You probably recognize her face, even if you can’t quite place the name at first. Alison Fernandez has been one of those "everywhere" actors for over a decade. Most people saw her grow up on screen without even realizing it was the same girl. From the gritty, dust-caked world of Logan to the storybook magic of ABC’s Once Upon a Time, she’s skipped across genres like most kids skip rope.
Honestly, it’s kinda wild to look back at her early credits. She started in the trenches of New York procedural drama, specifically Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, playing Zara Amaro. She was just a tiny kid then, but she had this weirdly mature presence. You’ve seen child actors who feel like they’re just reciting lines their parents coached them on? Fernandez never felt like that.
The Breakthrough: Alison Fernandez Movies and TV Shows That Stuck
If we’re talking about the moment she truly "arrived," we have to talk about 2017. That year was a massive pivot point. First, she showed up in Logan. She played Delilah, one of the X-23 kids. While Hugh Jackman was busy being iconic and grumpy, Fernandez and a handful of other kids were providing the emotional stakes that made that movie feel so much heavier than a standard superhero flick.
Then came the big one: Once Upon a Time.
📖 Related: Who is Really in the Enola Holmes 2 Cast? A Look at the Faces Behind the Mystery
When the show rebooted itself for Season 7, they needed a "new Henry." Enter Lucy Mills. It was a high-pressure gig. She had to basically mirror the energy of the original series lead while navigating a messy, "soft-reboot" plot in Hyperion Heights. Fans are still divided on that final season, but nobody really blames Fernandez. She brought a specific brand of earnestness that the show desperately needed as it wound down.
More Than Just Magic and Mutants
What most people get wrong about her career is thinking she only does Disney-adjacent stuff. Sure, she’s a Disney Channel alum—Upside-Down Magic (2020) and Team Kaylie are staples for anyone with a younger sibling—but her range is actually pretty broad.
Look at her work in Orange Is the New Black. She played Eva, Aleida Diaz’s daughter. It wasn't a huge role, but it was raw. It was a complete 180 from the polished, magical world of Storybrooke. Then you have Jane the Virgin, where she played the young version of Gina Rodriguez’s character. Playing a younger version of a powerhouse actress is a thankless job, but she nailed the mannerisms.
👉 See also: Priyanka Chopra Latest Movies: Why Her 2026 Slate Is Riskier Than You Think
- Action/Drama: Logan (2017)
- Fantasy/TV: Once Upon a Time (Lucy Mills)
- Comedy/Sitcom: Team Kaylie (Amber), Sydney to the Max
- Voice Acting: Turning Red (Additional voices), We Bare Bears, Only Yesterday (English dub)
The Voice Behind the Scenes
It’s easy to miss her in the credits of big animated projects. She did the English dub for the Studio Ghibli classic Only Yesterday, voicing Taeko as a fifth-grader. If you’ve ever watched Clarence or We Bare Bears on Cartoon Network, you’ve likely heard her voice popping up in various roles. More recently, she contributed to the massive Pixar hit Turning Red.
Basically, she’s built a career that survives the "child star" curse by being incredibly versatile.
She isn't just a "Disney kid." She's a gymnast, a cheerleader, and has been trained in everything from singing to choreography at A Class Act N.Y. That technical background is probably why she handles physical roles or high-energy sitcoms like Team Kaylie so easily.
✨ Don't miss: Why This Is How We Roll FGL Is Still The Song That Defines Modern Country
What’s Next for Alison Fernandez?
As of 2026, Fernandez is transitioning into adult roles. It’s that awkward phase where the industry has to stop seeing her as "Little Lucy" and start seeing her as a leading lady. She’s already shown she can handle horror—check out Devil’s Whisper if you want to see her in a psychological thriller context—and she’s likely to lean more into indie dramas or perhaps a return to the gritty action roots she explored in the Marvel universe.
If you’re looking to catch up on her work, start with Logan for the intensity and then jump to Once Upon a Time Season 7 to see the charisma. It’s a weird double feature, but it perfectly summarizes why she’s still working when so many of her peers have moved on.
To keep up with her latest projects, the best move is to track her credits on IMDb or follow her verified social media, as she often shares behind-the-scenes looks at her ADR (voice recording) sessions and new indie film sets. Given her history with Netflix and Disney, keep an eye on those platforms for upcoming casting announcements as she moves into this new chapter of her career.