Riley Keough has proven to be one of the definitive young actresses of her generation, and has quickly grown from a standout supporting player to a star in her own right. It’s impressive that despite her youth, she has already developed working relationships with veteran auteur filmmakers such as Steven Soderbergh, Antoine Fuqua, and George Miller, but also takes chances on many genre projects from emerging directors. Keough has proven to be just as popular on television as she is on the big screen; she gave her breakout performance in The Girlfriend Experience, and currently stars alongside Chris Pratt and Taylor Kitsch in Prime Video’s military thriller The Terminal List, which has already been renewed for a second season.
A recent news cycle has emerged in the celebrity gossip space about “nepo babies” (via Vulture) and how young actors and actresses are shown favoritism and opportunities simply because of their family name. Considering that Keough is the granddaughter of Elvis Presley, she admitted that she was “terrified” of being labeled as part of this trend. However, she has proven time and time again that her talent is worthy in its own right. Here are the best Riley Krough movies and television shows, ranked.
10 The Lodge
The Lodge is a great example of Keogh’s ability to elevate the material that she’s working with. With her riveting performance as the former cult member Grace Marshall, she shows how difficult healing for traumatic circumstances can be, and the tragic repercussions that can occur. The film itself relies on Grace’s unstable perception of reality, and Keough does a great job at evoking sympathy.
9 The Guilty
The Guilty is a nearly shot-for-shot remake of a 2018 Danish film that reformatted as an American police thriller; Jake Gyllenhaal stars as a committed ambulance dispatcher who desperately communicates with potential victims over the phone. Even though she’s not seen on-screen, Keough gives a commanding vocal performance as Emily Lighton, a mentally disturbed woman who risks her child’s life when escaping from an abuser.
8 Magic Mike
Magic Mike is not the fun stripper comedy that some may have expected, as Soderbergh opted for a more dramatic take on the material that showed a sensitive side to masculinity. Nonetheless, Keough added an integral female perspective as Nota, a character that sadly did not appear in Magic Mike XXL or Magic Mike’s Last Dance.
7 Mad Max: Fury Road
It almost goes without saying that Mad Max: Fury Road is one of the best action films ever made, but it remains impressive that each character stands out within George Miller’s overwhelming spectacle of carnage, bloodshed, and rage. Few storylines are quite as impactful as the relationship between Keough’s character Capable and Nux (Nicholas Hoult), a former War Boy who learns through love that he doesn’t have to spend his life dedicated to an insane warlord.
6 It Comes at Night
It Comes at Night was not the film that the initial trailer made it out to be; while some may have expected a straight-up monster movie in the vein of Cabin in the Woods or Crawl, A24’s emotional drama explores the tension between two families in the wake of an apocalyptic future. The family Paul (Joel Edgerton), his wife Sarah (Carmen Ejogo), and their son Travis (Kelvin Harrison Jr.) hastily decide to welcome the strangers Will (Christopher Abbot) and Kim (Keough) and their younger son into their home, resulting in a tense standoff where they each suspect the other family of betraying them.
5 American Honey
Andrea Arnold’s sensitive epic American Honey is one of the most raw and emotional independent films in recent memory; few dramas have explored the plight that this generation of young people face in defining themselves quite as accurately. While the story focuses on the young runaway Star (played by Sasha Lane) and her decision to join a traveling band of young nomads, it’s Keough’s unusual and somewhat unlikeable performance as the group’s ringleader Krystal that is truly the standout.
4 Zola
The viral Twitter campaign that inspired the plot of Zola was enough to generate attention in its own right, and the film did not fail to deliver on the outrageous events that occurred. The film follows the young stripper Zola (Taylour Paige), who is befriended by the veteran performer Stefani (Keough) and travels alongside her and her boyfriend Derrek (Nicholas Braun) on a wild road trip that takes a criminal turn. Stefani’s mood, background, and intentions seem to change on a moment’s notice, and Keough does a great job at making her an untrustworthy, yet hilarious standout character.
3 Under the Silver Lake
Under the Silver Lake is one of the most underrated and widely misunderstood satirical films of the 21st Century; the film initially debuted to mixed responses at the Cannes Film Festival, and did not receive a theatrical rollout until nearly a year later. While the story is a convoluted caper that follows the young bachelor Sam (Andrew Garfield) and his attempts to uncover a conspiracy involving subliminal messaging, it’s really a satire of Hollywood’s depiction of women. After spending a single night with the illustrious girl Sarah (Keough), Sam becomes convinced that she’s been abducted and kidnapped. Keough does a great job at playing a version of Sarah that exists solely in Sam’s mind.
2 Logan Lucky
Logan Lucky is an uproarious caper comedy film that showed that Keough could be the dominant performance within a family unit. Her character Mellie Logan reluctantly agrees to help her brothers Logan (Adam Driver) and Jimmy (Channing Tatum) in robbing Texas Motor Speedway, and quickly becomes the most effective schemer within their family.
1 Daisy Jones & The Six
Daisy Jones & The Six is a wholly original examination of the interior relationships within a rock band that ultimately falls apart after reaching the height of success. While each character within the titular band is memorable in their own right, it’s Keough’s performance as the flawed and often unlikeable lead singer Daisy Jones that allows the miniseries to reach both its dramatic and comedic heights.