Anya Taylor-Joy’s breakout role
Every major film star has one movie that propels them into the spotlight, and for actress Anya Taylor-Joy, it was 2015’s horror film The Witch. Playing Thomasin, the eldest daughter of a Puritan family that falls prey to evil in 17th century New England, Taylor-Joy’s haunting and profound performance was nothing short of amazing. Since then, the actress has earned a wide variety of critically acclaimed roles and a dedicated fanbase. From period dramas like 2020’s Emma to psychological thrillers such as Last Night in Soho, Taylor-Joy is a fearless force to be reckoned with on the big screen.
While she’s certainly no stranger to other genres, it’s clear that horror is anya taylor-joy forte. She’s delivered a number of thrilling performances in the genre, including her turn as Beth Harmon in the TV series The Queen’s Gambit and recurring roles on Peaky Blinders and the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s The New Mutants. She’s also given audiences a chilling and powerful depiction of a young mutant named Magik in the upcoming film X-Men: Apocalypse.
The film that cemented her as a horror icon, however, came in the form of Robert Eggers’ 2015 film The Witch. Starring alongside Ralph Ineson, Kate Dickie, Harvey Scrimshaw, and Lucas Dawson, the period horror film centers on a devout Protestant family that falls prey to a supernatural evil in the woods around their New England settlement. It’s a harrowing tale of faith, superstition, and paranoia that captivated audiences and left many with chills down their spines.
Anya Taylor-Joy’s breakout role came in which horror film?
As a young girl, Taylor-Joy dreamed of becoming an actress. Although she dropped out of school at 16 and was scouted as a model by the agency Storm Management, acting remained her ultimate goal. After a small handful of film and television roles, Taylor-Joy got her big break with The Witch. Her captivating portrayal of Thomasin was a standout in the film and helped to launch her career as a leading lady.
After receiving critical acclaim for her performance in The Witch, Taylor-Joy went on to deliver more memorable performances. She appeared as a humanoid in the science fiction film Morgan (2016) and as President Barack Obama’s college girlfriend in Vikram Gandhi’s film Barry (2015). She also starred as Casey Cooke in M. Night Shyamalan’s films Split (2016) and Glass (2019).
In each of these wildly different projects, Taylor-Joy showcased her talent for being able to elicit real emotion from the screen. Her ability to transform herself into her characters makes for a truly mesmerizing viewing experience. In addition to her work in the horror and thriller genres, Taylor-Joy has shown off a range of other acting skills in movies like Emma and Last Night in Soho. Whether she’s playing a prophet, a humanoid, or even a cyborg, the actress continues to impress with her range of performances and fearless approach to her craft.