If you’ve spent any time on the darker, glitchier side of the internet, you know that Carly Chaikin isn’t just an actress—she’s a mood. Most people recognize her immediately as the chain-smoking, heart-on-her-sleeve hacker Darlene from Mr. Robot. But honestly, if that’s the only place you’ve seen her, you’re missing out on one of the weirdest and most versatile career trajectories in Hollywood. She’s gone from a Nicholas Sparks teen villain to a vocal-fry legend in a suburban satire, and then pivoted into a high-stakes techno-thriller.
It’s kinda wild when you look at the full list of Carly Chaikin movies and tv shows. She doesn't just play characters; she inhabits these very specific, often prickly personas that you shouldn't like, but somehow you do.
The Suburgatory Era: Dalia Royce and the Art of the Blank Stare
Before she was taking down E Corp, Carly Chaikin was busy being the absolute highlight of the ABC sitcom Suburgatory. If you haven't seen it, go find it. Basically, she played Dalia Royce, the resident "mean girl" of Chatswin. But she wasn't your typical Mean Girls archetype.
Dalia was... different.
She spoke in this legendary, soul-crushing vocal fry. She rarely moved her facial muscles. She had a doll collection that was borderline threatening. Honestly, the way Chaikin played Dalia was a masterclass in deadpan comedy. Most actors would have played that role as a caricature, but she made Dalia feel like a real, albeit terrifying, person.
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The "You Missed a Spot" music video? Pure gold. She managed to get a Critics' Choice nomination for Best Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series for this role, and frankly, she should have won. It’s rare to see a young actress commit that hard to being that unexpressive and still be the funniest person on the screen.
Breaking Down the Mr. Robot Phenomenon
Then came Mr. Robot.
If Suburgatory put her on the map, Mr. Robot made her an icon. Playing Darlene Alderson, the sister of Elliot (Rami Malek), Carly Chaikin had to pivot from "deadpan rich kid" to "traumatized, brilliant, anarchist hacker."
Darlene is arguably the heart of that show. While Elliot is off having his internal (and external) battles, Darlene is the one actually keeping the gears of fsociety turning. She’s messy. She makes terrible decisions. She wears those heart-shaped sunglasses that became the unofficial uniform for every tech-savvy rebel in 2015.
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What’s cool is that Chaikin actually did the work to understand the tech. She didn't just "hack" by typing random gibberish (mostly). She looked into the actual scripts and rootkits her character was supposed to be writing. That authenticity is why Darlene feels so grounded, even when the show goes off the deep end into surrealism.
Notable Film Roles You Might Have Missed
While her TV work is the heavy hitter, her filmography has some gems too.
- The Last Song (2010): This was actually her big break. She played Blaze, the "bad girl" who frames Miley Cyrus's character. It's a classic Nicholas Sparks tearjerker, but seeing Chaikin in such a different, more conventional teen-movie role is a trip.
- In a World... (2013): A tiny but great role in Lake Bell’s movie about voice actors. It fits her perfectly because, again, it's a movie about voice, and Chaikin’s voice is one of her most distinct tools.
- Social Animals (2018): A quirky indie rom-com where she gets to be a bit more "normal," or at least as normal as her characters ever get.
- Last Moment of Clarity (2020): A Hitchcockian thriller where she plays Kat. It’s a darker, more noir-inspired vibe that showed she could carry a mystery.
- Daniel's Gotta Die (2022): One of her more recent film projects, a dark comedy that hit the festival circuits.
More Than Just the Screen: The Art and the "Messy" Future
Here is the thing about Carly Chaikin that most casual fans don't realize: she’s a legitimate painter. If you follow her on social media, you’ve seen her studio. She does these huge, impressive oil and acrylic pieces that often lean into realism and portraiture.
In fact, the F-Society mask you saw all over Mr. Robot? She actually painted a version of that which ended up on official merch. It’s not just a hobby; it’s a massive part of her identity.
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She’s also been moving into the "creator" space. She’s been developing a project called Messy, which she wrote and intended to showrun. It’s about a mother-daughter organizing duo who are, ironically, total messes themselves. This move into writing and producing is a natural next step. She’s always felt like someone who has a very specific vision for how a story should be told.
What's Next for Carly?
As of 2026, Chaikin has become a bit more selective. She isn't just taking every guest spot that comes her way. She’s leaned into her art, but she’s also heavily involved in mental health advocacy, specifically working with NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness).
If you're looking for what to watch next, the best move is to revisit the "New Year, New You" episode of Into the Dark on Hulu. It’s basically a feature-length horror movie where she plays a social media influencer. It’s a perfect bridge between her snarky Dalia roots and her darker Mr. Robot energy.
Next Steps for Fans:
- Watch "Suburgatory" (if you can find it on streaming): It’s the most underrated comedy of the 2010s, and Dalia Royce is a character that will live in your head rent-free.
- Check out her Art: Look up her official art site or her Instagram. The paintings are genuinely good, not just "celebrity-good."
- The "Into the Dark" Episode: If you want a quick Carly Chaikin fix that feels like a movie, "New Year, New You" is the one.
The range she’s shown across these Carly Chaikin movies and tv shows proves she’s not just "the girl from that hacker show." She’s a writer, a painter, and a comedic force who just happens to be really good at looking like she’s about to ruin your life with a single text message.