Summary
- Jenna Coleman is a diverse and talented actress who has showcased her skills in dramatic and comedic performances on film and television, as well as in theater.
- Despite her successful run on Doctor Who, Coleman continues to be in high demand in the industry, with notable roles in projects like Netflix's The Sandman.
- Coleman's standout performances include her work in Waterloo Road, Titanic, The Serpent, Klokkenluider, The Cry, Death Comes to Pemberley, Me Before You, The Sandman, Doctor Who, and Victoria.
Jenna Coleman is selective about her roles, but whenever she chooses to grace the screen, it's safe to say that this movie or show will be worth one's time. She is a diverse actress, and she has a lot to show for it. Having landed her first role at 19 years old, she might have started out relatively late in life, but her career speaks for itself. Dramatic and comedic performances in film and on television, incredible voice work, theater aspirations–Coleman has done it all, and by the looks of it, she is not planning to stop enamoring viewers with her acting anytime soon.
Her Doctor Who days may be long gone but that does not mean that Coleman is no longer wanted in the industry. At 37 years old, the English star is at the height of her career, as she is part of high-profile projects, such as Netflix's The Sandman where she portrayed occult detective Johanna Constantine just last year. Coleman's range as a dedicated performer and impressive resume that consists of a string of roles in successful movies and shows are undeniable evidence of her acting talent. However, some of her performances stand out just a little bit more than others. Here are Jenna Coleman's 10 best performances, ranked.
10 Waterloo Road
Following her breakthrough on the British soap opera Emmerdale, Jenna Coleman scored her second role in this teen drama series in 2009. She played Lindsay James, a model student turned troubled teenager who killed her abusive father to protect her kid sister Emily (Shannon Flynn). Coleman's dark storyline on Waterloo Road allowed her to show off her acting abilities to the fullest, as this dramatic role required the star to channel her own inner demons to bring the character to life. Although Coleman portrayed a teenager, she was actually 23 at the time, which is a common occurrence in the film industry, but she found the whole experience rather "surreal."
9 Titanic
This miniseries is one of the two big-budget shows created to mark the 100th anniversary of the disaster, the other being Titanic: Blood and Steel. Coleman plays Annie Desmond, a second-class stewardess on the Titanic, in all four episodes of the show. In a stark contract to James Cameron's epic movie, Titanic focuses on the individual stories of a variety of characters, telling them from a social disparity perspective. Coleman's character is easy to sympathize with, and her forbidden love plotline with first-class steward Paolo, played by Glen Blackhall, is both endearing and heartbreaking, as it offers the audience a closer look at the societal norms of the early 20th century.
8 The Serpent
Based on the life of serial killer Charles Sobhraj, known as the Serpent, this drama is an exemplary show that manages to tell the gripping story of Sobhraj's horrifying crimes in a fascinating way while still remaining respectful toward the real-life victims of the murderer. Jenna Coleman plays Marie-Andrée Leclerc, the Serpent's girlfriend (possibly accomplice) who turns a blind eye to her lover's criminal ways, but there's a twist -- she doesn't know that he is a murderer (at first), as she is only aware of his robbing people. The actress has done a wonderful job of making her Marie-Andrée convincing, even nailing her French-Canadian accent.
7 Klokkenluider
Coleman hasn't appeared in a lot of films, opting for television roles instead, so Klokkenluider, which is a Dutch word for "whistleblower," is a rare chance to see the star in a movie. This dark comedy follows government whistleblower Ewan, played by Amit Shah, and his wife Silke, portrayed by Sura Dohnke, who are forced to hide out in a remote house in Belgium where they, along with two protection officers assigned to them, await the arrival of Jenna Coleman's Flo, a British journalist who's going to interview them. Despite having a simple concept at the core, the whole movie is worth the while thanks to the characters' comical interactions.
6 The Cry
This mystery psychological drama, based on Helen FitzGerald's novel of the same name, revolves around a couple whose four-month-old baby disappears while they are traveling to Australia. Coleman plays Joanna Lindsay, the mother of the child who is a primary school teacher engaged to Ewen Leslie's Alistair Robertson. The Cry, full of suspense and drama, takes viewers on an emotional rollercoaster ride, and no one has any idea how it will end. Coleman has been an established dramatic actress for years, but this series serves as an additional reminder that she hasn't lost her touch and has only deepened her acting abilities in the meantime.
5 Death Comes to Pemberley
Pride and Prejudice's unofficial sequel by P.D. James was adapted into a miniseries in 2011. Set six years after Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy got married, the story follows Elizabeth's sister Lydia, played by Jenna Coleman, and her husband George Wickham, portrayed by Matthew Goode, as they stumble upon an unexpected murder mystery amid their trip to the Darcys' ball. Coleman's character is a sight for sore eyes that brings some much-needed lightheartedness into this dark drama–Lydia is fun, flirtatious, and prefers not to take things too seriously. This type of character is a rather unusual choice for Coleman, but she truly shines in the role.
4 Me Before You
In 2016, this book-based romantic drama, starring Emilia Clarke and Sam Claflin, was all the rage. Jenna Coleman landed a part of Katrina Clark, Lou's sister, and although she didn't have a lot of screen time, she was an amusing addition to the cast that made for a memorable side character. The film centers around Will, a former banker who's currently tetraplegic and unable to come to with his now-disabled life, and Lou, his carer who wants to show him that there's more to life still. Me Before You is hardly a cinematic masterpiece, but it is the perfect choice for a night of crying one's eyes out.
3 The Sandman
Neil Gaiman's The Sandman live-action adaptation spent decades in development until finally premiering in 2022 to immense success. Faithful to the original comic book, the series tells the tale of Dream / Morpheus who spends over a century in captivity and escapes at last, seeking to restore order in his realm. Coleman portrays two characters on the show -- present-say occult detective returning as Johanna Constantine for season 2.
2 Doctor Who
The BBC's longest-running sci-fi series is perhaps Coleman's best known work to date. In her time on Doctor Who, she played multiple versions of her character Clara Oswald alongside Matt Smith's Eleventh Doctor and Peter Capaldi's Twelfth Doctor, and she was even there for the show's 50th-anniversary episode "The Day of the Doctor" where she had a chance to meet the previous incarnations of the famous Time Lord as well. Clara remains one of the most beloved companions in the New Who, and Coleman's perky portrayal has everything to do with it. Perhaps, she will still stop by the Doctor Who set for the show's 60th anniversary.
1 Victoria
In 2016, Jenna Coleman scored the titular part on the historical drama series about the lives of Queen Victoria and and Prince Albert, and the successful show lasted for three seasons before coming to an abrupt and unnecessary end in 2019. While Victoria may not be an entirely truthful depiction of the events that transpired in the royal family in the 19th century, it does offer multiple entertaining storylines featuring a variety of characters, comparable to Netflix's hit series Bridgerton to an extent. Coleman's compelling performance as Queen Victoria and her chemistry-driven forbidden romance plot with Rufus Sewell's Lord Melbourne make the show worth a watch.
