Hayley Atwell began her acting career on stage in London's West End plays and would eventually have a breakthrough performance when she starred in the 2008 film The Duchess alongside Keira Knightley. She would then star in several other successful films and TV shows, making a name for herself in the entertainment industry. Atwell became an even bigger name when she joined the Marvel Cinematic Universe as Peggy Carter opposite Chris Evans in Captain America: The First Avenger.
Update October 29, 2023: This article has been updated with even more great performances by Hayley Atwell and where you can stream all these movies and shows.
Atwell would then reprise her role as Agent Carter in multiple Marvel productions, from Captain America: The Winter Soldier and Avengers: Endgame to the short-lived Agent Carter series and, most recently, as the animated Captain Carter in What If...?, one of the latest superhero TV series to hit Disney+ last year. She even had a small role as Captain Carter in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. The actress is no stranger to blockbuster franchises, having been one of the best things in Mission: Impossible 7 with Tom Cruise and will return in Mission: Impossible 8. Here's a look at Hayley Atwell's best performances, ranked.
10 The Duchess (2008)
The Duchess tells the story of Georgiana (Keira Knightley), an Englishwoman who becomes part of the royal courts when she marries The Duke (Ralph Fiennes), and how she finds the experience more than oppressive and sad that than she might’ve thought possible in 18th century England. Atwell plays Bess Foster, one of Georgiana’s best friends who is also having an affair with The Duke.
This was the time when the actress always had supporting roles in period dramas, and she nails the duality of her character as she’s an almost friend to the Duchess while also betraying her knowingly and spending time alone with her husband. Atwell's performance likely caught the eye of many, one that audiences would see grow over the following years as her roles got bigger.
Stream on Paramount+
9 Brideshead Revisited (2008)
Brideshead Revisited was released in 2008 and is based on the 1945 novel by Evelyn Waugh. It features an ensemble British cast, including the talents of Matthew Goode, Ben Whishaw, Felicity Jones, Michael Gambon and Emma Thompson. The film is set against the backdrop of WW2 and features a forbidden love story between Charles Ryder (Goode) and Julia (Hayley Atwell).
Atwell plays her character well: a woman who comes from wealth whose personal life conflicts with her religious identity. The pair's chemistry is the main draw of the film, and both give excellent performances. It was an early indicator of just how good Atwell was a strong introduction for many viewers.
Stream on Hoopla
8 Cinderella (2015)
Motion Pictures
Hayley Atwell starred in the 2015 live-action version of Cinderella, in a small but pivotal role. Atwell plays Cinderella's mother who adds a deeper layer to the film. Her role in the story is an important one as her presence hangs over the rest of the film as she is the moral center in which Cinderella holds onto her in her darkest days. The contrast of her warmth towards her daughter makes it even more heartbreaking how the Wicked Step Mother treats Cinderella. Even with just a few scenes, Atwell makes an impression.
Stream on Disney+
7 Black Mirror (2013)
Black Mirror is one of the most original and successful TV series in recent memory, and each episode follows a different story that depicts a dystopian world where technology has advanced to points that can sometimes turn dark. Hayley Atwell stars in the premiere of the second season in an episode titled "Be Right Back."
The episode is one of the most emotionally charged of the series as she portrays a young woman who is struggling with the loss of her boyfriend, and she engages in a relationship with an android that is programmed with her boyfriend’s memories. She then struggles with the morality of her decision, which poses many difficult questions about the advancements in technology. Atwell is exceptional as always and here gives one of her most heartbreaking performances.
Stream on Netflix
6 The Pillars of the Earth (2010)
Hayley Atwell starred in the miniseries The Pillars of the Earth, which includes a cast of impressive actors, including Ian McShane, Rufus Sewell, Eddie Redmayne, and Matthew Macfayden. The series is a medieval drama similar to Game of Thrones, hooking viewers into the scandal. Atwell plays Aliena, who endures the hardships of her time and ultimately prevails as a hero, and her performance is so strong that she was nominated for a Golden Globe. It was this 2010 miniseries that put her on the radar for Marvel Studios and eventually got her the role of Peggy Carter in Captain America: The First Avenger.
Rent on Prime TV
5 Howards End (2017)
Based on the literary classic of the same name, the Howards End TV series gave Atwell one of her best roles ever as Margaret Schlegel. The character spends most of her twenties taking care of her younger siblings as their parents are dead, so she’s still unwed by 28, something dreadful in 1910s England. Little by little, year by year she falls in love with the widowed husband of one of her best friends, Henry (Matthew Macfadyen, more known as Tom in Succession).
This role gave Atwell an excellent acting opportunity, as the character is independent, fierce, maternal, lovely, smart, and someone who fights for her family and what she believes in, making it an Atwell tour de force. Anyone who thought Atwell was getting stuck doing superhero projects quickly realized she still had what it took to pull off a period piece.
Stream on Starz, Apple TV, PBS Masterpiece, and Amazon Channel
4 Christopher Robin (2018)
Motion Pictures
2018’s Christopher Robin continued the Disney trend of bringing animated features to live-action form, this time focusing on an older Christopher Robin who comes back into contact with the hundred-acre wood now that he is grown up and has his own family and reconnecting with Winnie the Pooh. Ewan McGregor plays Christopher Robin in the Marc Forster-directed film, and Atwell plays Christopher Robin’s wife, Evelyn.
Atwell's performance here is excellent, as she and McGregor have great chemistry as husband and wife. One believes they really love one another, even in difficult moments. He also provides a great motherly nature to her daughter, Madeline. One element that is not highlighted is just how funny Atwell is as a comedic performer, and in Christopher Robin, she has to balance both serious relationship drama and fun, absurd realizations of talking stuffed animals.
Stream on Disney+
3 Captain America: The First Avenger (2011)
Hayley Atwell made her first appearance as Peggy Carter in the 2011 MCU film Captain America: The First Avenger, and this film holds a special place on our list for first introducing us to the character. The film is set in 1941 when the world is in the midst of World War II. Chris Evans stars as Steve Rogers, aka Captain America and it is here where one of the foundational relationships of the Marvel Cinematic Universe is formed.
The relationship between Peggy Carter and Steve Rogers becomes a major part of both character's journeys across the MCU, and even though they are tragically pulled apart, their love is palpable that audiences kept rooting for them when it all seemed impossible. was introduced to the wider world as Peggy Carter, and the role launched her into superstardom.
Stream on Disney+
2 Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part One (2023)
Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part One is Atwell’s latest film and one that proves that by now, she should be a much bigger star. She plays a thief named Grace, who, without her knowledge, is at the center of the story as she steals a key that both Ethan Hunt (Tom Cruise) and The Entity, a rogue artificial intelligence, and must decide what she wants of her life. The actress uses all his acting talents, playing all ranges of emotions, from playful, surprised, and resourceful to scared, doubtful, and guilty, while making a great new interest with Cruise, with whom she has incredible chemistry.
The film wouldn’t work without her, as Atwell’s scenes are what make the movie worth it, even more than some of the incredible stunts Cruise does. That’s why the best scene in the movie, the Roma car chase scene is when all those elements collide, having fun, bantery moments between the two actors while also creating a unique, interesting, thrilling action scene.
Buy/Rent on Apple TV, Amazon Video, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Vudu and Microsoft Store
1 Agent Carter (2015-2016)
The role that put Hayley Atwell on the map was her portrayal of Agent Peggy Carter, and she was able to develop this character in the TV series Agent Carter. The character appeared in several MCU films, including Avengers: Endgame and the Captain America franchise. The series allows Atwell to delve deeper into her character as the series explores her backstory, including the hardships she has faced, the relationships she has struggled with, and how her character became a formidable force within the world of espionage in the MCU.
Peggy Carter is a great example of a character who was elevated by the performer who brought her to life. The reason Peggy Carter has been so enduring for fans is because of Atwell, and why audiences have followed her as a variant in series like What If...? andDoctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. Yet nothing beats those two seasons where for an hour each week, audiences could tune in and see Peggy Carter's own story that allowed her to be her own character apart from Captain America. It’s an excellent series that showcases her range as an actress.
Stream on Disney+
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