Rosamund Pike’sacting career has spanned nearly three decades, as she has built up an impressive list of movies and TV shows during that time. In the late 90s, Rosamund Pike began her acting career by doing parts in a handful of British television shows while still attending university. After graduating, she had her first big breakthrough role as Miranda Frost, whois a Bond girlin the 2002 filmDie Another Day.
After landing a role in a James Bond film, Rosamund Pike appeared in a variety of films and TV shows, includingPride & Prejudice,An Education,The World’s End, and David Fincher’sGone Girl. Able to find success in everything from period pieces, to comedies and thrillers, Rosamund Pike has proven how versatile of an actress she truly is. There is even more on the way as well, includingThe Wheel of Timeseason 3, andNow You See Me 3.
I Care A Lot
Cast
I Care A Lot stars Rosamund Pike as Marla Grayson, a con artist who makes money by becoming a court-appointed guardian for elderly people she claims can’t take care of themselves, and then stealing their life’s savings. But things don’t go according to plan when she tries to do the same thing to a mother of a dangerous mob boss.
Released in 2020,I Care A Lotstars Rosamund Pike as Marla Grayson, a con woman who makes a living by seizing and selling assets of vulnerable elderly people. The American black comedy film is fantastic, showcasing a great villain that has virtually no qualms about taking advantage of people who don’t necessarily know any better, making for a highly entertaining movie that shows the talent of Rosamund Pike as an actress.
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Marla Grayson isn’t a good person, and Rosamund Pike plays her to perfection, tapping into some of the same energy fromGone Girlyears prior. Pike has shown the ability to play fantastic villains throughout her career, and her role inI Care A Lotis up there with the worst of the worst. It might not be the best film of her career, but it is a great one to watch.
Beirut
Beirut is a 2018 political thriller directed by Brad Anderson. Set in 1980s Lebanon, the film follows Mason Skiles, a former U.S. diplomat, as he returns to service to rescue a colleague from a group linked to his family’s demise, with a CIA agent ensuring the mission’s success.
Set during the Lebanese Civil War in the early 1980s,Beirutis the story of a former U.S. diplomat who returns to service in the titular city in order to protect a colleague. This tense, political thriller stars Jon Hamm alongside Rosamund Pike, taking viewers on a tense ride through espionage amidst political upheaval in Lebanon. Nuanced and layered,Beirutavoids the pitfalls of lesser Middle East thrillers, respecting the actual struggles the people went through while keeping the movie entertaining throughout.
Rosamund Pike and Jon Hamm are fantastic together, capturing the increasingly dangerous circumstances their characters face.
Rosamund Pike plays Sandy Crowder, a CIA field officer who is working undercover at the American embassy.Pike is able to portray Sandy Crowder with an intense authenticity that makes her magnetic every time she appears on-screen. Rosamund Pike and Jon Hamm are fantastic together, capturing the increasingly dangerous circumstances their characters face. The stakes are high inBeirutand Crowder’s level-headedness is portrayed perfectly by Rosamund Pike throughout.
Wives and Daughters
Wives and Daughters is a 1999 BBC serial adapted from Elizabeth Gaskell’s novel, focusing on Molly Gibson, whose life transforms when her widowed father remarries. This union introduces her to a new stepmother and stepsister, while forming a friendship with a local squire leads to an unexpected romance.
Premiering in 1998,Wives and Daughterwas a four-part BBC production, adapting the novelWives and Daughters: An Everyday Storyby author Elizabeth Gaskell in 1864. The Victorian period piece was well-received upon release, being nominated and winning numerous awards, with the set design and costuming being a particular standout for the show’s four episodes. It also featured a number of fantastic performances by some of England’s best actors at the time.
Wives and Daughterswas the most significant role at that point in Rosamund Pike’s career.
Wives and Daughterswas only the second acting role in Rosamund Pike’s career, and she proved early on she had what it takes to become a staple in the industry. She plays Lady Harriet Cumnor, a young woman who is part of an aristocratic family, appearing in three of the show’s four episodes.What helps Rosamund Pike’s character standout is her willingness to break the rules, and Pike plays the free-spirited young woman with both gentleness and strength.
Die Another Day
ames Bond is captured and tortured during a mission in North Korea, but after 14 months, he is exchanged for a North Korean prisoner. Stripped of his 00 status and determined to clear his name, Bond embarks on a globe-trotting quest to uncover a traitor and stop a catastrophic plot. Teaming up with the enigmatic NSA agent Jinx, he tracks down a diamond mogul with a sinister connection to his past. The mission leads Bond to an ice palace in Iceland and a high-tech satellite capable of devastating destruction.
Fresh out of university, Rosamund Pike’s acting career truly took off, with her big break coming in the 2002 James Bond film,Die Another Day. It was actually the fourth and final Bond movie to star Pierce Brosnan, who had played the character sinceGoldenEyein 1995. Alongside Rosamund Pike, Halle Berry played the other Bond Girl in the film, with the two characters working against each other sporadically throughout the film.
Miranda Frost
Rosamund Pike
Rosamund Pike is perfect as a Bond Girl, and her turn as the villainous Miranda Frost is one of the movie’s biggest highlights, which is impressive considering how monumental of a film it was for Pike’s career. There was a danger to Miranda Frost that Rosamund Pike was able to tap into, making it one of her most memorable roles, marking the end of Pierce Brosnan as 007.
Jack Reacher
After a mass shooting takes place, homicide investigator Jack Reacher digs into the case to hunt down the sniper who committed the heinous act. Jack Reacher stars Tom Cruise as the titular character and was directed by Christopher McQuarrie. The success of the 2012 film led to a sequel, Jack Reacher: Never Go Back, releasing in 2016.
Jack Reacherwas the first collaboration between Tom Cruise and director Christopher McQuarrie, showing early on the connection they had which would be prevalent in severalMission Impossiblefilms after. As a film,Jack Reacheris great, showcasing Cruise’s long-running ability to be an action movie star, and was the first adaptation of the source material, which would later be turned into an Amazon Prime TV series.
Rosamund Pike plays Helen Rodin inJack Reacher, a defense attorney who works with the titular character to investigate a case that would keep her client off death row.Helen is a strong, intelligent character that Rosamund Pike portrays wonderfully, working well alongside Tom Cruise as the two leads of the film. Being such an active character inJack Reacherelevates Helen Rodin as a whole, making her integral to the entire thing.
The Wheel of Time
The Wheel of Time follows Moiraine, a member of the powerful all-female organization Aes Sedai, as she leads a perilous quest with five young individuals. Moiraine suspects one among them could be the prophesized reincarnation of a mighty figure destined to either save or doom humanity.
Premiering on Amazon Prime in 2021,The Wheel of Timeis an epic adaption of the book series of the same name by author Robert Jordan (and eventually Brandon Sanderson). In a lot of ways, The Wheel of Time felt like the first big adaptation for Amazon Prime before moving forward with shows likeThe Lord of the Rings: The Rings of PowerandFallout. Still,The Wheel of Timedoes a solid job of capturing the source material, making it work within TV storytelling, with a third season on the way.
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Rosamund Pike plays Moiraine Damodred, an Aes Sedai of the Blue Ajah who is searching for the Dragon Reborn, and the main character of the series.Pike is fantastic in the role, bringing Moiraine to life in an exciting way, making her one of the show’s coolest and most intriguing characters. Season 1 got off to a rough start, but Rosamund Pike was the best aspect of it, and when the series leveled up in season 2, she remained just as good.
The World’s End
The World’s End follows five friends reuniting to attempt a legendary pub crawl from their youth. As they journey, they inadvertently become humanity’s last hope against an otherworldly threat.
A group of friends uncover an alien invasion while doing a pub crawl inThe World’s End, the final film inEdgar Wright’s Three Flavours Cornetto Trilogy, alongsideSean of the DeadandHot Fuzz.The World’s Endfinishes off the trilogy on a strong note, containing all of Edgar Wright’s signature humor and visual style while not losing sight of the heart of the film, and the darkness that can occasionally pop up throughout the runtime.
Rosamund Pike plays Sam Chamberlain inThe World’s End, the younger sister of Martin Freeman’s character and a point of affection for both Simon Pegg and Paddy Considine’s characters.Sam Chamberlain is quick-witted throughout the film, and Rosamund Pike plays her wonderfully, making her a much more dynamic character than many might have thought at the beginning of the film.
An Education
An Education is a British drama directed by Lone Scherfig, based on the memoir by journalist Lynn Barber. Set in 1960s suburban London, it follows Jenny Mellor, a bright schoolgirl played by Carey Mulligan, whose life changes when she meets an older, charming suitor, portrayed by Peter Sarsgaard. The film examines the impacts of this relationship on her education and future aspirations, highlighting themes of maturity, romance, and societal expectations.
Rosamund Pike has always been great in period pieces, andAn Educationis no different, telling the story of a young university student who is seduced and groomed by a conman in the early 1960s in London. The film was very well-received when it was released, being nominated for numerous accolades, including three Academy Awards; Best Picture, Best Actress (Carey Mulligan), and Best Adapted Screenplay.
Rosamund Pike is fantastic in the role of Helen, the girlfriend of Danny, who is the partner in crime of Peter Sarsgaard’s conman character, David Goldman.
While she isn’t the main character ofAn Education, Rosamund Pike is fantastic in the role of Helen, the girlfriend of Danny, who is the partner in crime of Peter Sarsgaard’s conman character, David Goldman.Helen is glamorous and regal, which Pike portrays that perfectly, and she eventually becomes a confidante to Mulligan’s Jenny Mellor. It’s a great coming-of-age story that is one of the best in Rosamund Pike’s filmography.
Pride & Prejudice (2005)
Adapting one of the most popular novels in history,Pride & Prejudicedoes an incredible job, capturing the iconic romance story in a fresh light, with more modern sensibilities than some of the other adaptations of the source material. The performances inPride & Prejudiceare a particular standout aspect, helping to elevate the entire film, while helping to make it an enduring piece of fiction.
Keira Knightley as Elizabeth Bennet is undoubtedly the star ofPride & Prejudice, butRosamund Pike is perfect in the role of Jane Bennet, who is the oldest and most beautiful of the Bennet daughters. She is gentle and kindhearted with Rosamund Pike fitting right into the early-1800s setting. Pike was still fairly early into her career when she was cast inPride & Prejudice, but was able to elevate her character with a stellar performance that is among the best of her career.
Gone Girl
Based on Gillian Flynn’s 2012 novel, Gone Girl stars Ben Affleck and Rosamund Pike as Nick and Amy Dunne, a couple whose disintegrating marriage is rocked by Amy’s sudden disappearance and Nick’s suspected hand in it. As evidence begins to pile up against Nick, it eventually becomes clear with a shocking twist that all is not what it seems. Flynn also wrote the screenplay for the film, with David Fincher directing.
Of course,Gone Girlshould be considered the best of Rosamund Pike’s impressive career up to this point, with it also being one of thebest movies directed by David Fincher, which is no easy feat. Based on Gillian Flynn’s bestselling novel,Gone Girltells the story of a husband who is accused of murdering his wife, before massive revelations shake up the entire film, becoming something else entirely. The skill and precision in how Fincher navigatesGone Girlis inspiring.
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Amy Dunne is the definitive Rosamund Pike performance and the character on which the entirety ofGone Girlhinges on.Pike is so delightfully manipulative and calculating as the character, making her such a complex person who viewers can simultaneously root for while also being disgusted by. It’s mesmerizing to watch, and as Amy Dunne’s character continues to reveal her true self throughout the film,Rosamund Pikenails every second.
