Summary

• Anna is a gripping action film diving into the gritty world of the KGB with betrayal, romance, and intense action scenes.
• Sasha Luss shines as the titular character, showcasing her talent and range as a former model turned actress.
• The star-studded cast including Helen Mirren, Luke Evans, and Cillian Murphy delivers thrilling performances in this captivating spy thriller.

The 2019 movie Anna checks all the boxes for the action genre, including an excellent cast to bring its intriguing characters to life. The movie, which climbed to Netflix's Top 10 in April 2024, dives into the gritty world of the KGB and the desperation of a woman who wound up there. There's betrayal, disguises, romance, and a whole lot of action brought to the screen by a combination of relative newcomers and seasoned stars.

Initially released on June 21, 2019, Anna follows a young woman who becomes a KGB assassin to escape her life of domestic abuse. The titular Anna becomes one of Russia's deadliest agents, but when the CIA blows her cover, her objective quickly changes. Directed by Luc Besson (The Fifth Element), Anna utilizes the talent of Sasha Luss, whom Besson cast in her first movie role in Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets, as well as beloved stars like Helen Mirren, Luke Evans, and Cillian Murphy, all coming together to make an exciting action film.

Sasha Luss As Anna Poliatova

Date Of Birth: June 6, 1992

• Active Since: 2017

Sasha Luss, born in Magadan, Magadan Oblast, and raised in Moscow, worked as a professional model from the time she was 13 before breaking into acting in 2017. Her breakout role was Princess Lihö-Minaa in the Luc Besson space opera Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets. Ultimately, it was Luss' leading role in Anna that brought her the most recognition, leading her to play Jamie Decker in the 2022 psychological thriller Shattered and Diamond in the action-adventure movie Sheroes in 2023.

Luss plays the titular character in Anna, a domestic abuse survivor who becomes a KGB agent in an attempt to escape her old life. However, when it becomes clear that leaving the life of an assassin behind while still alive will be impossible, Anna begins to take matters into her own hands. While working as a double agent between the CIA and KGB, Luss' character must play a dangerous game of chess with several different opponents to begin a new life.

Helen Mirren As Olga

Date Of Birth: July 26, 1945

• Active Since: 1964

The legendary Helen Mirren, born in London, started her acting career in the theatre, notably giving a memorable performance as Cleopatra in Antony and Cleopatra in 1965, leading to her joining the Royal Shakespeare Company. This led to her breakout role in the controversial movie Age of Consent in 1969 when Mirren was 20. From here, Mirren gained further prominence in movies like O Lucky Man! (1973), Cal (1984), The Madness of King George (1994), and The Long Good Friday (1980).

Mirren has an impressively extensive filmography, but her crowning glory is her portrayal of Queen Elizabeth II in the 2006 movie The Queen, for which she earned her Oscar Award.

In Anna, Mirren plays Olga, a senior KGB agent who serves as Anna's handler throughout the film. This character is as dangerous as she is clever, and though she is an essential ally for the titular character, she is also something of an antagonist. It's a role perfectly fitted to Mirren, whose experience portraying complex and morally ambiguous characters shines through in the 2019 film.

Luke Evans As Aleksander "Alex" Tchenkov

Date Of Birth: April 15, 1979