Aaron Taylor-Johnson has become one of the most sought-after actors in Hollywood. The English actor has starred alongside several top actors throughout his lengthy career. Taylor-Johnson’s versatility is evident in the range of roles he has delivered across multiple genres.
Beginning with minor roles, he transitioned from being a supporting cast member to playing the lead. From playing the 12-year-old Prosper in The Thief Lord (2006), band singer and guitarist in Angus, Thongs and Perfect Snogging to playing the titular character in Kraven the Hunter (2023). To see the actor in his finest performances, these are the top 10 Aaron Taylor-Johnson movies you must watch. Shanghai Knights (2003)
A good way to appreciate Aaron Taylor-Johnson’s career growth is to watch him deliver an impeccable performance as a young Charlie Chaplin in Shanghai Knights. Chaplin was a young thief who stole from Roy O’Bannon (Owen Wilson) and later befriended Roy and Chon Wang (Jackie Chan). Although the movie was criticized for its plot, individual performances were praised. Even more, the movie became a Box Office hit. Surprisingly, only a few movie audiences recognize the young Chaplin as Taylor-Johnson.
2. Nowhere Boy (2009)
Nowhere Boy (2009) is a British biographical drama based on the life of legendary English musician John Lennon. The twist? It’s told by his half-sister Julia Baird. In one of his finest performances, Aaron Taylor-Johnson portrayed a teenage John Lennon. The movie revolves around Lennon’s relationship with his aunt Mimi Smith, his mother, Julia Lennon, and the creation of his band — The Beatles. For his performance, Taylor-Johnson received nominations at the London Film Critics Circle Awards, British Independent Film Awards, and Empire Awards (Taylor won Best Newcomer).
3. Kick-Ass (2010)
Unarguably, Kick-Ass (2010) was the movie that made the actor a popular face for many movie audiences. Kick-Ass is a dark comedy based on Mark Miller and John Romita, Jr.‘s comic book. The actor plays the titular character Dave Lizewski/Kick-Ass, who, as an ordinary, everyday teenager, chooses to become the city’s real-life superhero. When he gets caught up with the city’s crime boss Frank D’Amico, Kiss-Ass teams up with other vigilante heroes, Big Daddy (Nicholas Cage) and Hit-Girl (Chloë Grace Moretz). Kiss-Ass was a commercial success, grossing $96.2 million on a $28–30 million budget. Since its release, Kiss-Ass has gained a strong cult following among movie/superhero audiences.
4. Savages (2012)
Even with the star-studded cast of Savages (2012), Aaron Taylor-Johnson’s performance stood out and received praise from critics. Savages follows the lives of two marijuana growers, John “Chon” McAllister Jr. (Taylor Kitsch), an ex-marine, and Ben Leonard (Aaron Taylor-Johnson), a Business and Botany graduate. The two are in an open, shared relationship with Ophelia Sage (Blake Lively). Things take a turn when a Mexican drug cartel kidnaps Ophelia. The movie also stars John Travolta, Salma Hayek, and Benicio del Toro.
5. Anna Karenina (2012)
Aaron Taylor-Johnson starred as Count Alexei Vronsky in Joe Wright‘s 2012 historical romantic drama Anna Karenina. Set in the late 1800s Russian Empire, Anna Karenina follows the forbidden and adulterous relationship between Anna Karenina (Keira Knightley) and Count Alexei Vronsky (Aaron Taylor-Johnson). Unarguably one of Taylor-Johnson’s historical performances, Anna Karenina also stars a few big wigs. This includes Jude Law as Alexei Alexandrovich Karenin, a Russian senior statesman, and husband of Knightley’s character.
6. Godzilla (2014)
Gareth Edwards‘ 2014 Godzilla was the 30th film and reboot of the Godzilla franchise. Aaron Taylor-Johnson beat out Joseph Gordon-Levitt (who declined the role), Henry Cavill, Caleb Landry Jones, and Scoot McNairy. Godzilla received mostly positive reviews from critics and was a commercial hit, easily grossing $529 million on its $160 million budget. Taylor-Johnson was joined by Elizabeth Olsen and Bryan Cranston as part of the movie’s cast.
7. Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015)
Aaron Taylor-Johnson made his first credited appearance in an MCU film in 2015 with Avengers: Age of Ultron. However, Taylor-Johnson’s debut was in a cameo appearance in Captain America: The Winter Soldier (2014). Taylor-Johnson played Pietro Maximoff, Wanda Maximoff’s twin brother. The superhero character was known for his superhuman speed. However, Pietro Maximoff gave his life in a hero’s death after saving Clint Barton and a Sokovian boy. Coincidentally, Avengers: Age of Ultron is Taylor-Johnson’s highest-grossing film, earning $1.403 billion at the Box Office with a less than $500 million budget.
8. Nocturnal Animals (2016)
Aaron Taylor-Johnson plays Ray Marcus, one of the antagonists in Nocturnal Animals. Marcus is the sadistic leader of the gang that accosted, kidnapped, raped, and killed Tony Hastings’ wife and daughter. Although a character in a novel, Taylor-Johnson’s Ray Marcus is one of the movie’s highlights. Taylor-Johnson starred alongside Amy Adams, Michael Shannon, Isla Fisher, and Armie Hammer. Taylor-Johnson won a Golden Globes Award for Best Supporting Actor – Motion Picture and a nomination at the British Academy Film Awards for Best Actor in a Supporting Role.
9. The Wall (2017)
Aaron Taylor-Johnson shows his acting versatility by playing the lead role of Sergeant Allen “Ize” Isaac in The Wall (2017). The war thriller, with a three-person cast, follows the lives of two American soldiers, Ize and Staff Sergeant Shane Matthews (John Cena). The soldiers find themselves trapped by an Iraqi soldier. Easily one of Taylor-Johnson’s best performances to fly under the radar, The Wall is a must-watch for thriller-loving moving audiences.
10. Bullet Train (2022)
Aaron Taylor-Johnson played one of the assassins in David Leitch‘s action comedy Bullet Train. His character, Tangerine, is Lemon‘s (Brian Tyree Henry) ‘twin’ brother. Together, they’re British assassins hired to safely transport the Yakuza crime lord, The White Death’s son, to him. The twin assassin’s path crosses with Ladybug (Brad Pitt) when he steals a briefcase the twins were supposed to deliver. As always, Taylor-Johnson delivers an amazing performance and easily becomes one of the movie’s favorite characters. The star-studded Bullet Train was a commercial hit, becoming one of Aaron Taylor-Johnson‘s highest-grossing films.
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