Rebecca Ferguson’s roles have positioned her in the middle of many of the world’s great stories to be told on the big and small screen. She is originally from Stockholm, Sweden, where she told People she began her acting journey before it “quickly turned international.” Her first acting job was the role of Anna Gripenhielm inNya tider, a Swedish TV series. With her birthday on August 03, 2025, she embodies the grace and malleability of the star sign Libra, which appears to have carried her far in her entertainment career.
Spanning so many different personas, Ferguson has portrayed people at the height of power and the most defining times of their lives. Whether she appears in a horror film, a romantic role, or anything in between, she always succeeds in bringing her characters to life. Keep on reading to count down Rebecca Ferguson’s best performances, ranked.
11Ocean Ave. (2002-2003)
Ocean Ave.was Rebecca Ferguson’s second acting project, in which she played Chrissy Ericksson for 99 episodes. The series is a Swedish-American collaboration, and the expanded market definitely wouldn’t hurt against Ferguson’s budding career to come.Ocean Ave.centersaround the impact and investigation of a serial killer who pursues sex workers. As Chrissy, Ferguson speaks Swedish and portrays a young woman on the brink of 2000s culture, who’s also caught in the midst of extremely serious circumstances.
10Reminiscence (2021)
Reminiscenceappears to have a surrealist vibe that feels a lot like theBlack Mirrorepisode"The Entire History of You." In futuristic Miami, flooding has absolutely transformed everyday activity and life. Nick Bannister (Hugh Jackman), a private investigator who specializes in memory recollection, becomes drawn toward a new client named Mae (Ferguson). As promising as their love story appears, Mae’s real intentions are revealed, which showcases Ferguson’s performance duality, her ability to switch on a dime, and her penchant for playing double-sided characters.
9The Snowman (2017)
The Snowmanis based on the novel by mystery author Jo Nesbø, transforming the spooky and wintry story into an on-screen experience. Ferguson plays a fresh face in the police force, Katrine Bratt, alongside her work partner, investigator Harry Hole. They find themselves tracking down a serial killer in the dead of winter, whose calling card is snowmen. Katrine’s perseverance in such a spine-tingling situation is admirable, pushing her past expectations of her introduction to her new career.
8The White Queen (2013)
Starring at the center ofThe White Queenas Elizabeth Woodville gave Ferguson the opportunity to command attention from Starz viewers. The series with only 10 episodes follows Elizabeth’s story alongside those of Margaret Beaufort and Anne Neville. Hailing from a non-royal family, Elizabeth and Edward IV take a liking to one another, which inserts her into castle life as she reckons with the rivalry between their initial communities. Ferguson’s grace as an actress translates well into the character of a young woman destined to be queen, becoming more apparent as Elizabeth comes into her power.
7Life (2017)
InLife, Ferguson takes on the role of astronaut Miranda North, who conceptualizes alongside her fellow space explorers that life exists on Mars. Their expedition to the stars from the International Space Station takes them on a horrifying trip that exposes the very human fear of the unknown. North’s dedication to her team and to humanity persists until her final moments with an air of expert curiosity. But in the film’s ending, which seems similar to the nauseating spinning scene inGravity, she tragically doesn’t make it home to Earth.
6The Girl on the Train (2016)
Retelling the story of thepopular mystery bookon which it was based,The Girl on the Traincaptures an important intersection between several women and the men in their lives. Ferguson plays Anna Boyd, the mother of little Evie and wife of Tom, who is protagonist Rachel’s ex-husband. Understandably, Anna and Rachel don’t get along even from a distance, with Rachel tormenting Anna to no end. Ferguson’s performance here captures Anna’s desperation to preserve her family after Rachel and Megan’s impacts on her life prove to go too far.
Related:8 Movies That Made 2016 a Great Year for Cinema
5Dune (2021)
As Lady Jessica inDune, Ferguson plays the matriarch of the Atreides family. As Paul’s mother, she impresses upon him the impact of her faith through the Bene Gesserit order, which ends up more important in her son’s life than he previously realized. Jessica is a protective and devoted parent whose role shifts from the novel to itsrecent film adaptation; as an article from the Video Librarian outlined, “In Frank Herbert’s book, Lady Jessica is not merely a supporting character; she is arguably the co-lead…her actions throughout the book directly influence the fate of theDuneuniverse.” While the film may not give Ferguson enough room to shine, her earnest portrayal still serves her well.
4Mission: Impossible - Fallout (2018)
Mission: Impossible - Falloutobviously continues the famous series, bringing back Ferguson’s character Ilsa Faust for more action. Ilsa’s strength and expertise as an agent refine through this film intheMission: Impossiblefranchise, pitting her against certain people as she’s tasked with killing Solomon Lane. Ilsa is undoubtedly one of the most powerful female characters in the series, and she’s excellent with a weapon or two, all while continuing to look stunning. In this film, Ferguson continues developing Ilsa’s storyline as a woman in a world dominated by male spies.
Related:Mission Impossible: All Movies in the Franchise, Ranked by Box Office Gross
3Mission: Impossible - Rogue Nation (2015)
WithMission: Impossible - Rogue Nation, Ferguson achieved a career-defining performance. According to her biography fromThe Famous People, “In 2015, she was cast as Ilsa Faust in the American action spy film ‘Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation’. This made her a popular face on the international level.” Of course, this signifies her character within the story more deeply, emphasizing Ilsa’s presence inFallout. Throughout Ethan Hunt’s work to uncover the Syndicate, Ilsa is introduced as an MI6 agent whose skill set is one to envy.
2The Greatest Showman (2017)
The Greatest Showmanamazes audiences through its visuals, soundtrack, and stunningly talented cast, each coming together to convey the ascent to and peak of P.T. Barnum’s work. Broadening his scope when selecting performers for his show, Barnum meets Jenny Lind in England, and she becomes a part of his circus through her operatic voice. On the other hand, she becomes a catalyst for the downfall of Barnum’s show after she drives a wedge between him and his wife, Charity. The eminent presence that Ferguson brings to this role is startling, but the truth that she didn’t actually sing Jenny’s song “Never Enough” might not be.Classic FM confirmedthat while she is “a great actress but by no means a trained singer… The belting ballad is actually dubbed by Loren Allred.”
