Anya Taylor-Joy names her five favourite films of all time

It hasn’t taken long for actor Anya Taylor-Joy to reach the heights of Hollywood stardom, in fact, it’s only taken about six years, with her performance in the M. Night Shyamalan film Split sparking a remarkable modern career. 

Such fame and popularity has only multiplied in the past two years or so, releasing the period drama Emma in 2020, followed by the popular Netflix series The Queen’s Gambit in the same year, before appearing in the Edgar Wright horror Last Night in Soho in 2021. It’s certainly been quite the rollercoaster for the actor so far, with the peak of her career yet to be reached given her evident acting potential. 

Look no further than the brand new Robert Eggers action movie The Northman for proof where Taylor-Joy stars alongside Alexander Skarsgård, Nicole Kidman, Ethan Hawke and Willem Dafoe in the brutal fantasy flick. Leading the film alongside Skarsgård, the actor walks away from the film as one of its most memorable aspects, playing the strong and mystical witch named Olga.

As she becomes an ever-more prominent star in the public eye, Taylor-Joy has amassed a considerable amount of fans, taking the chance in 2020 to reveal her favourite films to her many followers through an interview with Rotten Tomatoes. 

The Tim Burton movie Big Fish is the first on Taylor-Joy’s list, with the 2003 film telling the story of a man’s wild and fantastical life. “A film I hadn’t seen in forever! I’m a huge fan of Tim Burton and this story had always intrigued me as a kid… I’ve always loved a metaphor and this one has them in spades,” the actor stated, gushing over her love for the classic Ewan McGregor movie.

The 1950s movie Funny Face starring Audrey Hepburn and Fred Astaire takes the second spot on the actor’s list, highlighting the “sheer escapism,” of the movie as one of her favourite aspects. As well as the Hepburn movie, Taylor-Joy also brings attention to other “movies from the ’40s/’50s,” including the likes of Top Hat, High Society, Gentlemen Prefer Blondes, Bringing Up Baby and Singin’ in the Rain. 

For her third choice, Taylor-Joy doesn’t even go for a film at all, opting for the popular TV series Gilmore Girls starring Lauren Graham, Alexis Bledel, Melissa McCarthy and Sean Gunn. Describing her love for the series by saying “simpler times,” Taylor-Joy further explains, “Honestly, it feels very calming and self-loving to listen to a mother and daughter duo discuss coffee and the intricacies of Billy Idol’s pout on his album cover”. 

The modern master of fantasy Guillermo del Toro takes the actor’s fourth spot for his 2006 film Pan’s Labyrinth, a magical Spanish war drama about a young girl who escapes into an impossible land. “Gothic fairy tales are potentially my favourite genre of film,” Taylor-Joy reveals, calling the Mexican filmmaker a “master” as she praises every aspect of his 2006 classic. 

Take a look at the full list of Anya Taylor-Joy’s five favourite films of all time, below. 

• Big Fish (Tim Burton, 2003)
• Funny Face (Stanley Donen, 1957)
• Gilmore Girls (Amy Sherman-Palladino, 2000-2007)
• Pan’s Labyrinth (Guillermo del Toro, 2006)
• The Shining (Stanley Kubrick, 1980)

The final film on her list of top five favourites goes to the influential Stanley Kubrick horror The Shining, based on the novel by Stephen King, starring Jack Nicholson and Shelley Duvall. “The first movie watched during shelter-in-place,” Taylor-Joy told the publication, before adding, “above all else, one must never lose their sense of humour”.

Follow Far Out Magazine across our social channels, on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.