Tessa Thompson’s 10 Best Movies, Ranked

Tessa Thompson first made a name for herself in independent movies, but she soon became one of the most sought after actors in Hollywood. Today, Thompson is perhaps best-known for her roles in the Creed franchise and the MCU. These movies only show a glimpse of her talent, as most of her best work is still in less widespread films, such as Little Woods and Sylvie’s Love.

Tessa Thompson’s best movies reveal the career trend of socially conscious movies with thoughtful commentary on racism and the Black experience in America, whether they are comedies or dramas. She has starred in Dear White People, Passing and Sorry to Bother You, which all use different techniques to deconstruct ignorance and prejudice. Thompson frequently chooses movies with important topics, but she uses her great comedy chops as another tool to get her point across.

10

Creed II (2018)

Tessa Thompson plays Bianca

Tessa Thompson revisits the character of Bianca in Creed II, and her story develops alongside Donnie’s. Creed II spans a few months, which is enough to cover their engagement and the birth of their first child. Amara is born deaf, a trait which she inherits from Bianca’s progressive hearing loss. This detail is just one example of how Creed makes Bianca into much more than just a love interest.

Creed III doesn’t focus as heavily on Bianca, with the relationship between Donnie and his childhood friend (and professional rival) taking center stage. Creed IV should refocus on Bianca, especially with Donnie retired and Amara looking like she could develop into an aspiring boxer too. Creed has been Tessa Thompson’s most successful franchise, considering her limited role in the MCU and the failure of Men in Black: International.

9

Sylvie’s Love (2020)

Tessa Thompson plays Sylvie

Sylvie’s Love is an old-school romantic drama, not a comedy. With a sumptuous soundtrack and plenty of retro charm, Sylvie’s Love exudes all the style of New York in the 1960s, although it doesn’t ignore the harsh realities of racial injustice at the time. Tessa Thompson plays Sylvie, a woman working at a record store with dreams of much more. Over the course of a few years, her life intertwines with that of Robert, a handsome jazz saxophonist.

Despite their obvious attraction and compatibility, fate never allows Sylvie and Robert to be with one another. Sylvie’s Love is all about the question of how much people should sacrifice for love, and whether love should supersede any and all practical considerations. The social unrest of the time is the perfect backdrop for this debate. Sylvie and Robert’s decisions are charged with the tension of their difficult status in society.

8

Dear White People (2014)

Tessa Thompson plays Sam White

Dear White People gave Tessa Thompson one of her first notable roles. She plays Sam White, a student who causes a stir at her predominantly white college with a radio show which aims to take down the pompous microagressions and ignorant assumptions of many other students. Dear White People is a smart satire that seeks to address some of the most common modern repudiations of Black activism.

Dear White People confronts anyone who thinks that racism is no longer an issue in American society. The movie inspired a Netflix show of the same name which ran for four seasons, and this continued to satirize ignorant ideas of a post-racial America. Thompson’s performance is a clever blend of social outrage and weary humor. Her character is in the eye of the storm at Winchester University, and she is even rejected by some people she expected to be her closest allies.

7

Passing (2021)

Tessa Thompson plays Reenie Redfield

Passing is based on a novel by Nella Larsen. It follows the lives of two women in 1920s New York who grew up as friends before reconnecting many years later, with one of them now “passing” for a white woman. Just like the novel, Passing unravels the absurdity of prejudice, and it examines the brutal charade that marginalized people are often forced to put up with. Tessa Thompson plays Reenie, while Ruth Negga portrays her white-passing friend Clare.

Passing‘s black-and-white tones highlight the stark contrast between the different worlds and opportunities available to people of different races in the 1920s. At the same time, Passing seeks to blur the lines between these arbitrarily distinct groups. Passing‘s tragic ending is a beautiful conclusion to Irene and Clare’s obsessive relationship. At different times, they seem jealous of one another, attracted together, or repulsed. Thompson and Negga both deliver superb performances.

6

Little Woods (2018)

Tessa Thompson plays Ollie

Little Woods heralded Nia DaCosta’s arrival as a young director worthy of an audience. Her gripping crime drama features Tessa Thompson and Lily James as two sisters who must resort to extreme measures to scrape together enough money to survive. Thompson plays Ollie, a former drug dealer who reverts to her old ways, despite the danger from law enforcement, customers, and other dealers.

Little Woods showcases Thompson’s captivating skills as a dramatic actor, even if these skills sometimes get crowded out by other factors when she joins massive franchises. The indie drama works because of Thompson’s dynamic with Lily James. The duo have the same fierce devotion and explosive arguments as real siblings, and their bond comes across as genuine. Without such stellar performances, Little Woods would struggle to summon enough dramatic thrust to carry its dark story.

5

Annihilation (2018)

Tessa Thompson plays Josie Radek

Based on the popular sci-fi novel by Jeff Vandermeer, Annihilation follows a team of scientists into a bizarre anomaly referred to as “the Shimmer.” Tessa Thompson plays Josie, an introspective astrophysicist who seems captivated by the Shimmer even when the rest of her team are fearing for their lives or struggling with their perceptions of reality. Alex Garland brings his signature style to Annihilation, creating a constant sense of unease, and sudden, explosive bursts of terror.

Annihilation is an enigmatic cosmic horror movie, and Josie is at the center of one of its biggest mysteries. While the leader of the expedition, Lena, begins to panic and fear for her life, Josie is overcome by a wave of serenity. Vines begin to sprout from her body, and she transforms into a plant. This reveals the Shimmer’s true nature, as a supernatural force which can mutate and combine DNA. The Shimmer changes everyone, whether they live or die.

4

Sorry To Bother You (2018)

Tessa Thompson plays Detroit

Sorry to Bother You is an uproarious corporate satire about a Black man who achieves unprecedented success as a telemarketer when he learns to use his “white voice” on the phone. Cash is played by LaKeith Stanfield, but his white voice is provided by David Cross, and this hilarious dichotomy highlights the ludicrous nature of corporate code-switching, and the ways white people respond to different voices.

Tessa Thompson plays Cash’s girlfriend, Detroit, an artist and activist with a collection of bold earrings who refuses to change herself for any corporate gain. Sorry to Bother You‘s bizarre twist ending has contributed to the movie’s cult following, but there’s also a lot to enjoy in the hour and a half preceding it. Sorry to Bother You examines the intersection between capitalism and race, before turning into something much harder to pin down.

3

Thor: Ragnarok (2017)

Tessa Thompson plays Valkyrie

The Thor series has had ups and downs, but Ragnarok is seen by many MCU fans as a high point for Chris Hemsworth’s hero. Taika Waititi is best known as a comedy writer and director, with hits such as Jojo Rabbit and What We Do in the Shadows under his belt, so he brought a completely new tone to the Thor franchise which highlighted Hemsworth’s funny side without skimping on big blockbuster action.

Thor: Ragnarok introduces Tessa Thompson’s Valkyrie to the MCU. She’s a former Asgardian warrior who captures Thor and sells him to a despot who stages gladiatorial battles. Later, she has a change of heart and decides to help Thor reclaim Asgard from Hela. Thompson has appeared in some other movies in the MCU, including Avengers: Endgame, but Thor: Ragnarok remains her biggest contribution and her most interesting role.

2

Creed (2015)

Tessa Thompson plays Bianca Taylor

After the Rocky franchise saw diminishing returns, Creed was the ideal shot in the arm for the series. Instead of focusing on Rocky Balboa once again, Creed positions him in the background so that Adonis “Donnie” Creed can take the spotlight. Ryan Coogler’s direction brings a fresh new perspective, and it results in some of the Rocky franchise’s best fights and most emotional moments.

Tessa Thompson plays Bianca Taylor, a singer-songwriter from Philadelphia who becomes Donnie’s love interest. Bianca and Donnie’s romance is a gorgeous B-plot, but Creed is more concerned with Donnie’s relationship with Rocky, who becomes his personal trainer after learning that he is the son of his friend Apollo Creed, who tragically died in the ring. Creed is one of the best sports movies of the last decade, managing to mix thrills in the ring with a compelling emotional arc outside of it.

1

Selma (2014)

Tessa Thompson plays Diane Nash

Selma tells the story of the 1965 Selma to Montgomery voting rights marches organized by nonviolent civil rights leaders, and the abhorrent violence they faced along the way. Tessa Thompson plays Diane Nash, an activist and strategist who worked alongside Martin Luther King Jr. and many other key figures in the civil rights movement.

Thompson is just one part of an outstanding ensemble cast in Stella, which also features Cuba Gooding Jr., Tim Roth, Oprah Winfrey, Carmen Ejogo, Common, and many more. David Oyelowo delivers a career-best performance as Martin Luther King Jr. Selma is a deeply stirring story from a divisive moment in America’s political history. Great performances all round and a compelling script ensure that it is worthy of its important subject. While it lays out the troubles of America’s past, it shows how King’s vision has not yet been realized.