Ella Purnell is a rising star in Hollywood with an impressive number of hit new projects over the last few years, but she isn’t new to acting, and she has an impressive body of work. Purnell may have risen to fame for roles where she flawlessly plays an all-American girl in shows like Fallout and Yellowjackets, but the actress originally hails from the UK, and that is where she got her start in acting. When Purnell was younger, she performed in the West End, before landing bigger roles in TV and film that launched her career to new heights.
Her debut role in Never Let Me Go saw her playing a significant part when she was just 12 years old. From there, she has grown from strength to strength, playing younger versions of notable figures, before arriving at an age and level where she could comfortably lead an entire show. Now, she has tackled incredible roles that put her firmly in the limelight, with many more projects under way.
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Fallout
2024
Fallout 
4.0 4
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Based on the video game franchise of the same name, Fallout is a drama series set in post-apocalyptic Los Angeles. The series follows the survivors of the human race in an alternate 1950s timeline, where nuclear war laid waste to the Earth, spawning large irradiated areas and mutated humans who now roam the planet.
Cast Walton Goggins , Ella Purnell , Kyle MacLachlan , Xelia Mendes-Jones , Aaron Moten Release Date April 10, 2024 Seasons 1
Many people will have discovered Purnell in Fallout on Prime Video, where she plays the optimistic, but occasionally naive Lucy MacLean. The series is based on a popular video game franchise, and Purnell is instrumental in the show’s success, creating a compelling character who grows from an impressionable young woman, to a tough, self-sufficient survivor. The series also rapidly became the second most-watched show on Prime Video within two weeks of release (via Variety), which likely helped to get the upcoming second season greenlit.
Purnell showcases an impressive range in the role of Lucy, as the character does experience a great deal of growth within a short span of time. However, while the timeline is short, Purnell’s performance provides both a believable and compelling journey for the character. As she goes through delirious optimism, fear and disgust, terrified horror, and astonishing bravery, Purnell ensures that every side to Lucy feels authentic and visceral.
Yellowjackets
2021
Yellowjackets 3.5 0
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Yellowjackets is a thriller and drama television series created by Ashley Lyle and Bart Nickerson. The series stars Melanie Lynskey, Tawny Cypress, and Ella Purnell. The plot sees a high-school Soccer team from New Jersey returning home from a National Tournament in Seattle. As they make their way back by plane, there is an unfortunate crash that sees them stranded in the Canadian wilderness.
Cast Juliette Lewis , Sophie Thatcher , Warren Kole , Jasmin Savoy Brown , Tawny Cypress , Steven Krueger , Christina Ricci , Ella Purnell , Sammi Hanratty , Sophie Nélisse , Melanie Lynskey Release Date November 14, 2021 Seasons 2
Purnell also starred in the recent Showtime hit, Yellowjackets. This dark and gritty thriller follows an all-girls high school football team in two different periods of their lives. When the girls and their coach, and a few others travel away for a football game, their plane has a terrible crash which leaves them stranded in the middle of nowhere. As the months wear on, they must turn to unthinkable means in order to survive. While in the present, they struggle to leave their past behind as they reintegrate into regular life.
Purnell plays Jackie, a typical high school girl who is popular, has an adoring boyfriend, and dear friends. However, when trapped with her best friend in the wilderness, she learns the truth about her boyfriend’s unfaithful ways. Purnell elevates this role beyond a scorned teenager, imbuing the character with layers that are slowly peeled back over the course of the show. Unfortunately, Purnell’s presence is felt less in the second season, but it doesn’t diminish the impact she has whenever she appears.
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Star Trek: Prodigy
2021
Star Trek: Prodigy 0
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Star Trek: Prodigy is the first TV series in the Star Trek franchise marketed toward children, and one of the few animated series in the franchise. The story follows a group of young aliens who find a stolen Starfleet ship and use it to escape from the Tars Lamora prison colony where they are all held captive. Working together with the help of a holographic Captain Kathryn Janeway (Kate Mulgrew), the new crew of the USS Protostar must find their way back to the Alpha Quadrant to warn the Federation of the deadly threat that is pursuing them.
Cast Rylee Alazraqui , Brett Gray , Kate Mulgrew , Ella Purnell , Dee Bradley Baker , Angus Imrie , Jason Mantzoukas , John Noble Release Date October 28, 2021 Seasons 2
While she may be more inclined to stick to a plan and stand out among the crew, she also softens and begins to feel at home among the crew
Beyond the live-action roles that Purnell has become most famous for, she has also launched a successful career as a voice actor. Star Trek: Prodigy is the first Star Trek project which was designed specifically for a younger audience, with a crew of teenage explorers who stumble on an old Starfleet ship and learn to work together to become a functional crew. The animated series is clearly tied to the larger Star Trek universe, but it’s also more focused on being fun, and adventurous with heroes that reflect that.
Purnell plays Gwyndala, who, in a contradictory fashion, appears to be the most like the characters found in traditional Star Trek shows. She is headstrong, focused on order and ensuring the missions are carried out successfully and efficiently. Purnell imbues the character with a stubborn, intelligent, and headstrong nature. While she may be more inclined to stick to a plan and stand out among the crew, she also softens and begins to feel at home among the crew on the USS Protostar over time.
Never Let Me Go
2010
Never Let Me Go 0
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Director Mark Romanek Release Date October 15, 2010 Cast Carey Mulligan , Keira Knightley , Sally Hawkins , Andrew Garfield , Charlotte Rampling , Domhnall Gleeson Runtime 103 minutes
Purnell’s debut role came when she was a young child, playing the role of Young Ruth in Never Let Me Go. This dystopian story is based on the award-winning novel of the same name by Kazuo Ishiguro. In a parallel reality, clones have been successfully developed to such an extent that they are bred en masse to harvest their vitals for real humans to extend their lifespans well beyond 100 years. The film revolves around the stories of three of these young people and their desperate search to be seen as more than an experiment.
Purnell plays the younger version of Ruth, a character whose older counterpart is played by Keira Knightley. The first section of the movie focuses on the lives of these clones as children, where Purnell features prominently. Despite being her first credited performance for the screen, she delivers a performance that appears beyond her years in levels of quality.
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Miss Peregrine’s Home For Peculiar Children
2016
Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children 2.0 1
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When Jacob discovers clues to a mystery that spans different worlds and times, he finds Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children. But the mystery and danger deepen when he gets to know the residents and learns about their special powers. Based on the 2011 novel by Ransom Riggs, Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children was directed by Tim Burton and stars Eva Green as the titular character.
Director Tim Burton Release Date September 30, 2016 Cast Asa Butterfield , Raffiella Chapman , Milo Parker , Rupert Everett , Kim Dickens , O-Lan Jones , Allison Janney , Terence Stamp , Samuel L. Jackson , Ella Wahlestedt , Eva Green , Ella Purnell , judi dench , Chris O’Dowd Runtime 127minutes Expand
Continuing on her creative journey as an actor, Purnell continued appearing in smaller productions in the UK for several years before breaking into larger roles in the US. In 2016, she appeared in Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children alongside Asa Butterfield, and Eva Green. The film follows a group of fantastical children who have special gifts, but must hide in time loops in order to avoid being captured or killed by threatening creatures known as hollows.
Purnell plays Emma Bloom, a girl who has a gift known as aerokinesis. This means that she is lighter than air, and has the ability to manipulate the air to do strange and wonderful things, such as breathing underwater. The role was a great step in Purnell’s career, but certainly did not see her character placed front and center.
Army Of The Dead
2021
Army of the Dead 2.0 3
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From director Zach Snyder, Army of the Dead combines the zombie apocalypse and heist genres in an exciting twist on the classic action film. Approached to retrieve $200 million dollars from a casino vault in the now zombie-ridden Las Vegas, a group of mercenaries embarks on the mission, unaware of what dangers await them inside the quarantined city limits.
Director Zack Snyder Release Date May 21, 2021 Cast Ana de la Reguera , Samantha Win , Tig Notaro , Matthias Schweighöfer , Huma Qureshi , Omari Hardwick , Michael Cassidy , Theo Rossi , Ella Purnell , Raul Castillo , Hiroyuki Sanada , Garret Dillahunt , Richard Cetrone , Dave Bautista , Nora Arnezeder Runtime 139 minutes Expand
Army of the Dead came out in 2021 on Netflix, and it showcased a side of Purnell that hadn’t been explored much up to that point. The film is a zombie heist movie which sees Dave Bautista play a highly skilled military vet who is hired to perform an impossible job inside zombie-ridden Las Vegas. Bautista plays Scott Ward, while Purnell plays his estranged daughter, Kate. However, Kate has more in common with her father than she would like to admit.
Kate is headstrong, brave, and willing to do anything to protect those she loves. This leads her to join her father and his crew on their perilous mission, where Purnell proves just how capable she is as an action star in a dystopian wasteland. This likely helped prepare her for her role in Fallout, as Kate Ward also has striking similarities to Lucy MacLean once she finds herself in the wasteland.
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Arcane
2021
Arcane 5.0 0
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Set in the League of Legends universe, Arcane focuses on sisters Violet and Powder (later Jinx) as they end up on opposite sides of a growing conflict between the wealthy utopia of Piltover and its dark undercity whose citizens wish to break away from their oppressors. Hailee Steinfeld, Ella Purnell, and Kevin Alejandro star in this animated adventure.
Cast Hailee Steinfeld , Ella Purnell , Kevin Alejandro , Katie Leung , Jason Spisak , Toks Olagundoye , Harry Lloyd , JB Blanc , Reed Shannon , Mick Wingert Release Date November 6, 2021 Seasons 1
Another animated show, Arcane, is aimed more at an adult audience as it deals with more mature themes and features quite a lot of violence. The series is set in the universe of the popular League of Legends video game. The show features the incredibly talented Hailee Steinfeld in the lead role as Vi, accompanied by the character’s sister, Jinx, voiced by Ella Purnell as her co-star.
The show has received widespread critical acclaim since it first aired the first season in 2021 on Netflix. After a long hiatus, the series is set to release the second and final season in November 2024, which will conclude the story of Vi and Jinx. Purnell once again proves her versatility and talents as she plays a sadistic, sarcastic, figure who has a soft core that is buried beneath her trauma and tragic past. Purnell excels at creating an emotional performance with just her voice.
Maleficent
2014
Maleficent 2.0 2
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A live-action reimagining of the fairytale of Sleeping Beauty, Maleficent follows the titular fairy witch (Angelina Jolie) in a dark fantasy origin story. After falling in love with a human, Maleficent is betrayed when he steals her wings. Swearing revenge, she curses his infant daughter, Princess Aurora, leading to a retelling of the beloved fairytale from an alternate perspective.
Director Robert Stromberg Release Date May 30, 2014 Cast Sam Riley , Sharlto Copley , Elle Fanning , Juno Temple , Angelina Jolie , Imelda Staunton Runtime 1h 37m
It may be difficult to spot the young actress in the film as most of her scenes were reshot with the younger actress, Isobelle Molloy
Maleficent came out in 2014, and falls squarely in a period where villain origin stories were peaking. While the movie predominantly stars Angelina Jolie as the titular figure, Ella Purnell did have a role as the teenage version of Maleficent which she was credited for in the film. However, it may be difficult to spot the young actress in the film as most of her scenes were reshot with the younger actress, Isobelle Molloy, as they wanted to go younger for the background story.
While this is a tragic loss for what could have been an early showcase of more of Purnell’s talents, she does still appear in one scene in the film’s theatrical cut. When Maleficent is seen kissing Stefan with the sun setting behind them, Purnell is the on-screen figure. While her appearance is brief, it is a notable role for the young actress which saw her transition from the UK film scene to larger Hollywood productions.
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Kick-Ass 2
2013
Kick-Ass 2 3.0 2
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The sequel to Kick-Ass sees Aaron Taylor-Johnson reprise his role as the titular vigilante. Kick-Ass 2 sees Dave Lizewski – A.K.A. Kick-Ass – join the vigilante team Justice Forever. Meanwhile, Mindy Macready (A.K.A. Hit Girl) tries to live a normal life, even as Chris D’Amico (Christopher Mintz-Plasse) takes on a supervillain persona and forms his own team with the intention of killing Kick-Ass.
Director Jeff Wadlow Release Date July 17, 2013 Cast Aaron Taylor-Johnson , Chloe Moretz , Morris Chestnut , Claudia Lee , Amy Anzel , Clark Duke Runtime 113 minutes
Kick-Ass 2 is a movie inspired by the popular graphic novel of the same name. The sequel was released in 2013, and represented another notable step for Purnell as her career moved stateside. However, while Aaron Taylor-Johnson and Chloë Grace Moretz were kicking butts, Purnell’s role was distinctively different.
Purnell plays a character called Dolce, who is a part of the popular group. When Moretz’ character moves into her school, the popular group welcome her in the hopes that she will join them. Dolce and the rest of the group show Mindy (Moretz) boys whom they have crushes on from boybands, and Mindy is quickly taken in by her fledgling emotions. And of course, considering the adult nature of Kick-Ass, the scene features a lot of swearing as the pre-teens gossip about their crushes.
Sweetbitter
2018
Sweetbitter 0
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Sweetbitter is a drama series based on the novel by Stephanie Danler. The show follows Tess, a young woman who moves to New York City in 2006 and begins working at one of the city’s most prestigious restaurants. As she navigates the fast-paced and chaotic environment, she experiences a crash course in fine dining, toxic relationships, and self-discovery. The series stars Ella Purnell in the lead role.
Cast Ella Purnell , Tom Sturridge , Evan Jonigkeit , Eden Epstein , Jasmine Mathews , Daniyar , Paul Sparks , Jimmie Saito Release Date May 6, 2018 Seasons 2
In 2018, Purnell landed her first leading role in a TV series for a Starz Original series. Sweetbitter follows Tess (Purnell), a young woman who moves to New York to chase a new and exciting life. Once she lands a job at a celebrated New York restaurant, she has her chance to make her dreams come true, but she has to figure out how to live in New York and blend in first.
Purnell stars alongside Tom Sturridge, who would go on to become Dream in the popular Netflix series The Sandman. As Tess, she immerses herself in everything that New York has to offer, but things aren’t always as easy and straightforward as they seem. The drama and intensity of this series was an excellent proving ground for Ella Purnell as she developed her talents and refined her ability to play in a lead role. No doubt, the series helped to shape her career and push her towards the success she is now embracing as her star in Hollywood rises ever higher.