For over two decades, film and television audiences have watched Kelly Reilly star in several movies and TV shows across multiple genres. Over the years, the English actress has worked extensively in theater, television, and film. Although she’s gaining recognition for her work on screen, Reilly has received accolades for her fantastic work in theater.
In 2004, at 26, Kelly Reilly became the youngest actress to be nominated for Best Actress at the Laurence Olivier Theatre Award. On the big screen, Kelly Reilly has earned a reputation for starring in psychological and horror movies. However, Reilly has shown great versatility in her movie and TV roles. Here are the top 10 notable Kelly Reilly movies and TV shows.
Eden Lake (2008)
Kelly Reilly played the lead role in James Watkins’ 2008 British horror thriller Eden Lake. Cast as Jenny Greengrass, Reilly starred alongside two-time Academy Award-nominated Irish actor Michael Fassbender. Eden Lake is centered around a young, romantic couple who decide to spend a romantic weekend on a remote lake. Things go awry quickly when they discover they’re not alone. They are viciously haunted by a group of hostile youths led by Brett (Jack O’Connell). Kelly Reilly was nominated for Best Actress at the British Independent Film Awards for her breathtaking performance.
Sherlock Holmes Films
Guy Ritchie’s Sherlock Holmes movies are one of Kelly Reilly’s most recognizable movie and TV roles of her career. Reilly joined the cast portraying Mary Morstan, a governess and Dr. John Watson’s fiancé. With the 2009 movie grossing $524 million, it became Kelly Reilly’s highest-grossing movie. Reilly reprised her role as Mary Morstan in the 2011 Sherlock Holmes sequel, Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows. At the beginning of the sequel, Dr. Watson and Morstan are married and embark on a train journey to Brighton for their honeymoon. The sequel was also a Box Office success, slightly outgrossing its predecessor with earnings of $543.8 million.
Above Suspicion (2009–2012)
Kelly Reilly made her screen debut in television in 1995. However, for more than a decade, she starred in several TV films and in guest roles. Reilly landed her first lead role on television on ITV’s British crime drama Above Suspicion. The show premiered on January 4, 2009, and aired across 4 seasons until its finale on January 23, 2012. In Above Suspicion, Reilly played a rookie detective, D.C./D.S./D.I. Anna Travis, who, against all odds, tries to prove herself in a department full of male officers. Kelly Reilly co-starred alongside Ciarán Hinds.
Flight (2012)
Kelly Reilly starred in only one movie in 2012. Cast as Nicole Maggen, Kelly Reilly played the love interest of Denzel Washington’s character in Flight (2012). Having survived the plane crash that killed six passengers, Captain William “Whip” Whitaker (Denzel Washington) meets Nicole at the hospital when he sneaks out to smoke a cigarette. Nicole is also a patient being treated and recovering from a heroin addiction. By the end of the movie, it’s revealed Nicole is the mother of Whip’s son.
Heaven Is for Real (2014)
With Pastor T. D. Jakes as one of its producers, the Randall Wallace-directed 2014 Christian drama Heaven Is for Real was a huge success. Produced on a $12 million budget, Heaven Is for Real grossed a whopping $101.9 million at the Box Office. With its Box Office earnings, Heaven Is for Real is the second-highest-grossing Christian film of all time. Kelly Reilly was cast as Sonja Burpo, the wife of Greg Kinnear’s character, Pastor Todd Burpo, and the mother of the film’s central character, Colton Burpo (Connor Corum).
True Detective (2015)
Kelly Reilly joined the cast of HBO’s anthology crime drama series True Detective in its second season. Reilly again co-starred alongside Rachel McAdams (after Sherlock Holmes) in the series. Reilly played the wife, Jordan Semyon, of Vince Vaughn’s character, Frank Semyon. The actress only appeared in True Detective season 2.
10×10 (2018)
Kelly Reilly returned to play the lead role in one of her underrated movies and TV shows. In 10×10, Reilly played the kidnapped Cathy Newland/Nathalie Ann Steven. Her character is locked in a 10×10, soundproof room in Robert Lewis’ (Luke Evans) home. Although the storyline choices were criticized by film critics, Reilly and Evans’ performances received notable praise.
Eli (2019)
Ciarán Foy’s 2019 horror movie Eli was one of Kelly Reilly’s strongest performances in the horror genre in movies and TV shows. In Eli, Reilly is cast as Rose Miller, the mother of the title character Eli Miller (Charlie Shotwell). Although Charlie Shotwell’s performance was the movie’s highlight, Reilly delivered an impressive performance as a loving mother in pain because of her son’s suffering. Eli generally received mixed reviews but was one of 2019 top horror films.
Yellowstone
With the success of the Taylor Sheridan and John Linson-created neo-Western drama series Yellowstone, it is undoubtedly Kelly Reilly’s biggest role in movies and TV shows combined. Reilly played Bethany “Beth” Dutton, the daughter of John Dutton III (Kevin Costner). Although she has flaws, Beth is deeply loyal to her family and would do anything to protect them. Beth may have been fired from Schwartz & Meyer Bank by its shareholders, but her cutthroat approach to business makes her a force to be reckoned with. Although Reilly is yet to receive a Primetime Emmy Award nomination for her role, she’s one of the top-rated characters on Yellowstone. Her accent change in the series also made her one of the series’ fans’ favorites.
A Haunting in Venice (2023)
A Haunting in Venice is Kelly Reilly’s first big-budget movie, where she plays the main antagonist. In Kenneth Branagh’s 2023 mystery film, Reilly is cast as Rowena Drake, a retired opera singer. A Haunting in Venice centers around the death of Rowena Drake’s daughter, Alicia Drake (Rowan Robinson). With a retired world-renowned Belgian detective, Hercule Poirot (Kenneth Branagh), called in to investigate, A Haunting in Venice was created as a sequel to Death on the Nile (2022). If you enjoyed reading about Kelly Reilly’s notable roles in movies and TV shows, her are the top 10 Meryl Streep movies you can’t miss.
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