He received further recognition for his roles in the films Get Out (2017), Sorry to Bother You (2018), Uncut Gems (2019), Knives Out (2019), and Judas and the Black Messiah (2021), the lattermost of which earned him a nomination for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor.

Stanfield has also appeared in the films Selma (2014), Dope (2015), Straight Outta Compton (2015), Crown Heights (2017), The Photograph (2020), The Harder They Fall (2021), Haunted Mansion (2023) and The Book of Clarence (2023).

He attended the John Casablancas Modeling and Career Center in Los Angeles,[5] where he was signed by an agency and began auditioning for commercials.

[9] He also starred in the fantasy horror thriller film King Ripple by filmmaker Luke Jaden,[10] and appeared in the music video for the Run the Jewels song "Close Your Eyes (And Count to Fuck)".

Also that year, he starred in the music video for the song "Cold Little Heart" by English singer Michael Kiwanuka,[13] and appeared in the critically acclaimed horror film Get Out.

His portrayal of FBI informant William O'Neal in the latter was critically acclaimed and garnered him a nomination for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor.