Anna Faris built her reputation as one of Hollywood’s most recognizable comedy actresses. Her expressive performances and impeccable comic timing quickly made her. Before and after becoming synonymous with films such as Scary Movie and The House Bunny, Faris took on several projects that moved away from broad comedy. Some of these performances came in horror movies, while others placed her alongside acclaimed dramatic actors.
In fact, some of her most memorable early performances came when she stepped outside the genre that eventually made her famous. These performances may represent a smaller part of her career, but they are worth remembering. From a 1990s slasher to an Oscar-winning drama, these four movies show how Anna Faris occasionally challenged the expectations surrounding her career.
4. Lovers Lane (2000)
Before Scary Movie turned Anna Faris into a household name, she appeared in the independent slasher Lovers Lane. Released in 2000, the film follows a group of teenagers who become targets of a killer known as The Hook. Faris plays Jannelle Bay, one of the young characters caught up in the horror story. Her role predates the comedy career that would soon define her, making the movie an interesting snapshot of her early work.
Lovers Lane does not give Faris the kind of material that would later earn her widespread recognition, but it remains significant for another reason. The actress had to work within a straightforward slasher rather than a comedy that allowed her to lean into her naturally energetic screen presence. The movie also arrived just one year before Scary Movie, which would completely change the direction of her career. Interestingly, Lovers Lane was Faris’ feature film debut.
3. Brokeback Mountain (2005)
Anna Faris’ appearance in Brokeback Mountain remains one of the most unexpected credits in her filmography. Directed by Ang Lee, the 2005 romantic drama stars Heath Ledger and Jake Gyllenhaal as Ennis Del Mar and Jack Twist, respectively. Faris plays LaShawn Malone, the wife of rodeo performer Randall Malone (David Harbour), in a supporting role.
Although Faris does not have much screen time, her presence stands out amid the film’s serious subject matter. Brokeback Mountain sits far removed from the broad comedies that dominated Faris’ early career. By this point, audiences already knew her for Scary Movie, The Hot Chick, and Lost in Translation, making her appearance in Ang Lee’s drama an especially interesting career choice.
The role also arrived during one of the busiest periods of Faris’ career. In 2005 alone, she appeared in Southern Belles, Waiting…, Just Friends, and Brokeback Mountain. The contrast between those projects demonstrates that she was not limiting herself to one type of performance. Her role as LaShawn may be small, but the film itself represents one of the most prestigious dramatic productions in her filmography.
2. Lost in Translation (2003)
Lost in Translation occupies a particularly interesting place in Anna Faris’ career because it sits at the intersection of comedy and drama. Sofia Coppola‘s acclaimed 2003 film stars Bill Murray and Scarlett Johansson and explores loneliness, disconnection, and an unexpected friendship between two Americans in Tokyo. Faris plays Kelly, a young Hollywood actress who meets the central characters during their stay at the hotel. Kelly is not a traditionally dramatic character, and Faris uses comedy throughout the performance. However, the role required a much more restrained approach than the characters she played in the Scary Movie franchise.
Kelly is deliberately self-absorbed and oblivious, and Faris uses those qualities to create one of the movie’s more memorable supporting performances. The role also showed that Faris could fit naturally into a critically acclaimed ensemble without relying on the exaggerated physical comedy that soon became a part of her image. She shares scenes with Murray and Johansson while playing a character who represents the superficial side of Hollywood. Faris’ performance works because she understands exactly how annoying Kelly can be without turning the character into a simple caricature.
1. May (2002)
May is arguably the clearest example of Anna Faris stepping outside her usual comedic territory. Lucky McKee‘s 2002 psychological horror film centers on May Canady (Angela Bettis), a socially isolated woman whose increasingly disturbing behavior leads her down a dangerous path. Faris plays Polly, a co-worker and friend of May, in a supporting role.
What makes May particularly notable is the movie’s unsettling atmosphere. Rather than using horror as a setup for jokes, the film explores loneliness, obsession, isolation, and psychological instability. Faris had to operate within a much darker story than the comedies that would soon become the bulk of her mainstream filmography.
Polly also allowed Faris to play a character who feels more grounded than many of her later comedic roles. She interacts with May as a friend and co-worker while becoming part of the increasingly uncomfortable world surrounding the title character. Although the performance does not dominate the film, it demonstrates that Anna Faris could function effectively in an unsettling dramatic setting.
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