Recently, in between the shows that I’ve been watching, there’s been this recurring ad for a new movie called The Menu. Within the first couple of seconds, even with her usual blonde hair now turned auburn, Anya Taylor-Joy is instantly recognizable.
These days, when the conversation turns to who is the most successful rising star, Anya Taylor-Joy is never left out of the conversation. Her choice of roles has propelled her forward among her peers as each showcases a different part of her range. This range is part of why she is a force; she shines so brightly because of her naturalism in a scene, her expressiveness and her subtle acting choices.
Anya Taylor-Joy has a lot of different film and TV credits to her name. If you are looking for a place to start moving through her work, these several films and a limited series are a good place to start.
1. The menu
Her most recent movie, The Menu (2022), depicts 12 strangers who go to dine at an exclusive restaurant on an island. What at first seems like a regular restaurant experience soon turns into an ordeal that is far less pleasant. This movie will keep any viewer on their toes while still making them laugh.
In this movie, Anya Taylor-Joy stands out because of her naturalism. Her character fits into each scene as if she is one of the viewers because she reacts as one would from the outside. Taylor-Joy then pulls you in this way because, unlike the rest of the cast of characters, her character feels like a guide to the movie. It is easy to put yourself in Taylor-Joy’s character’s shoes because of how fluid she is in her acting. Thus, this makes The Menu (2022) another great performance from her and, if you have never seen her before, it will give you a tease of her capabilities that will leave you wanting more.
2. EMMA
Going a couple of years back, we can find Anya Taylor-Joy in Emma (2020). Emma (2020) is a movie adaptation of the famous book of the same name by Jane Austen. Here, we see Taylor-Joy pull out all the stops to make the viewer feel that the romantic tension between her and Mr. Knightley is believable and passionate.
The movie moves along this path of romance while also talking about how far Emma will go to protect her pride. Balancing these two different sets of emotions can be a challenge for any actress but Anya Taylor-Joy flips between these sets with a sense of charm. Taylor-Joy uses her tone and her facial expressions to sell her scenes, which proves to be highly effective. This again showcases why she is a good actress because, as a viewer, you cannot tell that the emotion on Taylor-Joy’s face is not coming from true emotions. Through this movie, viewers will see a master class of acting in how to emote and, perhaps, will start to fall in love with Anya Taylor-Joy on the big screen.
3. The queen’s gambit
Perhaps one of her most well-known roles occurs in The Queen’s Gambit (2020), where Anya Taylor-Joy again takes on a leading role. Here, the viewer follows Taylor-Joy as Beth, a chess prodigy. The limited series chronicles Beth’s rise from chess novice to being one of the best players in the world. Throughout the series, the viewer sees how having immense talent can take over one’s life, especially when what we all do for work is not the entirety of what happens in our lives.
To play with the idea of how much pressure there is to be the best at what you do, Taylor-Joy pulls you in slowly with her subtle acting choices. These choices can be seen in a single look or in the way she holds herself at different points in the protagonist’s life. Making a character that is complicated and flawed is a balancing act of many hats. Anya Taylor-Joy seems to ground this balancing act by creating empathy for the character and making sure that the viewer is reminded that Beth is human. If you have only been a casual fan up until this point, this series will make you a strong fan of Taylor-Joy’s work because she immediately brings out the best in her co-stars too.
Overall, Anya Taylor-Joy is the actress to watch. There’s no doubt that her acting skills will only grow as she takes on more roles. Each of these roles is only one aspect of her acting repertoire. Thus, to continue to know who Taylor-Joy is as an actress, we all just need to follow her career as it moves forward. Her lane in the acting world is wide, covering every genre from historical to horror. Anya Taylor-Joy is never one to stay within one kind of role and each performance only adds to what we already knew she could do. As a viewer, we can expect to get something different from her at every turn, for her performance is magnetic for all to enjoy.