Regarded as one of the most in-demand actresses in Hollywood, Angelina Jolie has had an interesting career where she has definitely flourished. What makes Jolie an incredible celebrity is that she is not just concerned about her career and her life, but her humanitarian side illustrates how generous she is. Even though she made her acting debut as a child by starring in the 1982 film Lookin’ To Get Out, her name became popular only after she landed her first leading role in the 1995 film Hackers.
Following her break-out role, Jolie did not step back, and instead, she ensured that she thrived in almost every role she undertook since then. Here are some of her best performances throughout her career.
9 Lara Croft: Tomb Raider (2001)
Paramount Pictures (United States), United International Pictures (United Kingdom/Internationally), Concorde, Filmverleih (Germany) & Toho-Towa (Japan)
Even though this action film by Simon West received mixed reviews, it definitely showed that Jolie can take up any role and amp it up. Lara Croft: Tomb Raider is based on the video game of the same name. The film, overall, did not receive much positive feedback. Rotten tomatoes gave the film 20% in its tomatometer, but still goes on to praise Jolie, saying “Angelina Jolie is perfect for the role of Lara Croft, but even she can’t save the movie.”
8 A Mighty Heart (2007)
Paramount Vantage
Based on Mariane Pearl’s memoir by the same name, this 2007 drama film focuses on the real-life story of the kidnapping and the murdering of Daniel Pearl. Jolie takes over the role of Mariane Pearl and illustrates her intense efforts in trying to find her husband while digging deep into the reasons behind Danny’s journey to Karachchi, Pakistan. A Mighty Heart is definitely one of Jolie’s most phenomenal performances as, unlike her other roles, this particular role focuses on the emotional aspects of the character. Thus, heavy reliance was given to the delivery of Mariane’s pain and trauma, which Jolie has perfectly captured.
Best Angelina Jolie Movies from the 90s, Ranked
7 Wanted (2008)
Universal Pictures
Wanted is a film by Timur Bekmambetov that is loosely based on the comic book miniseries of the same name. The story follows Wesley Gibson, played by James McAvoy, as he is recruited to a team of assassins called the Fraternity, under a false identity. Jolie takes on the role of Fox, Gibson’s mentor, who turns against him, but also ends up helping him. This, of course, is another film that illustrates Jolie’s ability to thrive in the action film genre. There have been debates over whether Wesley Gibson will return in a sequel to the film. Perhaps, bringing back Fox alongside Gibson’s character might fire up the possible-sequel even more.
6 Gia (1998)
HBO
This American biographical film focuses on the story of Gia Carangi, who is regarded by many as the first person to be titled a supermodel in America. Jolie takes on the role of Carangi as she portrays her rise to fame in the world of modeling, as well as her downfall due to her drug addiction. Carangi’s story is one that is quite tragic, and thus, is not an easy role to play. However, Jolie does a spectacular job by illustrating Carangi’s whirlwind of a life by delivering the perfect notes of emotion. Jolie went on to win a Screen Actors Guild Award under the category of Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Television Movie or Miniseries.
5 Maleficent (2014)
Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures
Maleficent is a fantasy film that focuses on the villain of Walt Disney’s Sleeping Beauty. What is interesting about this movie is that it converts the villain into a hero. Jolie takes up the role of the protagonist, Maleficent, who is a powerful fairy that turns to the dark side as she is betrayed by her human lover. With an intense physique transformation, Jolie adds in the much-needed depth to the character, as she perfectly captures the emotional changes, as well as the personality transformations of Maleficent. The film is definitely visually pleasing and went on to be nominated for Best Costume Design at the 87th Academy Awards. The sequel to Maleficent was released in 2019 as Maleficent: Mistress of Evil, with Jolie continuing Maleficent’s journey.
4 Mr. & Mrs. Smith (2005)
20th Century Fox
Yet another action film in which Jolie takes up the role of a leading character, Mr. & Mrs. Smith is a film that focuses on two characters, Jane (Angelina Jolie) and John (Brad Pitt), who seems to be a normal married couple, but are, in reality, two skilled agents working for different killing firms. The film follows a thrilling adventure with the couple’s secrets being revealed to one another, and then them pairing up to fight against their employers. Mr. & Mrs. Smith went on to lay the foundation for Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie’s partnership, as Jolie states that they “just became kind of a pair” as they started working on the project.
Best Angelina Jolie Action Movies, Ranked
3 Salt (2010)
Sony Pictures Releasing
Salt is a perfect example that illustrates Jolie’s talents in acing leading roles in action movies. This particular movie follows the story of a woman who leads a seemingly happy life as a CIA agent, but has to suddenly face her complex past, which includes her being trained as an assassin during her childhood. Even though the role was initially written for Tom Cruise, it is undeniable that Jolie’s portrayal of Evelyn Salt is absolutely remarkable, given the way in which she navigates the character’s switch between emotions. Of course, the film does have mixed reviews, as the plot seems a bit too obvious. Either way, Jolie’s performance is quite striking.
2 Changeling (2008)
Based on the real life events of the 1928 Winevilee Chicken Coop Murders, Clint Eastwood’s Changeling is a story that focuses on a mother that is forced into a psychiatric hospital merely due to her refusing to accept the police’s misconduct in “finding” her son. Jolie takes on the role of the protagonist, Christine Collins, whose nine-year-old son goes missing. Throughout the story, we follow a major crime that has taken place, of which Walter (Collin’s son) is a victim. The emotional trauma and the pain the character undergoes has been perfectly captured by Jolie, in turn, allowing her to be nominated for Best Actress in a Leading Role category at the 81st Academy Awards.
1 Girl, Interrupted (1999)
Columbia Pictures (through Sony Pictures Releasing)
This 1999 psychological drama brought Jolie many awards under the category of Best Supporting Actress, including an Academy Award. Girl, Interrupted is a film that focuses on mental health and institutionalization. The film follows a group of young women with different mental health issues. Jolie takes up the role of the sociopathic Lisa, who can be seen as the most rebellious among the group. Though she comes off as “heartless” at the beginning, the ending of the film suggests otherwise. In order to get into such a complex character with a major character change, Jolie used method acting. This, of course, led her to keep the “careless, crude demeanor of Lisa Rowe long after the director called cut”. Regardless, this film is one of Jolie’s most phenomenal deliveries.
