Spotlight On: Rose Byrne

Australian-born actress Rose Byrne has made quite a name for herself, starring in everything from science fiction films to R-rated comedies. She’s got an incredible range, and here are a few of her memorable roles to prove it.

‘Wicker Park’ tells the story of a man obsessed with a former love who puts his life on hold to trail a woman he thinks might be her. Starring Byrne and Josh Hartnett, this dramatic thriller is a must see for fans of the actress.

In this classic retelling of Homer’s ‘The Iliad,’ Byrne plays Briseis, the relative of Trojan royalty who ends up being captured by Achilles (Brad Pitt). While Byrne plays a minor role in this big budget adaptation of the epic poem, her performance manages to impress amongst all the swordplay.

In this sequel to director Danny Boyle’s shaky-cam zombie thriller, ’28 Days Later,' Byrne is very compelling in the role of a U.S. Army doc working to repopulate London following the spread of the Rage virus. Things go south when more angry and fast zombies plague the city in this underrated sequel, which also stars Jeremy Renner.

Director Danny Boyle enlisted future Captain America Chris Evans and Rose Byrne for his first space-set sci-fi film, which centers on an international team of astronauts on a desperate mission to save Earth by reigniting its dead sun. This expensive indie failed to hit with mass audiences, but it does have its fans.

In ‘Get Him to the Greek,’ Rose plays Jackie Q, the pop star girlfriend of drugged-out rocker Aldous Snow, played by Russell Brand. Featuring a who’s who of music and entertainment celebrities, ‘Greek’ is one of producer Judd Apatow’s more underrated comedy hits.

As the mother of a boy suffering from a coma – and ties to supernatural forces – Byrne shines in this successful, low-budget horror film that spawned a very creepy sequel.

Director-writer Paul Feig gave a big boost to Rose’s career when he cast her in his hit 2011 comedy. In the film, Byrne plays Helen – a beautiful, rich bridesmaid locked in an all-out battle with the bride’s best friend, Annie (Kristen Wiig). One of the decade’s funniest films, Byrne’s is one of many standout performances – allowing her to show off some impressive comedy chops.  

Byrne’s first Marvel movie finds her sharing the screen opposite Magneto (Michael Fassbender) and Professor Xavier (James McAvoy) in Matthew Vaughn’s origin story about the mutant X-Men. 'First Class,' which is heavily inspired by 60s Bond movies, features Byrne as a CIA operative working with the X-Men to stop an evil Kevin Bacon from lighting the fuse on World War III.

One of Summer 2014’s most successful comedies, this R-rated laughfest pairs Byrne with Seth Rogen, with the two playing a married couple at war with Zac Efron and the rest of their frat boy neighbors.