If you are a TV fanatic, you’ve likely watched your fair share of CW shows. So, you already know that if you’ve seen an actor in one CW series, you’ve likely seen them again in another. This means you’re probably already familiar with Melissa Roxburgh but don’t even realize it.
Starting out in installments of the Diary of a Wimpy Kid movies, the actress transitioned into broadcast television the following year.
To her credit, Melissa Roxburgh has become somewhat of a sci-fi siren of the small screen, often appearing in roles on shows with fantastical elements like time travel or supernatural monsters.
In recent years, she’s gained notoriety, having developed a relationship with Netflix the same way she did with the CW. However, beyond being a serial series guest star, Roxburgh has had a handful of significant film roles that have shown she is a powerhouse of talent in her own right.
Here, we’ve assembled a boot camp of Roxburgh movies and TV shows to familiarize you with the actress’s most prolific roles. You might be surprised to find yourself going, “That was her?” followed by, “Oh, she was great in that,” and by the end, “Yeah, I definitely remember her now.”
So, sit back, relax, and prepare for your own personal flashback-montage realization.
Star Trek Beyond (2016)
Role: Ensign Syl. Available to watch on Paramount+.
Starting things off strong is Ensign Syl, Roxburgh’s role in Star Trek Beyond. It was very well-received by audiences and critics alike while breaking the trend of the third movie in a series being the worst. However, it is also the thirteenth film in the Star Trek franchise.
This chapter in the Star Trek reboot trilogy sees the crew of the Enterprise trying to stop Krall, played by Idris Elba, from taking vengeance on the federation. While these films tend to stick to formulaic plots, viewers can count on a balance of comedy and action wrapped in a lot of heart.
As Ensign Syl, Roxburgh played a small but significant role. She was instrumental in helping the lead characters before meeting an untimely end. Luckily, for anyone looking for their next space opera, there is also Star Trek: Discovery and Star Trek: Strange New Worlds to enjoy.
I Still Believe (2020)
Role: Heather Henning. Available to watch on Hulu.
A few years after her trek into space, Melissa Roxburgh graced the silver screen again with a more recognizable character in Heather Hennings. The actress ditched the facial prosthetics for this heartfelt film, playing sister to the film’s terminally ill lead character, portrayed by Britt Robertson.
The movie centers around Christian singer-songwriter Jeremy Camp and his first wife, Melissa, who was diagnosed with cancer shortly before they were married. The movie hit a rough patch due to COVID-19 but found a lot of love from quarantined viewers when it was released on VOD.
Grab your tissues because this film is a tearjerker along the lines of A Walk to Remember and The Fault in Our Stars. And if you enjoy smiling and crying simultaneously, consider giving Sweet Magnolias a watch, as its heartfelt family themes complement these films.
Mindcage (2022)
Role: Mary Kelly. Available to watch on Tubi.
Detectives Jake Doyle and Mary Kelly look to the aid of an incarcerated serial killer called “The Artist” to help with a copycat killer. If this mystery thriller sounds vaguely familiar, you’re not alone. Still, it’s a fun premise that is helped by the presence of John Malkovich and Martin Lawrence.
Melissa Roxburgh plays Detective Kelly, who is underestimated until she teams up with Lawrence’s Detective Jake Doyle. Ultimately, she proves to be more capable than anyone expected, and Roxburgh does a great job working alongside such seasoned actors.
As mentioned before, this murder mystery is very similar to The Silence of the Lambs. So, it’s perfect for anyone who enjoys that genre and its spinoff series, Hannibal.
Supernatural (2014)
Role: Violet Duval. Available to stream on Netflix.
Melissa Roxburgh’s career in television started on the CW, with Supernatural being one of her first. This widely known and beloved show follows two monster hunting brothers and remained on the air for a decade and a half. If there was ever a show to kick off a career in TV, this was the one.
Supernatural Season 9 Episode 20, “Bloodlines,” was one of the backdoor pilot attempts of the series. It starred Roxburgh as a lovestruck werewolf who has a rough go of it for a while due to family drama. However, the episode wraps up with a happy ending for this lovely lycanthrope.
If monster mayhem mixed with quick quips and likable characters is your cup of tea, then definitely check out this series and its spinoff, The Winchesters, or for some teenage angst, Legacies.
The Tomorrow People (2014)
Role: Talia. Available to stream on Tubi.
Still a few years from her big-screen space opera debut, Melissa Roxburgh kicked off her segue into science fiction with this one-season wonder. In The Tomorrow People Season 1 Episode 16, “Heroes,” the actress plays the character of Talia, a former gambling criminal turned helpful vigilante.
A remake of the Roger Price classic from the ’70s, The Tomorrow People focuses on a subsect of humans considered the next stage of human evolution. If it sounds similar to another franchise about advanced humans being hunted for their differences, then you’re already a lover of this genre.
While this gem was short-lived, it has not been entirely forgotten and is still loved by many as a sci-fi classic. If superpowered and snarky are some of your favorite character descriptions, then definitely check out this and similar shows like The Gifted.
DC’s Legends of Tomorrow (2016)
Role: Better Seaver. Available to stream on Netflix.
This spinoff of a spinoff proved to be the time-traveling superhero team-up that no one knew they needed. DC’s Legends of Tomorrow is about a ragtag, mismatched team of superpowered vigilantes who find themselves correcting any mistakes in the timeline — many of which are their own.
In DC’s Legends of Tomorrow Season 1 Episode 8 “Night of the Hawk,” Roxburgh plays Betty Seaver, a poodleskirt wearing dolly who gets caught up in the hero’s hijinks. Funnily enough, this was Roxburgh’s second time in the Arrowverse, as she had already played a character on Arrow.
This series is known for being a fun and wild ride with superheroes who don’t take themselves all that seriously. It’s an excellent fit for anyone who enjoyed The Flash and its broodier cousin, Arrow.
Valor (2017-2018)
Role: Thea. Available for purchase.
Stepping away from the special effects of sci-fi scenery, Melissa Roxburgh played the CIA operative, Thea, in the CW’s Valor. This military drama was full of international and interpersonal complications as Roxburgh’s character had a trunk full of baggage from the show’s start.
The premise focuses on a United States Army base home to a unit of pilots trained for covert missions. The show depicts the dramatic line between military discipline and human nature. Not unlike the actual military.
If the intensity of a military drama sounds like a good time, then check out this show and similar ones like SEAL Team and The Code.
Travelers (2017)
Role: Carrie. Available to stream on Netflix.
Back in the realm of time-traveling and sci-fi shenanigans is Travelers. This show, loved by audiences and critics alike, centered around a group of individuals sent back in time through the use of soon-to-be-dead host bodies to stop historical cataclysmic events.
Think DC’s Legends of Tomorrow if it took itself seriously. In Travelers Season 2 Episode 7, “17 Minutes,” Melissa Roxburgh plays Carrie, a skydiver fated to meet her end in a hardly coincidental skydiving accident.
Roxburgh’s character didn’t survive the episode, but she became one of the only characters to host more than three travelers. She deserved a win for what she went through. Get your fix of body swapping and alternate lives with this and similar shows like Dark Matter.
Manifest (2018-2023)
Role: Michaela Stone. Available to stream on Netflix.
The same year 50% of the population blipped out of existence for five years in Avengers: Infinity War, audiences were treated to the same premise on Manifest. This supernatural drama series saw 191 passengers try to return to their lives after being presumed dead for over five years.
Melissa Roxburgh portrays NYPD Detective Michaela “Mick” Stone struggling with survivor’s guilt. Michaela puts everyone around her ahead of her own life to atone for the things she has held herself accountable for from her younger years.
If metaphysical, supernatural shows that deal with the theoretical ideas of death are how you spend your downtime, then head over to Netflix and check out this show. And while you’re there, maybe give The OA a watch.
Quantum Leap (2023)
Role: Lieutenant Ellen Grier. Available to stream on Peacock TV.
Jumping head first back into the winsome world of science fiction is the revival of the 1989 Donald P. Bellisario classic series Quantum Leap. The story picks up 30 years after the original run ended, with Dr. Ben Song, played by Raymond Lee, getting lost in history and trying to get back to the present.
In Quantum Leap Season 2 Episode 1, “This Took Too Long,” Melissa Roxburgh introduces Lieutenant Ellen Grier, a soldier with a long familial history with the US government. This marked Roxburgh’s fifth foray into a science fiction show.
Stories about time traveling to change the course of history seem to be a mainstay that audiences can’t get enough of. If this show tickles your fancy, consider checking out Timeless as well.
Tracker (2024)
Role: Dori. Available to stream on Paramount+.
Still in its premiere season, this hit show follows Justin Hartley’s Colter Shaw as he uses his expert tracking skills for some top-grade cold hard cash while avoiding the tougher sides of life, like dealing with family.
In Tracker Season 1 Episode 11, “Beyond the Campus Walls,” Melissa Roxburgh makes her debut as Shaw’s sister. And if Roxburgh’s previous roles are any indication of what her character gets up to, she is sure to either shoot some guns or kick some butts. Probably both.
Be sure to catch up on Tracker before the season finale, and if you need a similar fix, check out Found, available on Peacock.
Though Roxburgh has only been making a name for herself for over a decade, the actress has quickly made waves in the entertainment industry. As her film and TV credits continue to grow, audiences will hopefully get to see her in even more dramatic and exciting roles.
Did you have your own flashback stare moment remembering the actress from her previous projects? Which among her many roles was your favorite? Drop a comment below and let us know!
Joshua Pleming is a staff writer for TV Fanatic. You can follow him on X.
