Why Katie From Dangerous Lies Looks So Familiar
The twisty new Netflix thriller Dangerous Lies is ensnaring viewers with its web of intrigue, thanks in no small part to its excellent cast. The flick tells the story of Katie, a young woman who works as a caretaker for a kind, elderly man named Leonard (Elliott Gould) on his spacious estate. The two become close, and Leonard even brings Katie's husband Adam (Jessie T. Usher) on to work as a groundskeeper.
When Leonard passes away and leaves the pair unemployed, they're determined to roll with the punches — but are soon shocked to discover that the man left the entirety of his estate to Katie. However, Katie and Adam's good fortune takes a turn when it becomes clear that there are other, mysterious parties interested in the property. With the couple's newfound wealth being threatened, Adam's personality begins to change in unsettling ways — suggesting that he may be harboring a secret or two from his trusting wife.
Dangerous Lies is anchored by the naturalistic and sympathetic performance of its lead actress, and you may just be wondering where you've seen her before. Her name is Camila Mendes, and although she hasn't been in show business for very long, the chances are pretty good you've seen her striking visage before if you're into indie feature films, pop music, or brooding teen melodramas. Here's why Katie from Dangerous Lies looks so familiar.
Camila Mendes has been in a few smaller features
Since 2018, Mendes has appeared in a number of indie flicks that might have crossed your radar. Her debut feature role was in that year's The New Romantic, in which she portrayed Morgan, a college student with a thing for older men who convinces a fellow student to give up on guys her own age after their IDs are mistakenly switched.
Mendes' appearance led to featured roles in a pair of comedy films. In 2019, she starred opposite The Fosters' Noah Centineo and Saving Zoë's Laura Marano in the Netflix rom-com The Perfect Date, and in 2020, Mendes popped up among the star-studded cast of the Lonely Island comedy Palm Springs, which just barely broke the previous record for the highest sale price garnered by a movie at the Sundance Film Festival (via AP News). In addition to Mendes, the flick from first-time feature director Max Barbakow also stars Tyler Hoechlin (Superman in the CW's Arrowverse), Andy Samberg (Brooklyn Nine-Nine), veteran character actor Peter Gallagher (Grace and Frankie), and J.K. Simmons (who portrays J. Jonah Jameson in multiple film universes featuring Spider-Man).
It may seem like Mendes gravitated toward comedy flicks early in her career — but while she certainly does have comedic chops, the actress has previously demonstrated just how capable she is of holding down a lead role in a thriller.
Camila Mendes has starred in another twisty thriller
In 2019, Mendes scored the lead role in Coyote Lake, the well-regarded feature debut of director Sara Seligman, who has worked as a production assistant on TV series like The Fosters, The Mindy Project, and American Crime Story. Coyote Lake sees Mendes portraying a young woman named Ester, who's both a victim of and accomplice to her domineering mother (Adriana Barraza of Rambo: Last Blood), with whom she lives in a deserted guest house on a lake by the U.S.-Mexico border. The pair survive by drugging, robbing, and killing their would-be guests — but when a pair of travelers with criminal pasts stop by, the tables are turned.
While Coyote Lake received an extremely limited theatrical release, Mendes caught the attention of critics with her complex and nuanced performance. Coyote Lake is currently available on multiple streaming platforms, so if you've got a hankering for more tense, nerve-jangling fare starring Mendes after taking in Dangerous Lies, you're in luck.
Camila Mendes was featured in some notable music videos in 2018
If you haven't caught Mendes' work in feature films, there's a good chance that you may recognize her from a couple of high-profile appearances in recent music videos.
In 2018, pop songstress Maggie Rogers — whose debut single "Alaska" famously blew away Pharrell Williams in a 2016 viral video — was inspired to write the tune "Give a Little" after witnessing children and teenagers across the U.S. come together to mount nationwide rallies aimed at ending gun violence. The song, a paean to empathy and unity, sports a suitably celebratory music video in which Rogers has a little backyard skate-and-dance party in an empty pool with a group of friends. Among these pals is Mendes, who gets to show off her dance skills (but never does pick up a skateboard).
Speaking of Mendes' dance skills, they happen to be the centerpiece of another video from the same year: "Side Effects" by the Chainsmokers, featuring singer-songwriter Emily Warren on vocals. In the music video, Mendes stars as Riley, a young hotel employee who's informed that she'll be working all weekend. Despondent, she heads off down a long hall — only to find herself miraculously changed out of her work clothes and at the center of an extended, involved solo dance number. It's an artfully done clip, with Mendes front and center in virtually every frame. Her killer dance moves serve to remind viewers of the video's most obvious inspiration, the Christopher Walken-starring video for Fatboy Slim's classic "Weapon of Choice."
Camila Mendes stars as Veronica Lodge on Riverdale
Aside from her appearances in feature films and music videos, there's one more reason why you might find Camila Mendes' face to be familiar: you know her from Riverdale, the CW's dark and seedy teen drama based on the classic Archie comics.
On Riverdale, Mendes portrays Veronica Lodge, an ambitious teen who moves with her mother Hermione (Marisol Nichols) to Riverdale after the arrest and imprisonment of her father Hiram (Mark Consuelos). Veronica spent much of Riverdale's earlier episodes attempting to uncover the truth about her father's illegal activities and loyalties. Once Hiram was released from prison, he maneuvered himself back into his family's life — not to mention the town of Riverdale itself — buying up a slew of properties and taking over as mayor from his wife.
Over nearly four seasons of Riverdale, Mendes has turned Veronica into a layered and multifaceted character, whose confidence and outgoing attitude conceal some deep insecurities, especially concerning her family. (Mendes even acquitted herself admirably of playing a teen version of Hermione in flashbacks.) With a featured role on a popular series and a respectable body of feature work under her belt, it's no surprise that Mendes is continuing to grab high-profile gigs.
Riverdale has already been renewed for a fifth season (via TVLine), so Mendes is sure to be plenty busy in the future. Her only other announced upcoming project is the YouTube series Celebrity Substitute, in which Bill Nye will enlist various celebrities to assist him in teaching a wide array of subjects (via International Business Times). That sounds like a lot of fun, but we're anxious to see what kind of intriguing feature work the talented Camila Mendes will line up after Dangerous Lies — and we're pretty sure we won't have to wait too long to find out.