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Lily James

Lily James

Actor, also producer · Born April 5, 1989 (37) · Esher, Surrey, England, UK

2 Screen Actors Guild Awards · Primetime Emmy nominee · Golden Globe nominee · 1 other major award body

Lily Chloe Ninette Thomson (born 5 April 1989), known professionally as Lily James, is an English actress. She studied acting at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama in London. She began her career in the British television series Just William (2010). Following a supporting role in the period drama series Downton Abbey (2012–2015), her breakthrough was the title role in the fantasy film Cinderella (2015). James went on to portray Natasha Rostova in the television adaptation of War & Peace (2016). She starred in several films, including the action film Baby Driver (2017), the period dramas Darkest Hour (2017), The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society (2018) and The Dig (2021), the musicals Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again (2018) and Yesterday (2019), and the sports drama The Iron Claw (2023). Her portrayal of Pamela Anderson in the biographical series Pam & Tommy (2022) earned her nominations for a Golden Globe and a Primetime Emmy Award. Description above from the Wikipedia article Lily James, licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia.

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Biography from TMDB.

Born
April 5, 1989 (37)
From
Esher, Surrey, England, UK
Works as
Actor, also producer
Titles
32 on MovieCove · 46 credits in all
Links
IMDb (opens in a new tab)TMDB (opens in a new tab)Wikidata (opens in a new tab)

Known for

TMDB popularity, last 155 days to Oct 26Down 8% in 30 days

What are Lily James' films like?

Across their 28 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Bonds and Self.

Genres

Comedy6 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 57th percentile
: browse their Comedy movies
Drama6 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 60th percentile
: browse their Drama movies
Biography4 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 89th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Biography movies
Action3 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 85th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Action movies
Crime2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 47th percentile
: browse their Crime movies

Their MovieCove films by primary genre. The badge is the typical Midcredits score of the genre's films, the median percentile; an up arrow marks a genre at or above their average across these genres.

Themes

share of theme weight
Bonds
32%
Self
22%
Morality
16%
Society
11%
Power
9%
Survival
7%
Ideas
2%
Romantic love9 titles, browse their movies with this themeFamily bonds9 titles, browse their movies with this themeIdentity5 titles, browse their movies with this themeFreedom5 titles, browse their movies with this themeLegacy3 titles, browse their movies with this themePurpose3 titles, browse their movies with this themeSacrifice3 titles, browse their movies with this themeComing of age3 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 23 films
ToneFeelDemandtheir average · filled zone: the category
Stylized: How far its world departs from everyday reality. Browse their stylized movies.
Tone · Style
naturalisticheightened

A split, not a type: Grounded 10 · Stylized 8 · Heightened 5

Charged: How hard the emotional peaks hit while you watch. Browse their charged movies.
Feel · Intensity
gentleintense

A split, not a type: Gentle 3 · Charged 9 · Intense 11

Shifting: How much it swings between very different feelings. Browse their shifting movies.
Feel · Swings
steadyswings

Steady 7 · Shifting 13 · Whiplash 3

Some laughs: How much of the runtime is played for laughs. Browse their some laughs movies.
Feel · Humor
noneconstant

Straight-faced 11 · Some laughs 11 · Funny 1

Even-paced: How fast it moves from scene to scene. Browse their even-paced movies.
Demand · Pace
slowrelentless

Slow burn 10 · Even-paced 12 · Relentless 1

Engaged: How much focus it asks of you — look away and lose the thread? Browse their engaged movies.
Demand · Attention
casualfull focus

Casual 6 · Engaged 15 · Full focus 2

Affecting: How much it costs you emotionally; whether you need recovery time. Browse their affecting movies.
Demand · Emotional cost
easyheavy

Easy watch 5 · Affecting 10 · Heavy 8

Resolved: How much is left for you to interpret. Browse their resolved movies.
Demand · Resolution
resolvedambiguous

Resolved 20 · Open-ended 1 · Ambiguous 2

Roles they play

21 analyzed roles

Usually the Hero: 9 of 21 analyzed roles.

Hero
9 of 21
Ally
6 of 21
Mentor
3 of 21
Shadow
1 of 21
Shapeshifter
1 of 21
Herald
1 of 21
Show the 21 roles

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Tense
17
Melancholic
15
Romantic
10
Hopeful
10
Joyful
4
Other
24

How their films linger

Bittersweet17 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHopeful11 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFeel-good8 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteThought-provoking3 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteRousing3 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteUnsettling3 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end · 3 with a twist

  • Happy7
  • Bittersweet15
  • Tragic3
  • Ambiguous2
  • Cyclical1

AI-generated from each title's plot synopsis and cast list, with extra plot summaries, reviews and Parents Guide notes for titles the model may not know, and the model's own knowledge of the ones it recognizes. Only analyzed titles count, so this covers part of the filmography; the feel axes count films only for now.

Where can I watch Lily James' films?

As of October 24, 2026, 21 of their 32 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on Prime Video (6).

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for Lily James' titles on MovieCove; rent and buy are not counted. Titles are listed by Midcredits score, highest first, at most 12 per service; a dashed chip is a producer credit or a minor one, such as a thanks. A service opens the browse page, which counts movies only, so its number can differ.

Filmography

46 credits, 32 with a MovieCove page; 8 appearances as themselves are hidden until asked for.

  • Seasons (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2027)

    Actor

  • Cliffhanger (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2027)

    Producer · as Naomi Cooper

  • The Liberation(2026)

    as Leader

    Midcredits score: 92nd percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)

  • The Angry Birds Movie 3 (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2026)

    as (voice)

  • Bad Lieutenant: Tokyo(2026)

    as Nguyen

    Midcredits score: 43rd percentile of all films

  • Swiped(2025)

    Producer · as Whitney

    Midcredits score: 57th percentile of all films

  • Relay(2024)

    as Sarah

    Midcredits score: 85th percentile of all films

  • Greedy People(2024)

    as Paige

    Midcredits score: 49th percentile of all films

  • Finally Dawn(2023)

    as Josephine Esperanto

    Midcredits score: 35th percentile of all films

  • The Iron Claw(2023)

    as Pam

    Midcredits score: 97th percentile of all films

  • What's Love Got to Do with It?(2022)

    as Zoe Stevenson

    Midcredits score: 51st percentile of all films

  • Pam & Tommy(2022)

    Show 8 episodes · as Pamela Anderson

    Midcredits score: 63rd percentile of all shows

  • Beauty and the Beast: A Comic Relief Pantomime for Christmas (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2021)

    as Rose

  • Rare Beasts(2019)

    as Cressida

    Midcredits score: 28th percentile of all films

  • The Pursuit of Love(2021)

    Show 3 episodes · Executive Producer · as Linda Radlett

    Midcredits score: 36th percentile of all shows

  • The Dig(2021)

    as Peggy Piggott

    Midcredits score: 85th percentile of all films

  • Rebecca(2020)

    as Mrs. de Winter

    Midcredits score: 38th percentile of all films

  • Yesterday(2019)

    as Ellie Appleton

    Midcredits score: 73rd percentile of all films

  • Little Woods(2018)

    as Deborah Hale

    Midcredits score: 50th percentile of all films

  • One Red Nose Day and a Wedding (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2019)

    as Miranda

  • National Theatre Live: All About Eve (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2019)

    as Eve Harrington

  • Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again(2018)

    as Young Donna

    Midcredits score: 72nd percentile of all films

  • Sorry to Bother You(2018)

    as Detroit's White British Voice (voice)

    Midcredits score: 80th percentile of all films

  • The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society(2018)

    as Juliet Ashton

    Midcredits score: 90th percentile of all films

  • Darkest Hour(2017)

    as Elizabeth Layton

    Midcredits score: 93rd percentile of all films

  • Baby Driver(2017)

    as Debora

    Midcredits score: 95th percentile of all films

  • The Exception(2016)

    as Mieke de Jong

    Midcredits score: 70th percentile of all films

  • The Tale of Thomas Burberry (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2016)

    as Betty

  • Branagh Theatre Live: Romeo and Juliet(2016)

    as Juliet Capulet

    Midcredits score: 93rd percentile of all films

  • Pride and Prejudice and Zombies(2016)

    as Elizabeth Bennet

    Midcredits score: 38th percentile of all films

  • War & Peace(2016)

    Show 6 episodes · as Natasha Rostova

    Midcredits score: 91st percentile of all shows

  • Burnt(2015)

    as Sara

    Midcredits score: 62nd percentile of all films

  • Cinderella(2015)

    as Cinderella

    Midcredits score: 77th percentile of all films

  • Silent Treatment (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2013)

    as The Girl

  • Broken(2012)

    as Older Skunk

    Midcredits score: 85th percentile of all films

  • Fast Girls(2012)

    as Lisa Temple

    Midcredits score: 50th percentile of all films

  • Wrath of the Titans(2012)

    as Korrina

    Midcredits score: 29th percentile of all films

  • Chemistry (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2012)

    as Ines

  • Chloe and Will's Hot Date Night (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2011)

    as Chloe

  • Just William(2010)

    Show 4 episodes · as Ethel Brown

    Midcredits score: 67th percentile of all shows

  • Downton Abbey(2010)

    Show 17 episodes · as Lady Rose MacClare

    Midcredits score: 98th percentile of all shows

  • Secret Diary of a Call Girl(2007)

    Show 8 episodes · as Poppy

    Midcredits score: 63rd percentile of all shows

  • Cowboy Bob (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)

    as Peggy Jo

  • Let the Evil Go West (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)

    Actor

  • Photo Booth (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)

    Producer · as Jean Bouchet

  • Subversion (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)

    Actor

Career shape

Star power in the 99th percentile of 239,109 people with a billed film role, over a full career of 46 titles, 38 of them dated from 2007 to 2026; peak year 2018.

Biggest box office

Cinderella (2015)

$542M worldwide

Highest rated

The Iron Claw (2023)

Midcredits 97th

Most popular right now

Cinderella (2015)

Film career

MilestoneBreakoutAward win
20072026

Peak 2018 · their film career is on the way up. Top draw in 22 MovieCove titles. Film roles by billing, audience size and rating; 25+ votes. A show carries a single first-air date, so shows are not on the curve.

By role

only this rolewith another role
Acting46 of 46: 42 only acting, 4 with another role · typical Midcredits score69thProducing4 of 46: 0 only producing, 4 with another role

46 titles, 4 with more than one role — acting and producing overlap on 4 of them.

By decade

2000s1 · acting2010s24 · acting2020s13 · 13 acting · 2 crew

Billing

usually 2nd · top billed in 33% of 24 roles
121722

Counts from TMDB across their full career, self appearances out; a title counts in every role they held on it. The ring is the typical Midcredits score (the median percentile) of the role's titles that are on MovieCove, shown from 5 scored. Billing is TMDB cast order for roles with 25+ votes, billed in the top 30; the columns are the share of top-billed roles in each era, 5-year spans from the year on the label, merged until each holds at least 5 roles.

Awards

2 Screen Actors Guild Awards from 5 major nominations, 2015–2023.

WinNomination
  1. 2023
    • Golden Globe, nominated · Best Performance by an Actress in a Limited Series, Anthology Series or Motion Picture Made for Television
    • +1 other major body · 1 nomination
      • Critics Choice Award, nominated · Best Actress in a Limited Series or Movie Made for Television
  2. 2022
    • Primetime Emmy, nominated · Outstanding Lead Actress in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie
  3. 2016
    • Screen Actors Guild Award, won · Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series
  4. 2015
    • Screen Actors Guild Award, won · Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series

Major bodies only: the Oscars, Primetime Emmys, Golden Globes, BAFTAs and Screen Actors Guild Awards are named; Cannes, Venice, the Berlinale, Sundance, the directors', writers' and producers' guilds, the Grammys, Critics Choice and the Independent Spirit Awards count as other major bodies. Festival and regional prizes are not counted. Source: IMDb.

How do Lily James' films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 71st percentile, the median of all 26; across their 23 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 63rd percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

63rdpercentile
Typical film, the median of 23

Approval · how many liked their films

66thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 23

Reach · how many have seen their films

95thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 23

Midcredits score across 32 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up13
  • 50th to 74th11
  • 25th to 49th8

Shape of the crowd

18 of their 32 titles are Crowd Pleasers.

  • Universally Loved4
  • Cult Classic1
  • Crowd Pleaser18
  • Broadly Agreed2
  • Mixed7

Most divisive · actor

Bad Lieutenant: Tokyo (2026)

81st percentile spread · 22% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · actor

Downton Abbey (2010)

Midcredits 98th · 93% liked

Reviewers score the acting 77/100 in their films, across 23 reviewed titles; fans 83, detractors 56. The element that speaks to their work as an actor.

Percentiles are each film's standing among all films on MovieCove; the typical film is the median, so one outlier cannot drag it. Percentiles and reviewer scores count the films IMDb credits them on, for now; the Midcredits score bands, the shape of the crowd and the two cards count their MovieCove titles, shows included (a show ranked among shows), appearances as themselves left out. A descriptor is the shape of a title's IMDb rating distribution against the catalog; "most divisive" needs a spread wider than half of all titles, and a card names only a principal credit: a craft role, and on a show a crew role or a run of episodes, never a courtesy credit or a one-off guest spot.

Is Lily James' work okay for kids?

Across up to 23 MovieCove titles with content scores, violence & gore runs lighter than most films.

Their medianMedian of all filmsMiddle 80% of their titles
Violence & Gore20 titles7–73 · median 31 · mildlighter than most filmsMedian of all films: 44
Sex & Nudity23 titles11–68 · median 31 · mildnear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 32
Profanity21 titles9–83 · median 42 · moderatenear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 36
Alcohol & Drugs17 titles22–59 · median 32 · mildnear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 33
Frightening / Intense18 titles18–62 · median 36 · moderatenear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 39

Severity 0–100 from the Content Guide. Categories with under 10 votes on a title are not counted. The band's colour is the severity of their median, named beside it.

Who does Lily James work with?

People who share at least 2 of Lily James' MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Eric Fellner shares the most, 5.

Directors

Actors

Composers, cinematographers and editors

Producers