Best Anya Taylor-Joy Performances Ranked – The Northman Actress

One of Hollywood’s most sought-after actresses, Anya Taylor-Joy has 1st won our hearts with her portrayal of Beth Herman in The Queen’s Gambit. The series became one of Netflix’s most-watched shows of 2021 which can be credited to the amazing actress who played the lead. Of course, Beth Herman wasn’t Anya’s 1st character but she was the one who put Anya more in the spotlight.

Now only 26 years old, the actress started her career at the age of 18 as an extra in the movie Vampire Academy; however, she earned her big break in the 2015 film The Witch, in which she played the lead role. The wonderful actress lastly played in The Northman, a movie that hit the theatres only a few days ago!

Taylor-Joy already proved that she is a very talented artist as she moved on from one challenging role to another. It seems there is no stopping her at this moment in her career. Let’s look back and see in which movies and tv shows the actress shined more than the others. Here are the best Anya Taylor-Joy performances ranked.

1. Queen’s Gambit

The Queen’s Gambit (2020)

Our number 1 spot could not go to any other series but The Queen’s Gambit which showcased the best acting performance of the actress. She was so great in the role of Beth Herman that she even won an Emmy for Outstanding Lead Actress. We believe this is due to the actress’s own feelings of intimacy between her and the character since she said in one interview that Beth Herman was the closest to her out of all the characters that she played throughout the years.

It is no surprise that when you watch the show, you never feel like you’re seeing an actress behind the character. It was as if there was someone named Beth Herman who was alive on the screen and Anya Taylor-Joy never existed. We guess this is what they mean when they say “getting lost in a character” because the actress does exactly that.

2. The Witch

The Witch (2015)

This is the movie that made the actress instantly a star! If you watched this movie without even knowing who Anya Taylor-Joy was, you would never be convinced that this was her 1st ever movie role. 18 years old at the time, the actress plays so damn well the relatable teenage angst as she is possessed by a darker power. Incredible performance and an incredible debut.

3. Emma

Emma (2020)

Based on a Jane Austen novel, Emma has Taylor-Joy as the titular character. Before this movie, the actress was usually known to play in horror or thriller movies but here she proved that she could also gracefully play in period dramas. Her portrayal of the famous character is spot-on and it feels joyful every time she pops on the screen.

4. Last Night in Soho

Matt Smith and Anya Taylor-Joy in Last Night in Soho (2021)

In this period thriller, Anya Taylor-Joy plays a singer from the 60s. As a nice surprise, the actress even sings a song in the movie which is an amazing surprise since her voice turns out to be beautiful (what did we expect?). Her character presents a world of darkness in a way that is both really mysterious and charming at the same time.

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5. The Northman

The Northman (2022)

Although there is a high chance you haven’t seen this movie yet, you probably should because it has excellent acting performances by Anya Taylor-Joy and the other cast members like Alexander Skarsgard and Nicole Kidman. Anya plays a Slavic sorceress in love with a Northman. She illustrates the difficulty of being a slave, a sorcerer, and a vulnerable woman who worries about her lover.

6. Split

James McAvoy and Anya Taylor-Joy in Split (2016)

One of the last best Anya Taylor-Joy performances is her character Casey in the movie Split. The reason her acting works so well in this movie is that her character works in unison with James McAvoy’s character. They support each other so well and they both stand out as great.

7. Peaky Blinders

Finn Cole and Anya Taylor-Joy in Peaky Blinders (2013-2022)

The reason we put Anya’s character in Peaky Blinders in the last position is probably that we see her little in the entire series. She joins the show only in the 5th season, as Michael’s wife. As opposed to her other roles, she plays an antagonist here, to Tommy Shelby, which probably also affected our decision. However, this again shows how convincingly Anya Taylor-Joy acts in all of her productions.

Also read: Peaky Blinders Season 7 Release Date, Trailer; Is it canceled?