The 10 greatest Emma Stone performances
Hollywood star Emma Stone arrived on the movie scene with the same immediate impact as co-stars Jonah Hill, Michael Cera and Christopher Mintz-Plasse when their joint success story Superbad reached critical and commercial heights in 2007. It was the debut feature film of the 19-year-old actor, who would impress in the college comedy with her endless charm and affable on-screen persona.
After her strong debut, Stone has since gone from strength to strength, becoming one of the most sought-after performers of modern cinema at the very cultural forefront of the industry. The path from Superbad to her Oscar-winning turn in Damien Chazelle’s La La Land was marked by a steady rise to stardom, first establishing her name with a number of mainstream comedies before taking her skills to impressive arthouse releases.
Following success with The House Bunny, Ghosts of Girlfriends Past and Friends with Benefits, Stone soon got the chance to collaborate with some of the finest arthouse minds, from the complex Mexican Alejandro González Iñárritu to the compelling Greek satirist Yorgos Lanthimos. Thanks to such roles, Stone has earned a total of three Oscar nominations and four BAFTAs, winning at both awards show’s for her Ryan Gosling collaboration, La La Land.
Take a look through our picks for the actor’s ten best performances below, where we chart her career from a promising young star to an established Oscar winner.
The 10 best Emma Stone movies:
10. Zombieland (Ruben Fleischer, 2009)
Stone’s sixth film performance was the sharp and strong survivor Witchita in Ruben Fleischer’s hit zombie comedy Zombieland, released in 2009. Stone also reprised the role in the long-awaited sequel Zombieland: Double Tap in 2013.
Wichita, whose real name is Krista, is introduced as the overprotective older sister to Little Rock, who eventually steals the heart of Jesse Eisenberg’s Columbus. Stone’s performance is characterised by a display of intelligence, hidden compassion for others and a set of skills when it comes to killing flesh-eating zombies.
9. Superbad (Greg Mottola, 2007)
Stone’s breakout role was alongside Jonah Hill and Michael Cera in the buddy comedy classic Superbad, which is considered a staple in millennial cinema. The film follows two awkward and outcast teenagers who plan to lose their virginities before they graduate high school.
Stone fills the role as the sweet-natured classmate Jules, who kickstarts most of the events of the film after she invites Seth to a party at her house that night. This invite does end up with her receiving an accidental black eye.
8. The Help (Tate Taylor, 2011)
In this period drama based on the novel by Kathryn Stockett, Stone plays ambitious yet misunderstood journalist Eugenia ‘Skeeter’ Phelan. Her character conjures up a plan to write a book exposing the white privileged families who mistreat their black maids, using one-to-one interviews with said maids.
Given the context, Stone’s role in the story has since garnered controversy and critical debate despite the film’s initial success and acclaim. Her character can be deemed a white saviour, an outdated trope, despite the actress’s sensitive and terrific performance.
7. Crazy, Stupid, Love (Glenn Ficarra, John Requa, 2011)
In 2011, Stone appeared in a supporting role in the romantic comedy Crazy, Stupid, Love, which stars Steve Carell, Ryan Gosling and Julianne Moore. Stone plays Hannah Weaver, a law graduate who has altercations with her boyfriend.
Stone received two MTV Movie Awards nominations for her performance-Best Female Performance and Best Kiss. She also won the People’s Choice Awards for Favourite Actress and Favourite Comedic actress.
6. Easy A (Will Gluck, 2010)
Stone explores the double standards of teenage sexual liberation in this heartfelt yet critical-thinking romantic comedy, which was partially inspired by Nathaniel Hawthorne’s 1850 novel The Scarlet Letter.
Stone plays high school Olive Penderghast, who ends up in a complicated position after she lies about losing her virginity during a weekend trip. Once her off-shoulder fib spirals into high school gossip and an endless stream of sexual requests, Olive learns some harsh and unfair realities about girls exploring their sexuality.
5. Cruella (Craig Gillespie, 2021)
Stone dazzles as the title character in Cruella, a live-action adaptation of the 101 Dalmations character’s origin story. The film depicts Cruella’s journey to becoming a notorious fashion designer and criminal, set in the heart of London’s punk era during the 1970s.
Stone stars opposite Emma Thompson, and the pair’s rivalry is highly entertaining to watch. Furthermore, Stone embodies the iconic Disney villain with sharp precision, depicting her with equal helpings of nuance and style.
4. Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance) (Alejandro González Iñárritu, 2014)
For Alejandro González Iñárritu’s film, Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance), Stone was nominated for Best Supporting Actress. The Best Picture-winning film was shot in long takes, and apart from one scene, it appears to be filmed in a single shot.
Because of the unusual methods of shooting, Stone said Iñárritu “creates this sort of fury in you, and then you end up realising that he just got so much out of you that you didn’t even know you had”. The actor played the daughter of Michael Keaton’s Riggan and was highly praised for her emotional and complex performance.
3. Battle of the Sexes (Valerie Faris, Jonathan Dayton, 2017)
Despite being a box-office bomb, grossing $18.6 million against a $25 million budget, Battle of the Sexes was a career highlight for Stone. Performing alongside Steve Carell, the pair play real-life tennis players, Billie Jean King and Bobby Riggs.
Not much of a sports player, Stone instead channelled her dancing skills into her role as the former world number one tennis player. She said: “I danced, so footwork was good. I had been on stage before and when Billie Jean went out onto the tennis court it felt like her stage, so she really keyed in on that.”
2. La La Land (Damien Chazelle, 2016)
Damien Chazelle’s Jacques Demy-meets-Singin’ in the Rain musical La La Land was heralded by critics upon its release in 2016. Stone stars as Mia, an aspiring actress who falls in love with Ryan Gosling’s Sebastian. The duo were praised for their chemistry as well as their musical performances.
The Chicago Tribune stated that Stone was “reason enough to see La La Land,” and they’re not wrong. The actor’s performance is a highlight of the movie, winning her an Academy Award for Best Actress, beating big names such as Isabelle Huppert, Natalie Portman and Meryl Streep.
1. The Favourite (Yorgos Lanthimos, 2018)
Undoubtedly, Stone’s most remarkable performance remains her role as Abigail in Yorgos Lanthimos’ The Favourite. Alongside Rachel Weisz’s Lady Sarah Churchill, Abigail vies for the attention of Queen Anne in this lavish 18th-century black comedy.
Initially believing her role to be “a sweet kind of girl, the victim, a servant to these people,” Stone was hesitant to accept the role. Luckily, a re-read of the script had Stone “begging” the director to cast her. Although she found the role “pretty daunting on a few levels—having to be British and not stick out like a sore thumb,” Stone gives a stunning performance, earning her another Best Supporting Actress Oscar nomination.
