Sarah Moliski on Playing the Villain, Winning Fans, and Shaping the Vertical Drama Boom

Award-winning villain performances helped make Sarah Moliski a fan favorite in vertical dramas. But as the format has expanded, so has her role within it, taking her from actress to casting professional, consultant, and producer.

Sarah Moliski has built a reputation as one of vertical drama's most recognizable antagonists. Her villain performances have earned fan-voted awards and nominations, helping establish her as one of the genre's most recognizable faces.

But behind the characters that viewers love to hate is an actress whose career has expanded far beyond performing. Over the past few years, Moliski has become an actor, casting producer, consultant, and advocate for performers, helping shape the growing vertical drama industry from both sides of the camera.

Learning to Love the Roles She Didn't Want

Moliski's relationship with villain characters began long before vertical dramas.

Growing up in East Hampton, New York, she performed with STAGES Musical Theater and quickly learned that she was not always going to get the roles she imagined for herself. Instead of princesses and traditional heroines, she often found herself cast as villains, comic relief characters, and even male roles.

Looking back, she now sees those experiences as valuable lessons:

That mindset with her as she continued her training. Moliski studied Film & Media at Hunter College and later trained at the Maggie Flanigan Acting Conservatory. Along the way, she explored stand-up comedy, hosting, reporting, and independent film work, building a diverse skill set that would eventually serve her well in vertical dramas.

Comedy played a particularly important role in shaping her creative voice. Among her influences are Jim Carrey, Chris Farley, and Robin Williams, performers known for their fearlessness and commitment to character.

Finding Humanity in the Villain

Although audiences know her for playing antagonists, Moliski does not approach those characters as villains. She said:

Instead, she focuses on understanding what motivates a character's actions, looking for emotional wounds and insecurities beneath the surface, explaining:

That perspective has helped her create characters that feel more layered than simple antagonists. It has also contributed to her success within the genre, where larger-than-life villains often drive some of the biggest storylines.

Her comedy background influences those performances as well. During interviews, she has spoken about trying to bring humor into many of her villain roles, adding what she described as "a little pepper of comedy" to make them feel more human and entertaining.

Becoming Vertical Drama's Villain Queen

When Moliski entered the vertical drama space, the format had not yet achieved the popularity it enjoys today. According to her, “They were considered cringey, and nobody wanted it on their IMDb."

While some actors hesitated to get involved, Moliski embraced the opportunity.

Over time, she built a résumé that includes titles such as "The Virgin's Bucket List," "Her Double, His Trouble," "My Knockout Fake Husband," "The Return of My Drama Queen," "Baby Trapped by the Billionaire," "Good to See You Again, My Billionaire Baby Daddy," and "Blood and Silver: Rise of the Alpha's Rejected Mate."

The role that stands out most is Alyssa in "The Virgin's Bucket List."

Moliski has repeatedly described the character as her favorite villain role and the project as her favorite vertical drama. Ironically, she was initially involved behind the scenes, helping cast the project before producers encouraged her to audition for Alyssa herself.

The performance resonated with audiences and ultimately earned her the 2024 Villainess of the Year award at the Vertical Drama Love Fan Awards.

Despite the recognition, Moliski remains aware of the challenges that come with becoming strongly associated with one type of character. She notes:

She has often referred to herself as "the vertical villain," a label she accepts with humor while continuing to pursue opportunities that showcase other sides of her range.

More Than an Actress

As her acting career grew, Moliski found herself taking on unexpected responsibilities behind the camera. "Casting fell into my lap," she shared.

What began as a new opportunity eventually evolved into a significant part of her career. In addition to acting, she now works as a casting producer and consultant, helping productions find talent and build projects from the ground up.

One of Moliski's favorite parts of casting is helping actors land opportunities they might not have found otherwise. Seeing performers book roles and succeed professionally is one of the most rewarding aspects of the work for her. As she put it:

Her involvement often extends beyond simply casting performers. Moliski has described enjoying projects where she can contribute creatively from multiple angles, whether that means helping assemble the cast, acting in the production, or offering guidance throughout development.

That behind-the-scenes work continues to expand. In February 2026, Moliski joined Eric Guilmette, Felix Merback, Rebecca Stoughton, and producer Charles Band in launching Full Moon Artists (FMA) Productions. Focused on creating vertical dramas and feature adaptations, the venture represents another step in Moliski's evolution from performer to one of the creatives helping shape the future of the vertical drama space.

The Softie Behind the Chaos

Despite her reputation for playing ruthless characters, Moliski describes herself very differently off-screen. "I'm such a softie," she said.

That softer side appears frequently in the way she talks about her work.

She has spoken about checking in on actors she casts, visiting productions to make sure performers are being treated well, and taking a protective approach toward the people she works with.

The contrast extends to filming as well. During an interview, she admitted that scenes involving children can be surprisingly difficult for her. "I feel bad when the kid's crying," she shared.

It is a revealing admission from someone whose characters are often responsible for causing the chaos in the first place.

Beyond Typecasting

While villain roles remain a defining part of her career, Moliski has also taken on protagonists such as Nora West in "My Knockout Fake Husband," demonstrating the versatility she has long argued extends beyond her "vertical villain" reputation

She has also spoken about her love of horror and her dream of working on projects similar to "American Horror Story" and "Scream Queens."

For Moliski, the goal is not to abandon the villain roles that helped define her career. Instead, it is to continue growing while remaining involved in an industry she helped champion during its early years.

As vertical dramas continue to grow, Moliski's role within the industry continues to expand as well. Between acting, casting, consulting, and producing, she has become one of the many creatives helping push the format forward.

And if there is one piece of advice that seems to summarize her approach to the industry, it comes from a simple phrase she shared during an interview: