From her terrifying breakout in colonial New England to ruling the wasteland as a dystopian road warrior, here are the ten cinematic and television performances that definitively made her a modern pop-culture icon.
Breaking onto the scene as a deeply expressive, wide-eyed teenager in independent horror, she rapidly conquered almost every conceivable genre over the past decade. Whether anchoring massive studio blockbusters, lending her voice to record-breaking animated phenomenons, or carrying prestige period dramas on her shoulders, her magnetic screen presence is absolutely undeniable.
As she enters a brand-new decade of life with highly anticipated upcoming projects like The Gorge and Sacrifice on the horizon, it is the perfect time to look back at her staggering resume. Here are the ten defining roles that successfully cemented Anya Taylor-Joy as the defining acting talent of her generation.
1. Beth Harmon in The Queen’s Gambit (2020)
There is no discussing her meteoric rise without acknowledging the global, cultural phenomenon that was this Netflix limited series. Playing an orphaned chess prodigy navigating severe substance abuse and cold-war paranoia, she delivered an absolutely mesmerizing, career-defining performance that felt entirely distinct. Her ability to convey profound intellectual obsession and devastating loneliness simply through her expressive gaze earned her a Golden Globe. This specific role officially transitioned her from a beloved indie darling into a certified, ubiquitous household name.
2. Thomasin in The Witch (2015)
Every legendary career has a defining launchpad, and Robert Eggers’s deeply unsettling colonial folk-horror masterpiece served exactly that purpose. As the eldest daughter of a banished Puritan family, she portrayed an incredibly complex mixture of teenage innocence, burgeoning independence, and terrifying spiritual corruption. Her nuanced, slow-burning descent into darkness completely anchored the chilling atmosphere of the critically acclaimed film. It was a fiercely confident feature film debut that immediately put the entire industry on notice regarding her staggering potential.
3. Furiosa in Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga (2024)
Stepping into the boots of an already established, fiercely beloved cinematic icon is an incredibly intimidating task, but she handled the immense pressure flawlessly. Taking over the titular role previously originated by Charlize Theron, she brought a raw, visceral intensity to George Miller’s sprawling, gasoline-soaked wasteland prequel. She endured rigorous physical training to execute the brutal vehicular combat, proving her undeniable capabilities as a gritty, high-octane action lead. The performance added layers of tragic depth and relentless survival instinct to the character’s legendary lore.
4. Emma Woodhouse in Emma. (2020)
Tackling Jane Austen’s famously flawed, deeply meddlesome protagonist requires a very specific balance of haughty arrogance and underlying charm. In Autumn de Wilde’s pastel-drenched, highly stylized adaptation, she navigated the razor-thin line of making a genuinely snobbish character completely irresistible to the audience. Her razor-sharp comedic timing and impeccable period-piece posturing breathed incredibly fresh, vibrant life into the classic nineteenth-century literature. It showcased her wonderful versatility, proving she could easily trade horror movie screams for sharp, aristocratic wit.
5. Margot in The Menu (2022)
In this deliciously wicked, pitch-black culinary satire, she served as the ultimate audience surrogate trapped in a ridiculously pretentious nightmare. Playing an escort unexpectedly brought to an exclusive, highly dangerous fine-dining experience, she fiercely held her own against Ralph Fiennes’s terrifying head chef. Her character’s street-smart resilience and refusal to blindly accept the absurd, deadly theatricality of the elite patrons provided the film’s strongest emotional anchor. It was a fiercely rebellious, deeply satisfying performance that highlighted her masterful grip on dark comedy.
6. Casey Cooke in Split (2016)
M. Night Shyamalan’s highly anticipated return to form heavily relied on the gripping, claustrophobic dynamic between James McAvoy’s fractured antagonist and his captives. As a resourceful, deeply traumatized high school outcast, she grounded the intense psychological thriller with a surprisingly quiet, incredibly resilient survival instinct. Instead of playing a traditional, helpless victim, her portrayal was layered with a tragic backstory that cleverly paralleled the villain’s own broken psyche. This massive box-office hit firmly solidified her reputation as the modern era’s premier scream queen.
7. Gina Gray in Peaky Blinders (2019–2022)
Entering a highly established, beloved television ensemble in its later seasons is no easy feat, but she managed to completely shake up the Shelby family dynamic. Joining the hit BBC crime drama as the deeply ambitious, calculating American wife of Michael Gray, she brought a fantastic, venomous swagger to the gritty Birmingham underworld. Her character constantly manipulated the shifting power structures, serving as a glamorous, highly dangerous thorn in the side of the established patriarchs. It was a brilliantly icy, scene-stealing television arc.
8. Sandie in Last Night in Soho (2021)
Edgar Wright’s neon-drenched psychological thriller allowed her to fully embody the dazzling, intoxicating allure of 1960s swinging London before ripping the glamorous facade away. Playing an aspiring, highly confident nightclub singer, her magnetic musical performances and stunning vintage wardrobe completely anchored the dreamlike sequences. However, as the glittering narrative slowly morphs into a horrific, blood-soaked nightmare, her tragic unraveling is completely heartbreaking to watch. She effortlessly captured both the soaring ambition and the devastating exploitation of the era’s showbiz landscape.
9. Olga in The Northman (2022)
Reuniting with the director who initially launched her cinematic career, she tackled a wildly different type of historical epic in this brutal Viking revenge saga. As an enslaved Slavic sorceress who forms a tactical and romantic alliance with Alexander Skarsgård’s hulking prince, she brought a crucial, cunning intelligence to the hyper-masculine, blood-soaked narrative. Her character utilizes earth magic and psychological warfare, providing a fascinating, mystical contrast to the otherwise blunt-force violence of the era. It further proved her unparalleled affinity for deeply immersive, heavily researched period filmmaking.
10. Princess Peach in The Super Mario Bros. Movie (2023)
Lending her voice to one of the most recognizable video game characters in human history, she helped propel this colorful animated feature to staggering, billion-dollar box-office heights. Rather than playing the traditional damsel in distress waiting to be rescued, she reinvented the beloved royal as a fiercely capable, battle-ready leader of the Mushroom Kingdom. Her spirited, highly energetic vocal performance perfectly captured the nostalgic joy of the beloved Nintendo universe. This massive commercial triumph proved that her star power translates flawlessly into the world of family-friendly animation.
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