As the actor releases her thriller and directorial debut, Woman Of The Hour, we can’t help but look back at Anna Kendrick’s career in TV and film. Her first major role was in the 1998 Broadway musical High Society and the actor went on to make her film debut in the 2003 comedy Camp. Soon after that, she joined the Twilight series. An iconic move, to be honest.

Kendrick has had a long and illustrious career and has dipped into a range of genres, including the light and joyful world of animation and tense thrillers. In other words, she’s a very talented and busy woman. So, we’ve rounded up some of our favourite characters and performances from Kendrick’s career that we’re already itching to watch all over again.

Twilight (2008)

It might have started off as a somewhat cringey book and film series but the world of Edward and Bella quickly engulfed us all in the late 00s and early 2010s and has become a cult classic for many fans – particularly with the rise of TikTok. In the Twilight films, Kendrick plays high school student Jessica, who befriends Bella, and even though the acting in the film wasn’t exactly award-winning, Kendrick (along with her co-stars) have some memorable one-liners. Time for an autumnal rewatch.

Twilight is available to watch on Disney+

Up In The Air (2009)

In this Oscar-nominated film, Kendrick plays a new co-worker who has the idea to put a stop to the constant travel of corporate boss and frequent flyer Ryan Bingham (George Clooney). He decides to take her on a tour to show her the importance of face-to-face meetings with employees they need to fire. But this work tour brings up more than they both bargained for.

Up In The Air is available to rent or buy on Prime Video

Pitch Perfect (2012)

Remember the Cups song? Well, we all have Anna Kendrick’s Pitch Perfect character to thank for that viral moment. This film follows Kendrick’s cool, sarcastic Beca, a freshman student at Barden University, who is persuaded to join a cappella group The Bellas, so that they can take on their male rivals in a campus competition. It’s packed with songs, mashups and pop culture references, and Kendrick is funny, witty and joyous to watch.

Pitch Perfect is available to rent or buy on Prime Video

Drinking Buddies (2013)

A bittersweet slice of reality, Drinking Buddies follows two co-workers at a Chicago brewery, Luke and Kate (Jake Johnson and Olivia Wilde), who are dating other people but can’t seem to ignore the mutual attraction they have with each other. Kendrick plays Luke’s partner, Jill, and it’s a sweet, funny film that may appear as a romcom on the surface but is more inspired by realism and what actually happens to us in real life.

Drinking Buddies is available to watch on Netflix

Mike And Dave Need Wedding Dates (2016)

Embracing her comedic side, Kendrick stars in this outrageous comedy alongside Zac Efron, Adam DeVine and Aubrey Plaza. Mike and Dave are young, fun-loving brothers who tend to take it a little too far at family occasions. But when their sister reveals her wedding plans, the rest of the family insist that the brothers bring respectable dates. So, they place an advert online and pick Alice (Kendrick) and Tatiana (Plaza), who seem like normal women but there’s more to them than initially meets the eye.

A Simple Favor (2018)

Playing a widowed single mother who works as an influencer, Kendrick is brilliant in this eerie thriller. In the film, Stephanie (Kendrick) sees that her best friend Emily (Blake Lively) seems to have it all: a successful career, a loving family and a glamorous lifestyle. When Emily mysteriously disappears one day, Stephanie digs into her friend’s disappearance – and subsequently, her past – and finds some shocking revelations in the process. The good news? We’re getting a sequel at some point in 2025. Cue the drama…

A Simple Favor is available to watch on Prime Video

Love Life, season one

One of my favourite TV shows, Love Life follows a different person, spanning back and forth between timelines, throughout their relationships and looks at how this shapes them into who they are as people. Each episode focuses on a new and different interest, shining a light on the evolution of relationships and our sense of self. The first season focuses on Kendrick’s Darby and how she navigates relationships in her 20s and 30s. It’s relatable, romantic and devastating all at the same time.

Love Life is available to watch on Prime Video

Stowaway (2021)

On a space mission headed to Mars, an unintended stowaway accidentally causes severe damage to the ship’s life support systems. Facing dwindling resources and a potentially fatal outcome, the crew is forced to make an impossible decision. Anna Kendrick, Daniel Dae Kim and Toni Collette play the three astronauts on the spaceship, and it’s a great sci-fi thriller that showcases the serious and dramatic sides of Kendrick’s skillset.

Stowaway is available to watch on Netflix

Alice, Darling (2022)

Kendrick’s performance in Alice, Darling is definitely the strongest part of the film. The actor stars as a woman pushed to breaking point by her psychologically abusive boyfriend, Simon. While on holiday with her two best friends, Alice finds herself again and gains some much-needed perspective on her relationship. As she begins to sever the bond between them, Simon’s vengeance tests Alice’s strength, courage and friendships.

Alice, Darling is available to watch on Apple TV+

Woman Of The Hour (2024)

In 1979, Rodney Alcala was arrested for the murders of several women. He was eventually convicted of seven murders, though he is thought by some to have been responsible for over 100. Years earlier, Alcala had appeared on the reality dating show The Dating Game, where he was chosen by contestant Sheryl Bradshaw for a date. In real life, the date never transpired. However, in Anna Kendrick’s film Woman Of The Hour, she imagines what might have happened if the date had taken place.

Woman Of The Hour is available to watch on Netflix

Image: Netflix