Top 26 Ranked

The Best Anna Kendrick Movies Ranked

The Definitive Filmography of a Modern Hollywood Icon

Discover the essential Anna Kendrick movies, from her breakout Oscar-nominated turn to musical sensations and gripping thrillers. Detailed actor rankings.

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About Anna Kendrick

Anna Kendrick

Anna Kendrick occupies a unique space in the Hollywood ecosystem, functioning as the industry's resident overthinker and its most relatable overachiever. Long before she became a household name, she was the secret weapon of cult favorites, bringing a razor-sharp neurosis to the screen that felt refreshing in an era of polished starlets. She possesses a specific brand of high-velocity intelligence that makes her characters feel like they are constantly three moves ahead of everyone else, even when they are falling apart.

Her breakout in Up in the Air served as a definitive mission statement. Playing a corporate hatchet-woman with a spreadsheet for a soul, she managed to hold her own against George Clooney by weaponizing her youth and terrifying competence. It was a performance that stripped away the artifice of the ingénue and replaced it with something far more interesting: a woman who was desperate to be taken seriously. This drive became a recurring theme throughout her career, whether she was navigating the absurd comic heights of Scott Pilgrim vs. the World or bringing a grounded, empathetic warmth to the cancer dramedy 50/50.

The cultural explosion of Pitch Perfect transformed her from a prestigious talent into a global brand. As Beca, the reluctant centerpiece of an a cappella group, she managed to make earnestness cool again. The franchise succeeded because she refused to play the role with a wink. She treated the ridiculous stakes of collegiate singing with genuine stakes, a sincerity that she carried through two sequels and into the neon-colored optimism of the Trolls movies. Her voice, both literal and metaphorical, carries a clarity that resonates across demographics, bridging the gap between Broadway precision and indie grit.

What makes her work enduring is her refusal to be pinned down to a single genre. She can pivot from the visceral intensity of the police thriller End of Watch to the hyper-stylized noir of A Simple Favor without losing her signature dry wit. In recent years, her choices have taken a darker, more philosophical turn. Her performance in Alice, Darling provided a hauntingly quiet look at emotional manipulation, stripping away the rapid-fire dialogue to show a woman losing her sense of self. It was a display of maturity and restraint that signaled a new chapter in her evolution.

With her directorial debut in Woman of the Hour, she has moved behind the lens to interrogate the very nature of the spotlight and the dangers of female visibility. Her transition into filmmaker feels like a natural progression for an artist who has spent twenty years analyzing the social dynamics of the screen. Audiences connect with her because she feels like the smartest person in the room who still worries if she is doing it right. She remains the rare actor who can play a mathematician in The Accountant or a stop-motion voice in ParaNorman and still feel like a person you would want to grab a drink with, provided you were prepared for a very fast, very honest conversation. Kendrick has built a legacy on the idea that being high-strung is just another way of being highly alive.

The Complete Rankings

Based on the top picks in drafts on SnakeDrafts

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26
Anna Kendrick in Elsewhere (2009)
Elsewhere
2009

A teen girl disappears after trying to meet men online in order to escape her small town. Apparently, only her best friend worries enough to investigate the mystery.

Crime
Drama
1h 46m
Nathan Hope
Anna Kendrick, Paul Wesley, Tania Raymonde, Olivia Dawn York
25
Anna Kendrick in Cake (2014)
Cake
2014

After having visions of a member of her support group who killed herself, a woman who also suffers with chronic pain seeks out the widower of the suicide.

Drama
1h 42m
Daniel Barnz
Jennifer Aniston, Adriana Barraza, Anna Kendrick, Sam Worthington
24
Anna Kendrick in Noelle (2019)
Noelle
2019

Kris Kringle's daughter, Noelle, sets off on a mission to find and bring back her brother, after he gets cold feet when it's his turn to take over as Santa.

Family
Comedy
1h 40m
Marc Lawrence
Anna Kendrick, Shirley MacLaine, Bill Hader, Kingsley Ben-Adir

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23
Anna Kendrick in The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part 1 (2011)
The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part 1
2011

Bella Swan and Edward Cullen's honeymoon phase is abruptly disrupted by betrayals and unforeseen tragedies that endanger their world.

Adventure
Fantasy
1h 57m
Bill Condon
Kristen Stewart, Robert Pattinson, Taylor Lautner, Billy Burke
22
Anna Kendrick in The Twilight Saga: Eclipse (2010)
The Twilight Saga: Eclipse
2010

Bella once again finds herself surrounded by danger as Seattle is ravaged by a string of mysterious killings and a malicious vampire continues her quest for revenge. In the midst of it all, she is forced to choose between her love for Edward and her friendship with Jacob, knowing that her decision has the potential to ignite the ageless struggle between vampire and werewolf. With her graduation quickly approaching, Bella is confronted with the most important decision of her life.

Adventure
Fantasy
2h 4m
David Slade
Kristen Stewart, Robert Pattinson, Taylor Lautner, Bryce Dallas Howard
21
Anna Kendrick in The Twilight Saga: New Moon (2009)
The Twilight Saga: New Moon
2009

Forks, Washington resident Bella Swan is reeling from the departure of her vampire love, Edward Cullen, and finds comfort in her friendship with Jacob Black, a werewolf. But before she knows it, she's thrust into a centuries-old conflict, and her desire to be with Edward at any cost leads her to take greater and greater risks.

Adventure
Fantasy
2h 11m
Chris Weitz
20
Anna Kendrick in Twilight (2008)
Twilight
2008

When Bella Swan moves to a small town in the Pacific Northwest, she falls in love with Edward Cullen, a mysterious classmate who reveals himself to be a 108-year-old vampire. Despite Edward's repeated cautions, Bella can't stay away from him, a fatal move that endangers her own life.

Fantasy
Drama
2h 2m
Catherine Hardwicke
Kristen Stewart, Robert Pattinson, Billy Burke, Peter Facinelli
19
Anna Kendrick in Mike and Dave Need Wedding Dates (2016)
Mike and Dave Need Wedding Dates
2016

Mike and Dave are young, adventurous, fun-loving brothers who tend to get out of control at family gatherings. When their sister Jeanie reveals her Hawaiian wedding plans, the rest of the Stangles insist that the brothers bring respectable dates. After placing an ad on Craigslist, the siblings decide to pick Tatiana and Alice, two charming and seemingly normal women. Once they arrive on the island, however, Mike and Dave realize that their companions are ready to get wild and party.

Comedy
1h 38m
Jake Szymanski
Zac Efron, Adam Devine, Anna Kendrick, Aubrey Plaza
18
Anna Kendrick in What to Expect When You're Expecting (2012)
What to Expect When You're Expecting
2012

Challenges of impending parenthood turn the lives of five couples upside down. Two celebrities are unprepared for the surprise demands of pregnancy; hormones wreak havoc on a baby-crazy author, while her husband tries not to be outdone by his father, who's expecting twins with his young trophy wife; a photographer's husband isn't sure about his wife's adoption plans; a one-time hook-up results in a surprise pregnancy for rival food-truck owners.

Romance
Comedy
1h 50m
Kirk Jones
Jennifer Lopez, Chace Crawford, Anna Kendrick, Cameron Diaz
17
Anna Kendrick in Rocket Science (2007)
Rocket Science
2007

Hal is a 15-year-old high-school student with a minor yet socially alienating (and painful) disability: he stutters uncontrollably. Determined to work through the problem, Hal opts for an extreme route – he joins the school debating team, which sends him on a headfirst plunge into breakneck speech competitions and offers a much-needed boost toward correcting the problem.

Comedy
Drama
1h 41m
Jeffrey Blitz
Nicholas D'Agosto, Margo Martindale, Reece Thompson, Anna Kendrick
16
Anna Kendrick in Pitch Perfect 3 (2017)
Pitch Perfect 3
2017

After the highs of winning the world championships, the Bellas find themselves split apart and discovering there aren't job prospects for making music with your mouth. But when they get the chance to reunite for an overseas USO tour, this group of awesome nerds will come together to make some music, and some questionable decisions, one last time.

Comedy
Music
1h 33m
Trish Sie
Anna Kendrick, Rebel Wilson, Brittany Snow, Hailee Steinfeld
15
Anna Kendrick in Trolls World Tour (2020)
Trolls World Tour
2020

Queen Poppy and Branch make a surprising discovery — there are other Troll worlds beyond their own, and their distinct differences create big clashes between these various tribes. When a mysterious threat puts all of the Trolls across the land in danger, Poppy, Branch, and their band of friends must embark on an epic quest to create harmony among the feuding Trolls to unite them against certain doom.

Family
Animation
1h 31m
Walt Dohrn
Anna Kendrick, Justin Timberlake, Ron Funches, Rachel Bloom
14
Anna Kendrick in Alice, Darling (2022)
Alice, Darling
2022

Pushed to the breaking point by Simon, her psychologically abusive boyfriend, Alice becomes an unwitting participant in an intervention staged by her two closest friends while on vacation. As she rediscovers the essence of herself and gains some much-needed perspective, she slowly starts to fray the cords of codependency that bind her. However, Simon's vengeance is as inevitable as it is shattering, and once unleashed, it tests her strength, her courage, and the bonds of deep-rooted friendships.

Thriller
Drama
1h 30m
Mary Nighy
Anna Kendrick, Wunmi Mosaku, Kaniehtiio Horn, Charlie Carrick
13
Anna Kendrick in Trolls Band Together (2023)
Trolls Band Together
2023

When Branch's brother, Floyd, is kidnapped for his musical talents by a pair of nefarious pop-star villains, Branch and Poppy embark on a harrowing and emotional journey to reunite the other brothers and rescue Floyd from a fate even worse than pop-culture obscurity.

Animation
Family
1h 31m
Walt Dohrn
Anna Kendrick, Justin Timberlake, Camila Cabello, Eric André
12
Anna Kendrick in Pitch Perfect 2 (2015)
Pitch Perfect 2
2015

The Bellas are back, and they are better than ever. After being humiliated in front of none other than the President of the United States of America, the Bellas are taken out of the Aca-Circuit. In order to clear their name, and regain their status, the Bellas take on a seemingly impossible task: winning an international competition no American team has ever won. In order to accomplish this monumental task, they need to strengthen the bonds of friendship and sisterhood and blow away the competition with their amazing aca-magic! With all new friends and old rivals tagging along for the trip, the Bellas can hopefully accomplish their dreams.

Comedy
Music
1h 55m
Elizabeth Banks
Anna Kendrick, Brittany Snow, Hailee Steinfeld, Rebel Wilson
11
Anna Kendrick in A Simple Favor (2018)
A Simple Favor
2018

Stephanie, a dedicated mother and popular vlogger, befriends Emily, a mysterious upper-class woman whose son Nicky attends the same school as Miles, Stephanie's son. When Emily asks her to pick Nicky up from school and then disappears, Stephanie undertakes an investigation that will dive deep into Emily's cloudy past.

Thriller
Comedy
1h 57m
Paul Feig
Anna Kendrick, Blake Lively, Henry Golding, Rupert Friend
Why it ranks

Kendrick masterfully deconstructs her 'optimistic protagonist' image by playing a suburban mommy-vlogger with a dark, competitive streak. The performance is a delightful exercise in tonal shifts, proving she can navigate camp and noir with equal dexterity.

10
Anna Kendrick in Woman of the Hour (2024)
Woman of the Hour
2024

An aspiring actress crosses paths with a prolific serial killer in '70s LA when they're cast on an episode of "The Dating Game."

Crime
Drama
1h 35m
Anna Kendrick
Anna Kendrick, Daniel Zovatto, Nicolette Robinson, Jedidiah Goodacre
Why it ranks

Taking the director's chair while starring as a bachelorette on a collision course with a killer, Kendrick captures the quiet, terrifying calculations women make to survive. It is a sophisticated evolution of her screen persona, trading her usual wit for a haunting, observant tension.

9
Anna Kendrick in ParaNorman (2012)
ParaNorman
2012

In the town of Blithe Hollow, Norman Babcock can speak to the dead, but no one other than his eccentric new friend believes his ability is real. One day, Norman's eccentric uncle tells him of a ritual he must perform to protect the town from a curse cast by a witch centuries ago.

Family
Animation
1h 33m
Sam Fell
Kodi Smit-McPhee, Tucker Albrizzi, Anna Kendrick, Casey Affleck
Why it ranks

Her voice work as Courtney turns a shallow cheerleader stereotype into a comedic highlight through specific, high-register vocal choices. It is a testament to her versatility that she can command a scene’s energy even when confined to a recording booth.

8
Anna Kendrick in Trolls (2016)
Trolls
2016

After the monstrous Bergens invade Troll Village, Princess Poppy, the happiest Troll ever born, and overly-cautious, curmudgeonly outcast Branch set off on a journey to rescue her friends. Their mission is full of adventure and mishaps, as this mismatched duo try to tolerate each other long enough to get the job done.

Family
Animation
1h 32m
Mike Mitchell
Anna Kendrick, Justin Timberlake, Zooey Deschanel, Christopher Mintz-Plasse
Why it ranks

Kendrick leans into unbridled optimism as Poppy, utilizing her theater-trained vocal range to lead a massive franchise with infectious enthusiasm. She succeeds by making relentless cheerfulness feel like a character strength rather than a caricature.

7

Two young officers are marked for death after confiscating a small cache of money and firearms from the members of a notorious cartel during a routine traffic stop.

Crime
Drama
1h 49m
David Ayer
Jake Gyllenhaal, Michael Peña, Natalie Martinez, Anna Kendrick
Why it ranks

In a departure from her more cynical roles, she provides the crucial emotional heartbeat of this gritty procedural as the stabilizing force in Jake Gyllenhaal’s life. Her naturalistic chemistry with the lead actors adds a layer of domestic stakes that makes the film’s tension feel deeply personal.

6
Anna Kendrick in 50/50 (2011)
50/50
2011

Inspired by a true story, a comedy centered on a 27-year-old guy who learns of his cancer diagnosis and his subsequent struggle to beat the disease.

Comedy
Drama
1h 40m
Jonathan Levine
Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Seth Rogen, Anna Kendrick, Bryce Dallas Howard
Why it ranks

Kendrick finds a difficult balance here, portraying a green therapist whose professional clumsiness masks a deep, awkward empathy. She manages to avoid the 'manic pixie' trope, instead offering a grounded and vulnerable foil to Seth Rogen and Joseph Gordon-Levitt.

5

As a math savant uncooks the books for a new client, the Treasury Department closes in on his activities and the body count starts to rise.

Crime
Thriller
2h 8m
Gavin O'Connor
Ben Affleck, Cynthia Addai-Robinson, Anna Kendrick, J.K. Simmons
Why it ranks

Playing a nerdy forensic accountant, Kendrick injects a burst of organic warmth into an otherwise cold and calculated thriller. Her performance acts as the audience's surrogate, finding the humanity and humor inside a dense, puzzle-like narrative.

4

As bass guitarist for a garage-rock band, Scott Pilgrim has never had trouble getting a girlfriend; usually, the problem is getting rid of them. But when Ramona Flowers skates into his heart, he finds she has the most troublesome baggage of all: an army of ex-boyfriends who will stop at nothing to eliminate him from her list of suitors.

Action
Comedy
1h 53m
Edgar Wright
Michael Cera, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Ellen Wong, Kieran Culkin
Why it ranks

Playing the sharp-tongued Stacey Pilgrim, Kendrick excels as the film's moral compass and comedic straight-woman amidst the surrounding stylized chaos. Her ability to spit rapid-fire dialogue with dry precision showcased her impeccable timing within an ensemble cast.

3
Anna Kendrick in Drinking Buddies (2013)
Drinking Buddies
2013

Weekend trips, office parties, late night conversations, drinking on the job, marriage pressure, biological clocks, holding eye contact a second too long… you know what makes the line between “friends” and “more than friends” really blurry? Beer.

Romance
Drama
1h 30m
Joe Swanberg
Olivia Wilde, Jake Johnson, Anna Kendrick, Ron Livingston
Why it ranks

Kendrick strips away her usual high-strung theatricality to reveal a raw, fumbling vulnerability that anchors the film's improvisational style. Her Jill is a masterclass in quiet anxiety and bottled resentment, marking a pivotal shift away from her musical comedy roots toward grounded indie naturalism. It remains her most refreshingly unvarnished and subtle work to date.

2
Anna Kendrick in Pitch Perfect (2012)
Pitch Perfect
2012

College student Beca knows she does not want to be part of a clique, but that's exactly where she finds herself after arriving at her new school. Thrust in among mean gals, nice gals and just plain weird gals, Beca finds that the only thing they have in common is how well they sing together. She takes the women of the group out of their comfort zone of traditional arrangements and into a world of amazing harmonic combinations in a fight to the top of college music competitions.

Comedy
Music
1h 52m
Jason Moore
Anna Kendrick, Anna Camp, Brittany Snow, Skylar Astin
Why it ranks

As Beca, Kendrick anchored a global phenomenon by grounding a heightened musical world with her signature skeptical, alt-girl edge. It remains the definitive proof of her box-office magnetism and the moment she became an undisputed pop-culture icon.

1
Anna Kendrick in Up in the Air (2009)
Up in the Air
2009

Corporate downsizing expert Ryan Bingham spends his life in planes, airports, and hotels, but just as he’s about to reach a milestone of ten million frequent flyer miles, he meets a woman who causes him to rethink his transient life.

Drama
Romance
1h 50m
Jason Reitman
George Clooney, Vera Farmiga, Anna Kendrick, Sam Elliott
Why it ranks

Kendrick offers a surgical masterclass in corporate naiveté, holding her own against George Clooney by weaponizing a frantic, hyper-competent energy that earned her a deserved Oscar nomination. This role transitioned her from a niche talent to a powerhouse capable of anchoring prestige dramas with intellectual grit.

FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

Everything you need to know about this list and SnakeDrafts

Anna Kendrick received an Oscar nomination for her role in Up in the Air, where she portrayed a sharp and witty character opposite George Clooney. This performance marked a major turning point in her career, showcasing her dramatic range.

Pitch Perfect is a pivotal musical comedy that highlights Anna Kendrick's singing talent and comedic timing. Her role as Beca Mitchell helped cement her status as a relatable and dynamic lead in a genre that blends music and humor.

Anna Kendrick's voice work in the Trolls series demonstrates her ability to engage audiences across different formats, bringing energy and charm to family-friendly animation. This expands her appeal beyond live-action roles into the realm of musical fantasy adventures.

Anna Kendrick took on a darker, more intense role in Woman of the Hour, a crime drama thriller that showcases her range and directorial debut. This film adds depth to her portfolio by navigating complex emotional and suspenseful narratives.

Drinking Buddies is a notable film where Anna Kendrick shines alongside other strong actors in a loosely scripted, naturalistic comedy-drama. Her performance underscores her ability to blend humor and realism in intimate, character-driven stories.

Scott Pilgrim vs. the World combines action, comedy, and romance, featuring Anna Kendrick in a memorable supporting role. This film enjoys cult status for its unique visual style and offbeat humor, reflecting her versatility in genre-crossing projects.

Films like The Accountant and A Simple Favor showcase Anna Kendrick's ability to handle suspenseful and complex characters within crime thriller settings. These roles highlight her adaptability and contribute to her image as a multi-dimensional actress.

Music is a recurring theme in several of Anna Kendrick's best films, particularly in Pitch Perfect and the Trolls franchise, where her singing talents are central. This musical element complements her acting skills, offering audiences memorable and energetic performances.
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