In 2010, Dearden appeared in the
Breaking Bad episode "
No Más". From 2011 to 2016, she appeared in various short films. From 2013 to 2014, Dearden portrayed the character McKenzie in two seasons of the web series
101 Ways to Get Rejected. The show was created and written by fellow USC student Susie Yankou and was directed by Mike Effenberger. In 2016, Dearden was cast in the
MTV TV show
Sweet/Vicious, where she played the character Ophelia Mayer. Written and created by
Jennifer Kaytin Robinson, the show was critically acclaimed for its portrayal of
campus sexual assault. Despite being beloved by critics, with Dearden's work positively reviewed, it was canceled after one season. In 2017, Dearden appeared in the film
The Last Champion, which stars
Cole Hauser as former Olympic wrestler John Wright. In 2018, Dearden appeared in season two of the
Netflix mockumentary
American Vandal, where she played the character Chloe Lyman, acting alongside co-stars
Tyler Alvarez,
Griffin Gluck, and
Travis Tope. She portrays Dr.Melissa King in the 2025 HBO Max medical drama
The Pitt and was nominated for the
Astra TV Award for Best Supporting Actress in a Drama Series and the
Dorian Award for Best Supporting TV Performance in that role. She was also nominated for
Best Supporting Performance in a New Scripted Series at the 2026
Film Independent Spirit Awards. In January 2026, Dearden appeared on
Jimmy Kimmel Live! In March 2026, Dearden won an
Actor Award for
Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series, for
The Pitt. In April 2026, Dearden appeared on
The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon. ==Personal life==