The Essential Aaron Taylor-Johnson Viewing Guide
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At only 33 years old, Aaron Taylor-Johnson has played a Marvel superhero, a smooth assassin, John Lennon, and a dashing Russian count. And with upcoming roles in Robert Eggers's Nosferatu and Sony's Kraven The Hunter—not to mention those 007 rumors—Taylor-Johnson's career is clearly just beginning.
Taylor-Johnson started his career when he was six years old, taking a small roles in films such as Shanghai Knights, The Illusionists, and Angus, Thongs, and Perfect Snogging. After a breakout role as John Lennon in Nowhere Boy, Taylor-Johnson became a sought-after talent, cementing his ability to command the screen in 2010's Kick-Ass. Later on, he'd star in Anna Karenina, Avengers: Age of Ultron, and A Million Little Pieces, as a meticulous James Frey.
While we eagerly anticipate Kraven The Hunter, it's the perfect time to look back on all the fun, bloody, and dramatic roles the versatile young actor has already pulled off.
Angus, Thongs, and Perfect Snogging (2008)
Taylor-Johnson established himself as a heartthrob in this adorable rom-com, which follows a high school girl who putw together the perfect 15th birthday party—complete with a perfect boyfriend, of course. Taylor-Johnson shines as the love interest, Robbie, showing off an innate, effortless charm that has simply continued to effervesce as his career grows.
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Nowhere Boy (2009)
In the 2009 biopic, Nowhere Boy, Taylor-Johnson took on the heavy burden of playing one of the most well known musicians of all time, John Lennon. The film follows the teenage years of Lennon's life, with Taylor-Johnson deftly portraying the complicated rockstar's inner life. The film gives Taylor-Johnson plenty of room to play Lennon with the humanity of a struggling young artist.
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Kick-Ass (2010)
A fresh-faced Taylor-Johnson's turn in Kick-Ass—as the vigilante dweeb Dave Lizewski—isn't exactly the kind of role we now associate with the actor. He's a little more buff nowadays. Still, Taylor-Johnson showed glimpses of the charm and humor that would serve him well later in his career. Even with my metal plates and my fucked up nerve endings, I gotta tell you, that hurt!" My hero.
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Anna Karenina (2012)
Joe Wright's sweeping film adaptation of the iconic Russian novel, Anna Karenina, earned a slew of award nominations in 2012. Taylor-Johnson starred as Count Vronksy, the calvary officer who begins a life changing affair with Anna Karenina. Taylor-Johnson creates a enrapturing performance as a young man torn apart by love and duty, facing the consequences of a strict upper class society for his adulterous affair. The film does justice to the passionate novel—and Taylor-Johnson breathes life into its complicated leading man.
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Savages (2012)
Oliver Stone's Savages marked a darker role for Aaron Taylor-Johnson—and he devoured it with voracity. He depicts Ben Leonard, a Californian marijuana grower and dealer, who enters a dangerous game with a Mexican cartel.
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Godzilla (2014)
Listen, we know that humans haven't really been the stars of the recent Godzilla and King Kong movies, but where the heck is Taylor-Johnson's Lieutenant Ford Brody? The man (kind of) saved Godzilla's life! That must be worth something.
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Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015)
In the second Avengers outing, Taylor-Johnson stars as Pietro Maximoff, AKA the quick-footed Quicksilver. Spoiler alert for nearly a decade-old film incoming: he doesn't make it to the end of the film. Let the man rest in peace, Evan Peters!
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Nocturnal Animals (2016)
In Tom Ford's Nocturnal Animals, Taylor-Johnson portrayed a sadistic Texan grifter. He gave a performance so enrapturing that he won the Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actor. The neo-noir thriller lays out an intriguing, stylish story of love and betrayal. Even with its metanarrative, Taylor-Johnson still manages to steal the show.
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Bullet Train (2022)
Who else can convincingly play an assassin named Tangerine? Tangerine! (Imagine if I bylined as Banana. Yeah, it wouldn't work.) In Bullet Train, Taylor-Johnson is a total delight, fitting right in with the film's slick action-comedy—and trading blows with Brad Pitt like a damn pro.
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Kraven The Hunter (2024)
OK, we're cheating a bit here— Kraven the Hunter doesn't debut until Summer 2024. But that doesn't mean we aren't already itching for it. By the looks of Kraven the Hunter's trailer, Taylor-Johnson's turn as the iconic Spider-Man villain is a winner. He even wears the fur vest! Take that, Tom Holland.
In theaters August 30, 2024
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