Julianne Moore’s Best Roles

Julianne Moore is widely regarded as one of the most brilliant and fearless actors of her generation, with a career defined by its extraordinary range and emotional depth. She has a unique talent for disappearing into her characters, portraying complex and often fragile women with profound empathy and intelligence. From independent cinema to major blockbusters, she consistently chooses challenging roles that explore the intricacies of the human experience.

Her willingness to tackle difficult subject matter and her ability to convey raw, authentic emotion have earned her widespread critical acclaim, including numerous awards and nominations. She has created a gallery of unforgettable characters, from suburban housewives in quiet turmoil to iconic political figures. Through it all, she has maintained a reputation for excellence, making every performance a masterclass in the art of acting.

‘Short Cuts’ (1993)

In this sprawling ensemble film, she plays Marian Wyman, a talented artist who feels disconnected from her doctor husband. Her family’s story is one of many that intersect in surprising ways across Los Angeles. Marian’s outwardly calm demeanor hides a deep well of resentment and past regrets that slowly come to the surface.

The role is most remembered for a powerful and lengthy monologue her character delivers while completely nude from the waist down, a choice that underscores her emotional vulnerability. In the scene, she casually confesses a past infidelity to her husband’s friends, a moment that is both shocking and heartbreakingly honest, establishing her as a truly daring performer.

‘Safe’ (1995)

She stars as Carol White, a frail and unassuming homemaker living a life of affluent emptiness in the San Fernando Valley. Her sterile, detached existence is suddenly disrupted when she begins to suffer from a mysterious illness, experiencing severe physical reactions to everyday elements of her environment.

As her condition worsens and modern medicine fails to provide answers, Carol becomes convinced she has what is now known as multiple chemical sensitivity. Her desperate search for a cure leads her to a strange new-age desert retreat, where her journey of self-discovery takes an ambiguous and unsettling turn.

‘Boogie Nights’ (1997)

She portrays Amber Waves, a prominent actress in the adult film industry of the 1970s and a maternal figure to the other performers. Amber takes a young newcomer under her wing, creating a supportive, unconventional family unit that contrasts sharply with the chaos of her personal life outside the film sets.

Her character is locked in a bitter custody battle for her son, and her deep maternal instincts are redirected toward her younger colleagues. She is a complex woman who is both nurturing and self-destructive, and this poignant performance earned her an Academy Award nomination.

‘The Big Lebowski’ (1998)

She plays the eccentric and formidable Maude Lebowski, an avant-garde feminist artist and the daughter of a millionaire. Maude is intelligent, speaks with a distinctive patrician accent, and is entirely unfazed by the strange events unfolding around her. She becomes an unlikely ally to the film’s protagonist, the Dude.

Maude enlists the Dude’s help in a bizarre plot involving a supposed kidnapping and a missing fortune. Her character is a masterful creation, confidently navigating the film’s absurd world and delivering some of its most memorable and quotable lines.

‘The End of the Affair’ (1999)

She stars as Sarah Miles, a spirited and passionate woman in a stifling marriage in wartime London. She embarks on an intense affair with a novelist named Maurice Bendrix, but after they survive a bomb blast, she abruptly ends the relationship without any explanation, devastating him.

The story is told from Maurice’s perspective as he tries years later to understand why she left, uncovering her side of the story through her diary. Her character’s journey involves a profound spiritual conflict between her love for Maurice and a promise she made to God, and the role earned her an Oscar nomination for Best Actress.

‘Magnolia’ (1999)

She gives a raw and intense performance as Linda Partridge, the much younger wife of a wealthy man who is on his deathbed. Linda is consumed by guilt and remorse, confessing that she initially married him for his money but has since grown to love him deeply.

Overwhelmed by her conflicting emotions, her character behaves erratically, lashing out at doctors and pharmacists in a desperate, drug-fueled haze. Her storyline is a powerful exploration of regret and a search for forgiveness in the final hours of her husband’s life.

‘Far from Heaven’ (2002)

She plays Cathy Whitaker, a seemingly perfect housewife and mother in 1950s suburban America whose world is impeccably curated. Her carefully constructed life begins to fall apart when she discovers her husband has been concealing his homosexuality.

While grappling with this revelation, Cathy forms a deep and meaningful friendship with her African American gardener, an act that violates the rigid racial and social codes of the time. She finds herself increasingly isolated as she is forced to choose between societal acceptance and her own heart, a performance that earned her another Oscar nomination.

‘The Hours’ (2002)

In one of three interconnected stories, she portrays Laura Brown, a deeply unhappy pregnant housewife in 1950s California. She feels suffocated by her domestic life and finds her only escape within the pages of Virginia Woolf’s novel ‘Mrs. Dalloway’.

Laura’s quiet desperation builds as she goes through the motions of being a perfect wife and mother, all while contemplating a radical decision that will have lasting consequences. Her portrayal of profound depression and inner turmoil is subtle yet devastating, earning her a second Oscar nomination in the same year.

‘Children of Men’ (2006)

She plays Julian Taylor, the leader of an activist group fighting for the rights of refugees in a dystopian future where humanity has become infertile. She is also the estranged wife of the film’s reluctant hero, Theo Faron, whom she recruits for a dangerous mission.

Julian is a pragmatic and committed leader who orchestrates a plan to protect the world’s only known pregnant woman. Although her character’s time on screen is brief, her actions are the catalyst for the entire plot, setting the stakes for a desperate journey in a world without hope.

‘A Single Man’ (2009)

She portrays Charley, a stylish and charismatic divorcée who is the longtime best friend of a college professor named George Falconer. Living in 1960s Los Angeles, she is a vibrant soul who is also grappling with her own deep-seated loneliness and a reliance on alcohol.

Charley provides a crucial emotional connection for George, who is secretly mourning the death of his partner. Their relationship is beautifully captured in an extended dinner scene where they share drinks, dance, and reflect on their shared past, showcasing a friendship that is both loving and complicated.

‘The Kids Are All Right’ (2010)

She stars as Jules Allgood, who is raising two teenage children with her wife, Nic. Jules is a warm but restless landscape architect who feels her own identity has been subsumed by her roles as a wife and mother. Her life is thrown into turmoil when her children decide to find their sperm donor.

When the charming and bohemian donor enters their lives, Jules embarks on an impulsive affair with him, threatening to tear her family apart. Her character’s journey explores themes of mid-life crisis, identity, and the complexities of long-term relationships.

‘Game Change’ (2012)

She delivered a stunningly accurate portrayal of U.S. politician Sarah Palin in this television film. The story documents Palin’s experience as the surprise vice presidential candidate on the 2008 Republican ticket, from her selection to her ultimate impact on the campaign.

The role required a complete physical and vocal transformation, which she accomplished with remarkable precision. She captured the public persona and explored the private pressures and challenges Palin faced on the world stage, earning an Emmy and a Golden Globe for her performance.

‘Still Alice’ (2014)

She plays Dr. Alice Howland, a respected linguistics professor and happily married mother who receives a devastating diagnosis of early-onset Alzheimer’s disease at the age of 50. The film chronicles her gradual decline as the disease robs her of her memories and her intellect.

Her performance is a masterful and heart-wrenching depiction of a brilliant woman’s fight to maintain her identity and connections to her family in the face of a cruel illness. For this incredibly moving and powerful role, she won the Academy Award for Best Actress.

‘Maps to the Stars’ (2014)

She takes on the role of Havana Segrand, a shallow and narcissistic actress in Hollywood who is desperate to land the lead in a remake of a film that made her mother a star. Havana is a mess of insecurities, living in the shadow of her dead mother, whom she claims abused her.

The character is a satirical and grotesque embodiment of Hollywood’s obsession with youth, fame, and legacy. It is a bold, unflinching, and often darkly comedic performance that showcases her willingness to play unlikable and deeply flawed characters.

‘Gloria Bell’ (2018)

She stars as Gloria Bell, a fun-loving and independent divorcée who navigates life with an infectious optimism. By day she works a quiet office job, but by night she lets loose on the dance floors of Los Angeles singles’ clubs, fully embracing the moment.

The film is a warm and insightful character study that follows Gloria as she finds a new romance, deals with her adult children, and faces life’s small joys and disappointments. Her performance is a nuanced and joyful celebration of a woman living her life to the fullest on her own terms.

Tell us which Julianne Moore movie is your favorite in the comments.