Hayley Atwell: Her 5 Biggest Movies & TV Shows (And 4 Lesser-Known)
It seems like every actor has been involved in the MCU at some point in their careers, but Hayley Atwell has been there since the early days. Since then, she’s really taken her career to the next level.
The British actress has joined another huge franchise, been in a live-action Disney princess movie, and has even worked with TWO of the most adorable bears on the big screen. That’s quite a few items ticked off the bucket list, we’re sure.
With a career spanning way back to 2005, we’d forgive you for forgetting a few of the projects Atwell has been involved in. So, here’s a look at her five biggest roles to date, and a reminder of four roles you may have missed.
Nothing Atwell has done in her career has quite the impact as her role as Peggy Carter in Captain America: The First Avenger. Her character may have fallen in love with Steve Rogers, but she was more than just a simple romantic subplot. She was integral in leading the battle against Red Skull in that film, and was so effective that she got her own TV show, popped up in various Cap sequels, and was even waiting for Steve when he retired from superhero duty in Avengers: Endgame.
This early Marvel movie is easily one of the best origin tales the franchise has given us. It’s got tonnes of heart, a little bit of humour, and some really cool action moments. It helps that director Joe Johnston was clearly given the freedom to tell the story in his way and with his own distinct style. Most importantly, the casting was spot on: Chris Evans was born to play Captain America, and Hayley Atwell was perfect as Peggy, too.
Granted, her Paddington In Peru role wasn’t huge, but it was fairly important. Her character, Madison, tells Henry Brown to ”embrace the risk”, which leads to the family taking a trip to Peru rather than staying in the confines of London. Ultimately, the visit with Aunt Lucy doesn’t go to plan, but it does mean we get to see the family solve another thrilling mystery.
While this is definitely the weakest of the three Paddington films, it’s more than good enough to cement the series as one of the greatest trilogies of the 21st century. They’re such cute, heartwarming movies that are ideal for any family night in, with humour that works for adults and children alike.
Atwell joined an already ridiculously stacked ensemble cast for Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning, but she made a massive impact. Indeed, the scene that introduces her character, Grace, was one of the best in the whole film, with her proving to be a captivating screen presence as she helps Ethan Hunt evade capture in an airport.
She’s so skilled and loyal that Ethan keeps her around for his next adventure in Mission: Impossible - The Final Reckoning. To be honest, there’s not a lot to separate the two films. They’re both brimming with blistering action and ridiculous stunts, but it’s a shame they’re not quite on par with Fallout, which has a far tighter, more interesting plot.
You have to wait until Season 3 of Heartstopper for Atwell to appear as Nick’s Aunt Diane, but it’s worth it. She’s a no-nonsense woman who offers Nick relationship advice without sugarcoating things for him, and she even takes him on a holiday to Menorca, which is nice.
The Netflix series was an absolute revelation from the moment it first aired. With feel-good vibes and important issues tackled within the LGBTQ+ community, this show resonated with a lot of people. Much like Aunt Diane, Heartstopper is charming and fun, but also packs a punch when it needs to. It’s the kind of show that isn’t afraid to dive into complex themes at times, but understands it needs to be a bit of a warm hug, first and foremost.
I wasn’t going to bang on about Hayley Atwell’s stint in the MCU too much, but I feel like her cameo in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness needs to be discussed. She’s still playing Peggy Carter, but this is a very different version of the character who resides on Earth-838 as part of the Illuminati, where she takes on the mantle of Captain Britain.
Her introduction, along with the other members of the Illuminati, is pretty mind-blowing. However, it’s what happens next, as she takes on Wanda Maximoff, that is truly incredible. It’s the best moment in the whole film, with superb fight choreography and a bold narrative payoff. You can check out that movie, along with all the other MCU entries, on Disney Plus.
In a rather similar role to the one she plays in Heartstopper, Atwell is a figure of emotional support and inspiration in Blinded By The Light as Javed’s teacher, Ms. Clay. Young Javed is navigating a confusing time of his life, combined with difficult social circumstances and political climate. However, the music of Bruce Springsteen and backing of Ms. Clay help him discover who he really is.
You can catch this movie on Lionsgate+ and I really do recommend you do, even if you’re not necessarily a fan of Springsteen. I’m not, and I still found this a very uplifting and enjoyable experience. It’s an endearing story with a very likeable cast, and the musical elements bring a really fun energy to proceedings.
Believe it or not, Atwell’s career has given her the chance to be in TWO movies with two of the best bears around. Years before she got involved in the Paddington franchise, she actually appeared in Christopher Robin, a story about Winnie the Pooh reconnecting with a much older version of the titular character (played by Ewan McGregor).
Atwell made important decisions about her character, insisting she should not be a “passive” wife to Christopher and should be more nuanced, allowing her to let out a more “playful, angrier” side while also having the capability to be “deeply sympathetic,” too. It’s a really intricate role in an absolutely delightful movie that really hits you in the feels.
Clearly, Atwell likes working with Disney. But, we wouldn’t blame you if you forgot she was in the live-action Cinderella movie, playing the titular character’s biological mother. She’s only in the film briefly at the start, before stepping aside and letting the classic story play out, but she does leave little Ella with an important life lesson: to “have courage and be kind" at all times.
I haven’t really been a fan of the live-action adaptations Disney has produced over the last decade, but this is easily one of the better iterations and a film that does genuinely deserve to exist. Cinderella is absolutely stunning from a visual point of view, with sublime costume work and production design. It helps that Lily James is fantastic in the lead role, but the likes of Cate Blanchett, Richard Madden, and Stellan Skarsgård are great in their supporting roles, too.
There are so many episodes of Black Mirror now that it’s hard to keep track of the best ones, but Hayley Atwell was involved in a truly elite episode way back at the start of season 2. When her husband (Domhnall Gleeson) passes away, Martha (Atwell) buys into a new service that allows you to order an exact clone of a deceased person to combat the grieving process.
In typical Black Mirror fashion, this seemingly idyllic solution doesn’t quite work out, and it offers viewers an intriguing insight into the future. With technology advancing rapidly, we already have the ability to hear our dead relatives again through AI, so once again, Charlie Brooker was ahead of the curve. If you like movies like Ex Machina or Steven Spielberg’s A.I. Artificial Intelligence, you’ll love this episode (and the rest of the show, to be fair).
