Julianne Moore first garnered notice in the early 1990s for her supporting turn as a neglectful housewife in Curtis Hanson’s thriller The Hand That Rocks the Cradle. That performance led to starring roles in films by director Todd Haynes and Robert Altman, including Short Cuts (1993).
She went on to portray women suffocated by social norms in Neil Jordan’s adaptation of Graham Greene’s The End of the Affair and Paul Thomas Anderson’s Magnolia (both 1999). She starred as a linguistics professor diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease in 2014’s Still Alice.
1. The Hand That Rocks the Cradle (1992)
After gaining attention in small films and theater, Moore made her big-screen debut in the 1990 schlock film Tales from the Darkside: The Movie. Her next feature, Curtis Hanson’s story of a babysitter who turns bad in The Hand That Rocks the Cradle, brought her even more exposure.
In 1997, she earned her first Academy Award nomination for Boogie Nights, Paul Thomas Anderson’s drama about the porn industry. The year also saw her in a poorly-received romantic comedy and a thriller that failed at the box office.
2. Safe (1995)
Julianne Moore’s 1990 debut flopped, but her career took off with a series of solid small-screen and big-screen roles. Director Todd Haynes crafted Safe to highlight an otherworldly sense of mystery, influenced by Stanley Kubrick and other 70s paranoia thrillers.
Jules Allgood was a complicated role for Moore, but she nailed it. The vumoo movie was a slow-burn but powerful study of a woman coping with an unidentified illness. It also marked the beginning of her long-running partnership with Haynes. He would direct her in four more films.
3. The End of the Affair (1999)
Moore earned a Best Actress nomination for the melodrama Far From Heaven, a role that showcased her ability to balance “neurotic fragility with overbearing brittleness”. She also starred as an opera singer caught up in a hostage situation in the film adaptation of Ann Patchett’s Bel Canto and as a dissatisfied wife in Todd Haynes’ drama May December (2023).
More recently, she portrayed FBI agent Clarice Starling in Ridley Scott’s Hannibal. Other notable films include the dramedy Boogie Nights and the critically acclaimed drama A Single Man.
4. Magnolia (1999)
After a brief flop with the Coen brothers’ dark comedy The Big Lebowski, Moore scored again in the ensemble drama Magnolia. Moore’s character, a cop responding to a noise disturbance, comes into contact with Claudia Wilson (Melora Waters), a tightly wound cocaine user.
She went on to win acclaim for her performance as a linguistics professor with early-onset Alzheimer’s disease in Still Alice (2014). Other acclaimed films include the thriller Freedomland and Alfonso Cuarón’s science fiction film Children of Men. She also starred in the dramas Far From Heaven and The Hours.
5. A Map of the World (1999)
After a modest start in the schlocktastic Tales from the Darkside, Moore was praised for her performance in Boogie Nights. She followed with a role in the Coen brothers’ cult classic The Big Lebowski (1998), as Maude Lebowski, wife of Jeff Bridges’ eponymous character.
Moore demonstrated her versatility as a performer in Todd Haynes’ melodrama Safe and Stephen Daldry’s drama Far From Heaven, both of which earned her critical acclaim. She also starred in Oliver Parker’s adaptation of Oscar Wilde’s An Ideal Husband, as the scheming Mrs. Cheveley, which won her a Golden Globe nomination.
6. The Hours (2002)
As the century closed, Moore was enjoying a steady stream of high-profile films. Her bold portrayal of the scheming sister of Glenn Close in Robert Altman’s ensemble drama Short Cuts was highly lauded, as was her work as a grieving mother in the movie A Map of the World.
She delved into darker territory with her turn as FBI agent Clarice Starling in the dark thriller Hannibal, followed by an Oscar nod for her turn as a linguistics professor diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer’s in 2014’s Still Alice.
7. Far From Heaven (2002)
In Far From Heaven, Todd Haynes cast Moore as a 1950s suburban housewife. She portrayed a character that had lost confidence and self-respect, and critics praised her subtle performance.
Moore continued to impress with performances in various movies. A supporting role in Boogie Nights, a bold turn in Safe and her portrayal of Chekhov’s Yelena earned her more recognition. She also starred in the dramas Magnolia and The Hours. The latter film earned her an Academy Award nomination. Moore appeared in many other films in the following years, including Hannibal and Children of Men.
8. The Kids Are All Right (2001)
After a turn as FBI agent Clarice Starling in Ridley Scott’s numbingly suspenseful Hannibal, Moore returned to comedy with Todd Haynes’s Safe. The film showcased her remarkable ability to balance drama and comedy to striking effect.
She continued to demonstrate her range with roles in Paul Thomas Anderson’s flop Magnolia (1999) and the acclaimed dramedy Far From Heaven (2002). Moore’s next venture, the Apple TV miniseries Lisey’s Story, based on Stephen King’s novel, was less well-received. However, the actress proved her versatility once again in 2015 with an outstanding portrayal of a linguistics professor battling Alzheimer’s in Still Alice.
9. The English Teacher (2013)
After earning a slew of year-end accolades for her portrayal of Sarah Palin in the political television drama Game Change, Moore scored significant critical and commercial success with Sebastian Lelio’s black comedy Maps to the Stars. She starred as an aging actress in the film, which earned her the Cannes Film Festival’s Best Actress award.
She returned to the big screen with Todd Haynes’s melodrama Far From Heaven. Moore’s characterization of a 1950s housewife who strikes up an affair with her gardener is a fine example of the actress’s ability to portray repressed characters in convincing fashion.
10. Carrie (2013)
Moore took on another challenge with this adaptation of Stephen King’s novel. The film received mixed reviews but was a commercial success.
Previously she’d played FBI agent Clarice Starling in Ridley Scott’s Hannibal and women suffocated by repressive social norms in Haynes’ Far From Heaven and Daldry’s The Hours. She also evoked anguish in David Cronenberg’s trenchant Hollywood satire Maps to the Stars and as a dying woman fighting for her pension benefits in Freeheld.
