While she has only been acting since 2010, the best Danielle Macdonald movies and TV shows feature several fantastic performances from the Australian actress. Macdonald began acting as a teen, and after attending the Australian Institute for Performing Arts, she moved to Los Angeles and started her Hollywood acting career. She got her first role in The Thief, a short film directed by Rachel Weisz, and then earned her first feature film role in The East (2013), which premiered at the Sundance Film Festival.
Since that time, Macdonald has become a legitimate star, earning critical acclaim in television shows and movies, both theatrical and on streaming. She has worked with major directors like Greta Gerwig and top movie stars like Michelle Pfeiffer and Jennifer Aniston. Macdonald has also switched between lead roles, supporting roles, and even smaller guest roles, and often steals the show in any movie or TV show she appears in. While award recognition has not yet come, her future looks bright.
10 Every Secret Thing (2014)
Danielle Macdonald Played Alice Manning
Danielle Macdonald took on one of the lead roles in the crime drama thriller Every Secret Thing in 2014. The movie stars Macdonald as Alice Manning, an 18-year-old who was just released from juvenile hall after serving seven years for the kidnapping and murder of a biracial infant. Serving the same sentence for the crime was Dakota Fanning’s Ronnie Fuller. When a second biracial baby disappears, the truth about what happened seven years in the past finally comes to the surface.
Critics raved about Macdonand’s performance, praising her quiet anger and intensity.
Directed by Amy J. Berg, who is best known for her documentaries Deliver Us from Evil and West of Memphis, helms this difficult story of murder and secrets in a small town. While the film received a low 32% Rotten Tomatoes score, critics raved about Macdonand’s performance, praising her quiet anger and intensity and her ability to really draw in the viewers with her expressions. It premiered at the Toronto Film Festival, after which it received a theatrical release in the United States.
9 Bird Box (2018)
Danielle Macdonald Played Olympia
Bird Box 3
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Bird Box shows the apocalypse through the ears of Malorie Hayes (Sandra Bullock), a mother of two who tries to get her children to safety after realizing that the demonic entities who are ravaging the world only affect their victims through their eyes. The 2018 Netflix hit is based on Josh Malerman’s 2014 novel of the same name.
Director Susanne Bier Release Date December 13, 2018 Distributor(s) Netflix Cast Machine Gun Kelly , Pruitt Taylor Vince , BD Wong , Danielle Macdonald , Lil Rel Howery , Tom Hollander , Julian Edwards , Sarah Paulson , Rosa Salazar , Parminder Nagra , Sandra Bullock , Trevante Rhodes , Vivien Lyra Blair , John Malkovich , Jacki Weaver Runtime 124 minutes Expand
Danielle Macdonald had an important role in the Netflix horror movie Bird Box. Based on the novel by Josh Malerman, Bird Box is a post-apocalyptic story about unseen creatures that cause people to take their own lives if they see them. This means most people have to wear blindfolds when outdoors to protect themselves from the deadly consequences. At the same time, there are also growing cults that want people to die, believing it was meant to be.
Related Bird Box 3: Confirmation, Setting & Everything We Know
Bird Box Barcelona is the start of 2018’s Bird Box being a franchise for Netflix, and talk of where Bird Box 3 will go next is already underway.
Sandra Bullock is the main star, Malorie Hayes, and she is protecting two young children on her journey to find help. Danielle Macdonald stars as a pregnant woman named Olympia, part of a group of survivors that Malorie discovers. Bird Box received mixed reviews with a 63% rating on Rotten Tomatoes. However, it was a massive hit, with almost 26 million viewers in the first seven days of release, and a sequel was greenlit and arrived in 2023 called Bird Box Barcelona.
8 The Tourist (2022-Present)
Danielle Macdonald Played Helen
The Tourist 0
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The Tourist is a dramatic action-thriller series created by Harry and Jack Williams. It was initially released on BBC One in the UK before being released in the US on HBO Max. The series follows Elliot Stanley, an Irish man who wakes up in an Australian hospital with amnesia and must piece together his identity before those pursuing him find him first.
Cast Jamie Dornan , Danielle Macdonald , Shalom Brune-Franklin , Ólafur Darri Ólafsson , Genevieve Lemon , Alex Dimitriades , Damon Herriman Release Date February 29, 2024 Seasons 2 Directors Chris Sweeney
Danielle Macdonald is one of the main cast members of the Max series The Tourist. Jamie Dornan stars in the series as an Irishman who wakes up with amnesia in an Australian hospital with no memories of who he is or what happened to him. He soon meets a local woman named Luci (Shalom Brune-Franklin) who offers to help him figure out who he is. As for Danielle Macdonald, she plays Probationary Constable Helen Chambers, and she is investigating the case of the mystery man and what happened.
The Tourist has two seasons and 12 episodes, airing on BBC One in the UK and Stan in Australia before streaming on Max in the United States after that. The series was critically lauded with an almost perfect 97% fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes and praise going to both Dornan and Macdonald for their performances. Macdonald won the Breakthrough Award at the Edinburgh International Television Festival.
7 I Am Woman (2019)
Danielle Macdonald Played Lillian Roxon
I Am Woman is a 2019 biopic starring Tilda Cobham-Hervey as Helen Reddy, the iconic singer from the 1960s and 70s who created a movement in the music industry with songs about female empowerment during the women’s liberation movement, including the song that the movie was named after, the 1972 track “I Am Woman.” The film shows her struggles as she attempts to release this music in a male-dominated production industry.
I Am Woman
also earned 16 AACTA Awards nominations.
Danielle Macdonald co-stars as Lilian Roxon, a real-life Australian journalist and author. Roxon was best known for her coverage of David Bowie, who she became friends with, and of her report about the August 1970 women’s rights march in New York. Macdonald plays an important role in the movie, as a close friend of Helen Reddy, who helps her make music connections. Critics gave the movie mixed reviews, with a 67% rating on Rotten Tomatoes. I Am Woman also earned 16 AACTA Awards nominations.
6 American Horror Story: Roanoke (2016)
Danielle Macdonald Played Bristol Windows
American Horror Story 3
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American Horror Story is a Horror Anthology series created by Ryan Murphy and Brad Falchuk. The franchise has seen stars like Connie Britton, Jessica Lange, Denis O’Hare, Zachary Quinto, Evan Peters, and Dylan McDermott. Each season follows a new premise and spans an array of horror genres like witches, ghosts, serial killers, and more.
Cast Denis O’Hare , Emma Roberts , Dylan McDermott , Joseph Fiennes , Gabourey Sidibe , Taissa Farmiga , James Cromwell , Angela Bassett , Zachary Quinto , Sarah Paulson , Jamie Brewer , Evan Peters , Lizzie Brochere , Kathy Bates , Jessica Lange , Michael Chiklis , Connie Britton , Lily Rabe , Franches Conroy Release Date October 17, 2012 Seasons 12 Showrunner Ryan Murphy Expand
The American Horror Story franchise has utilized a lot of actors over the years, and Danielle Macdonald got her chance to join the cast in American Horror Story: Roanoke. In this season of the anthology horror series, the first half of the season plays out like a paranormal documentary and the second half is found footage style. The cast had plenty of familiar AHS names, including Sarah Paulson, Kathy Bates, Evan Peters, and Angela Bassett.
Related The Best Performance In Every American Horror Story Season
American Horror Story boasts one of the best casts of any anthology series, with many of them delivering standout performances throughout.
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Danielle Macdonald showed up in the explosive season finale as Bristol Windows, a fan of My Roanoke Nightmare who is interviewed about her thoughts on the show and the people involved, saying she felt bad for Lee Harris (Adina Porter). The season had mostly positive reviews, with a 74% fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes. The season earned four Primetime Emmy nominations, winning for Outstanding Prosthetic Makeup.
5 French Exit (2020)
Danielle Macdonald Played Madeleine
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French Exit is a dark comedy directed by Azazel Jacobs. Michelle Pfeiffer stars as Frances Price, a penniless Manhattan socialite who moves to Paris with her son Malcolm, played by Lucas Hedges. The film follows their eccentric journey as they attempt to start a new life in France, accompanied by their cat, who Frances believes is the reincarnation of her deceased husband.
Director Azazel Jacobs Release Date April 2, 2021 Cast Tracy Letts , Danielle Macdonald , Susan Coyne , Lucas Hedges , Valerie Mahaffey , Isaach De Bankole , Michelle Pfeiffer , Imogen Poots , Daniel Di Tomasso Runtime 113 minutes
Based on the novel of the same name by Patrick DeWitt, French Exit is a 2020 prestige movie with Michelle Pfeiffer starring as Frances Price, a Manhattan heiress who has all her property seized by banks years after her husband dies. Now, almost penniless, she and her son Malcolm (Lucas Hedges) sell everything in their house and move to a small apartment in Paris that Frances’s sister owns. She also has a family cat, which might be her reincarnated husband. The film only received a limited theatrical release and finished with a low $1.6 million box office (via Box Office Mojo).
Critics gave the movie mixed reviews, with a 64% fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes. This was a disappointment since the move was expected to be an Oscar-worthy release, especially for Pfeiffer. Danielle Macdonald played Madeleine the medium in French Exit, a medium who scares passengers on a cruise ship by predicting their deaths. However, she is a real medium who helps them speak to Frances’s dead husband at a séance. Pfeiffer earned a Golden Globe nomination.
4 Lady Bird (2017)
Danielle Macdonald Played Olivia
Lady Bird 2
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Acting as Greta Gerwig’s directorial debut, Lady Bird stars Saoirse Ronan as Christine “Lady Bird” McPherson, a high school senior who dreams of leaving what she sees as a miserable existence in Sacramento, California, and going to college on the East Coast. Lady Bird’s dreams clash with the overbearing wishes of her mother Marion, played by Laurie Metcalf. As Lady Bird faces the social and emotional challenges of her final year of high school, her relationship with her mother becomes more and more strained the harder she attempts to break free.
Director Greta Gerwig Release Date November 10, 2017 Distributor(s) Universal Pictures , A24 Cast Timothée Chalamet , Lucas Hedges , Odeya Rush , Beanie Feldstein , Tracy Letts , Saoirse Ronan , Laurie Metcalf Runtime 94 Minutes
2017’s Lady Bird is acclaimed director Greta Gerwig’s solo feature film directorial debut. Saoirse Ronan stars as Lady Bird McPherson while Laurie Metcalf is her mother, Marion. Lady Bird wants to attend a prestigious university, but her family knows they can’t afford it, with Marion telling her daughter she is ungrateful for having such big dreams. As high school graduation and college looms, Lady Bird begins to rebel, making her home life and relationship with her mother harder.
Related 15 Lady Bird Quotes To Live By
Teen coming-of-age drama Lady Bird is a hotbed of memorable quotes and unforgettable life lessons.
Danielle Macdonald plays Olivia in Lady Bird, and while it was only a small appearance, it was a huge moment for her. “It was one day of work, and I was like, ‘Yeah, I want to work on a Greta Gerwig film. I don’t care that I have one line’” (via W Magazine). The film has an almost perfect 99% Certified Fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes and went on to pick up five Oscar nominations, including Best Picture, Beast Director, Best Actress (Ronan), and Best Supporting Actress (Metcalf).
3 Easy (2017-2019)
Danielle Macdonald Played Grace
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Easy is an anthology series that explores the nuanced complexities of love, sex, and relationships through the lives of a diverse group of Chicagoans. Each standalone episode delves into modern-day dilemmas, from open marriages to aging – few topics are off the table.
Cast Michael Chernus , Elizabeth Reaser , Jane Adams , Orlando Bloom , Malin Akerman , Hannibal Buress Release Date September 22, 2016 Seasons 3 Showrunner Joe Swanberg
Easy is an anthology TV series where each episode is a stand-alone story without any need to watch the other shows to follow along with the current one. This also means there are a lot of actors who work on the episodes, with many newcomers showing up each episode for a new story. One of the standouts in the second season was Danielle Macdonald, who starred in the sixth episode, “Prodigal Daughter.” She plays a teenager named Grace in the episode.
When her wealthy parents (including Judy Greer as her mother) catch Grace making out with a boy, they punish her by making her to to church every Sunday until she leaves for college. She finds a way to strike back at them when she donates her life savings (thousands of dollars) to the church when the minister says rich people can’t get into Heaven. Critics praised Macdonald and Greer for their performances, and the series itself has a high 90% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes.
2 Dumplin’ (2018)
Danielle Macdonald Played Willowdean Dickson
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2018’s Dumplin’ was written by Kristin Hahn and directed by Anne Fletcher. Starring Danielle Macdonald, Odeya Rush, and Jennifer Aniston, the comedy release follows a young high school girl who is raised by her pageant-loving aunt as she enters a pageant with friends in protest.
Director Anne Fletcher Release Date December 20, 2018 Distributor(s) Netflix Cast Dan Finnerty , Jennifer Aniston , Danielle Macdonald , Bex Taylor-Klaus , Odeya Rush , Luke Benward , Ann Mahoney , Harold Perrineau , Dove Cameron Runtime 110 minutes
The movie that introduced Danielle Macdonald to most of the world was the Netflix original Dumplin’. Macdonald stars as Willowdean “Dumplin'” Dickson, a young woman raised in a small Texas town and raised mostly by her Aunt Lucy. Her mother, Rosie (Jennifer Aniston), is a former beauty queen who is too busy running pageants to pay attention to her. After Lucy dies, Dumplin wants to strike back at her mother and enters into a beauty pageant as an act of protest.
However, with a love of Dolly Parton and the help of a group of drag show performers, Dumplin’ is able to dive into the pageant that she entered and prove that a person doesn’t have to have an “ideal” look to be a queen. Critics praised the film, awarding it an 86% fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes. It also earned several awards, including a Golden Globe, for the Dolly Parton and Linda Perry song “Girl in the Movies,” which played in the Netflix movie.
1 Unbelievable (2019)
Danielle Macdonald Played Amber
Unbelievable 0
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Starring Toni Collette and was created by Susannah Grant, Michael Chabon, and Ayelet Waldman. The 2019 miniseries takes an introspective look at a serial assault case that took place in Washington State and Colorado
Cast Mike Merritt , Toni Collette , Kaitlyn Dever , Danielle Macdonald , Dale Dickey , Liza Lapira Release Date September 13, 2019 Directors Michael Dinner
The best TV show that Danielle Macdonald has appeared in over her career so far is the 2019 true crime biopic Unbelievable. The miniseries is based on a real case of a woman who reported that she was raped, only to end up being prosecuted for making the claims. Kaitlyn Dever stars as Marie, the sexual assault survivor who was painted as a criminal for reporting her rape. Toni Collette and Merritt Weaver star as two police detectives investigating the reports of a serial rapist.
Danielle Macdonald stars in the miniseries as Amber Stevenson, a second sexual assault victim, and the woman who got the two police detectives to start looking into the case, eventually connecting it back to Marie. The miniseries has a Certified Fresh Rotten Tomatoes score of 98% and over 32 million viewers watched the miniseries after it hit Netflix. Unbelievable was nominated for four Primetime Emmy Awards and won a Peabody Award for Entertainment.