Few Hollywood ascents in the 21st century have been as dazzling, technically demanding, and internationally triumphant as that of Ana de Armas.
Beginning her career in Cuba before rising through Spanish television and relocating to Los Angeles without speaking fluent English, de Armas has evolved into an Academy Award-nominated powerhouse. From her breakout moral center in Rian Johnson’s modern mystery classic Knives Out and her ethereal, heartbreaking turn in Denis Villeneuve’s sci-fi masterpiece Blade Runner 2049, to stealing the show in James Bond epic No Time to Die and capturing the tragic soul of Marilyn Monroe in Blonde, de Armas commands the screen with extraordinary depth.
Whether you are exploring our breakdown of the 10 best Ana de Armas SNL sketches, Sydney Sweeney’s top movies and shows, Ryan Gosling’s greatest comedy roles, or modern cinema rankings, here is the definitive countdown of the 10 best Ana de Armas movies of all time, ranked with official posters, critical scores, and character breakdowns.
The 10 Best Ana de Armas Movies at a Glance
★ 1. Knives Out (2019) — Directed by Rian Johnson
★ 2. Blade Runner 2049 (2017) — Directed by Denis Villeneuve
★ 3. No Time to Die (2021) — Directed by Cary Joji Fukunaga
★ 4. Blonde (2022) — Directed by Andrew Dominik
★ 5. War Dogs (2016) — Directed by Todd Phillips
★ 6. The Gray Man (2022) — Directed by Joe & Anthony Russo
★ 7. Deep Water (2022) — Directed by Adrian Lyne
★ 8. Ghosted (2023) — Directed by Dexter Fletcher
★ 9. Knock Knock (2015) — Directed by Eli Roth
★ 10. Hands of Stone (2016) — Directed by Jonathan Jakubowicz
1. Knives Out (2019)
- Role: Marta Cabrera
- Co-stars: Daniel Craig, Chris Evans, Jamie Lee Curtis, Christopher Plummer
- Director: Rian Johnson
- Rotten Tomatoes / Audience Score: 97% / 92%
Rian Johnson’s modern whodunit masterpiece Knives Out is the film that transformed Ana de Armas from a promising supporting actress into an undeniable A-list movie star. Playing Marta Cabrera, the devoted, honest nurse to wealthy mystery novelist Harlan Thrombey (Christopher Plummer), de Armas served as the emotional and moral anchor of a sprawling ensemble that included Daniel Craig, Chris Evans, and Jamie Lee Curtis.
Marta’s unique physical condition—vomiting whenever she tells a lie—could have easily devolved into a cheap sitcom gimmick. Instead, de Armas imbued Marta with profound dignity, empathy, and quiet resourcefulness in the face of a greedy, xenophobic family attempting to strip her of Harlan’s fortune. Her Golden Globe-nominated performance earned universal acclaim and remains the defining triumph of her career.
2. Blade Runner 2049 (2017)
- Role: Joi
- Co-stars: Ryan Gosling, Harrison Ford, Sylvia Hoeks, Robin Wright
- Director: Denis Villeneuve
- Rotten Tomatoes: 88%
In Denis Villeneuve’s visual and philosophical sci-fi triumph Blade Runner 2049, de Armas portrayed Joi, an artificially intelligent holographic companion who falls in love with replicant blade runner Officer K (Ryan Gosling).
Despite being a digital projection programmed to satisfy human desire, de Armas made Joi’s yearning for humanity and genuine sacrifice intensely moving. The groundbreaking “synchronization” scene alongside Mackenzie Davis, as well as the colossal neon billboard sequence, became instantly iconic cinematic imagery. Villeneuve praised her ability to inject authentic emotional soul into complex futuristic themes.
3. No Time to Die (2021)
- Role: Paloma
- Co-stars: Daniel Craig, Rami Malek, Léa Seydoux, Lashana Lynch
- Director: Cary Joji Fukunaga
- Rotten Tomatoes: 83%
De Armas appears for only roughly twelve minutes in Daniel Craig’s final James Bond outing, No Time to Die, yet her character—Paloma, a bubbly, supposedly inexperienced CIA agent stationed in Havana—stole the entire \$300 million film.
Written specifically for de Armas by Phoebe Waller-Bridge, Paloma arrives in an elegant backless gown claiming she’s only had three weeks of training, before unleashing dazzling, gun-fu martial arts choreography and clearing a room of armed SPECTRE operatives with effortless joy. Her sparkling, effortless comedic chemistry with Daniel Craig revitalized the long-standing “Bond Girl” archetype into an empowering, electrifying action highlight.
4. Blonde (2022)
- Role: Marilyn Monroe / Norma Jeane
- Co-stars: Adrien Brody, Bobby Cannavale, Xavier Samuel
- Director: Andrew Dominik
- Rotten Tomatoes: 42% (Academy Award Nominated for Best Actress)
While Andrew Dominik’s psychological adaptation of Joyce Carol Oates’ novel divided critics due to its relentless, nightmarish depiction of Hollywood exploitation, Ana de Armas’s transformative performance as Marilyn Monroe earned universal astonishment—culminating in an Academy Award nomination for Best Actress.
De Armas spent nearly a full year mastering Monroe’s distinct vocal cadence, breathy cadence, and fragile physical vulnerability. The uncanny resemblance during recreations of iconic scenes from Some Like It Hot and The Seven Year Itch was breathtaking, but it was de Armas’s raw portrayal of Norma Jeane’s unhealed childhood trauma that anchored this haunting dramatic showcase.
5. War Dogs (2016)
- Role: Iz
- Co-stars: Jonah Hill, Miles Teller, Bradley Cooper
- Director: Todd Phillips
- Rotten Tomatoes: 61% / 70% (Audience)
In Todd Phillips’ dark comedic crime drama based on the real-life story of two Miami twenty-somethings who won a \$300 million Pentagon arms contract, de Armas played Iz, the grounded, expectant partner of Miles Teller’s David Packouz.
While the film focuses on the chaotic international arms deals orchestrated by Jonah Hill and Teller, de Armas served as the moral compass of the narrative. Her authentic warmth and mounting disillusionment added emotional stakes to what could have otherwise been purely cynical dark comedy.
6. The Gray Man (2022)
- Role: Dani Miranda
- Co-stars: Ryan Gosling, Chris Evans, Regé-Jean Page, Billy Bob Thornton
- Director: Joe & Anthony Russo
- Rotten Tomatoes: 90% (Audience Score)
Reuniting with Blade Runner 2049 co-star Ryan Gosling and Knives Out antagonist Chris Evans in the Russo Brothers’ \$200 million Netflix globetrotting espionage thriller, de Armas played CIA Agent Dani Miranda.
Unlike traditional espionage damsels, Dani Miranda is a formidable field agent who saves Gosling’s protagonist on multiple occasions—wielding grenade launchers, out-driving mercenary squads through Prague, and engaging in punishing close-quarters combat. The film firmly cemented de Armas’s reputation as one of modern cinema’s most physically capable action heroines.
7. Deep Water (2022)
- Role: Melinda Van Allen
- Co-stars: Ben Affleck, Tracy Letts, Lil Rel Howery
- Director: Adrian Lyne
- Rotten Tomatoes: 60% (Audience)
Helmed by legendary erotic thriller director Adrian Lyne (Fatal Attraction, Unfaithful), Deep Water adapts Patricia Highsmith’s psychological novel about a wealthy, dysfunctional suburban couple playing dangerous psychological mind games.
De Armas radiates chaotic, seductive unpredictability as Melinda, flaunting public flirtations to provoke her quiet husband Vic (Ben Affleck) until bodies begin turning up in swimming pools. De Armas’s electric, uninhibited screen energy kept viewers guessing about her true intentions until the final frame.
8. Ghosted (2023)
- Role: Sadie Rhodes
- Co-stars: Chris Evans, Adrien Brody, Mike Moh
- Director: Dexter Fletcher
- Rotten Tomatoes: 55% (Audience Score)
In this high-concept Apple Original action rom-com, de Armas reunited with Chris Evans for an inverted espionage dynamic: Evans plays a sweet, clingy farmer who gets “ghosted” after a great first date, only to discover that de Armas is a deadly undercover CIA operative.
Flipping traditional gender roles allowed de Armas to handle the high-octane rescue missions and sniper shootouts while Evans played the bumbling sidekick in distress. Their easy real-life rapport propelled the film into one of Apple TV+’s most-watched original releases.
9. Knock Knock (2015)
- Role: Genesis
- Co-stars: Keanu Reeves, Lorenza Izzo
- Director: Eli Roth
- Rotten Tomatoes: 50%
In one of her earliest English-language American film roles, de Armas starred opposite Keanu Reeves in Eli Roth’s dark psychological home invasion thriller Knock Knock.
Playing Genesis, one of two stranded young women who knock on an architect’s door during a rainstorm before unleashing psychological terror, de Armas was equal parts seductive, manic, and chilling. Despite speaking minimal English at the time of filming, her ferocious screen presence caught the attention of major Hollywood casting directors.
10. Hands of Stone (2016)
- Role: Felicidad Iglesias
- Co-stars: Édgar Ramírez, Robert De Niro, Usher
- Director: Jonathan Jakubowicz
- Rotten Tomatoes: 44%
Chronicles the legendary life and boxing career of Panamanian world champion Roberto Durán (Édgar Ramírez). De Armas played Felicidad Iglesias, Durán’s fierce, loyal wife and lifelong partner.
Sharing significant screen time with Robert De Niro (who played trainer Ray Arcel), de Armas displayed the magnetic poise that would soon define her career. As de Armas revealed during her SNL monologue, De Niro was so impressed by her work that he personally visited her family in Havana during a trip to Cuba, sparking a lifelong professional bond.
Ana de Armas Film Career Comparison Table
| Rank | Movie Title | Year | Director | de Armas Character | RT Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Knives Out | 2019 | Rian Johnson | Marta Cabrera | 97% |
| 2 | Blade Runner 2049 | 2017 | Denis Villeneuve | Joi (Holographic AI) | 88% |
| 3 | No Time to Die | 2021 | Cary Joji Fukunaga | Paloma (CIA Agent) | 83% |
| 4 | Blonde | 2022 | Andrew Dominik | Marilyn Monroe | 42% (Oscar Nom) |
| 5 | War Dogs | 2016 | Todd Phillips | Iz | 61% |
| 6 | The Gray Man | 2022 | Russo Brothers | Dani Miranda | 90% (Aud) |
| 7 | Deep Water | 2022 | Adrian Lyne | Melinda Van Allen | 60% (Aud) |
| 8 | Ghosted | 2023 | Dexter Fletcher | Sadie Rhodes | 55% (Aud) |
| 9 | Knock Knock | 2015 | Eli Roth | Genesis | 50% |
| 10 | Hands of Stone | 2016 | Jonathan Jakubowicz | Felicidad Iglesias | 44% |
Frequently Asked Questions
What movie made Ana de Armas famous in Hollywood?
Rian Johnson’s Knives Out (2019) was Ana de Armas’s major global breakthrough role. Her performance as nurse Marta Cabrera earned her critical praise, widespread audience adoration, and a Golden Globe nomination for Best Actress.
Did Ana de Armas receive an Oscar nomination for Blonde?
Yes! Ana de Armas received an Academy Award nomination for Best Actress in a Leading Role at the 95th Academy Awards for her portrayal of Marilyn Monroe in Blonde (2022).
Who did Ana de Armas play in the James Bond movie?
In No Time to Die (2021), de Armas played Paloma, an energetic and lethal CIA operative in Havana who assists Daniel Craig’s James Bond on an undercover mission.
What upcoming action movie is Ana de Armas starring in?
Ana de Armas is the lead star of From the World of John Wick: Ballerina, the highly anticipated John Wick universe spin-off action film directed by Len Wiseman, starring alongside Keanu Reeves and Ian McShane.