Top 10 Best Zoë Kravitz Performances

Nowadays, cryptocurrency is more prevalent than ever. But “Dope” was dealing with the subject back in 2015. It follows the lives of its young protagonists, who wind up selling drugs for bitcoin on the dark web. Zoë Kravitz plays Nakia, main character Malcolm’s love interest. The pair gradually grow closer, with Malcolm even helping Nakia study for the GED. Kravitz got involved with the project partly due to its 90’s-inspired aesthetics, which alluded to films like “Friday,” and felt seen in its approach to stereotypes. And while she credited writer-director Rick Famuyiwa for envisioning Nakia as a well-rounded person, her skillful portrayal was huge in making the character feel layered. Kravitz brought her to life with depth, making her feel real in the process.

This 2017 movie boasts an all-star cast, featuring names like Will Arnett, Michael Cera, Zach Galifianakis, Mariah Carey, and Rosario Dawson. Of course, it also features Zoë Kravitz as Catwoman. Although her role in the film is relatively minor, she makes her character stand out among the sea of villains. Plus, it gives us a small glimpse into her voice acting talents. Those of us who wanted her to have more screen time in that project got our wish, in a sense. The part acts as an incredibly fun predecessor to her playing the same role in the live-action film, “The Batman”. It’s quite a departure from the LEGO version, but Catwoman is clearly in Kravitz's blood!

Stardom can be dangerous, a fact that actress Heather Anderson learns the hard way in “Gemini.” The thriller explores the dark side of celebrity through a story of murder and deceipt. Lola Kirke plays Jill LaBeau, friend and personal assistant to Anderson, who’s portrayed by Kravitz. LaBeau lands in hot water when Heather seemingly turns up dead, leaving her as the crime’s prime suspect. Although Kravitz has relatively limited screen time, she uses it incredibly wisely. The actress does a fantastic job selling who Heather is, what her relationships are like, and what her lifestyle entails. She convincingly and mysteriously plants the first clues, making us want to know what exactly happened to her character. She also executes each plot point - and that twist - flawlessly.

“Kimi” is a crime thriller for the pandemic era. Zoë Kravitz is tech worker Angela Childs, whose job involves working on an Alexa-like virtual assistant called Kimi. But she’s agoraphobic, meaning she’s terrified of going outside. She’s only able to overcome her fear when she hears a violent recording from a client’s Kimi. Unfortunately, reporting it turns out to be much harder than anticipated. Kravitz makes us feel her character’s anxiety at every turn. She brings Angela’s fears to life through her portrayal, and we understand how big the stakes are as a result. Her performance is frantic, layered, driven, and brave. To take an internal battle and make it visible isn’t an easy task, but Kravitz is just that talented.

You may think you’ve had some rough nights out on the town, but nothing compares to the insanity experienced by the girls in “Rough Night.” The black comedy arguably presents the worst-case bachelorette party scenario ever, where the stripper dies. Zoë Kravitz plays Blair, a longtime friend of the bride. The story provides a dynamic and funny viewing experience, but that wouldn’t necessarily be the case were it not for the acting. Kravitz and her castmates, which include Scarlett Johansson, Jillian Bell, Kate McKinnon, and Ilana Glazer, play off one another wonderfully. The dynamics within the group are simply unmatched. If anybody thought that Zoë Kravitz couldn’t do comedy, they’d be wise to check this film out.

About a year after voicing an animated version of Catwoman in “The Lego Batman Movie,” Zoë Kravitz lent her voice to yet another iconic comic book character. Although she isn’t always front and center, Kravitz’s performance as Mary-Jane Watson in “Spider-Man: Into the Spiderverse” is far from insignificant. We all know by now that the actress can make any part shine. And MJ’s history with Peter B. Parker gives depth to both the character and the overall story. As such, her portrayal adds some genuine emotion to what can, at times, be a pretty zany cartoon movie. The film ended up landing an Oscar for “Best Animated Feature” in 2019, and we’d reckon Kravitz’s character had a big part to play in that!

Initially conceived as a miniseries, this dark comedic murder mystery received so much acclaim that it was picked up for a second season. Zoë Kravitz’s Bonnie Carlson initially seems like a marginal character, but ends up playing a key role in one of the show’s most significant moments. The actress executed that shift toward the center so seamlessly we didn’t even notice it was happening! Kravitz said that having women working both in front of the camera and behind the scenes made her feel “safe and supported” on-set. This ultimately allowed her to go to a “deeper place” with the character. The extraordinary results speak for themselves!

In case you were wondering, there’s no comic book character Kravitz can’t play. This fantastical mutant’s abilities include both acidic saliva and the power of flight, which she achieves through the use of large dragonfly wings attached to her back. When masquerading as a normal human, these wings take the form of a tattoo, which she shows off during her job as a stripper. And while Angel’s origin story isn’t extensively explored in the movie, Kravitz said she used it to inform how she crafted the character. It certainly paid off! Interestingly enough, the actress revealed that she was one of the last people to join the film. Yet there’s no doubt that it wouldn’t have been the same without her.

Although Charlize Theron’s Furiosa is the star of “Mad Max: Fury Road,” we’d be remiss not to mention Zoë Kravitz’s role in the film as Toast the Knowing. She’s one of five wives owned by the film’s antagonist, Immortan Joe, and is said to be the toughest among them. In an interview with ScreenSlam, Kravitz discussed the challenge of building a character with minimal dialogue. Without much to say, she had to express what she knew of Toast through actions. For example, she sat apart from the other wives in an attempt to show a certain “separation”. And she succeeded. It was a unique process that Kravitz tackled extraordinarily well, which is a true testament to her talent.

Did you know that Zoë Kravitz’s mother is actress Lisa Bonet? She’s probably best known for her role as Denise Huxtable on “The Cosby Show,” but also played Marie DeSalle in the film adaptation of “High Fidelity.” Twenty years later, Kravitz took part in a new take on the same story, playing a gender-swapped, bisexual version of lead character Rob. And her work was the stuff of dreams. The ten episode series was a hit with critics and audiences alike, but was sadly canceled. Still, it’s the perfect example of just how skilled an actress Kravitz is. She has the chops to carry a character-driven series in an engaging and thoughtful manner, infusing it with a charm that only she possesses.