You’ve seen the face. Maybe it was the sharp, academic wit of Nikki Velasco in the basement of Point Place, or perhaps you caught her recently in a heavy-hitting Colleen Hoover adaptation. Either way, Sam Morelos is currently doing that thing where a "newcomer" suddenly feels like a veteran of your watchlist.
Honestly, the rise of Sam Morelos movies and TV shows is a textbook case of what happens when musical theater discipline meets a really specific, grounded screen presence. Born in 2005, this first-generation Filipino-American actress didn't just stumble into Netflix's lap. She spent years at the California School of the Arts, originally training in musical theater before a Zoom-induced pivot—thanks to the pandemic—forced her to focus on on-camera acting. Talk about a silver lining.
The Breakout: That '90s Show
Let's get the obvious one out of the way. If you’ve searched for Sam Morelos, you probably know her as Nikki from That '90s Show.
Playing the smart, driven girlfriend of Nate (Maxwell Acee Donovan) could have easily been a one-dimensional "overachiever" trope. Instead, Morelos brought a certain "don't-mess-with-me" energy that felt very 1995. It was her first major credit. She actually found the casting call on a bulletin board at her school. Imagine walking past a flyer, auditioning against thousands, and ending up as a series regular on a sequel to one of the most iconic sitcoms of all time.
The chemistry with the new Point Place gang worked because she wasn't just there to be the "smart one." She was the anchor. Whether she’s dealing with the Formans' basement chaos or navigating teenage angst, Morelos makes Nikki feel like someone you actually went to high school with.
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Moving Into Movies: Summer of '69 and Regretting You
2025 was a massive year for Sam. If That '90s Show put her on the map, her recent film work has solidified her as a dramatic and comedic heavyweight.
Summer of '69
This film marked her first co-lead role in a feature. Directed by Jillian Bell (who we already know is a comedy genius), Summer of '69 allowed Sam to play Abby. It’s a complete 180 from the controlled environment of a multi-cam sitcom. It’s messy, it’s funny, and it holds an impressive critical rating—sitting at roughly 89% on some review aggregators. It proved she could carry a movie, not just support a TV ensemble.
Regretting You
Then came the Colleen Hoover effect. If you’re a fan of "CoHo," you know the stakes are always sky-high. In the 2025 film Regretting You, Sam plays Lexie, the best friend of Clara (played by McKenna Grace).
Here’s a wild stat: Sam reportedly beat out over 900 other actresses for this part.
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The movie is a heavy exploration of grief, betrayal, and mother-daughter dynamics. Playing Lexie required a specific kind of nuance—someone who provides emotional support while dealing with their own "coming of age" hurdles. Working alongside Allison Williams and McKenna Grace, Sam didn't just blend in; she held her own in scenes that were significantly more "grown-up" than anything we saw in Point Place.
A Growing Filmography
While she's still in the early stages of her career, the list of Sam Morelos movies and TV shows is expanding into diverse territory. You’ll find her name attached to:
- Descendants: The Rise of Red (2024): A brief but notable foray into the Disney universe, which makes sense given her musical theater roots.
- Forgetting Nobody (2022): A project that predates her massive Netflix fame but shows those early glimpses of her range.
- Laura Dean Keeps Breaking Up With Me: A project that has been buzzing in industry circles, further leaning into that YA/Coming-of-age niche she’s mastered.
Why She’s Actually Different
It's easy to look at a young actor and think "industry plant" or "lucky break." But with Sam, it's the theater background. She’s a company member at the Echo Theatre Company. She understudied for the award-winning play Poor Clare while she was still a junior in high school. That’s not a hobby; that’s a grind.
She’s also been incredibly vocal about her Filipino heritage. In multiple interviews, she has mentioned that she views her roles through the lens of being a first-generation American. "My skin is the one thing I cannot take off, and I don’t want to," she once said. That perspective brings a layer of authenticity to her characters that you don't always get in teen-centric media. She isn't just playing "the friend"; she's playing a person with a specific cultural backbone.
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What to Watch Next
If you're looking to catch up on her work, start with the latest seasons of That '90s Show to see her comedic timing. Then, pivot to Regretting You for the emotional heavy lifting.
The "Sam Morelos era" is basically just beginning. Most actors take a decade to move from a sitcom to a lead in a major book adaptation. She did it in about three years. Keep an eye on her upcoming production credits, too—she’s already expressed interest in shaping stories from behind the camera at NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts.
To keep up with her trajectory, your best bet is to follow her projects on streaming platforms like Netflix and Hulu, as she seems to be a favorite for high-quality streaming originals. If you're a fan of her musical side, look for her early performances at the Walt Disney Concert Hall—the girl can actually sing, which is a talent many of her current TV fans haven't even fully realized yet.