Canadian actress Alison Pill has been acting since she was ten years old, and ever since she began in the industry as a Toronto youth, she has become one of the most recognizable faces in Hollywood. She made her start in film and television when she was 12 years old, but her big break came years later when she appeared in The Book of Daniel. After moving to the United States once her schooling wrapped up, Pill began her broader career, appearing in 2008’s Milk. Credits after that included Twilight Zone and In Treatment, but an even bigger break into mainstream consciousness for Pill came with her appearance in the cult classic Scott Pilgrim vs. the World. Per Deadline, she will soon star in the movie Eric Larue, which is adapted from a theatrical play.
Not only has Pill built an impressive resume in film and television, but she also has a background in theater. The same year she was in The Book of Daniel, she landed a Tony nomination for her role in The Lieutenant of Inishmore. She moved to New York once she graduated from high school to pursue a career in the New York City theater scene, which has proved successful. Pill has had a successful career in acting, but it is far from over. These are her best six performances so far.
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6 Milk
Axon Films
Milk, released in 2008, is a biographical film chronicling the life of a politician who advocated for gay rights: Harvey Milk. Sean Penn stars as Milk opposite Josh Brolin. The film begins with archival footage about Milk’s demise: he was assassinated by a city official disgruntled with Milk’s politics. He was the first openly gay official to serve in a California public office, and the movie seeks to spotlight his life and history as he struggled to get into the position he ultimately died for. Pill co-stars, portraying Anne Kronenberg, who served as Milk’s campaign manager and a prominent LGBTQ+ activist.
MOVIEWEB VIDEO OF THE DAY
MOVIEWEB VIDEO OF THE DAY
MOVIEWEB VIDEO OF THE DAY
5 Miss Sloane
Canal+
Jessica Chastain leads in 2016’s Miss Sloane, a political thriller about a lobbyist fighting for gun legislation in Washington. During the fight for change, the opposing political party pries at her personal life to find information that can completely undermine her cause. The movie found lackluster results at the box office, barely reaching half of its budget in terms of revenue, but one of its most notable characteristics was the strength of its acting. Chastain in particular brought a strong performance to her role, but so did Pill in a supporting role. She stars as Jane Molloy, an associate that worked with Sloane (Chastain).
4 Midnight in Paris
Mediapro
Woody Allen’s Midnight in Paris is a bibliophile’s biggest dream. A struggling writer (Owen Wilson) takes a trip with his fiancée (Rachel McAdams) to Paris, but their relationship already is unraveling before they arrive. When the writer discovers that he can travel back in time to a period he romanticizes — one where the Lost Generation of writers like F. Scott Fitzgerald, Gertrude Stein, and Ernest Hemingway frequented the streets — he learns he needs to chase after his dream. At the same time, while also not romanticizing the past. Pill portrays Zelda Fitzgerald in one half of the tumultuous Fitzgerald relationship.
3 Scott Pilgrim vs. The World
Universal Pictures
2 The Newsroom
HBO
The Newsroom aired on HBO for two years, from 2012 to 2014. An ensemble cast spearheads a behind-the-scenes look at the Atlantis Cable News channel and the antics that come with running a broadcast. There are political and capitalist issues afoot at this station, putting pressure on the newsroom staff and anchors. Jeff Daniels leads as news anchor Will McAvoy, while the remaining cast rounds out with Pill, Dev Patel, Olivia Munn, and Emily Mortimer, among several others. Each story they report on has political roots, and each season tackles a new critical subject.
1 American Horror Story: Cult
FX
Pill stars in the season of American Horror Story titled Cult. She joins the old cast as a new member, but the setting in this season is Michigan during the aftermath of Donald Trump’s election as President of the United States. A cult rises from the depths of political angst, as an individual rallies together everyday citizens to go after other people as a form of control and power. Pill is Ivy, a resentful wife and restaurant owner that joins the cult to try and gain custody over her son. In a role and show that requires a series of twists, Pill pulls it off excellently.
