Oscars 2026: 5 Movies and TV Shows to Get to Know Renate Reinsve
Of all the performers nominated at the Oscars 2026, Renate Reinsve is probably the biggest unknown. But she’s already put together an impressive filmography in the early days of her career.
Reinsve is nominated for Best Lead Actress for her stunning turn in Joachim Trier’s meditative family drama, Sentimental Value. She’s in great company there, too, with the likes of Stellan Skarsgård and Elle Fanning also recognised by the Academy for their roles, as well as newcomer Inga Ibsdotter Lilleaas.
You may not know much about Reinsve just now, but she’s likely to explode later this year when she appears in the movie Backrooms from A24. Until then, you can see what the Norwegian actress has been up to previously with this rundown of her five most important projects to date.
Believe it or not, this is not the first time Reinsve has been part of an Oscar-nominated movie. She collaborated with Trier on The Worst Person in the World in 2021, and the film earned nominations for Best Original Screenplay and Best International Feature Film. It’s quite surprising Reinsve herself wasn’t given a nod for her scintillating and stirring portrayal of a woman struggling to find her purpose in life.
Her character Julie is self-destructive and a lot of internal conflict, which Reinsve has to portray with a lot of nuance; she embodies a confident outward persona while delivering on the emotional moments behind closed doors. The movie itself is a fascinating character study, but it’s also a little bleak at times, so make sure you’re in the right mood before you give it a watch. You can find The Worst Person In the World on MUBI.
2024 was a phenomenal year for Reinsve, with a number of projects hitting the big and small screens. The one that proved her range as a performer the most, though, was the very underrated zombie movie, Handling the Undead. This is not your average flesh-eating flick, though – it’s more a depiction of grief and desperation than any of the more stereotypical survival stories you normally find in this sub-genre.
If you enjoy watching emotionally disturbing zombie movies like Cargo and Train to Busan, you’ll get a lot out of this gritty, raw Norwegian effort. I think it’s the kind of film that, weirdly, might be a very cathartic experience for anyone who has suffered loss and is still trying to deal with those feelings. Regardless, it’s a lovely-looking film that has splashes of more gruesome imagery to keep you on your toes, while also leaving you with plenty to think about afterwards.
Away from films in her native tongue, Reinsve played a key role in the dark mystery thriller, A Different Man, from A24. The movie sees struggling actor Edward (Sebastian Stan) take drastic measures to change his appearance in order to improve his chances of success. He strikes up a relationship with playwright Ingrid (Reinsve) and lands an interesting role, but the emergence of a charismatic outsider, Oswald (Adam Pearson), causes everything to unravel.
This is probably Reinsve’s most accessible film to date. Although there are quite ambiguous moments and surrealist imagery, it’s still a fairly manageable story that most people will find intriguing. A Different Man is like a crossover between American Psycho and The Elephant Man, with plenty of rich thematic discussion to be had about the motives and actions of the characters. If you have Now TV Cinema, it’s well worth checking out, but I’d even urge you to rent it for £3.49 on YouTube if not.
Reinsve stepped into the sci-fi realm with Another End, which gave her the chance to flex her chops in a romantic context while also pushing further into experimental, high-concept territory. With AI at the core of this story about moving on (or not, as the case may be) after a loved one has passed away, it’s also even more topical now.
It’s in the same vein as films like Her and Ex Machina, but has a much more tender and sentimental vibe to it. There are subtitles, and I know some folk are averse to that kind of thing, but this film leans heavily on visual storytelling, so please don’t let those little words put you off. You will have to pay £3.99 to rent Another End from Prime Video, but if you like diving into underseen gems, it’s well worth a shot.
Not content with making a name for herself on the big screen, Reinsve has started her assault on mainstream television, too. To round out her incredible 2024, she starred alongside Jake Gyllenhaal in the Apple TV show, Presumed Innocent, where she’s had some really complex, intense scenes to sink her teeth into. This legal thriller takes place over eight engrossing episodes, with plot twists aplenty and some outstanding performances from a very talented ensemble cast.
This is the kind of show you simply will not want to stop watching – I binged all eight episodes over two nights with my partner, and we both found it supremely satisfying. If you’re keen on procedurals like The Night Of and The Sinner, where all is not as it seems, you’ll relish seeing this mystery unfold.
