One could argue that the Mission: Impossible movies are a franchise that keeps improving upon itself with each installment on just about every level — from Tom Cruise’s latest high wire stunt to its ever-growing, talented ensemble. I personally believe that the latter is a definite plus, especially with the most recent casting of Hayley Atwell as thief-turned-reluctant-IMF-ally, Grace, in the new 2023 movie, Mission: Impossible — Dead Reckoning Part One.
Of course, this is not the first time that the American-born, London-raised actor has played a spy. In fact, espionage is in the job description of her most iconic role to date (at least the best-known variation of her, I should say). There are plenty of other great characters that we intend to cover below as we explore our picks for the best Hayley Atwell movies and TV shows so far, but where you have seen her star as Agent Margaret “Pegg” Carter is where we shall start.
Hayley Atwell's Marvel Movies (2011-2022)
A British military agent (Atwell) helps a small man with a big heart (Chris Evans) become the world’s first supersoldier during World War II, which turns out to be only her first of many marvelous adventures as a member of an organization that comes to be known as S.H.I.E.L.D.
Why they are some of Hayley Atwell’s best movies: Atwell debuted as Peggy Carter in Captain America: The First Avenger and would reprise the role in four more of the best Marvel movies (2014’s Captain America: The Winter Soldier, Avengers: Age of Ultron and Ant-Man from 2015, and 2019’s Avengers: Endgame) before playing an alternate version of the character, Captain Carter, in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness in 2022.
Stream Hayley Atwell's Marvel Movies on Disney+.
Agent Carter (2015-2016)
Demoted to doing only secretarial duties, a skilled spy (Atwell) is given the chance to get back into the fight when her wealthy former colleague (Dominic Cooper) asks her to help clear his name when he is accused of treason in the post-World War II 1940s.
Why it is one Hayley Atwell’s best TV shows: Directly following the events of Captain America: The First Avenger, creators Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely’s Agent Carter sees Atwell reprising the title role and taking center stage in this thrilling, fun, and unfortunately short-lived series that stands out as one of the more unique, let alone best, Marvel TV shows for its espionage themes and historical production design.
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Stream Agent Carter on Disney+.
Buy Agent Carter on Amazon.
Marvel's What If...? (2021-Present)
T’Challa becoming Star-Lord instead of Black Panther, Ultron defeating the Avengers, and flesh-eating corpses overrunning the Earth are just some of the scenarios introduced in this anthology series that reimagines the most significant events from the Marvel movies in order so far.
Why it is one Hayley Atwell’s best TV shows: Atwell first played Peggy’s alternate, super soldier alter ego, Captain Carter, when she appeared in the What If…? voice cast for this inventive animated show that explores different corners of the Marvel Multiverse and has a second season coming to Disney+ at some point.
Stream Marvel's What If...? on Disney+.
Cassandra's Dream (2007)
A compulsive gambler (Academy Award nominee Colin Farrell) and his aspiring businessman brother (Emmy winner Ewan McGregor) seek help from their restauranteur father (Academy Award nominee Tom Wilkinson), who asks them to commit an unspeakable act in return.
Why it is one Hayley Atwell’s best movies: Atwell made her theatrical film debut as Angela (an actress whom McGregor’s character, Ian, falls in love with) in Cassandra’s Dream — an intense, high-stakes noir thriller from writer and director Woody Allen.
Stream Cassandra's Dream on Freevee through Amazon.
Brideshead Revisited (2008)
The friendship between a British Army officer (Matthew Goode) and his close friend (Ben Whishsaw) changes when one falls for the other’s sister (Atwell) while meeting his family at their grand London estate.
Why it is one Hayley Atwell’s best movies: Atwell earned raves for her role as Lady Julia Flyte — who becomes entangled in a bizarre love triangle involving her brother and his best friend — in director Julian Jarrold’s adaptation of Evelyn Waugh’s seminal novel, Brideshead Revisited.
Rent or buy Brideshead Revisited on Amazon.
The Prisoner (2009)
A man (Jim Caviezel) finds himself unable to remember his name and trapped in a seemingly idyllic remote island village with a charismatic, but shady leader (Sir Ian McKellan).
Why it is one Hayley Atwell’s best TV shows: This AMC original update of the cult favorite 1960s sci-fi series, The Prisoner, stars Atwell as a woman linked to Caviezel’s character’s past — if only she could remember her own.
Stream The Prisoner on AMC+ through Amazon.
The Pillars Of The Earth (2010)
Families and lives become tarnished in the wake of violent conflict, greed, and religious autocracy in 12th Century England.
Why it is one Hayley Atwell’s best TV shows: Atwell starred as Aliena in an acclaimed limited series for Starz called The Pillars of the Earth — an Emmy-winning, eight-part adaptation of the romantic period thriller novel by Ken Follett — which predates Game of Thones’ themes of war, power, and forbidden romance by a year.
Buy or rent The Pillars Of The Earth on Amazon.
Jimi: All Is By My Side (2013)
A talented, but widely unknown, American guitarist (André Benjamin) leaves New York City and travels to London, where his distinct sound defines a generation and makes him a legend in the late 1960s.
Why it is one Hayley Atwell’s best movies: Real-life rap star “André 3000” Benjamin embodies rock ’n roll revolutionary Jimi Hendrix in writer and director John Ridley’s unauthorized biopic — which featured none of the musician’s catalog — Jimi: All is By My Side, alongside Atwell as the the guitarist’s lover, English writer Kathy Etchingham.
Rent or buy Jimi: All Is By My Side on Amazon.
The duch*ess (2008)
An Englishwoman (Keira Knightley) becomes royalty when she marries a duke (Ralph Fiennes), only to find the experience disappointing and oppressive, in 18th century Devonshire, England.
Why it is one Hayley Atwell’s best movies: Another notable biopic on Atwell’s resume is one of Keira Knightley’s best movies — director Saul Dibb’s retelling of Georgiana Spencer’s life, The duch*ess, in which she stars as Lady Bess, who serves not only as Georgiana’s friend, but also the romantic liaison of her husband, the Duke.
Rent or buy The duch*ess on Amazon.
Cinderella (2015)
A chance meeting with a charming prince (Game of Thrones cast member Richard Madden) inspires a shy, young woman (Lily James, in one of her own best movies) to overcome the cruelty of her stepmother (Cate Blanchett) and go to aball, with a little help from her fairy godmother (Helena Bonham Carter).
Why it is one Hayley Atwell’s best movies: Atwell was a much more positive presence (albeit a brief one) in another legendary, but fictional, tale of becoming royalty, director Kenneth Branagh’s Cinderella — Disney’s live-action remake of the animated classic in which the actor appears at the beginning as the title character’s biological mother.
Rent or buy Cinderella on Amazon.
Christopher Robin (2018)
A straight-laced, workaholic family man (Ewan McGregor) gets a chance to rediscover life’s joys when the sentient stuffed animals he grew up with pay him an unexpected visit.
Why it is one Hayley Atwell’s best movies: In addition to reuniting with McGregor more than a decade after Cassandra’s Dream, Atwell would go on to star in another live-action reimagining of a classic Disney property (in this case, Winnie the Pooh) with director Marc Forster’s Christopher Robin, in the role Evelyn, who is shocked to discovery her husband’s childhood friends are not so imaginary after all.
Stream Christopher Robin on Disney+.
Rent or buy Christopher Robin title on Amazon.
Testament Of Youth (2014)
After her lover (Kit Harrington) enlists in the Army, an upper class woman (Alicia Vikander, in one her best movies) sees the perils of World War I for herself while serving as a nurse for the British Army.
Why it is one Hayley Atwell’s best movies: Another acclaimed biopic on Atwell’s resume is director James Kent’s Testament of Youth — a romantic adaptation of the memoir by famous socialist, pacifist, and feminist figure Vera Brittain — in which she appears in the smaller role of a woman named Hope which, itself, is a profound theme of the story.
Rent or buy Testament Of Youth on Amazon.
Black Mirror: Be Right Back (2013)
A woman (Atwell) mourning the loss of her boyfriend (Domhnall Gleeson) discovers that she can reconnect with him from beyond the grave with the use of an AI that mimics his personality.
Why it is one Hayley Atwell’s best TV shows: We may not believe that its second run of episodes is the very best Black Mirror season yet, but Season 2’s first episode, “Be Right Back,” does see Atwell give one of the best performances of the entire acclaimed anthology series as a woman wrestling with her longing for her tragically killed beau while trying to keep her grip on reality.
Stream Black Mirror: Be Right Back on Netflix.
Atwell is set to return as Grace in the second half of Mission: Impossible — Dead Reckoning (one of the most anticipated upcoming 2024 moves) and is set to voice Lara Croft in an upcoming animated series adaptation of the Tomb Raider video games. So, needless to say, there are going to be plenty more great movies and TV shows starring the actress where these came from.
