15 Actresses Perfect for the Role of the Black Canary in the DCU

Black Canary—most often Dinah Laurel Lance—has been a mainstay of DC Comics for decades, known for her metahuman sonic attack (the Canary Cry), hand-to-hand expertise, and long association with the ‘Justice League’, ‘Birds of Prey’, and ‘Green Arrow’. Across comics, animation, and live-action adaptations, the character blends grounded martial-arts storytelling with street-level detective work and superhero team-ups, plus, in many versions, a notable connection to music and stage performance.

As DC Studios shapes its unified DCU, the role’s next live-action iteration will inevitably draw from Black Canary’s core traits established in comics and television, alongside the cinematic tone of recent DC films. The actresses below each bring a verifiable track record in action, thriller, or dramatic projects, along with specific credits that show experience with stunt-driven storytelling, ensemble casts, and character-centric arcs that align with the Black Canary mythos.

Jodie Comer

Jodie Comer is known for the international spy thriller ‘Killing Eve’, where she starred opposite Sandra Oh in a series developed by Phoebe Waller-Bridge from Luke Jennings’ ‘Villanelle’ novels. She led ‘The Last Duel’ under director Ridley Scott from a screenplay by Nicole Holofcener, Ben Affleck, and Matt Damon, and played a dual real-world/virtual role in ‘Free Guy’ for director Shawn Levy alongside Ryan Reynolds.

Her film and stage work spans period drama, action, and character-driven pieces. Additional credits include ‘The White Princess’ in the ‘The White Queen’ franchise lineage and the survival thriller ‘The End-We Start From’. Her experience includes working with large-scale productions, awards-recognized dramatic material, and technically complex shoots involving VFX and stunts, all useful for a superhero production pipeline.

Samara Weaving

Samara Weaving headlined the survival thriller ‘Ready or Not’, directed by the Radio Silence duo Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett, playing a resourceful lead in a story that blends chase sequences with practical effects. She appeared in ‘Guns Akimbo’ opposite Daniel Radcliffe and portrayed Scarlett in the action reboot ‘Snake Eyes’, directed by Robert Schwentke.

On television, Weaving featured in the limited series ‘Nine Perfect Strangers’, developed by David E. Kelley from Liane Moriarty’s novel, working within an ensemble anchored by Nicole Kidman and Melissa McCarthy. Her resume includes horror-comedy and action-adventure projects, indicating familiarity with choreography-heavy scenes and location-based shoots typical of modern comic-book productions.

Jessica Henwick

Jessica Henwick played Colleen Wing in Marvel Television’s ‘Iron Fist’, a role that centered on extensive martial-arts choreography and sword work across two seasons. She later joined ‘The Matrix Resurrections’, directed by Lana Wachowski, portraying Bugs in a franchise known for wire-work, fight design, and philosophical sci-fi concepts.

Henwick’s additional credits include ‘Game of Thrones’, where she portrayed Nymeria Sand, as well as action-thriller work in ‘The Gray Man’ for directors Anthony and Joe Russo. She has also appeared in the adventure film ‘Love and Monsters’, directed by Michael Matthews. The mix of franchise filmmaking and close-quarters action sequences demonstrates consistent experience with physical performance and ensemble storytelling.

Jurnee Smollett

Jurnee Smollett portrayed Dinah Lance/Black Canary in ‘Birds of Prey’, directed by Cathy Yan from a screenplay by Christina Hodson. The film integrated nightclub performance, close-combat sequences, and team dynamics alongside Margot Robbie’s Harley Quinn, aligning directly with the character’s comic-book roots.

Smollett starred in ‘Lovecraft Country’, developed by Misha Green from the Matt Ruff novel, combining period drama with horror and social commentary. Earlier, she led the historical escape drama ‘Underground’ from creators Misha Green and Joe Pokaski. These projects involve practical stunt work, stylized action, and genre-bending narratives anchored by character backstory and moral stakes.

Caity Lotz

Caity Lotz played Sara Lance in the Arrowverse across ‘Arrow’ and ‘Legends of Tomorrow’, evolving into the White Canary and serving as a team leader across multiple seasons. Her performance integrated fight choreography, wire-work, and crossover appearances in ensemble episodes that demanded continuity across series.

Lotz headlined the sci-fi feature ‘The Machine’, written and directed by Caradog W. James, a production that blended action with AI-driven narrative elements. Her background includes extensive dance and stunt training, and her television directing credits within the Arrowverse add behind-the-camera insight into second-unit needs, action coverage, and episodic production cadence.

Katie Cassidy

Katie Cassidy portrayed Laurel Lance in ‘Arrow’, charting the character’s journey from assistant district attorney to costumed vigilante. Her time on the series incorporated courtroom drama, investigative procedural elements, and multi-season action arcs, while connecting with crossover events and ensemble fights characteristic of the shared TV universe.

Cassidy’s additional genre work includes ‘A Nightmare on Elm Street’, directed by Samuel Bayer, and appearances in ‘Supernatural’ and ‘Gossip Girl’. The combination of network television schedules, recurring stunt coordination, and long-form character development offers relevant experience for an action-forward, continuity-minded role.

Katheryn Winnick

Katheryn Winnick is widely recognized for ‘Vikings’, created by Michael Hirst, where she portrayed shield-maiden and ruler Lagertha across multiple seasons. The series is known for hand-to-hand and weapons-based choreography, large-scale battles, and location shooting, all supported by a production that foregrounded physical performance.

Winnick appeared in ‘Wu Assassins’, created by John Wirth and Tony Krantz, a martial-arts-driven Netflix series led by Iko Uwais and featuring stunt-centric episodes. Film credits include ‘The Marksman’, directed by Robert Lorenz and co-starring Liam Neeson. She also has documented training in martial arts, providing practical grounding for action design and on-set fight safety.

Ella Balinska

Ella Balinska co-led ‘Charlie’s Angels’, written and directed by Elizabeth Banks, performing globe-trotting set pieces and weapons training within a team-based action framework. She later starred in Netflix’s ‘Resident Evil’ series, developed by Andrew Dabb from Capcom’s survival-horror games, blending action and horror across parallel timelines.

In interactive media, Balinska performed the lead role of Frey Holland in the game ‘Forspoken’ from Luminous Productions and Square Enix, combining motion capture, voice acting, and cinematic storytelling. This mix of film, television, and performance capture illustrates flexibility across production formats frequently used in modern franchise storytelling.

Naomi Scott

Naomi Scott portrayed Princess Jasmine in Disney’s live-action ‘Aladdin’, directed by Guy Ritchie, a musical-adventure that leveraged large ensemble numbers, choreography, and location/VFX workflows. She previously played Kimberly Hart in the superhero-adjacent ‘Power Rangers’, directed by Dean Israelite, a film featuring team dynamics and suit-based action.

Scott also co-starred in ‘Charlie’s Angels’, directed by Elizabeth Banks, joining a trio-centric structure that integrates gadgets, infiltration sequences, and international settings. Her filmography includes major-studio productions and music performance elements, experience that maps to characterizations of Black Canary that emphasize stage presence alongside combat.

Florence Pugh

Florence Pugh joined the Marvel Cinematic Universe in ‘Black Widow’, directed by Cate Shortland, portraying Yelena Belova in an espionage narrative centered on family and covert operations. She led the wrestling biopic ‘Fighting with My Family’, written and directed by Stephen Merchant, which intertwined sports training, performance, and personal history.

Her range includes elevated horror in ‘Midsommar’, directed by Ari Aster, and historical drama in ‘Oppenheimer’, directed by Christopher Nolan. Pugh’s projects frequently balance character-driven arcs with practical stunt work and ensemble coordination, reflecting production rhythms common to large-scale action features.

Anya Taylor-Joy

Anya Taylor-Joy toplined the limited series ‘The Queen’s Gambit’, created by Scott Frank and Allan Scott, demonstrating long-form character build within a prestige production. She starred in ‘The Northman’, directed by Robert Eggers, a historical epic that combined practical stunts with mythic storytelling and location photography.

Taylor-Joy’s filmography includes ‘Last Night in Soho’, directed by Edgar Wright, with period-inflected suspense and musical performance elements, and ‘Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga’, directed by George Miller, expanding a high-octane action world with vehicular choreography and complex second-unit work. These projects show sustained collaboration with auteur directors and VFX-intensive crews.

Vanessa Kirby

Vanessa Kirby played Princess Margaret in ‘The Crown’, created by Peter Morgan, a role built on meticulous period detail and ensemble interplay. She joined the ‘Mission: Impossible’ franchise in ‘Fallout’ and ‘Dead Reckoning Part One’, both directed by Christopher McQuarrie, productions noted for practical stunts, global locales, and stunt-actor integration.

Kirby earned awards recognition for ‘Pieces of a Woman’, directed by Kornél Mundruczó, a performance nested within a realist filmmaking approach. She also portrayed Empress Joséphine in ‘Napoleon’, directed by Ridley Scott. The blend of franchise action and dramatic features highlights a background in both character study and high-coordination production environments.

Eiza González

Eiza González appeared in ‘Baby Driver’, directed by Edgar Wright, integrating heist storytelling with music-timed action set pieces. She co-starred in ‘Hobbs & Shaw’, directed by David Leitch, participating in a stunt-heavy, globe-spanning action framework linked to the ‘Fast & Furious’ franchise.

González starred in ‘Ambulance’, directed by Michael Bay, with helicopter and vehicular chase sequences, and appeared in ‘I Care a Lot’, written and directed by J Blakeson. She also featured in ‘Godzilla vs. Kong’, directed by Adam Wingard. Her filmography spans ensemble action and thriller projects, each requiring coordination with second-unit teams and VFX departments.

Erin Moriarty

Erin Moriarty stars as Starlight in ‘The Boys’, developed by Eric Kripke from the comic by Garth Ennis and Darick Robertson, a series combining super-powered set pieces with satirical drama and large-scale VFX. The production emphasizes fight choreography, wire-work, and green-screen integration within episodic television.

Her earlier work includes ‘Captain Fantastic’, directed by Matt Ross, and ‘Blood Father’, directed by Jean-François Richet. These credits show participation in independent drama and action-thriller filmmaking, including location shoots and character arcs that intersect with physical jeopardy and stunt coordination.

Adria Arjona

Adria Arjona portrayed Bix Caleen in ‘Andor’, created by Tony Gilroy, a ‘Star Wars’ series emphasizing grounded espionage, industrial settings, and political resistance within a serialized format. She appeared in ‘6 Underground’, directed by Michael Bay, engaging with large set pieces and international location work.

Arjona’s film credits include ‘Pacific Rim: Uprising’, directed by Steven S. DeKnight, and ‘Morbius’, directed by Daniel Espinosa, both franchise entries involving creature/VFX pipelines and action staging. On television, she appeared in ‘Good Omens’, developed by Neil Gaiman and Douglas Mackinnon from the Pratchett/Gaiman novel. This mix of sci-fi, fantasy, and action aligns with ensemble-driven production requirements.

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