From Jumanji to the Courtroom: Madison Iseman's Career Explained Ahead of The Rainmaker
Madison Iseman plays Sarah Plankmore, a character whose role in The Rainmaker show is very different from the book.
Madison Iseman may not be a household name, despite her numerous memorable roles, but that could change with the new legal drama The Rainmaker. Based on the John Grisham novel of the same name, the book was adapted into a movie starring Matt Damon in the '90s and has now been reimagined for the small screen on USA Network.
Iseman plays Sarah Plankmore, a lawyer working for powerful defense attorney Leo Drummond (Mad Men’s John Slattery). Leo fires her boyfriend, Rudy Baylor (Milo Callaghan), on his first day on the job, and Rudy later finds himself going up against her boss in a storyline that involves juicy conspiracy theories, lies, and maybe even murder — all within the first few episodes. For those familiar with the book and movie, they'll be pleased to see that Iseman's character got a significantly expanded role in the USA Network original series.
At just 28, the versatile actress boasts a resume that spans rom-coms, Jumanji, and even killer dolls. Here’s everything to know about Madison Iseman’s career ahead of The Rainmaker.
Iseman moved across the country as a teenager to pursue her acting dream
The Rainmaker is the latest milestone in an impressive rise that started at age 16, when she left Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, for Los Angeles to answer her calling. When she learned about a talent search on the West coast, she and her mom packed up and drove across the country together.
“The rule was, when I turned 18 to go to college or work; I got lucky, I booked a job that I could live for myself. All of the stars aligned for me,” she told Rose & Ivy in a 2020 interview.
Harry Potter inspired her to become an actress
Ever since she was a child, Iseman said she wanted to act, but watching the movie Harry Potter was a lightbulb moment. One character, in particular, ignited her passion.
“I think the first movie I ever watched that I was like ‘oh, that has to be me,’ was the very first Harry Potter. And I swore I was going to be Hermione Granger,” she told Tell-Tale TV.
In high school, she was also “obsessed” with horror movies and made several spooky short films with her friends.
“We would kill each other off with ketchup. They are all on YouTube, so if you hunt, you can find them,” she revealed to Rose & Ivy.
All of her dreams — or nightmares — became a reality when she starred in two horror films back-to-back: Goosebumps 2: Haunted Halloween (a sequel to the original Goosebumps) and 2019’s Annabelle Comes Home, a kitschy funhouse horror flick inspired by the real-life Annabelle doll. Recently, she dabbled in unleashing evil witches via cursed ancient artifacts in Witchboard (August 2025).
Iseman landed her first major acting role at 19
Iseman broke into the business playing Charlotte, the daughter of Billy Ray Cyrus, on the comedy series Still the King (2016), where she lived in Nashville while filming two seasons. Her next big break was Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle (2017), starring alongside Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson and Jack Black as a teenager who was transported into an imaginary jungle by an cursed video game.
Showing how versatile she can be, she took on a range of roles, from the rom-com Christmasy hit Feast of the Seven Fishes to the critically acclaimed Clouds, based on the true story of songwriter Zach Sobiech, who released a chart-topping hit after being diagnosed with deadly bone cancer.
Iseman branched out into video directing
When her boyfriend of ten years, singer and actor Spencer Sutherland, needed a director for his music video, he didn’t have to look far. For his 2022 single "Everybody," she crafted a dreamy, atmospheric mood in her first foray into directing. The LA-based couple have worked together before, both appearing in the series I Know What You Did Last Summer.
Now with new legal drama The Rainmaker, Iseman shows she has mastered the art of switching genres, and we don’t think she plans to slow down anytime soon.
The Rainmaker premieres on USA on August 15, 2025, at 10 p.m. ET/PT.
