Despite having appeared in major films as early as 2005 and consistently getting critical acclaim for her performances in cinema and television, Mary Elizabeth Winstead performances continues to be undervalued in terms of notoriety and award recognition. Now that we know she’ll be a part of the Star Wars universe as Ahsoka, let’s take a look back at her career and talk about the performances that best showcase her range. As well as why she’s frequently singled out as a highlight in evaluations of her work.
1. Final Destination 3 (2006)
Director- James Wong
Wendy Christensen is 18. She has a vivid premonition of a fatally awful roller-coaster catastrophe involving her and all her pals. During her school’s Graduation Day party at the nearby amusement park. The coaster begins after half of the pupils have been released from the ride. Wendy realises it was only the beginning when the prophecy comes true and everyone on the roller coaster. Including her boyfriend Jason, dies. Together with Kevin, a classmate whose girlfriend also died, they realise that, having averted their doom.
They must now stop Death from carrying out its plan of killing out the survivors and sealing their fate. They utilise the photo Wendy shot at the Amusment Park. In order to try to figure out what caused their friends’ deaths and stop them. They also need to figure out who was sitting in front of them and assist them in avoiding death before becoming the next victim.
2. Sky High (2005)
Director- Mike Mitchell
Will Stronghold, the son of two superheroes, is transferred to Sky High. It is an orbiting school for children with superpowers who want to become superheroes. The only problem is that Will has no special abilities. So he is instantly assigned to the sidekick class with his companions. However, when he begins to demonstrate that he does, in fact, possess tremendous strength, he is demoted to hero status. Things become tricky for Will when he starts flaunting himself in front of his friends and crush. Asking him to accompany her to the forthcoming dance is difficult for Layla. To make matters worse, a mystery adversary intends to exact vengeance on Will’s family. Now he’ll need all of his guts to prove he’s a true hero.
3. Scott Pilgrim vs. The World (2010)
Director- Edgar Wright
Scott Pilgrim, a 23-year-old unemployed bass guitarist in an up-and-coming garage rock band. He is dating Knives Chau, a cute 17-year-old high school girl. He’s having a good time and riding along at a nice even pace. Until Ramona Flowers shows up in his life. Ramona relocated to Toronto from New York City in search of peace and quiet and to escape her past. Nobody knows about her background. But Scott is about to find out when he tries to make Ramona his new girlfriend. Scott must first prove himself by conquering the league of Ramona’s seven exes who govern her love life before he can begin dating her. They’ll go to any length to get rid of and destroy any potential new boyfriend Ramona has. Scott must defeat all seven before the game ends if he wants to find true love with Ramona.
4. Death Proof (2007)
Director- Quentin Tarantino
Mike McKay is a seasoned Hollywood stunt double. He dumps his black, souped-up 1970 Chevy Nova SS fourteen months after evading charges in Austin, Texas. He finds himself in Lebanon, Tennessee, to take up where he left off. Abernathy, Zo, and Kim, three young ladies, have drawn the attention of the crazy misogynist, who has decided to play an exciting but hazardous cat-and-mouse game with them. But there can only be one victor in this high-octane race, and the girls aren’t about to give up without a fight.
5. 10 Cloverfield Lane (2016)
Director- Dan Trachtenberg
Michelle, the hopeful young designer, regains consciousness after being rammed by a huge vehicle while fleeing a dead-end relationship and her birthplace of New Orleans, only to be tied to the cinder-block wall of mysterious Howard’s underground bunker. The grizzled survivalist claims he saved Michelle not only from the evident vehicle accident, but also from an unidentified airborne chemical menace that has turned the air unbreathable and the planet uninhabitable.
6. Smashed (2012)
Director- James Ponsoldt
Kate and Charlie Hannah enjoy a relationship that is nicely oiled by booze, but Kate’s chemical desires have now gotten out of hand. Kate joins a support group at work with the help of an ex-addict buddy, and she begins to overcome her addictions. However, even as her marriage with her drunken husband deteriorates, her recuperation becomes part of a bigger personal quest to reconstruct her life.
7. Birds of Prey (2020)
Director- Cathy Yan
Harley Quinn finds herself alone following her terrible separation with the Joker, which occurred shortly after the confrontation with the Enchantress in Suicide Squad (2016). With her mentor gone and a massive mark on her behind, Harley teams up with Roman Sionis, a vicious criminal lord on the hunt for a valuable diamond, and Cassandra Cain, an astute pickpocket. Quinn crosses up with singer Dinah Lance, Detective Renee Montoya, and a mystery crossbow-wielding murderess on the quest for the juvenile street hustler and the gemstone, all of whom are also pursuing the girl, as Roman’s top assassin, Victor Zsasz, is hell-bent on killing Cain first.
8. All About Nina (2018)
Director- Eva Vives
Nina Geld (Winstead) is a hilariously provocative stand-up comic whose career is on the rise, but whose personal life is a near-total disaster. Nina escapes to Los Angeles to get away from a problematic ex and prepare for a potentially life-changing audition, where she meets Rafe (Common), who challenges practically every prejudice she has, including those about her own extremely troubled history.
It’s easy to look at Mary Elizabeth Winstead performances has played and imagine them as a stepping stone to mega-stardom, but that’s not how it works. Although she is in excellent company, Winstead has also worked hard for each role she’s landed.
