Marley Shelton, 52, best known for playing the perky blonde love interest in a string of late-1990s and early-2000s hits, was spotted enjoying a family vacation in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico earlier this week.
On Tuesday, the actress traded the film set for the beach, soaking up the sun in a bikini with a green top and mauve bottoms. Her blonde bob was twisted into a knot at the back of her head, and a red-and-white baseball cap shielded her eyes from the glare.
The day out included a walk with her husband, film producer Beau Flynn, 56, and at another point she was seen doting on her two teenage daughters.
Breakout role in The Sandlot
Shelton's breakthrough came in the 1993 coming-of-age sports comedy The Sandlot, in which she played Wendy Peffercorn, the neighborhood pool lifeguard whose mere presence drove the film's young baseball players wild. The movie, set during the summer of 1962, also starred Tom Guiry, Mike Vitar, Karen Allen, Denis Leary and James Earl Jones.
Shelton was 18 when she filmed The Sandlot. Though she did not appear on the movie's theatrical release poster, signed publicity stills of her at the pool were widely printed and sold as wall art at the time, and her red bathing suit remains one of the film's most iconic images.
Pleasantville and Never Been Kissed
Shelton went on to play Margaret, Tobey Maguire's popular high school girlfriend, in the 1998 comedy Pleasantville, which also starred Reese Witherspoon.
She then landed a supporting role in 1999's Never Been Kissed, playing Kristen, the mean high school clique leader who antagonized Drew Barrymore's character, Josie Geller. The film also featured Jessica Alba and Jordan Ladd.
From teen star to character actor
Shelton cemented her status as a teen genre star in the dark comedy Sugar & Spice and the slasher film Valentine, both released in 2001, before transitioning into mature film and television character roles.
She later joined the Scream franchise, playing Deputy, and eventually Sheriff, Judy Hicks in Scream 4 (2011) and the 2022 Scream sequel. "I couldn't believe it. I was over the moon," Shelton told ET's Matt Cohen about learning her character would return for another sequel.
"We shot Scream 4 about 10 years ago and that was already just a huge honor to join because I am a huge fan," she said. "This franchise is so unique. Like, the tone is so absolutely terrifying, yet funny and meta and self-referencing and character driven." Of the 2022 sequel, she added, "We set out to do right by that and do it again."
Recent television roles
Shelton has kept up a steady run of roles in recent years. She starred as Emma Dutton in the Yellowstone prequel 1923 (2022-2023), playing the wife of John Dutton Sr and mother of Jack Dutton. After her character's husband was killed by Banner Creighton, played by Jerome Flynn, and his men, Emma's own storyline also met a tragic end.
In 2024, Shelton had a guest role as Erika Kennedy in the fourth episode of the first season of the CBS drama Tracker, and in 2025 she appeared as Lydia Reed in three episodes of Matlock.
She recently wrapped production on the indie drama Road to Recovery, directed by Scout Taylor-Compton. The film follows a sick teenager named Sadie, played by Ryan Kiera Armstrong, and her father Tom, played by Freddie Prinze Jr, as they travel across the United States in search of the boy Sadie loves.
The Sandlot's lasting legacy
Despite her varied career since, Shelton remains closely tied in fans' memories to Wendy Peffercorn and her red bathing suit. "I'm shocked! Initially, people liked the movie but nobody thought it was going to have the legs that it did and become this cult classic," she told Us Weekly in 2018.
"I think it had something to do with it being this very coming of age story," she said. "It's such a fun movie, there are so many great throwback moments. I think it's still relatable. Something about baseball and adolescence and that simpler time in life, I think people really relate to."
"I'm always so flattered when people recognize me from it because it was 25 years ago!" she added. "I'm like, 'Wow thanks, I'm glad you recognize me as Wendy Peffercorn.'" She also said she loves receiving pictures of fans dressing up as her character for Halloween, calling the costumes "such a riot" and noting some "probably rival the original."
