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Margaret Qualley's 10 Best Movies And TV Shows

Published 2 months ago14 minute read

has made a name for herself in Hollywood, appearing in a variety of incredible movies and TV shows over her career. Daughter of actress Andy MacDowell, Qualley's first role was in the 2013 film, Palo Alto. After that, she landed as part of the main cast for HBO's masterpiece, The Leftovers, before finding herself in a variety of high-profile films, including one of Quentin Tarantino's best in Once Upon a Time...in Hollywood, as a member of Manson's cult, and Yorgos Lanthimos' Poor Things.

The Leftovers wasn't her only TV role, as she had roles in two other series, including the main character in Netflix's Maid, where she is able to act alongside her mother. Her 2024 slate was especially impressive, with roles in three different quality films, with The Substance being a particular standout. Perhaps one of her coolest roles is voicing a character in Death Stranding for the legendary Hideo Kojima.

Kinds of Kindness - Poster

Kinds of Kindness is a 2024 comedy-drama film by writer-director Yorgos Lanthimos. Split across segments, Kinds of Kindness tells the stories of a man trying to reclaim his destiny, a police officer whose wife returns after being lost at sea only to seem like a different person, and a woman tasked with finding a future spiritual leader.

June 21, 2024

164 Minutes

Comedy

Emma Stone , Jesse Plemons , Willem Dafoe , Margaret Qualley , Hong Chau , Joe Alwyn , Mamoudou Athie , Hunter Schafer

Rita / Liz / Emily , Robert / Daniel / Andrew , Raymond / George / Omi , Vivian / Martha / Ruth / Rebecca , Sarah / Sharon / Aka , Will / Neil / Morgue Nurse , Collectibles Appraiser / Passenger / Joseph , Anna , R.M.F. , Paramedic , Louise , Cheval Barman , Collectibles Appraiser 2 , Mr. Smith's Secretary , Cheval Bar Piano Player

Yorgos Lanthimos

Yorgos Lanthimos , Efthimis Filippou

Film4 , Element Pictures , TSG Entertainment

Searchlight Pictures

Kinds of Kindness was Yorgos Lanthimos' follow-up film after Poor Things enjoyed immense success the year prior. While it doesn't reach the same cinematic height as that film, Kinds of Kindness is still a great movie, containing all the quirks audiences have come to expect from the director. With an anthology narrative structure, the movie tells three distinct stories that are all loosely connected in some way, making for an entertaining watch.

Given the nature of the story, each of the actors portrays a different character in the three segments, with Margaret Qualley taking it one step further as four different characters, with two of them being identical twins. She is fantastic in each of the roles, of course, really making each of them feel distinct in their own unique ways. .

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My Salinger Year

My Salinger Year, released in 2020, follows a college graduate who secures a clerical position at a literary agency representing the celebrated writer J.D. Salinger. The narrative explores her interactions and experiences within the literary world while managing Salinger's correspondence.

February 20, 2020

101 minutes

Sigourney Weaver , Margaret Qualley , Douglas Booth , Seána Kerslake , Brían F. O'Byrne , Colm Feore , Théodore Pellerin , Yanic Truesdale , Hamza Haq , Leni Parker , Ellen David , Romane Denis , Tim Post , Gavin Drea , Matt Holland , Xiao Sun , Andy Bradshaw , Christine Lan , Andres Romo Salido , Arthur Holden , Suzanna Lenir , Danny Gilmore , Hayley Kezber , Lise Roy , Gillian Doria

Margaret , Joanna , Don , Jenny , Hugh , Daniel , Boy From Winston-Salem , Max , Karl , Pam , Placement Agent , Girl Who Wants An A , J. D. Salinger , Mark , Clifford Bradbury , Lisa , Veteran , Vietnamese Girl , Mexican Worker , Dean , Grieving Woman , Father , Rachel Cusk , Helen , Judy Blume

Philippe Falardeau

Kim McCraw , Mary Jane Skalski , Emilie Georges , Celine Haddad , Naima Abed , Hussain Amarshi , Joanna Rakoff

Released in 2020, My Salinger Year is about a young woman named Joanna who takes a job working for the literary agent for the reclusive, legendary writer J.D. Salinger. My Salinger Year is a touching, heartfelt journey of a young woman trying to figure out her place in the world, attempting to personally reply to some of the fan mail the author receives.

Margaret Qualley in Death Note

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Margaret Qualley’s Impressive Rotten Tomatoes Streak Is A Reminder Of How Much This 2017 Anime Movie Wasted Her

Margaret Qualley has had a great year, but her career didn’t start out on such a smooth track; one of her first movies was a big disappointment.

Like most of her performances, Margaret Qualley is spectacular in My Salinger Year, playing Joanna with a lot of empathy and understanding. It's obvious that Qualley cares deeply for her character, and it shines through in her performance. In a film that features Sigourney Weaver, .

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Novitiate

Novitiate, released in 2017, explores a young woman's journey to become a nun during the Vatican II era in the 1960s, delving into her struggles with faith, sexuality, and the evolving Catholic Church.

October 27, 2017

123 minutes

Melissa Leo , Margaret Qualley , Julianne Nicholson , Dianna Agron , Lisa Stewart , Morgan Saylor , Liana Liberato , Rebecca Dayan , eline powell , Chelsea Lopez , Maddie Hasson , Denis O'Hare , Chris Zylka , Alyssa Brindley , Hannah Renèe Jackson , Marco St. John , Eliza Stella Mason , Bill Shick , Danny Vinson , Angela Fox , Neva Howell , Sasha Mason , Peggy Walton-Walker , Ashley Bell , Rosemary Brown

Reverend Mother , Sister Cathleen , Nora Harris , Sister Mary Grace , Sister Genevieve , Sister Evelyn , Sister Emily , Sister Emanuel , Sister Candace , Sister Charlotte , Sister Sissy , Archbishop , Chuck Harris , Sister Kate , Sister Anne , Father Luca , Cathleen, 7 Years Old , Local Priest , Rob, Church Usher , Sister Gloria , Sister Eleanor , Cathleen, 12 Years Old , Nun Teacher , Sister Margaret , Miss Williams

Margaret Betts

Carole Peterman , Trudie Styler , Celine Rattray , Jessica Betts

Novitiate is a film about a young woman who trains to become a Catholic nun, questioning her faith along the journey. What makes the movie so fascinating is how it explores faith in nuanced ways, while diving deep into who Sister Cathleen Harris, the main character, is as a person both separate and alongside her faith in God. It's a powerful film about women within the church and what that also means, and how they grapple with that while keeping their faith.

Margaret Qualley is perfect in her depiction of a young woman grappling with her faith.

Margaret Qualley is magnificent as Sister Cathleen Harris in the movie,. There is a lot of complexity to the character, and she is used to explore much larger ideas, and Margaret Qualley is perfect in her depiction of a young woman grappling with her faith.

Sanctuary 2023 Movie Poster

Sanctuary is a drama-thriller film that follows Margaret Qualley and Christopher Abbot as Rebecca and Hal, a dominatrix and a wealthy heir to a fortune who engage in a strained relationship. Set over a single night, Rebecca is incensed when Hal decides to end their relationship, leading to a night-long catastrophe for him.

May 19, 2023

96 Minutes

Margaret Qualley , Christopher Abbott

Zachary Wigon

Micah Bloomberg

Rumble Films , Charades , Mosaic Film , Hype Studios

Neon

Telling the story of a wealthy heir and his dominatrix, Sanctuary revolves around the last night between the two characters, after she discovers that he wants to end their relationship. It's both horrifying and quite funny, while also having a tense atmosphere throughout most of the film's runtime. It's a beautiful looking film with a great script, with two incredible performances from Margaret Qualley and Christopher Abbot.

With the diverse set of roles Qualley has played in her career, Sanctuary is another strong performance to add to that list.

, and she does so in Sanctuary, as her dominatrix character is one of her strongest performances. It's a wild ride from start to finish and the chemistry between Qualley and Christopher Abbot elevates the film, making it a harrowing and entertaining journey throughout. With the diverse set of roles Qualley has played in her career, Sanctuary is another strong performance to add to that list.

The Substance (2024) Official Poster

Elisabeth Sparkle, a fading celebrity, turns to a mysterious drug that promises to restore her youth by creating a younger, more beautiful version of herself. But splitting time between her original and new body leads to horrifying consequences as her alternate self, Sue, begins to unravel her life in a disturbing body-horror descent.

September 20, 2024

140 Minutes

Horror

Demi Moore , Margaret Qualley , Dennis Quaid , Gore Abrams , Hugo Diego Garcia , Olivier Raynal , Tiffany Hofstetter , Tom Morton , Jiselle Burkhalter , Axel Baille , Oscar Lesage , Matthew Géczy , Philip Schurer

Elisabeth Sparkle , Sue , Harvey , Oliver , Diego , Alan , The Stylist , The Doctor , Girl , The Photographer , Troy , Bob Haswell , Mr. Scream

Coralie Fargeat

Coralie Fargeat

Working Title Films , A Good Story

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0 .0

The Substance was one of the most surprising movies of 2024, as it seemed to become something of a cultural icon for a lot of people on the internet, which is fitting given how good it is. Led by a stunning performance from Demi Moore, The Substance tackles beauty standards placed on women and the obsession with youth and beauty, resulting in some pretty gnarly body horror throughout the film, and it is not for the faint of heart.

Margaret Qualley in The Substance

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Margaret Qualley plays Sue in the movie, a younger version of Demi Moore's character that emerges from her back after she takes "The Substance," a black market serum that promises people a younger and more beautiful version of themselves. Despite Demi Moore having one of the year's best performances, .

Poor Things Poster

Poor Things is a sci-fi romance film from The Lobster director Yorgos Lanthimos. The story focuses on the bizarre and fantastical world of Bella Baxter after a scientist named Dr. Godwin Baxter brings her back to life. The film is based on the 1992 novel of the same name by Alasdair Gray.

September 8, 2023

141 Minutes

Comedy

Emma Stone , Willem Dafoe , Mark Ruffalo , Ramy Youssef , Jerrod Carmichael , Christopher Abbott

Yorgos Lanthimos

Tony McNamara

Film4 , TSG Entertainment , Element Pictures

Searchlight Pictures

Poor Things is an incredibly strange movie, but that is also what makes it so good, content with doing its own thing no matter how offbeat or quirky it might be. What makes Poor Things really stand out is how committed Emma Stone was to her role, making it one of the most impressive performances of the past several years, rightfully earning her an Academy Award in the process. While it didn't take home Best Picture, it won four awards, including Emma Stone's.

Poor Things was the first of two collaborations between Qualley and director Yorgos Lanthimos.

Margaret Qualley plays Felicity in Poor Things, the replacement for Stone's Bella after she leaves her "father" behind in order to learn about the world. It's not the most substantial role in Qualley's career, but she is still great in it, portraying the same type of baby and toddler mannerisms that Emma Stone's character had early on in the film. If anything, she should have had an even bigger role, given how great she is in it.

Directed by Shane Black and starring Russell Crowe and Ryan Gosling, The Nice Guys tells the story of a private investigator and a hired enforcer who team up to investigate the disappearance of a young woman. Set in 1970s Los Angeles, the 2016 comedy thriller puts a modern spin on the noir genre.

May 20, 2016

116minutes

Ryan Gosling , Ty Simpkins , Rachele Brooke Smith , Russell Crowe , Yaya DaCosta , Margaret Qualley , Kim Basinger , Keith David , Matt Bomer , Yvonne Zima

Shane Black

Anthony Bagarozzi , Shane Black

$50 million

Warner Bros. Pictures

Warner Bros. Pictures

Featuring two outstanding performances from Ryan Gosling and Russell Crowe, The Nice Guys is a hilarious neo-noir buddy comedy about two private detectives teaming up to investigate the disappearance of a teenage girl. Directed by Shane Black, The Nice Guys is one of the most underrated movies of the past 15 years, with fans calling for a sequel for a long time at this point. The chemistry between Crowe and Gosling is palpable in the film, resulting in something truly special.

Margaret Qualley plays Amelia Kuttner, the missing teenage girl Crowe and Gosling are looking for. While the movie is a vehicle for Gosling and Crowe to show just how talented they are as actors, . Despite that, her character is the propelling narrative force of the entire film, making her one of the most important characters in it.

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Maid - Season 1

September 30, 2021

10

1

Maid

Dollar Store , Ponies , Sea Glass , Cashmere , Thief , M , String Cheese , Bear Hunt , Sky Blue , Snaps

Netflix

Maid is an incredible Netflix miniseries that tells the story of Alex Russell, a young mother who leaves her abusive boyfriend behind and takes her two-year-old daughter with her, starting work as a maid. Maid navigates its sensitive subject matter with care, crafting a superb season of television that is empathetic and powerfully poignant. It's an important story to tell and Maid exceeds on all levels.

She proves that she is more than up for the challenge, giving a mesmerizing, heartbreaking performance as the character.

, and she proves that she is more than up for the challenge, giving a mesmerizing, heartbreaking performance as the character. It is the best performance of her career, earning her multiple award nominations, including an Emmy nod, proving that she is one of the best actors working in Hollywood at the moment, setting the stage for her career going forward.

Once Upon A Time in Hollywood, which takes place in Los Angeles in 1969, at the height of hippy Hollywood. The two lead characters are Rick Dalton, the former star of a western TV series, and his longtime stunt double Cliff Booth. Both struggle to make it in a Hollywood they don’t recognize anymore, but Rick soon realizes he's the next-door neighbor of the infamous Sharon Tate.

July 26, 2019

159 minutes

Tim Roth , Margot Robbie , Mike Moh , Timothy Olyphant , Al Pacino , Kurt Russell , Leonardo DiCaprio , Dakota Fanning , James Marsden , Brad Pitt , Luke Perry , Bruce Dern , Scoot McNairy , Michael Madsen , Margaret Qualley , Emile Hirsch

Quentin Tarantino

Quentin Tarantino

$90 million

Columbia Pictures , Heyday Films , Bona Film Group , Visiona Romantica

Sony Pictures Releasing

It's reasonable to rank Once Upon a Time... in Hollywood alongside the best films by Quentin Tarantino, with knockout performances from both Brad Pitt and Leonardo DiCaprio, showing why they have endured as Hollywood stars for so long. Essentially Tarantino's "hangout" film, Once Upon a Time... in Hollywood tells the story of a fading actor coming to terms with his new place in the industry. It's often hilarious throughout, with one of the most electric endings in Tarantino's filmography.

While not one of the main focuses of the film, Margaret Qualley is fantastic as "Pussycat," a member of the Manson family who likes to flirt with Brad Pitt's character multiple times throughout the movie. It's a committed, energetic performance that .

The Leftovers tv series poster

The Leftovers is a three-season drama that follows a group of people as they deal with the effects of the sudden disappearance of 2% of the word's population. It was created by Lost co-producer Damon Lindelof and Election writer Tom Perrotta, with famous actors such as Christopher Eccleston, Liv Tyler, Margaret Qualley, and Justin Theroux in the ensemble cast.

June 29, 2014

November 30, 2016

Justin Theroux , Amy Brenneman , Christopher Eccleston , Liv Tyler , Chris Zylka , Margaret Qualley , Carrie Coon , Emily Meade , Amanda Warren , Ann Dowd , Michael Gaston , Max Carver

3

Tom Perrotta

Damon Lindelof , Tom Perrotta

MAX

Damon Lindelof

Sometimes, it feels like The Leftovers gets left behind when talking about HBO's best shows of all time, despite it being an incredible, harrowing, and thought-provoking experience for all three seasons. Following the mysterious disappearance of 2% of the global population, the series focuses on a small New York community who attempts to continue to live their lives while dealing with the tragedy. It raises a lot of existential questions that allow viewers to sit with it for a long time.

A collage image of Matt, Kevin, and Nora from The Leftovers

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, playing Jill Garvey, who is the daughter of Justin Theroux and Amy Brenneman's characters. Margaret Qualley is able to tap into the sadness of Jill Garvey, who is dealing with some of her classmates disappearing, as well as her mother's involvement with a cult. For being so early in her career, Margaret Qualley showed just how capable she was as an actor.

Headshot Of Margaret Qualley
Margaret Qualley
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