You know that feeling when you're watching a teen drama and there's one character who just makes your blood boil, but you can't look away? That’s basically the Emilija Baranac effect. She’s perfected the art of the "frenemy" so well that it's easy to forget she’s actually a soft-spoken Canadian-Serbian actress who's obsessed with psychology and her dog.
If you’ve spent any time on Netflix in the last few years, you've definitely seen her face. She’s everywhere, yet she still feels like one of those "if you know, you know" stars. From the neon-soaked hallways of Riverdale to the letter-writing chaos of To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before, the list of Emilija Baranac movies and tv shows is a roadmap of the biggest Gen Z hits of the 2020s.
The Genieveve Factor: Breaking Out in "To All the Boys"
Let’s be real: we all hated Gen at first. In the first To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before (2018), Emilija played the ultimate high school antagonist. She was the ex-girlfriend who just wouldn't quit. It's a tough role because if you play it too flat, the character is just a cardboard cutout.
But Baranac did something interesting.
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By the time the sequels, P.S. I Still Love You and Always and Forever, rolled around, she gave Genevieve these tiny cracks of vulnerability. You started to realize she wasn't just mean for the sake of it; she was insecure. That’s the kind of depth she brings to her roles. It’s not just "I’m the popular girl," it’s "I’m the popular girl who’s terrified of being forgotten." Honestly, it made her one of the most underrated parts of that whole trilogy.
Why Emilija Baranac Movies and TV Shows Keep Taking Over Your Feed
She has this look that fits perfectly into the "CW/Netflix aesthetic," but her acting is way more grounded than the typical soap opera style. Most people first clocked her as Midge Klump in Riverdale.
Poor Midge.
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She was a staple of the early seasons, the sweetheart who ended up pinned to a wall in one of the show’s most gruesome musical episodes. Even in a show as wild as Riverdale, Baranac managed to make Midge feel like a real person, which is a feat in itself when you're dealing with Gargoyle Kings and cults.
The Recent Pivot to Comedy and Horror
Lately, she’s been branching out. If you haven't seen Fakes (2022) on Netflix, you’re missing out. She stars as Zoe, a high schooler who accidentally builds a fake ID empire. It’s fast, it’s funny, and it breaks the fourth wall. It showed a side of her we hadn't seen—clumsy, stressed, and genuinely hilarious.
Then there’s her foray into horror. There’s Someone Inside Your House (2021) saw her back in the high school setting, but this time with a slasher twist. She also popped up in Mike Flanagan’s The Midnight Club, which, if you know Flanagan, means you've officially made it in the "prestige horror" world.
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A Quick Look at the Baranac Filmography
- The Big Hits: To All the Boys Trilogy (Genevieve), Riverdale (Midge Klump).
- The Lead Roles: Fakes (Zoe Christensen), Tempting Fate (Olivia).
- Genre Jumps: Chilling Adventures of Sabrina, Charmed (the reboot), and Supernatural (one of her earliest gigs!).
- Recent/Upcoming: Keep an eye out for The Wrong Paris (2025). It’s a rom-com where she joins Miranda Cosgrove, and it’s already generating buzz for being the kind of "comfort watch" Netflix excels at.
What’s the Secret Sauce?
Emilija was born in Vancouver, but her first language was actually Serbian. She’s talked about how being a bit of an outsider as a kid—feeling shy because of the language barrier—pushed her into acting classes.
She also studies psychology. You can actually see that in her work. She doesn't just play "the bitch" or "the victim." She looks for the why. Why is this girl acting out? Why is she so loyal to a bad friend? That curiosity makes her characters feel like people you actually went to school with, rather than just names in a script.
What You Should Watch First
If you're new to her work and want to see what the hype is about, don't just stick to the cameos.
- Watch Fakes first. It’s her best performance to date because she’s the lead and gets to show off her comedic timing.
- Then go back to the first To All the Boys. Pay attention to how she uses her eyes to convey judgment—it’s a masterclass in "mean girl" body language.
- Check out The Wrong Paris. If you want something lighter, this is the way to go. It shows she’s ready to move out of the high school roles and into more adult leading-lady territory.
Baranac isn't just a face from a viral TikTok edit. She’s a working actress who has managed to stay relevant in an industry that usually chews up and spits out teen stars after their first big franchise ends. By picking projects like The Midnight Club and Fakes, she’s proving she has longevity.
Next Steps for Fans:
If you want to keep up with her latest projects, skip the generic gossip sites. Check her IMDb for the status of The Wrong Paris and follow her on Instagram, where she’s surprisingly low-key. Most of the time, she's just posting about books or her dog, which makes her one of the more relatable "Netflix stars" out there. Keep an eye on her transition into more indie films—that’s where her psychology background will probably shine the most.