The 15 Best Anya Taylor-Joy Roles

Anya Taylor-Joy has built a filmography that spans psychological horror, historical epics, prestige TV, and blockbuster animation. Beginning with breakout roles in distinctive indie features and moving into major studio projects, her body of work includes collaborations with directors such as Robert Eggers, Edgar Wright, George Miller, and M. Night Shyamalan. Along the way, she has earned major awards recognition, including a Golden Globe and Screen Actors Guild Award for ‘The Queen’s Gambit’, plus nominations from BAFTA and other organizations for both film and television work.

This list gathers her most notable roles across movies and shows, highlighting key creative teams, character details, and production context. From lead performances to memorable supporting turns and voice acting, it outlines where each role fits within its project, how it interacts with genre conventions, and how the character functions in the story’s world.

‘The Queen’s Gambit’ (2020) – Beth Harmon

Created by Scott Frank and Allan Scott, ‘The Queen’s Gambit’ adapts Walter Tevis’s novel about a prodigious chess player navigating competitive circuits and personal challenges. The limited series was released by Netflix and features a creative team spanning multiple departments, including detailed period design, extensive chess consulting, and original music that tracks the protagonist’s rise through tournaments. The show received widespread industry recognition, with guild and academy awards across categories for direction, writing, acting, and craft.

As Beth Harmon, Taylor-Joy portrays a strategist whose preparation, opening repertoires, and endgame precision are central to match sequences staged with technical advisors. Production utilized real grandmaster-level games as templates, reworked for dramatic momentum and camera coverage. Scenes integrate notation, clock management, and board reconstructions to reflect tournament play, with the character’s training, study habits, and mentorships driving the narrative.

‘The Witch’ (2015) – Thomasin

Written and directed by Robert Eggers, ‘The Witch’ is a folktale set in a New England wilderness, produced with historically informed costuming, dialect, and production design. The film’s approach emphasizes primary-source language, natural lighting strategies, and a soundscape built from period-appropriate environments. The ensemble includes performers across a family unit whose daily labor, religious practice, and isolation structure the plot.

Thomasin is positioned at the center of family tensions, with scenes charting her responsibilities, accusations directed at her, and the escalating breakdown of trust. The role relies on close-quarters staging, candlelit interiors, and long takes that track shifting alliances within the household. The character’s interactions with siblings and parents are framed by questions of testimony, credibility, and survival.

‘The Menu’ (2022) – Margot/Erin

Directed by Mark Mylod and released by Searchlight Pictures, ‘The Menu’ unfolds during a meticulously planned tasting event on a private island. The film’s production design builds a working kitchen and dining room where culinary choreography, plating, and service rhythms are captured with precise coverage. The supporting cast includes Ralph Fiennes, Nicholas Hoult, Hong Chau, and others whose characters occupy different strata of guests and staff.

Taylor-Joy’s character arrives under unusual circumstances that place her outside the chef’s carefully curated guest list. The role intersects with the kitchen brigade’s routines, supply chains, and course-by-course structure, exposing the event’s underlying rules and escalating constraints. Information about sourcing, menu construction, and front-of-house dynamics becomes part of how the character navigates the evening.

‘Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga’ (2024) – Furiosa

‘Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga’ is a prequel set in the world established by George Miller, produced by Warner Bros. Pictures. Production mounted large-scale desert sequences, vehicular stunts, and practical effects supplemented by digital enhancements, continuing the franchise’s emphasis on in-camera action. The cast includes Chris Hemsworth and a range of performers portraying factions, war rigs, and citadel-adjacent communities.

As Furiosa, Taylor-Joy traces the character’s early years, focusing on skills acquisition, alliances, and territorial logistics across wasteland routes. The role engages with vehicle configurations, fuel and water control, and barter networks, mapping how the character adapts to resource scarcity and shifting power centers. The film structures its set pieces around convoy movement, terrain obstacles, and tactical maneuvers.

‘Emma.’ (2020) – Emma Woodhouse

Autumn de Wilde’s adaptation of Jane Austen’s ‘Emma.’ emphasizes ensemble timing, color-driven production design, and music choices that align with social occasions depicted on screen. The film features a cast including Johnny Flynn, Mia Goth, and Bill Nighy, with location work in historic estates and town settings that support choreographed dances, carriage travel, and drawing-room conversations.

Emma Woodhouse is rendered as a community organizer of social gatherings and introductions, with scenes that involve letter writing, etiquette, and inheritance considerations shaping relationships. Taylor-Joy’s performance is set within costume elements designed for status signaling and movement, while dialogue-driven sequences clarify misunderstandings, engagements, and family responsibilities.

‘Split’ (2017) – Casey Cooke

M. Night Shyamalan’s ‘Split’ is a thriller distributed by Universal Pictures, with James McAvoy portraying a character with multiple identities. The film uses confined locations, controlled lighting, and specific production design elements to stage interactions between captor and captives. Its narrative connects to a broader universe later explored in ‘Glass’.

Casey Cooke’s arc is grounded in survival strategies, observational skills, and decision-making under pressure. Scenes depict her tracking patterns in the environment, identifying escape windows, and evaluating risks in confrontations with varying identities. The role’s beats are calibrated around proximity, timing, and the flow of information within the confined space.

‘Glass’ (2019) – Casey Cooke

‘Glass’, also from M. Night Shyamalan and distributed by Universal Pictures, unites characters and plotlines from earlier entries in the trilogy. The ensemble includes Samuel L. Jackson, Bruce Willis, and James McAvoy, with settings that incorporate institutional protocols, surveillance, and media presence. Production designs spaces for observation and containment, integrating security measures and therapy sessions.

Casey’s return places her in contact with law enforcement procedures, medical staff, and public narratives about extraordinary events. The role involves assessing credibility, interfacing with authorities, and recognizing behavioral cues from familiar individuals. Her scenes mediate between personal history and the evolving situation, aligning character knowledge with the film’s investigative structure.

‘Last Night in Soho’ (2021) – Sandie

Directed by Edgar Wright and released by Focus Features/Universal internationally, ‘Last Night in Soho’ blends contemporary drama with sequences set amid a stylized entertainment district. The production integrates music, choreography, mirror effects, and in-camera transitions to match the story’s dual timelines. The film stars Thomasin McKenzie alongside Taylor-Joy, supported by an ensemble that includes performers associated with British cinema.

Sandie is introduced as an aspiring singer navigating venues, promoters, and accommodation arrangements within a nightlife economy. The role charts performance opportunities, costume and styling choices, and the structural vulnerabilities faced by artists. Scenes show contracts, rehearsals, and dealings with managers, while cinematography and sound design track the character’s movement through clubs and backstage spaces.

‘The Northman’ (2022) – Olga

‘The Northman’ reunites Taylor-Joy with director Robert Eggers for a saga produced by Focus Features and other partners, with location work and sets reflecting coastal settlements, ritual spaces, and fortifications. The ensemble includes Alexander Skarsgård, Nicole Kidman, Ethan Hawke, and Claes Bang, with stunts and fight choreography arranged around raids, duels, and stealth operations.

Olga is situated within the story’s network of captives, traders, and household staff, using knowledge of herbs, terrain, and local customs to influence outcomes. Scenes integrate maritime travel, agricultural labor cycles, and religious observances, with the character’s decisions intersecting with clan politics and revenge imperatives. Her interactions map shifting alliances across farms, fields, and encampments.

‘Thoroughbreds’ (2017) – Lily

Written and directed by Cory Finley, ‘Thoroughbreds’ is a darkly comic drama set in suburban Connecticut. The production favors symmetrical framing, measured dialogue scenes, and a contained set of interiors and exteriors. The cast includes Olivia Cooke and the late Anton Yelchin, with a focus on negotiations, planning, and the logistics of a scheme.

Lily’s storyline involves tutoring sessions, household dynamics, and the navigation of guardianship and financial structures. The character’s choices are tracked through meetings, test runs, and coordination with an outside participant. Phone records, movements, and alibis function as plot mechanisms, and the role explores how documents, schedules, and access points shape the plan.

‘The New Mutants’ (2020) – Illyana Rasputin / Magik

‘The New Mutants’, directed by Josh Boone for 20th Century Studios, is a superhero-horror hybrid set within the ‘X-Men’ universe. The production utilizes a single primary location with medical oversight, security systems, and diagnostic technology that frames the characters’ confinement. The ensemble includes Maisie Williams, Charlie Heaton, and Blu Hunt.

As Illyana Rasputin, also known as Magik, Taylor-Joy portrays a mutant with teleportation via the Limbo dimension and a conjured blade commonly referred to as the Soulsword. The film visualizes portal transit, armor manifestation, and power variability during stress events. The character’s history with other mutants and antagonists informs group dynamics, training sessions, and containment breaches.

‘The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance’ (2019) – Brea (voice)

Produced by Netflix and The Jim Henson Company, ‘The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance’ is a puppet-driven fantasy series set prior to the events of ‘The Dark Crystal’. The series employs advanced animatronics, puppetry teams, and post-production compositing to realize creatures and environments. Voice casting includes Taron Egerton, Nathalie Emmanuel, and a broad ensemble.

Taylor-Joy voices Brea, a Gelfling princess whose curiosity leads to research into historical texts, clan systems, and political hierarchies. The character drives plotlines involving archives, artifacts, and alliances among different tribes. Recording sessions were coordinated with puppeteers’ performances, aligning vocal timing with physical movement and facial articulation.

‘Peaky Blinders’ (2013–2022) – Gina Gray

‘Peaky Blinders’, created by Steven Knight for the BBC and distributed internationally on Netflix, chronicles a crime family’s operations across business fronts and political connections. Later seasons place greater emphasis on international trade, parliamentary links, and rival organizations. Production involves location photography, period costuming, and a rotating set of directors across episodes.

Gina Gray is introduced as Michael Gray’s American wife, bringing transatlantic ties and external advisers into the Shelby organization. The character participates in strategy debates, boardroom conversations, and factional alignments affecting company control. Her scenes connect to import–export decisions, financial restructuring, and negotiations with new partners.

‘The Super Mario Bros. Movie’ (2023) – Princess Peach (voice)

An Illumination and Nintendo collaboration, ‘The Super Mario Bros. Movie’ is a computer-animated feature distributed by Universal Pictures. The production pipeline integrates character rigging, environment design, and action choreography referencing game mechanics. The voice cast includes Chris Pratt, Charlie Day, and Jack Black.

Taylor-Joy voices Princess Peach, who guides newcomers through training sequences, obstacle courses, and alliance-building with other kingdoms. The role involves mission briefings, kart assembly, and route planning through varied terrains. The film achieved major global box-office milestones and expanded the franchise’s reach in feature animation.

‘Marrowbone’ (2017) – Allie

Written and directed by Sergio G. Sánchez, ‘Marrowbone’ is an English-language psychological thriller produced by Apaches Entertainment with Xavi Giménez as cinematographer and a score by Fernando Velázquez. The story centers on four siblings hiding in a secluded family home while dealing with legal and financial pressures tied to their late mother’s estate. Production emphasizes atmospheric interiors, rural exteriors, and practical effects that support its mystery structure.

Taylor-Joy plays Allie, a local young woman whose connection to the family brings outside perspective on the property, bank dealings, and the town’s social network. The character’s scenes involve visits to the house, interactions with the bank manager, and exchanges that surface documents, letters, and testimonies relevant to the siblings’ situation. Allie’s involvement helps move investigations forward, aligning village rumors, official records, and the household’s concealed history.

Share your favorite Anya Taylor-Joy performance from this list in the comments and tell us which role you’d add next.