for her career. She has always been open about her fair share of struggles in the industry.
Sydney Sweeney’s breakthrough came years later after Criminal Minds
It was her breakthrough as Cassie Howard in Euphoria that truly changed the game. Sweeney’s portrayal of the insecure and vulnerable teenager, desperately seeking love and validation, became a cultural moment, especially her iconic bathroom meltdown scene. But getting roles was no easy feat.
Interestingly, even though Euphoria became a career-defining moment, Sweeney almost didn’t land the role of Cassie. She revealed that the casting director initially told her face wasn’t the right fit for the role and advised her not to audition. Undeterred, Sweeney took matters into her own hands. She rehearsed, submitted the audition tape, and earned the role.
Her experience with rejection has defined her career. In fact, the actress, who had been steadily building her career with roles in Sharp Objects, The Handmaid’s Tale, and Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, made it clear that breaking into Hollywood wasn’t easy. She told The Hollywood Reporter,
I started from ground zero, and I know how f*cking hard it is. Now I see how someone can just walk in a door, and I’m like, ‘I worked my f**king ass off for 10 years for this.’
In hindsight, her time on Criminal Minds might not have been the role that skyrocketed her into fame, but it was certainly one that hinted at the powerhouse actress she would become. Still, the guest appearance in the show built the foundation for the emotionally complex characters she would go on to perfect.
Criminal Minds can be streamed on platforms like Paramount Plus, Hulu, and Amazon Prime Video
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