10 Roles That Made Us Appreciate Andrea Riseborough

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We're going to be seeing a lot of Andrea Riseborough in the coming months. To Leslie, an indie film in which she plays a woman who tries to rebuild her life after winning the lottery, opens in select theaters Friday (October 7). She also has a supporting role opposite Christian Bale, John David Washington, and Margot Robbie in Amsterdam, released on the same day. And in December, we'll see her with Emma Thompson in Roald Dahl's Matilda the Musical.
So, to whet your appetite for this unoffficial "Riseborough season," here's a reminder of her most memorable performances to date.
1. The Long Road to Finchley (2008)
Riseborough portrays a young Margaret Thatcher in this acclaimed BBC TV movie. It begins in 1959, 20 years before Thatcher was elected Prime Minister, and follows her attempts to secure a seat in the House of Commons. Riseborough earned a BAFTA nomination for her skillful performance showing a different, more vulnerable side to "The Iron Lady.

2. Brighton Rock (2010)
Adapted from Graham Greene's novel, this disturbing British crime movie is set in 1960s Brighton. Riseborough plays Rose, a waitress who falls for sociopathic gang leader Pinkie (Sam Riley) after witnessing his dodgy dealings. She has some particularly affecting scenes with Ida (Helen Mirren), her boss who wants to save her from Pinkie.

3. Shadow Dancer (2012)
This spy drama is set in 1990s Belfast, shortly before the Troubles in Northern Ireland were beginning to be resolved. Riseborough plays Colette McVeigh, an IRA sympathizer who begrudgingly accepts a deal to spy on her own family as an MI5 mole. Her character is conflicted and morally difficult to pin down, something Riseborough captures brilliantly.

4. Birdman (2014)
Michael Keaton
stars in this Oscar-winning film as Riggan Thomson, a faded superhero actor who heads to Broadway hoping for a comeback. Riseborough gives an amusing supporting performance as his slightly eccentric girlfriend, Laura, a fellow actor whose patience with insecure, jittery Riggan seems to be running out.
5. National Treasure (2016)
Written by Jack Thorne (His Dark Materials), this hard-hitting miniseries follows a fictional British comedian, Paul Finchley (Robbie Coltrane), whose career implodes when he is accused of multiple sexual assaults. Riseborough plays his troubled daughter Dee, who is loyal to her father but less close to her rather distant mother (Julie Walters). Powerful stuff.

6. The Witness for the Prosecution (2016)
Riseborough has a very intriguing role in this Agatha Christie adaptation. When young waiter Leonard Vole (Billy Howle) is accused of murdering wealthy widow Emily French (Kim Cattrall), his partner Romaine Heilger (Riseborough) provides an alibi that should get him off. She seems like a credible witness, but does she have something to hide? Find out on Acorn TV.
7. Battle of the Sexes (2017)
This gripping sports biopic tells the story of the game-changing tennis match between Billie Jean King (Emma Stone) and unapologetic chauvinist Bobby Riggs (Steve Carell). Riseborough provides rock-solid support as Marilyn Barnett, a hairdresser who begins a relationship with King and supports the tennis ace as she gets to grips with being gay.
8. Black Mirror (2017)
Riseborough stars in "Crocodile," one of the bleakest Black Mirror episodes. She plays Mia, a woman who commits a series of murders to cover up for a past crime. Her potential undoing is the arrival of Shazia (Kiran Sonia Sawar), an insurance investigator who has tech that can project people's memories onto a screen.

9. Luxor (2020)
Riseborough shines again in this romantic drama film set in Egypt. She plays Hana, a British aid worker who reconnects with a former lover, archeologist Sultan (Karim Saleh), during a lonely period. She was nominated for a British Independent Film Award – the fourth BIFA nom of her career – for her wistful, ambiguous performance.

10. Possessor (2020)
Riseborough really shows her dark side in this underrated psychological horror movie. Co-starring opposite Sean Bean and Jennifer Jason Leigh, she plays Tasya Vos, an assassin who makes her kills by possessing the bodies of other, unsuspecting humans. It's super-freaky viewing that will keep you guessing throughout.

Do you have a favorite Andrea Riseborough performance?