If you’ve spent any time on the "correct" side of the internet lately, you probably recognize Aleyse Shannon. She’s that rare kind of performer who manages to be the smartest person in the room without being annoying about it. Most people know her as Breanna Casey, the high-energy hacker who stepped into some massive shoes on Leverage: Redemption, but her filmography is actually a wild mix of feminist slashers, magical realism, and gritty Netflix dramas.
Honestly, it’s refreshing. In an era where every young actor seems like they're coming off a factory line, Shannon brings this jittery, authentic "maker" energy that feels incredibly real. She’s not just playing a character; she’s building a vibe.
The Breakout: Aleyse Shannon Movies and TV Shows That Actually Matter
It’s hard to talk about Aleyse Shannon without starting with the 2019 reboot of Black Christmas. Look, the movie was divisive. Some horror purists hated how overtly political it was. But if you watch it for Shannon’s performance as Kris Waterson, you see exactly why she was cast. Kris isn't your typical "final girl" who spends ninety minutes whimpering in a closet. She’s a relentless activist. She’s the one petitioning to remove the bust of a misogynistic university founder before the killing even starts.
A lot of actors would make that role feel like a lecture. Shannon makes it feel like a Tuesday.
Then came the Charmed reboot. She played Jada Shields, a "sarcana" witch who was basically a whistle-blower for the magical world. It was a recurring role, but it established her as a go-to for characters who exist in the gray areas of morality. She wasn't just a love interest for Mel; she was a catalyst for the show’s bigger themes of rebellion against stuffy, old-world institutions.
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The Big One: Leverage: Redemption
When it was announced that Aldis Hodge (who played the legendary hacker Alec Hardison) would have a reduced role in the Leverage revival, fans were... skeptical. To put it lightly. Hardison was the heart of the original crew. Replacing him felt like a suicide mission for any new actor.
Enter Breanna Casey.
Instead of trying to be "Hardison 2.0," Shannon played Breanna as his foster sister. She’s a "maker." She doesn't just code; she builds drones out of scrap and 3D prints tools on the fly. You've got to appreciate the nuance here. Where Hardison was smooth and confident, Breanna is often a chaotic ball of genius and social anxiety.
- Longevity: She’s been a series regular through multiple seasons now (2021–2025).
- Representation: The character is canonically an asexual lesbian, a detail Shannon handles with a subtle, lived-in grace that doesn't feel like "box-checking."
- The Gear: If you’re a tech nerd, watching her scenes is basically a scavenger hunt for cool DIY electronics.
Moving Into 2026: The Beast in Me and Beyond
If you thought she was staying in the "tech-support" lane forever, her recent work in 2025 and 2026 proves otherwise. She recently appeared in the Netflix miniseries The Beast in Me alongside heavy hitters like Claire Danes and Matthew Rhys.
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In this one, she’s not hacking into a mainframe. She plays Olivia Benitez, a councilwoman with mayoral ambitions. It’s a sharp pivot. She has to hold her own in a psychological thriller where the stakes aren't about stopping a bomb, but about political survival and moral corruption. The reviews for the show have been massive, and Shannon’s performance is often cited as the "incorruptible" anchor of the story.
Then there’s Decibel (2025). This is a sci-fi horror flick where she plays Scout. It deals with AI-generated music and a producer who wants to basically harvest a singer's biology to perfect an algorithm. It’s timely, creepy, and exactly the kind of project an actor with her "maker" background would gravitate toward.
A Quick Reality Check on Her Resume
Let’s be real: not every project is a masterpiece. Her 2022 Netflix film Beauty, written by Lena Waithe, got some pretty middling reviews despite a great cast. But even in the projects that don't quite land, Shannon usually walks away as the person you want to see more of.
She’s a Carnegie Mellon graduate. That matters. You can see that formal training in how she handles physical comedy in Leverage versus the intense, quiet dread of her horror roles. She isn't just "talented"; she’s technically proficient.
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Why You Should Keep Watching
Aleyse Shannon is currently carving out a niche as the "intelligent rebel." Whether she’s a hacker, a witch, or a politician, her characters usually share a common thread: they see through the BS of the systems they live in.
If you're looking to catch up on her best work, start with Leverage: Redemption for the charm, then hit the 2019 Black Christmas if you want to see her kick a lot of doors down. She’s also done some great guest spots on Two Sentence Horror Stories and the legal drama Instinct that are worth hunting down on streaming.
The industry is clearly taking notice. Going from a guest spot on a CW show to a lead role in a Netflix prestige thriller in just a few years isn't an accident. It's a trajectory.
Next Steps for Fans:
- Check out Leverage: Redemption on Amazon Freevee: It’s the best showcase of her range and comedic timing.
- Watch The Beast in Me on Netflix: See her play a much more "adult" and politically charged role than her earlier work.
- Follow her stage work: She’s known to return to the theater (like her 2023 stint in The Seagull Off-Broadway), which is often where she does her most experimental acting.