While on the road to household name status, Laura Harrier remains an undeniable talent, and chances are, you’ve seen a project she’s in and grabbed your phone, frantically trying to put a name to her striking face.
The bombshell may be a decade into a budding acting career, but she began turning heads as a professional model, having previously signed to both IMG and Wilhelmina Models, two of the most prestigious and sought-after agencies in the world. Before pivoting to film and television, she enjoyed success as a model, and has been the face for many luxurious brands, most notably Louis Vuitton.
As she continues to win hearts with her talents, fans are hopeful that she will receive even more roles that will aid her ascent as a formidable actress. With starring roles in Spider-Man: Homecoming and BlacKkKlansman, she has already garnered significant buzz, but there are many other performances where she has shown off her chops.
Here are 10 of Laura Harrier’s best movies and TV shows, ranked:
10. Balance, Not Symmetry
The main character in this film is Caitlin, played by Harrier. She is an art school major that is suddenly faced with the horrors and reality of her father’s recent death. The darkness of grief in the aftermath has her questioning her life and environment. Caitlin’s struggle to find a point of harmony in all of the different parts of her life leads her on a journey of self discovery. Balance, Not Symmetry might not have won over critics, but Harrier’s could hardly be called into question.
9. The Starling
In this comedy-drama, Lilly, played by Melissa McCarthy, experiences something tragic with her husband, and in a bid to feel better, he heads off for some time to deal with things better. The final ingredient to push Lilly over the edge is an annoying bird that’s made itself at home in her backyard — a starling. She begins to obsess over permanently turning off the bird’s life subscription, and along the way, she meets Larry. The pair begin to navigate their troubled pasts together and forge an unusual relationship along the way. Harrier plays a supporting role here as Sherri.
8. The Last Five Years
Unlike the other entries in this list, The Last Five Years is a musical detailing the journey of love between two characters. The film takes things up a notch by showing the two lovebirds through two different timelines. The timeline of our lead woman begins from where would ordinarily be the end, and viewers are taken backward on a time capsule through her life from the future, while the man’s tale is followed chronologically. This continues until both timelines merge into a beautiful story of love and its close relatives. Harrier plays a supporting role here as Manuscript Woman.
7. One Life to Live
After the long running series first came alive in 1968, it was clear that it was going to be different. The show is set in a fictional town called ‘Llanview.’ As a drama from the 60s, it’s hard to imagine it being anything more than what was largely available at the time. However, the show springs many surprises as we come to see. One Life to Live helped pave the way for more conscious discussions around social ills and environments, which have undoubtedly influenced today’s world and culture in some way or the other.
6. Mike
If you’ve ever wondered about Mike Tyson’s life and how he came to become one of the all-time boxing greats, this miniseries makes an attempt to show the life and times of the legendary boxer. Mike is a depiction of what the tiger of a man went through before he became what he is today. The entirety of the series is shrouded in controversy, however, as it was made without the consent, involvement, or even compensation of the person the show is about. Without his original input or involvement, critics regard the movie as mere fan-fiction, but praised the performances of Trevante Rhodes as the titular champion, and Harrier as Robin Givens, among others.
5. The Realest Real
Ever heard the phrase “Be careful what you wish for?” A lot of people don’t pay attention to that phrase, and in this short movie, we see all the ways a wish could go wrong. Harrier takes center stage as Abby, a woman who makes a wish that she would come to regret almost immediately after making it — for a person she looks up to and appreciates to become her mother. As luck would have it, Abby was in the minuscule percentage of people who had their wishes granted that day, and like many who make wishes without thoroughly thinking it through, problems ensue.
4. Entergalactic
The animated romantic comedy from Kid Cudi follows the character Jabari, a brilliant street artist who’s recently moved into the city after securing a great new job. He meets an equally brilliant creative photographer, Meadow, and the two hit it off almost immediately. Jabari isn’t exactly looking for love, but it finds him, and we follow along on his journey as he adapts his life to accommodate it. Harrier lends her voice acting chops to the project as Carmen, Jabari’s ex-girlfriend.
3. Hollywood
Hollywood is a miniseries starring Harrier, alongside an ensemble cast. It is packed with intense shots and hard conversations, making it an interesting, conscious show that uses art to view reality through a different lens. The film uses historic drama as a medium to tell a story of a group of creative movie producers and actors in the aftermath of the Second World War as they embark on a mission to become successful at all costs.
2. Spider-Man: Homecoming
Spider-Man: Homecoming is the most financially successful project she’s starred in to date, and the blockbuster that served as the catalyst for Harrier’s massive success in the film industry. In the movie from the industry titan, Marvel Studios, Harrier plays Liz Allan, the love interest of our friendly neighborhood Spider-Man. Harrier shines in the role, and fans have lamented that her character was not given enough room to grow in the MCU.
1. BlacKkKlansman
Harrier’s character in BlacKkKlansman could have been easily relegated to a cliché love interest, but the actress created a lasting impression on the viewing audience. The Spike Lee-directed venture is a crime drama modeled after real life events. We follow the tale of Ron Stallworth, played masterfully by John David Washington, a black detective who goes undercover and infiltrates the sinister organization known as the Ku Klux Klan. Harrier could have easily become mere background noise, but her incredible showcase undoubtedly aided the advancement of the story.
Published: Feb 5, 2023 11:23 pm