Born to director Howard Deutch and actress-director Lea Thompson, it makes sense that Zoey Deutch gravitated towards the film industry at an early age. Her career dates as far back as Disney Channel’s The Suite Life On Deck, per Pop Buzz, but Deutch gained recognition amongst teen audiences for her performances in the gothic fantasy Beautiful Creatures and the fantasy horror Vampire Academy.

Since then, Deutch has managed to establish herself as a critically acclaimed actress at the age of 27. Her most recent movie Not Okay, where she stars alongside Dylan O’Brien, is out now on Hulu, and we can’t wait to see her in more upcoming projects. In the meantime, let’s take a look at eight of her best performances.

8 The Politician (2019)

A comedy-drama created by the executive trio Ryan Murphy, Brad Falchuk, and Ian Brennan, The Politician is a Netflix series centered on a wealthy Santa Barbaran Payton (Ben Platt) and his involvement in different political races. Deutch plays the character of Infinity Jackson, who is Payton's former running mate, but she decides to become an environmental activist instead. Many would argue that Deutch's character has become the best in the whole series. She acts as a chaotic activist queen, but is also a really rich, unpredictable, sexually fluid teenager who does extreme things for politics.

7 Before I Fall (2017)

Based on a 2010 novel of the same name, Before I Fall is a science fiction teen drama directed by Ry Russo-Young. The plot is your typical "what if you had to relive the same day over and over again?" Deutch stars as Samantha, a teenager who is ready to lose her virginity at a party, but on the way back with her friends, they get into a car crash and die. However, instead of staying dead, she wakes up on the same day and has to find out what to do differently in order to stay alive. At first, she turns into a reckless mess and does what she wants, but quickly realizes that time is precious. If you want a movie with an important message starring Deutch, this one is for you.

6 The Year of Spectacular Men (2017)

Coming from a family full of film prodigies, it's even possible to produce a whole movie consisting of family members only. This comedy-drama is directed by Deutch's mother, Lea Thompson, in her feature film directorial debut and stars two of her daughters, Zoey and Madelyn, who also assisted in producing and writing the screenplay as well. Even Deutch's father helped out by being the producer. The Year of Spectacular Men tells the story of Izzy Klein, a fresh-out-of-college woman who struggles to find her path post-graduation, which ends up in multiple ruined relationships. Deutch plays her successful younger sister Sabrina, who is always there to support her. Along with the family vibe, the movie perfectly shows what both of the Deutch sisters are capable of in front of the cameras.

5 Not Okay (2022)

Freshly released satirical black comedy Not Okay stars Deutch and Dylan O'Brien in the lead roles. It focuses on Danni Sanders (Deutch), who desperately wants to be loved and to gain followers on the internet, uses her Photoshop skills to deceive people. However, when she mistakenly gains popularity as the survivor of a terrorist attack, things get taken a little too far. It's been some time since its release on Hulu, and so far, per Rotten Tomatoes, it has managed to receive positive reviews from critics. It's a powerful commentary on social media, influencer culture and behavor, and how insensitive people are when dealing with tragic events. As for Deutch, she definitely knows how to play an unlikable woman protagonist.

Related: Best Dylan O'Brien Movies, Ranked

4 Buffaloed (2019)

Directed by Tanya Wexler, Buffaloed is a comedy movie following Deutch's character Peg Dahl, who would do anything to escape her home city of Buffalo, so she decides to become a debt collector. The movie focuses on low-class families and what they're willing to do to escape their poor financial situations. Deutch's character is so enjoyable but also so stupid at times that it makes you want to bang your head against the wall. Despite the messy writing and cliché direction, Deutch's performance is too good and hilarious to pass on. We think it's safe to say that she perfectly carries the movie.

3 The Outfit (2022)

As Graham Moore's directorial debut, The Outfit is a crime drama with an ensemble cast featuring Mark Rylance, Zoey Deutch, Johnny Flynn, Dylan O'Brien, and more. It tells the story of an English tailor/ "cutter," whose primary customers is family of gangsters. Deutch plays the character of the shop receptionist Mable, who has a complicated relationship with one of the gangster family members. Her character is a definite badass in this, as the plot twists show us that she's been using the man all the time to get what she wants. Almost the entire movie takes place in one set, but somehow the director and the cast has made it work and created an enjoyable watch.

Related: The Outfit Review: Mark Rylance Stitches a Riveting Gangster Flick

2 Everybody Wants Some!! (2016)

The critically acclaimed Everybody Wants Some!! is a 2016 teen comedy movie written and directed by Richard Linklater. It's about college baseball players in 1980s Texas, who struggle to navigate the sudden unsupervised freedom. Deutch plays the character of Beverly, one of the love interests that the college boys decide to find for themselves. There are so many scenes in the movies that you won't be able to move past from, and we feel certain that Tyler Hoechlin, Glen Powell, and Deutch carry the movie on their backs. It's highly likely that some of you would find the movie objectively bad, but would love it nevertheless.

1 Set It Up (2018)

Last but not least, we have yet another movie with Deutch and Powell starring alongside each other, the romantic comedy Set It Up. Released on Netflix, the plot follows two overworked assistants who decide to set up their bosses, played by Lucy Liu and Taye Diggs, on a date to get them off their backs. However, as fate would have it, in the process off forging evil plans, they end up falling for each other instead. The movie makes you believe in love again while simultaneously setting your standards way too high. It's hugely underrated as a rom-com, but it has it all: the storyline, great chemistry between the main leads, the way the love develops, the performances of the actors, and the cinematography.