With an innate ability to elevate the films she appears in to a new level despite very rarely getting starring roles, Vera Farmiga is one of the most underrated actresses currently working in Hollywood. Having begun her cinematic acting career in the late 1990s, Farmiga announced herself as a rising star with her major breakout as the lead of the 2004 indie drama Down to the Bone, which saw her play a drug-addicted mother of two as she tries to rehabilitate herself.

From that launchpad, Farmiga has embarked on a career defined by dare, variety, and consistent acclaim, one which has even netted her an Academy Award nomination. While she is probably best known to many for her horror roles in such films as The Conjuring series and Orphan, Farmiga has also thrived in everything from thrilling crime dramas to razor-sharp romantic comedies.

10 'Nothing But the Truth' (2008)

IMDb Rating: 7.1/10

A tightly-constructed political thriller with a mind to explore the ethical boundaries of journalism and federal security, Nothing but the Truth saw writer-director Rob Lurie make use of a strong cast with intriguing results. It follows Rachel Armstrong (Kate Beckinsale), a reporter for a Washington-based newspaper who, after publishing an article which exposes the identity of a CIA agent, faces the possibility of jail time as she refuses to give up her source.

Farmiga was able to put in a pointed yet volatile performance as Erica Van Doren, the operative that Rachel exposed who loses her family and her livelihood as a result of the revelation. The two actresses, both individually and in the scenes they shared together, were a compelling centerpiece to the film which defined its grounded and intense atmosphere, with both being nominated at the Critics’ Choice Awards.

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9 'Running Scared' (2006)

IMDb Rating: 7.3/10

Blending neo-noir intrigue with an over-the-top, hyper-violent action punchiness, Running Scared rebounded well from critical derision and a poor box office performance to become something of a fan-favored cult classic. It follows a low-level mafioso who becomes the target of an underbelly manhunt when he is ordered to dispose of two guns used in a cop killing, a job he messes up as the weapons fall into the wrong hands.

As the excessive film operated as a vehicle for Paul Walker to expand his career as an action hero, it didn’t present Farmiga with an abundance of opportunity to showcase her brilliance as the lead’s wife, though it did give her some time to get involved in the action violence. Running Scared’s impressive IMDb rating is a testament to its ability to meet key genre conventions while unfolding with a great deal of style.

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8 'The Conjuring 2' (2016)

IMDb Rating: 7.3/10

As one of the biggest brands, not only in modern horror, but in the history of the genre in cinema, The Conjuring films operated at a quality that saw demonic possession movies burst into mainstream consciousness. A major reason for the franchise’s initial success was that, in addition to being well-constructed horror stories with strong core characters, the films were genuinely terrifying, with The Conjuring 2 viewed by many to be one of the scariest movies ever made.

The celebrated sequel follows occult investigators Lorraine (Farmiga) and Ed Warren (Patrick Wilson) as they travel to London to aid a single mother of four whose house is haunted by a malevolent poltergeist. Excelling as both a critical success and a commercial triumph, The Conjuring 2 remains a pivotal staple piece of modern horror as one of the best scary movies of the 21st century thus far.

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7 'Ezra' (2023)

IMDb Rating: 7.4/10

A poignant combination of comedy and drama which actively engages with how comedy is viewed in the modern day, Ezra is a quiet, good-spirited gem of self-destruction and good humor. It follows Max Brandel (Bobby Cannavale), a successful late-night comedy writer who, following a disastrous transition to stand-up which ruined his career and his marriage, finds himself at odds with his ex-wife about the upbringing of their autistic son Ezra (William Fitzgerald), prompting him to take the kid on a cross-country road trip with interesting results.

Boasting a stellar ensemble cast including Robert De Niro, Rose Byrne, Rainn Wilson, and Vera Farmiga, the film found a magnetic warmth in its earnestness, love, and its sense of fun. It premiered at the 2023 Toronto International Film Festival with Bleecker Street acquiring the distribution rights in November.

6 'The Judge' (2013)

IMDb Rating: 7.4/10

Coasting on the charisma and emotional heft of Robert Downey Jr.’s starring performance, The Judge mixed character-driven intrigue and complex familial relationships with courtroom drama. It follows a shady Chicago lawyer who returns to his hometown where he must defend his disapproving father Joseph (Robert Duvall), the town’s judge, when he finds himself on trial for murder.

The family melodrama aspect of the film is further buoyed by its reflective nature as Hank (Downey Jr.) revisits many memories and people from his past, including Samantha Powell (Farmiga), his ex-girlfriend who runs the local diner. Interestingly, while The Judge was well received by general audiences with its commendable IMDb rating, it was far from a box office hit, earning just $84.4 million and it received mostly negative reviews from critics.

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5 'Up in the Air' (2009)

IMDb Rating: 7.4/10

Following Thank You For Smoking and Juno as the third feature film of writer-director Jason Reitman’s career, Up in the Air was another attention-grabbing triumph from the filmmaker which was defined by its wit and intelligence. It follows Ryan Bingham (George Clooney), an employment-terminating specialist sent around the country to aid companies in difficult downsizing processes who, while on the road with an idealistic young colleague, strikes up a casual romance with Alex (Farmig), a businesswoman who also travels frequently.

With gripping central performances from Clooney, Farmiga, and Anna Kendrick, the film offered a sharp and complicated look at romance imbued with brilliant dialogue and twisty plot beats. The film received six Oscar nominations with all three of the leading cast members being nominated for their performances, marking what is the only nomination Vera Farmiga has received to date.

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4 'Source Code' (2011)

IMDb Rating: 7.5/10

A spellbinding thriller which combined action intensity and sci-fi intrigue in equal measure, Source Code excelled as a critically acclaimed hit as well as a strong financial success. It follows a U.S. Army pilot who works in a simulation, continuously re-visiting the moments leading up to a deadly explosion on a commuter train as he strives to uncover who left the bomb, and even tries to prevent the attack.

With sharp direction from Duncan Jones, a brilliant and fresh screenplay from Ben Ripley, and working with a strong lead performance by Jake Gyllenhaal, Source Code finds fascinating ways of building suspense within its premise and stands as one of the more underrated sci-fi films in recent years. Playing Captain Colleen Goodwin, the officer who oversees the mission, Farmiga excelled at delivering necessary, exposition-heavy dialogue in a succinct and engaging manner.

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3 'The Conjuring' (2013)

IMDb Rating: 7.5/10

While the aforementioned The Conjuring 2 was one of the great horror hits of the 2010s, it was the original film in the franchise which stands unmatched as one of the greatest horror movies of the century so far. It centers on a large family who move into a new farmhouse only to find it haunted by a sinister force which terrorizes them, leading them to contact paranormal investigators, the Warrens, for help.

One part of what made the film so terrifying was its basis on real-life events, however, it also found a lot of its horrific heft in the grounded quality given to it by Farmiga’s and Wilson’s performances as the married demonologists. With James Wan operating at his tension-building best as the film’s director, The Conjuring became an instant classic which was revered the world over for its harrowing scares.

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2 'The Boy in the Striped Pajamas' (2008)

IMDb Rating: 7.7/10

A family drama which, despite its PG-13 depiction of the Holocaust, stands as one of the most devastating films about the atrocity ever made, The Boy in the Striped Pajamas is a quintessential viewing experience. Based on the novel of the same name, it follows Bruno (Asa Butterfield), the son of an SS officer who befriends a young Jewish prisoner in Auschwitz after his family moves to a house near the concentration camp following his father's promotion.

The mastery of the film is in how it manages to be a pure-hearted tale of friendship without ever shying away from the heinousness of what it is depicting, making for an emotionally overwhelming viewing experience with a famously heartbreaking ending. Playing a significant role as Bruno’s mother, Farmiga put in one of the most powerful performances of her illustrious career.

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1 'The Departed' (2006)

IMDb Rating: 8.5/10

A revered crime thriller which saw legendary director Martin Scorsese finally win an Academy Award for Best Director, The Departed was an instant cinematic classic. It focuses on the cat-and-mouse game between Colin Sullivan (Matt Damon), a mole in the Boston police department, and Billy Costigan (Leonardo DiCaprio), the undercover cop who is sent into the Irish mob to weed him out.

Vera Farmiga is central to the film as Madolyn Madden, Costigan’s court-ordered psychologist who develops a complicated relationship with the officer while, coincidentally, becoming romantically involved with Sullivan. The film won four Oscars from five nominations, including the Academy Award for Best Picture, and is by far the highest rated film of Farmiga’s career on IMDb thus far, sitting entrenched in the website’s list of the top 250 movies of all time.

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