Lily James, who currently headlines live-action Disney princess.
A graduate of London's Guildhall School of Music and Drama, James gained worldwide fame for playing Pam & Tommy.
Along with her 16 feature-length movies, James appeared in the short films Chemistry, The Tale of Thomas Burberry, and One Red Nose Day and a Wedding. She also voiced White Detroit in 2018's Sorry to Bother You. Next, James will play Zoe in the British rom-com What's Love Got To Do With It? James has also had a stellar career in theater, starring as the title characters in Romeo & Juliet and All About Eve.
Given her bankability and popularity, it's a little surprising that Lily James hasn't been snatched up to play a superhero by Marvel Studios or DC Films but perhaps that may still happen down the road. Regardless, in both starring and ing roles, Lily James has built an impressive and eclectic body of films to her credit so let's find out which Lily James movie is the best of all.
16. Wrath of the Titans (2012)
Directed by Jonathan Liebesman, Lily James only briefly appears as Korinna, a female warrior from Argos, and it's a tiny, forgettable part in a cacophonous and unmemorable sequel.
15. Burnt (2015)
Burnt, directed by John Wells, stars Bradley Cooper as temperamental Parisian chef Adam Jones, who has to start over after his drug-fueled antics curtail his culinary career. Burnt also stars Sienna Miller, Omar Sy, Alicia Vikander, and Daniel Brühl, but Lily James' role as Sara only amounts to a cameo, which is disappointing since Burnt immediately followed her Disney star turn in Cinderella. But perhaps it's better James bears no blame for this little-seen, cliché-ridden food comedy.
14. Rare Beasts (2019)
Lily James' second TV role was Poppy in Secret Diary of a Call Girl starring Billie Piper, so it's no surprise that Piper recruited James for Rare Beasts, which Piper wrote, directed, and starred in. Rare Beasts is a bold "anti-romcom" about Mandy (Piper), a career-driven single mother navigating the choppy seas of modern dating. As Cressida, whose wedding Mandy attends, James charms in her scenes, although the film itself is a touch-and-go, with a few sparkly moments of biting insight into modern relationships.
13. Broken (2012)
Directed by Rufus Norris, Broken is a gritty coming-of-age drama about Emily Cunningham (Eloise Lawrence), an 11-year-old diabetic girl nicknamed "Skunk" who witnesses a violent attack by one of her neighbors. Broken utilizes a time-shifting narrative to connect three stories in a British housing complex. Broken also stars Cillian Murphy, Tim Roth, and Rory Kinnear, while Lily James only briefly appears as Skunk when she's older. Broken neatly connects the stories of three families with comedy and tragedy, and it's an early role for James that shows her promise.
12. Rebecca (2020)
Adapted from Daphne du Maurier's 1938 novel, director Ben Wheatley's Rebecca is sorely lacking in gothic horror and the film's lack of a pulse couldn't be saved by the star power of its leads and the performances of Rebecca's cast.
11. The Dig (2021)
The Dig, which is streaming on Netflix, stars Lily James in a ing role as Peggy Piggott, the neglected wife of archaeologist Stuart Piggott (Ben Chaplin). Directed by Simon Stone, The Dig, which is based on a true story, is primarily about excavator Basil Brown (Ralph Fiennes) discovering a Viking relic at Sutton Hoo, which was financed by Edith Pretty (Carey Mulligan). As Peggy, James shines in a subplot where she begins a romance with Edith's dashing cousin Rory Lomax (Johnny Flynn) but it's a relatively minor role in The Dig, a restrained but satisfying historical drama.
10. Fast Girls (2012)
Fast Girls, directed by Regan Hall, is the first lead movie role for Lily James. She plays sprinter Lisa Temple, who competes against Shanaya Andrews (Lenora Crichlow) as part of the British 4×100 meter relay team as they attempt to win the World Championships. Fast Girls was timed to be released during the 2012 Olympic Games in London but the film was slightly hurt by the International Olympic Committee's refusal to allow the Olympics to be represented officially. Nonetheless, the performances by James and Andrews as rivals who must work together to bring Britain a sprinting medal are strong in this feel-good sports movie thematically reminiscent of Rocky.
9. Pride and Prejudice and Zombies (2016)
Sam Riley's Mr. Darcy, are swallowed up by the cartoony action and the performance of Matt Smith as Parson William Collins steals the show. But Pride and Prejudice and Zombies is an over-the-top and entertaining romp that has its tongue firmly in cheek.
8. Darkest Hour (2017)
Joe Wright's Christopher Nolan's Dunkirk later dramatized). However, in Darkest Hour's fictionalized version of events, it's Elizabeth's friendship and patience with Churchill that helps the Prime Minister hold firm and save thousands of England's sons to bring them safely home from the war.
7. The Exception (2016)
Directed by David Leveaux, The Exception is an underrated World War II romantic drama about a plot to assassinate the exiled Kaiser Wilhelm II (Christopher Plummer) and the Wehrmacht officer, Captain Stefan Brandt (Jai Courtney), sent to investigate. Lily James plays Mieke, one of Wilhelm's maids, who intends to assassinate the visiting Heinrich Himmler (Eddie Marsan) as revenge for the SS murdering her father and husband. James is exceptional as the complex and driven Meike, who falls in love with Brandt, and The Exception's twists and turns are held together by an excellent performance by Christopher Plummer as the deposed German emperor.
