Sophie Turner only has a relative handful of movies and TV shows to her name, but her talent is impossible to deny. Making her acting debut as one of the stars of Game of Thrones (2011), Turner honed her abilities while contending with the challenges of being a young star. Since the HBO drama concluded in 2019, Turner has made several film and television appearances, displaying an endearing quality that doesn’t betray the harsher edges she can play within a character.
Turner is currently set for one of her biggest roles yet, taking on the role of Lara Croft in the latest adaptation of the Tomb Raider series. Before that show hits Prime Video, it’s worth checking out some of her other projects. While some of the films and shows can’t quite match the heights of her debut series, Turner is typically among the highlights of every production she’s in. Here are the best Sophie Turner movies and shows, ranked.
8. Dark Phoenix (2019)
One of the weaker Fox X-Men movies and a mess on a storytelling level, Dark Phoenix nevertheless highlights how Sophie Turner can still deliver a great performance even when in a muddied film. Playing a young Jean Grey who begins to discover the full extent of her powers after encountering a maniacal alien, Turner’s performance as Grey allows her to embrace a darker side that she has rarely gotten to utilize in other roles.
While neither of the X-Men films that contain Turner is all that good, at least Dark Phoenix has some clever highlights that X-Men: Apocalypse (2016) can’t match. While the film is flawed on a lot of levels, Dark Phoenix at least has enough good Sophie Turner bits to make it a worthwhile watch for fans of the actress, even if it ranks last on this list.
7. Trust (2025)
Similar to Dark Phoenix, Trust serves as a good showcase for Sophie Turner, even as the film itself isn’t all that impressive. As a psychological thriller that follows an actress trying to get some privacy in the woods, Trust’s plot twists turn the faulty tension into unintended comedy. If you’re the kind of person who likes to watch bad movies for their accidental comedic attributes, this bizarre film will be right up your alley. Otherwise, it helps to be a big fan of thrillers.
Even here, however, Sophie Turner underscores her talent as a performer, bringing a genuine level of intensity to her performance. Audiences who love the thriller genre to death and enjoyed movies like Secret Window (2004) will probably enjoy this one. It ranks second to last on this list, but it’s another reminder that Sophie Turner can find gold even in stories that suffer from lackluster scripts and direction.
6. Survive (2020)
Debuting on the short-lived Quibi, Survive was an interesting experiment in turning the Alex Morel novel of the same name into a series of shorts. The adaptation follows Jane and Paul, the only survivors of a plane crash in the snow-covered mountains. As they make their trek back down to society, personal demons and depression confront Jane (Turner). Running roughly the length of a feature film, Survive plays like a mini version of Alive (1993) or Everest (2015).
While the show can often struggle against the short format, Corey Hawkins and Sophie Turner give spirited performances as the unlikely pair try to survive their unexpected ordeal. Turner proves adept at depicting the pressure Jane is under without losing sight of the character’s humanity, a skill set she honed over the years of playing Sansa Stark. Survive isn’t for audiences looking for a light comedy, but there’s a great portrayal of a complex depression in Turner’s starring performance.
5. Do Revenge (2022)
A sly and dark comedy in the vein of Heathers (1989) and Mean Girls (2004), Do Revenge is a modern take on Strangers on a Train (1951) that nails the tenor of the era. Following two tween girls who find themselves outcasts in their social lives, the pair work together to target their respective enemies to seek revenge without being blamed for it.
Dark in its comedy and subject matter, Do Revenge takes the high school revenge plot and amplifies it in some surprising ways. Turner plays a fairly minor role in the Netflix film but still has a memorable turn opposite Riverdale (2017) star Camila Mendes and Stranger Things (2016) fan-favorite Maya Hawke. Good for fans of snarky high school comedies like Bottoms (2023), Do Revenge is a slick comedy that fits neatly into the modern high school film pantheon.
4. The Staircase (2022)
An intense character drama that steadily unfolds against the backdrop of a murder mystery, The Staircase features Sophie Turner in a crucial role that relies on her ability to play the dutiful family member. Based on a true story, the HBO Max miniseries adapts the real-life story of crime novelist Michael Peterson, who was accused of murdering his wife in 2002. Turner appears as Margaret, Peterson’s adopted daughter.
While the series doesn’t really do anything surprising with the material that wasn’t covered by the docuseries, The Staircase (2004), which came out amid the height of the trial, the HBO Max show is a good chance for a talented cast to expand on the major players in the story and explore their humanity amid heightened tension. A steady character study that might not be the right pick for audiences looking for a thrill a minute, The Staircase has great performances across the board, including from Turner.
3. Joan (2024)
As one of the better showcases Turner has gotten to highlight her versatility, Joan gives the actress plenty of different styles to play with. The period-piece crime epic takes a similar approach to Legend (2015), depicting the rise of a criminal mastermind in the London underground.
The story of Joan Hannington is brought to life largely thanks to Turner’s strong performance as a desperate mother who gradually finds a talent for deception and crime. Charming when she needs to be and often pushed to the edge by her circumstances, the different periods of Joan’s life and the challenges she faces give Turner a lot of room to work with. Perfect for fans of crime movies like Goodfellas (1990), Joan gives Turner the kind of starring role she’s been waiting years for.
2. Game of Thrones (2011-2019)
Game of Thrones may have suffered in the latter years, but the HBO fantasy remains a highlight for the 21st century in terms of adult drama. Turner’s performance as Sansa Stark, the privileged princess who endures hardships on her way to becoming an indomitable queen, is one of the understated highlights of the show, with the young Turner delivering a quietly powerful performance that grows with the character.
Faced with some of Game of Thrones’ most difficult material, Turner proves her mettle as an actress for eight seasons, steadily developing her initially frustrating character into someone the audience doesn’t just sympathize with but actively admires in her tenacity. It’s all down to Turner, who holds her own throughout the show against some of the best actors working today.
1. Steal (2026)
As the best work that Sophie Turner has done to date, Steal is a twisty thriller that highlights just how good Turner works in a lead role. Steal focuses on Zara, a financial trader who finds herself caught up in a high-stakes robbery at her financial firm. However, as the investigation into the crime continues, it becomes apparent that Zara might be more than she appears, as a web of intrigue and murder draws her and the investigators in.
A tense thriller that doesn’t always stay on track, the show is rooted in Sophie Turner’s terrific central performance. A great pick for anyone who loves a good modern female-led mystery like A Simple Favor (2018) or The Housemaid (2025), Steal is only as good as its leading lady, meaning it has a really great advantage thanks to the presence of Turner in the lead role.
