Here's the truth about Meri: She's not the girl who thinks she's better than everyone. She's the girl who's terrified she'll never be more than her mother.
That chip on her shoulder? It's armor. And when it finally cracks in Scene 2, that's when casting sees the actor who can carry a lead.
Your job? Show them a Meri who's fighting for her identity—and finally learns that being part of a team doesn't erase it.
Tone & Style: "EXTRA CREDIT" is a Disney Channel/Nickelodeon-style family adventure with heart. Think Descendants meets Sky High—high-stakes save-the-town plot wrapped in coming-of-age realizations. The magic is window dressing. The real story is four kids learning they're stronger together than apart.
This is single-cam family adventure. Grounded emotion, but theatrical enough for young viewers. The magic should feel matter-of-fact (it's their normal), but the relationships need to hit REAL.
Comparable Projects: Descendants, Sky High, The Baby-Sitters Club, Zombies
Production: TV Movie, Late Spring/Summer 2026. Lead role. Singing + Dancing Required.
Who is Meri?
Meri is the top sidekick at Sidekick Academy—and she HATES it. Not because she's ungrateful. Because she's trapped.
Her mother (Ella) is a legendary sidekick. Her aunts, her whole family—they're all second fiddles. And they never got the credit they deserved. Meri doesn't want to repeat that cycle. She wants to be THE hero. The one people remember. The one who forges her own path.
Character Shortcut: Meri is what happens when you're born into a legacy you respect but refuse to inherit.
Surface: Confident, precise, headstrong. Always in control.
Underneath: Afraid she'll always be "Ella's daughter" instead of just Meri.
Arc: Learns that being part of a team doesn't diminish her—it's where her true strength emerges.
Who am I? I'm Meri. Top student at Sidekick Academy. Ella's daughter (whether I like it or not). Jennie's best friend.
Where am I? Sidekick Academy Main Office. This is my mom's domain. I can't escape her here.
What time is it? After classes. End of day energy—tired, but wound up.
What surrounds me? The alumni wall with portraits of #1 graduates. My mom's office. Jennie standing next to me trying to make me feel better.
What are the circumstances? My mom JUST changed my outfit to match hers (AGAIN) in front of Jennie. She keeps doing this. She won't let me be my own person.
What are my relationships?
What do I want? I want Jennie to understand why I can't just "follow in my mom's footsteps" like everyone keeps telling me to.
What is my obstacle? No one gets it. They all think my mom is amazing (she is), so they don't understand why I'm so frustrated.
What do I do to get what I want? I vent. I redirect the conversation to Jennie's potential (because I believe in her). I'm sharp but not mean.
Who am I? I'm Meri—still the "best sidekick," but right now I'm just exhausted and starting to question everything.
Where am I? The Archives. Endless towering shelves. We've been searching for hours.
What time is it? Late. We're running out of time to find the clue. Adrenaline is fading into fatigue.
What surrounds me? Books. Dust. Lou on a ladder looking defeated. The hidden staircase we're about to discover.
What are the circumstances? The town is in danger. We need to find a clue to save it. We've hit a wall (literally).
What are my relationships?
What do I want? I want to find the answer. I want Lou to stop spiraling. I want to prove I can DO this (be the hero).
What is my obstacle? We're stuck. The books aren't helping. And Lou just asked me a question I don't want to answer ("Why do you need to be the hero?").
What do I do to get what I want? I soften. I let my guard down (just a little). I admit my fear. Then I pivot back to the mission when I figure out the clue.
Setup: Meri walks in RIGHT after her mom changed her outfit to blue (to match Ella's). Mom makes a passive-aggressive comment about "kids who honor what they've been given." Meri immediately spells her clothes back to her original color. This is a PATTERN.
Key Lines + Subtext:
"I'm not her clone!"
→ I've said this a thousand times and no one listens.
ENERGY: Fed up, exasperated. Not yelling—DONE.
"Exactly—and she never got her due. Neither did your dad. All the work he did, the work my mom, my aunts did. People don't get it—I don't want to play second fiddle my whole life."
→ This is WHY I'm fighting so hard. It's not about beating my mom—it's about breaking a cycle.
ENERGY: Passionate, urgent. This is the CORE of Meri.
"You're THE fiddle. You're the whole orchestra."
→ I see you, Jennie. I believe in you even when you don't.
ENERGY: Genuine warmth. Protective.
"If you spent half as much time studying as you do entertaining everyone else around here, you'd be up on that wall, too."
→ Tough love. I care, so I tell the truth.
ENERGY: Direct but not mean. Big sister energy.
PHYSICALITY:
BOLD CHOICES:
Setup: They've been searching books for hours. Nothing. Lou is spiraling. Meri is exhausted. They take a break—and Lou asks the question that cracks Meri open: "Why are you so dead set on being the hero?"
Key Lines + Subtext:
"Maybe the answer isn't in a book."
→ I've been so focused on DOING, I missed the bigger picture.
ENERGY: Quiet realization. Thoughtful.
"Thanks." (after Lou hands her a cloth)
→ Oh. That was... nice. I didn't expect that.
ENERGY: Small, surprised.
"You know, you've been doing great tonight."
→ I'm choosing to be generous here. It doesn't come naturally, but I'm trying.
ENERGY: Genuine. Meri learning what makes a good teammate.
"But you've stayed in it with us. That matters."
→ Persistence > Perfection. I'm learning this in real time.
ENERGY: Quiet respect.
"Because I'm afraid being the best sidekick only means I'm trying to be my mom. I want something that's mine."
→ This is the truth I don't usually say out loud.
ENERGY: Vulnerable. Almost embarrassed to admit this.
"(quietly) I don't want to be someone else's carbon copy."
→ The core wound. This is what keeps me up at night.
ENERGY: Soft, sad. Said more to herself than to Lou.
"It's crooked."
→ Back to task mode. But lighter now.
ENERGY: Curious, investigative.
"The clue isn't IN the archives—the archives ARE the clue."
→ EUREKA. My brain just clicked into place.
ENERGY: Excited, determined. This is what I'm GOOD at.
"We just had a moment—don't ruin it by chickening out now."
→ Playful teasing. I'm letting you in.
ENERGY: Light, joking. Post-breakthrough warmth.
PHYSICALITY:
BOLD CHOICES:
Scene 1: Meri is TIGHT. Controlled. Fighting against being seen as her mother's copy.
Scene 2: Meri SOFTENS. Lets someone in. Admits her fear. Then re-emerges stronger (but with Lou, not alone).
What Casting Needs to See:
When you fix your outfit after your mom changes it, do it with ZERO hesitation. Like brushing lint off your shoulder. Practiced. Automatic. "I've done this a hundred times."
After Lou says "hero, sidekick—whatever you end up being, you're not gonna do it like anyone else," PAUSE. Let that land. THEN say the "carbon copy" line quietly. The silence makes it hit harder.
When you realize the bookcase is the clue, let JOY flash across your face before determination kicks in. Show us you LOVE solving puzzles. That's who Meri is underneath the pressure.
60s: You were walking through the hallway after class.
30s: You heard your mom's voice and braced yourself.
10s: She tapped her wand. You felt your clothes change. Again.
1s: You walked into the office already annoyed.
START THE SCENE: Mid-frustration. Don't "build" to it—you're ALREADY there.
After your last line to Jennie, LOOK at the alumni wall one more time. A flicker of "I WILL be up there." Then turn and walk out.
60s: You were flipping through another dusty book that had nothing useful.
30s: Lou made a joke that wasn't funny, but you're too tired to call him on it.
10s: You rubbed your temples. Headache forming.
1s: Lou looked over and asked if you were okay.
START THE SCENE: Tired. Defeated. Guard is DOWN (which is why the vulnerable moment happens).
After "don't ruin it by chickening out now," START down the staircase. Don't wait for Lou. You're leading. That's who you are now.
Meri is a LEAD in a Disney Channel TV Movie. That means you need to show:
The actors who book these roles are the ones who make us FEEL the fight. Who show us the armor AND the cracks. Who let us see the kid underneath the ambition.
Daisy's got the goods. Now go show them a Meri they'll root for from Scene 1 and CRY for in Scene 2.
Go be the whole damn orchestra. 🎭
Guide prepared by CoCo (Prep101) | Do not distribute without approval