5 Vanessa Kirby performances you must watch before Fantastic Four: First Steps hits theatres
Saloni Jha | Jul 22, 2025, 11:36 IST
Highlight of the story: Before Vanessa Kirby becomes the Invisible Woman in The Fantastic Four: First Steps, it is time to catch up on her most iconic roles. From royalty in The Crown to heartbreak in Pieces of a Woman, Kirby has been silently slaying screens for years, and she is just getting started.
Vanessa Kirby is entering the Marvel Cinematic Universe as Sue Storm, aka Invisible Woman, in Fantastic Four: First Steps, but for fans who cannot wait till the film hits theatres, her past work is already a cinematic feast. From period dramas to explosive action blockbusters, the British actress has built an impressive resume over the last decade. Whether she is playing a rebellious royal or a cunning arms dealer, Kirby’s performances are nothing short of captivating. Here are five roles that prove she has always had the power, even before joining the MCU.
Playing Queen Elizabeth II’s younger sister in the first two seasons of Netflix’s The Crown, Kirby gave us a version of Princess Margaret that was raw, rebellious and endlessly stylish. The role earned her an Emmy nomination and turned her into a global name. Even if you are not into monarchy drama, her emotional complexity will have you hooked.
Kirby gave one of the most gut-wrenching performances of her career as Martha, a grieving mother navigating unimaginable trauma. Her role in Pieces of a Woman earned her an Academy Award nomination and praise for portraying emotional pain with authenticity and restraint. It is a tough watch, but an essential one.
In this underrated indie gem, Kirby plays Tallie, a woman trapped in a toxic marriage who finds solace and love in an unexpected friendship with another farmer’s wife. The chemistry, the heartbreak, the poetry of it all, The World to Come is a slow-burn masterpiece that lets Kirby’s emotional range shine.
Kirby joined the Mission: Impossible franchise in its sixth instalment as Alanna Mitsopolis, aka the White Widow, a seductive, calculating arms dealer. Paired against Tom Cruise’s Ethan Hunt, Kirby brought a sleek confidence and mystery to the role that made her unforgettable in a film packed with stunts and spectacle.
Her White Widow returned in Dead Reckoning with more screen time and an even more nuanced edge. Kirby added emotional stakes and charm to the high-octane chaos, proving she can hold her own in a franchise built on adrenaline. It is her best action performance yet, until Marvel, that is.
The Crown (2016–2017)
Playing Queen Elizabeth II’s younger sister in the first two seasons of Netflix’s The Crown, Kirby gave us a version of Princess Margaret that was raw, rebellious and endlessly stylish. The role earned her an Emmy nomination and turned her into a global name. Even if you are not into monarchy drama, her emotional complexity will have you hooked.
Vanessa Kirby in The Crow
Pieces of a Woman (2020)
Kirby gave one of the most gut-wrenching performances of her career as Martha, a grieving mother navigating unimaginable trauma. Her role in Pieces of a Woman earned her an Academy Award nomination and praise for portraying emotional pain with authenticity and restraint. It is a tough watch, but an essential one.
Vanessa Kirby in Pieces o
The World to Come (2020)
In this underrated indie gem, Kirby plays Tallie, a woman trapped in a toxic marriage who finds solace and love in an unexpected friendship with another farmer’s wife. The chemistry, the heartbreak, the poetry of it all, The World to Come is a slow-burn masterpiece that lets Kirby’s emotional range shine.
Vanessa Kirby in The Worl
Mission: Impossible – Fallout (2018)
Kirby joined the Mission: Impossible franchise in its sixth instalment as Alanna Mitsopolis, aka the White Widow, a seductive, calculating arms dealer. Paired against Tom Cruise’s Ethan Hunt, Kirby brought a sleek confidence and mystery to the role that made her unforgettable in a film packed with stunts and spectacle.
Vanessa Kirby in Mission
Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning (2023)
Her White Widow returned in Dead Reckoning with more screen time and an even more nuanced edge. Kirby added emotional stakes and charm to the high-octane chaos, proving she can hold her own in a franchise built on adrenaline. It is her best action performance yet, until Marvel, that is.
Vanessa Kirby in Mission