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Vanessa Kirby has quietly built an impressive career that spans period dramas, action blockbusters, and deeply personal indie films. The British actress has captivated audiences with her magnetic screen presence, emotional depth, and chameleon-like ability to disappear into roles. Whether she’s portraying a royal rebel, an action hero, or a woman navigating unimaginable grief, Kirby brings intensity and nuance to every performance. And with her highly anticipated debut in the Marvel Cinematic Universe as Sue Storm in The Fantastic Four: First Steps—set for release in July—her star power is only set to soar higher. From The Crown to Mission: Impossible and Pieces of a Woman, here are Vanessa Kirby’s 15 best movie and TV performances, ranked.
15. Jupiter Ascending (2015)
In the Wachowskis’ visually extravagant space opera, Vanessa Kirby takes on a small but glamorous role as Katharine Dunlevy, a wealthy heiress whose life is unexpectedly entangled with extraterrestrial royalty. Though her screen time is brief, Kirby makes a striking impression as the poised, slightly aloof socialite who serves as an early narrative thread in the film’s convoluted plot. She brings an old-Hollywood elegance to the role, helping ground the film’s more eccentric elements with a touch of relatable human charm. While Jupiter Ascending wasn’t universally acclaimed, Kirby’s brief appearance hinted at her future star power.
14. The Son (2022)
Kirby plays Beth, the new partner of Hugh Jackman’s character in this intense family drama from director Florian Zeller. Kirby’s performance as Beth navigates the complexities of living with a partner still deeply tied to his past life, while also trying to create a nurturing home for their new child. She brings vulnerability and quiet strength to the role, providing an empathetic counterbalance to the film’s heavy subject matter around mental health and fractured families. Though the film itself received mixed reviews, Kirby’s performance was singled out as one of its emotional anchors.
13. Charlie Countryman (2013)
In this offbeat romantic thriller, Kirby plays Felicity, the troubled ex-girlfriend of Shia LaBeouf’s character. She infuses the role with raw emotion, vulnerability, and heartbreak, offering a deeply human counterpoint to the film’s more surreal elements. Kirby’s performance captures the messiness of love and regret, adding emotional weight to the chaotic narrative. Even in a supporting role, she makes a memorable impact.
12. Me Before You (2016)
In this romantic drama, Kirby plays Alicia, the former girlfriend of Sam Claflin’s Will Traynor. Though in a supporting role, Kirby captures the emotional distance and conflict of a woman who couldn’t stay with a partner after his life-changing accident. Her scenes add complexity to Will’s backstory, showing the ripple effects of trauma on relationships. Kirby brings depth to a character that could have easily been one-dimensional, offering a more layered take on heartbreak and guilt.
11. Everest (2015)
Kirby plays Sandy Hill Pittman, a socialite and mountaineer caught in the perilous climb of Mount Everest during the tragic 1996 disaster. Kirby’s portrayal of Sandy deftly balances the character’s media-hungry public persona with the very real terror and vulnerability of facing death on the world’s highest peak. Even in a crowded ensemble, Kirby manages to stand out, capturing the awe, fear, and survival instinct that drive the film’s tension. Her performance shows her ability to command attention in high-stakes ensemble casts.
10. Great Expectations (2011)
In this BBC adaptation of Charles Dickens’ classic novel, Kirby plays Estella, the beautiful but emotionally guarded ward of Miss Havisham. Kirby’s Estella is cold yet tragic, embodying the pain of a woman raised to manipulate and reject affection. She brings elegance and a subtle sadness to the character, adding dimension to Estella’s aloofness. This early role in her career showcased Kirby’s knack for period drama and hinted at the gravitas she would bring to future roles.
9. Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One (2023)
Returning as the enigmatic White Widow, Kirby ups the ante in the latest Mission: Impossible entry. She plays the dangerous arms dealer with a blend of poise, danger, and seductive wit, stealing scenes even alongside franchise veteran Tom Cruise. Kirby relishes in the character’s ambiguous morality, adding layers of intrigue and unpredictability. Her chemistry with Cruise is electric, and her presence elevates the film’s globe-trotting espionage thrills.
8. Mr. Jones (2019)
In this historical thriller, Kirby plays Ada Brooks, a journalist and confidante to Gareth Jones, the real-life reporter who exposed Stalin’s atrocities in Ukraine. Kirby brings intelligence and fiery determination to the role, serving as both a romantic interest and a catalyst for Gareth’s mission. She portrays Ada’s courage and vulnerability with nuance, grounding the political drama with human stakes. Her scenes with James Norton provide some of the film’s most emotionally charged moments.
7. Italian Studies (2021)
Kirby carries Italian Studies almost entirely on her shoulders as Alina Reynolds, a writer wandering the streets of New York City while suffering from memory loss. Her performance is hypnotic, capturing Alina’s fractured mental state and the poetic disconnection from her own life. Kirby’s ability to make the abstract tangible is on full display here, holding the viewer’s attention even in the film’s most surreal, dreamlike sequences. It’s an experimental turn that showcases her fearless range as an actress.
6. Eden (2025)
In Ron Howard’s Eden, Vanessa Kirby gives a haunting performance as Dora Strauch, a woman seeking a new life on the isolated Floreana Island in the Galápagos during the 1930s. Battling multiple sclerosis, Dora’s physical frailty contrasts with her fierce inner strength, which Kirby portrays with aching vulnerability and quiet resolve. As the settlers’ dream of utopia unravels into paranoia and violence, Kirby’s nuanced performance anchors the film’s emotional core. Her portrayal captures the psychological toll of isolation and survival, adding depth and humanity to the true-life story.
5. The World to Come (2020)
Kirby delivers a delicate, aching performance as Tallie, a woman trapped in a loveless marriage in 19th-century America who embarks on a forbidden romance with a neighboring farmer’s wife. Kirby’s chemistry with co-star Katherine Waterston is tender and electric, anchoring the film’s slow-burning emotional core. She imbues Tallie with a restless spirit and yearning for freedom, capturing the quiet devastation of women whose desires were stifled by their time. Her performance is haunting, subtle, and deeply affecting.
4. Mission: Impossible – Fallout (2018)
Kirby makes her Mission: Impossible debut as the White Widow, instantly commanding attention with her cool confidence and enigmatic allure. She brings a theatrical flair to the role, delivering exposition with a seductive smile that keeps audiences guessing about her true motives. Kirby’s performance adds a fresh dynamic to the franchise, blending glamour and menace with effortless charisma. She steals every scene she’s in, becoming one of the standout new additions to the Mission: Impossible universe.
3. Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw (2019)
As MI6 agent Hattie Shaw, Kirby proves she’s just as capable in action as her blockbuster co-stars Dwayne Johnson and Jason Statham. She brings physicality, grit, and a sly wit to the role, holding her own in high-octane fight sequences and stunts. Kirby also adds emotional depth to the character, grounding the explosive action with a sisterly bond that becomes the film’s beating heart. Her performance helped her break into the global action spotlight.
2. The Crown (2016-2017)
Kirby’s portrayal of Princess Margaret in the first two seasons of The Crown earned her widespread acclaim and an Emmy nomination. She captured Margaret’s rebellious spirit, vulnerability, and yearning for identity outside the shadow of her sister, Queen Elizabeth II. Kirby’s performance is both glamorous and tragic, perfectly embodying the contradictions of a woman trapped by royal duty and personal desires. Her turn as Margaret became a defining role, elevating her profile as a powerhouse dramatic actress.
1. Pieces of a Woman (2020)
Kirby delivers a tour de force, Oscar-nominated performance in Pieces of a Woman as Martha, a woman navigating profound grief after a devastating home birth. The film opens with an unbroken 23-minute birthing sequence that Kirby performs with staggering intensity and vulnerability, setting the tone for a raw, deeply emotional portrayal. Throughout the film, Kirby captures the isolation, anger, and quiet sorrow of a woman struggling to reclaim her identity in the face of unimaginable loss. It remains her most powerful and transformative performance to date, earning her praise as one of the finest actresses of her generation.
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