One of the most impressive rising stars in Hollywood over the past few years has been Samara Weaving. The niece of Hugo Weaving, Samara has continued to appear in a number of well-received movies and television shows since the start of the 2010s.
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In fact, the more roles Weaving lands, the more it seems like she's in demand. She has led a Netflix series of films, shown up in Academy Award-winning movies, and worked in some of the wildest and most outlandishprojectsin recent memory. Not counting films and shows where she only had a small part, her best roles are in some heralded works.
Guns Akimbo (6.3) - Stream On Amazon Prime
As noted, Samara Weaving has seemingly found her niche in movies and TV shows that are pretty wild in premise and nature. One of those is2019'sGuns Akimbo, which became relatively known for set photos released of star Daniel Radcliffe holding weapons while in his robe.
The setup sees Miles (Radcliffe) forced into a live-streamed deathmatch, where he must ultimately save his ex-girlfriend Nova (Natasha Liu Bordizzo). Weaving plays Nix Degraves, the top killer playing against Miles. Though reviews were mixed, many gamers found something to enjoy in this obscure action flick.
The Babysitter (6.3) - Stream On Netflix
Another film that doesn't take itself too seriously is 2017'sThe Babysitter. It's basically Netflix's ultimate blend of a gory horrormovie and a hilarious comedy, as it centers on the titular babysitter Bee (Weaving) who commits blood sacrifices with her friends to have their wishes come true.
The performance of Weaving was praised, including her chemistry with her co-stars. The movie saw the protagonist get past his crush on Bee to try and survive the night against her maniacal friends. It was popular enough to spawn a sequel that also got similar reviews.
Mayhem (6.4) - Stream On Hoopla
Sticking with the theme of absurd action, Samara Weaving shined there again inMayhem. The 2017 film paired her withThe Walking Deadstar Steven Yeun in something with a plot reminiscent ofThe Belko Experiment.
Taking place entirely in their workplace, everyone there gets infected by a virus that causes them to act out with fits of rage. Weaving portrayed Melanie, a desperate client who ends up helping the protagonist Derek (Yeun) as he goes after his bosses. Though little seen, it was considered a strong film.
No Activity (6.7) - Stream On Paramount+
The history ofNo Activity is one of the most interesting in recent television history.It started out as a live-action comedy series, focusing on groups of police officers, criminals, dispatch workers, and more. However, season 4 switched the format to become an animated show.
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The premise has mostly stayed the same but the new style is a welcome change as the season is now on Paramount+. During the well-received season 4, Weavingplayed a character named Sue in five episodes, markingthe most prominent voice acting work of her career.
SMILF (6.7) - Stream On Showtime
Frankie Shaw proved herself to be a powerhouse withSMILF, which she starred in, created, wrote, and directed. The series lasted two seasons from 2017 until 2019 andcenters on Bridgette (Shaw), a single mother struggling to balance the many aspects of her life.
For most of the series, Samara Weaving appeared as Australian sportscaster Nelson Rose. Alas, while the show was considered a success and a critical hit, there were controversies surrounding misconduct on set and the whole thing actually led to Weaving's departure from the show.
Ready Or Not (6.9) - Rent On Apple TV
Back to a case of Samara Weaving starring in something outlandish, there's 2019'sReady or Not, which is the highest-profile leading role she's landed thus far. It was also a commercial hit, grossing several times its small $6 million budget. The film focused on a woman named Grace (Weaving) as she was hunted by her new husband's family in a deadly ritual.
The entire setup is again something that feels too wild to work but the movie never takes itself too seriously while bringing tons of laughs and gore with the violence. Reviews were positive and this is kind of the quintessentialpart for Weaving as it fits right in with her top career roles.
Nine Perfect Strangers (7.1) - Stream On Hulu
As soon as the first news broke about Hulu's 2021 miniseries Nine Perfect Strangers,audiences immediately pointed to the stellar cast. Nicole Kidman, Michael Shannon, Luke Evans, Melissa McCarty, and Bobby Cannavale were all standout names and another one among them was Samara Weaving.
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Based on a novel by Liane Moriarty (Big Little Lies), the show centered around a group of strangers brought together for a wellness retreat where things aren't entirely what they seem. Weaving was a shining supporting star as Jessica Chandler, a social media influencer with body image issues. Reviews were strong though fans wish Weaving had a bigger role.
Hollywood (7.5) - Stream On Netflix
The past two years have seen Samara Weaving take part in some of the most notable miniseries around. BeforeNine Perfect Strangers, there wasHollywood, a Netflix show that premiered in 2020. Created in part by Ryan Murphy, it followed a group of aspiring actors trying to make it in Hollywood during the '40s.
This was another case of Weaving joining a loaded cast, which included Jim Parsons, Holland Taylor, Dylan McDermott, and Jeremy Pope, who were all nominated for Emmys. Weaving played Claire Wood, the rival to Laura Harrier's Camille Washington, with both trying to become top stars in Hollywood.
Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri (8.1) - Stream On FX
One of the most lauded films of the 2010s wasThree Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri. The 2017 Golden Globe and BAFTA Best Picture winner put the focus on a grieving mother (Frances McDormand) who rents billboards to bring attention to the police not solving the rape and murder of her teenage daughter.
McDormand was a powerhouse in this film and won acting awards along with Sam Rockwell. As much praise as the movie received, Weaving had a small enough role that some have forgotten it. She portrayed Penelope, the young new girlfriend of Mildred's (McDormand) abusive ex-husband.
Ash Vs. Evil Dead (8.5) - Stream On Starz
Almost as if it set the toneforher future, Samara Weaving made an impact way back in 2015 in the Starz seriesAsh vs. Evil Dead. Working as a sequel to the Sam Raimi franchise of films, the series saw the iconic Ash Williams (Bruce Campbell) be sucked back into the world of fighting demons, this time alongside his young friends Pablo and Kelly.
The final few episodes of season 1had the plot return to the cabin from the original film. While there, the group stumbled upon a group of hikers including Heather, played by Weaving. She was the group's only survivor but eventually died in the finale. Some fans have even pointed to her character using a similar book to this franchise's Necronomicon inThe Babysitter.
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