5 Darby Stanchfield movies and TV shows to watch if you loved her in Scandal

Darby Stanchfield got onto everyone’s radar as Abby Whelan on ABC’s Scandal. The series featured Olivia Pope power-walking with rapid-fire dialogues and covering White House secrets from 2012 to 2018. Shonda Rhimes created the show and continued to reveal plot twists up until the season finale.

In the show, Abby started as the kind of office underdog you would barely notice, but she clawed her way up to White House Chief of Staff.

But Stanchfield is far from a one-trick pony. She has appeared in several solid supporting roles on other TV shows and even some independent films. So, let’s go through five of her best roles in TV and films, because there’s way more to her than just Scandal’s drama.

Five Darby Stanchfield projects to watch

Locke & Key (2020–2022)

After Scandal, Darby Stanchfield played Nina Locke in Locke & Key, an American fantasy series on Netflix. The series, comprising three seasons, ran until 2022. It follows the Locke family discovering mystical keys with different powers and fighting an evil, dark force. Stanchfield, as the mom, brought emotional depth to the storytelling, blending family tension and paranormal drama.

Mad Men (2007–2008)

Before Scandal made Darby Stanchfield a household name, she actually appeared in Mad Men as Helen Bishop. While she was not exactly the main character, she left a mark. Helen was kind of the poster child for all the gender expectations and cultural war going on in the ‘60s. The show itself looks amazing with swagger, old-school fashions, and tense social landmines everywhere. Stanchfield showed she could nail those complicated roles; her Helen certainly wasn’t just background noise.

Carnage Park (2016)

Darby took up the role of Ellen San Diego in the horror movie Carnage Park. This is an independent thriller that is directed by Mickey Keating, and the film narrates the story of a kidnapping gone awry in the desert. Stanchfield played a minor role but provided emotional significance to the tense story. This movie demonstrates her capability to play more sinister and dark roles beyond TV drama.

Loserville (2016)

Darby Stanchfield showed up in Loserville playing the role of Evelyn MacDonald, the one who holds it together while everything else implodes. That movie is a teen coming-of-age dramedy, where you’re laughing at the disaster but also kind of wincing at how real it all feels. Darby nails the seesaw between goofy and gut-punching. She was way more versatile than folks give her credit for. While this is not one of her famous gigs, it’s still a solid reminder that she has serious acting range.

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Jericho (2006–2007)

Stanchfield also appeared in Jericho, a show that deserved more hype than it got. She played a recurring role across both seasons, bringing some serious dimension to a story about a Kansas town trying not to implode after nukes wipe out most of America. Her character added some much-needed layers and actual heart to all the doom and gloom. If you’re into intense dramas where everyone is barely holding it together, you’ll probably dig her work in Jericho.

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