{{Short description|American actress (born 2002)}} {{Infobox person | name = Merit Leighton | birth_date = {{Birth date and age|2002|6|17}} | birth_place = Glendale, California | occupation = {{hlist|Actress}} | years_active = 2010–present | relatives = }} '''Merit Leighton''' (born June 17, 2002) is an American actress. She is best known for voicing Frosta in the animated superhero series ''She-Ra and the Princesses of Power'', as well as playing Hannah in ''Alexa & Katie''.
== Early life == Leighton was born in Glendale, California on June 17, 2002.<ref>{{Cite news |title=Leighton Merit |url=https://www.naijanews.com/buzz/people/leighto-merit/|access-date=2025-08-08|newspaper=Naija News}}</ref> She got interested in acting at age five when she realised that her TV wasn't an entrance to another universe. Her mother is a photographer who got a call from a management company who wanted Merit to sign with them. Soon after she signed she got her first audition.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Merit Leighton On Small-Screen Success|url=https://www.carrieschronicles.com/blog/merit-leighton-on-small-screen-success|access-date=2025-08-08|website=carrieschronicles}}</ref>
== Career == Leighton's first voice acting role was as Lucinda in an episode of Disney Junior's ''Sofia the First''.<ref>{{Cite web |title='Shameless' Casts Richard Flood; Merit Leighton Joins 'Alexa & Katie'|url=https://adamthemoviegod.com/potters-ground-review-all-that-glistens-is-not-gold/ |access-date=2025-08-08 |website=deadline}}</ref> Her first big role came when she voiced Frosta in the superhero animated series She-Ra and the Princesses of Power.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Merit Leighton on Landing Her Dream Job of Voicing Anime in Masaaki Yuasa's Ride Your Wave [Exclusive Interview]|url=https://lrmonline.com/news/merit-leighton-interview/|access-date=2025-08-08|website=irmonline}}</ref>
In 2019 she was cast in her first anime role as Minako in ''Ride Your Wave''.<ref>{{cite web |title=She-Ra's Merit Leighton Makes Her Anime Debut in Ride Your Wave|url=https://www.cbr.com/interview-merit-leighton-ride-your-wave-she-ra/|access-date=2025-08-08 |website=cbr.com}}</ref> Leighton's biggest role so far has been playing Hannah in the sitcom ''Alexa & Katie''.<ref>{{Cite web |title= Exclusive interview with Alexa & Katie's Merit Leighton|url=https://www.talknerdywithus.com/2018/04/exclusive-interview-with-alexa-katies-merit-leighton/|access-date=2025-08-08 |website=talknerdywithus}}</ref> She has her own YouTube channel where she talks about K-pop, anime, Nintendo video games.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Merit Leighton|url=https://tresamagazine.com/2018/03/28/merit-leighton/|access-date=2025-08-08 |website=tresamagazine}}</ref>
Leighton is autistic.<ref>{{Cite tweet |last=Leighton |first=Merit |author-link= |user=meritleighton |number=1405750911796793346 |date=18 June 2021 |title=19!! 🎂🎉🥳 I've missed you lovelies! 💝🥺 some of you have been asking where I've been and why i haven't been posting on social media. it's hard to answer without telling the whole truth. i think it's finally time i tell you all. i'm autistic. (1/5) |script-title= |trans-title= |language= |retweet= |location= |access-date=19 September 2023 |link= |quote= |ref=}}</ref>
== Filmography == === Film === {| class="wikitable sortable" !Year !Title !Role !Notes |- |2010 |''Specifically'' |Pretty Girl |Short |- |2011 |''Monster Slayer'' |Bea |Short |- |2013 |''The Lost Medallion: The Adventures of Billy Stone'' |Foster kid | |- |2013 |''Grooming Giselle'' |Emma | |- |2013 |''Dean Slater: Resident Advisor'' |Meredith Harris | |- |2014 |''The Tiger's Tail'' |Doreen Portman | |- |2015 |''Let Go'' |Sarah |Short |- |2017 |''The Nerd Posse'' |Sailor Greyson | |- |2018 |''Planeman'' |Malynada |Short |- |2018 |''Parker Bubblegum'' |Malynada | |- |2017 |''Ride Your Wave'' |Hinako | |- |2020 |''The Wave of Perfection'' |Juniper |Short |}
=== Television === {| class="wikitable sortable" !Year !Title !Role ! class="unsortable" |Notes |- |2012 |''The New Normal'' |Large girl |Episode: "Sofa's choice" |- |2013-2018 |''Sofia the First'' |Lucinda |6 episodes |- |2015 |''Dad Dudes'' |Olivia |Episode: "Pilot" |- |2015 |''40s and Failing'' |Ally |4 episodes |- |2019 |''Spirit Riding Free'' |Eliza Moreno |Episode: "Lucky and the Dressage Sabotage" |- |2018-2020 |''She-Ra and the Princesses of Power'' |Frosta |20 episodes |- |2018-2020 |''Alexa & Katie'' |Hannah |23 episodes |- | rowspan="2" |2025 |''Synduality: Noir'' |Ellie | rowspan="2" |English dub |- |''Wandance'' |Hikari Wanda |}
=== Video Games === {| class="wikitable sortable" !Year !Title !Role ! class="unsortable" |Notes |- |2020 |''Legends of Runeterra'' |Tornado Warrior | |- |2021 |''Cookie Run: Kingdom'' |Sugarfly Cookie | |- |2024 |''Persona 3 Reload'' |Chidori Yoshino | |- |2025 |''Mecha Break'' |S.H.A.D.O.W operating system |}
== References == {{reflist}}
== External links ==
* {{IMDb name|3940541}} {{Authority control}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Leighton, Merit}} Category:Living people Category:2002 births Category:Actresses from Glendale, California Category:21st-century American actresses Category:American autistic people Category:Autistic actors