Alison Brie has long graced our television screens with many memorable roles. From Madmenambitious Trudy Communityhonors student Annie, to other notable performances, including voicing introspective writer Diane Nguyen in Bojack riderBrie has truly found a place in the hearts of series fans around the world.
Outside of the TV world, Brie also continues to add a series of films to her IMDB page, not the least of which is a notable performance in an Academy Award nominated film. Promising young womanhighlighting the actress’s ability to seamlessly transition from comedy to drama, excelling in everything she does.
For all Brie fans who want to make sure they don’t miss out on the best of the sweet, quirky, chameleon-like actress, this list is for you!
Ruth in GLOW (2017-2019)
In an interview with El magazine, Bree reflects on all her past roles and reveals how she is most connected to SHINERuth Wilder. AT SHINERuth is a 1980s Los Angeles-based wrestling actress who gets an audition for Gorgeous Ladies of Wrestling (or GLOW). Ruth is initially portrayed as a homemaker, but quickly develops into a more layered and complex character that viewers can relate to; passionate and creative, but often her worst enemy.
In addition to playing Ruth with the utmost authenticity, Bree has also been known to perform several of her own stunts on the show, even actually wrestling many of her co-stars. At least Brie’s performance SHINE is a true tribute to her ambition to throw herself into any role, fully immersing herself in the wrestling lifestyle, learning techniques and strength training, a reflection of her character and how Ruth, too, puts her all into the professional wrestling arena.
Annie Edison in the community (2009-2015)
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Bree is probably best known for her role as Annie Edison on the NBC sitcom. Community, a show that was truly made for his fans - strange and wonderful at the same time. As Annie, Brie is a young, quirky, enthusiastic schoolgirl character who lives on campus; studious, but at the same time almost unnaturally cheerful and one of the few in the study group who is less inclined to participate in morally ambiguous college plans. It really testifies to the actress’s ability to switch between drama and comedy, which leads to her varied and unrecognizable performances. Bree plays Annie with proper youthful innocence but also sudden comedic twists to darker manipulative streaks where she always makes fans laugh and get fully immersed in this six-season sitcom.
Sarah in Horse Girl (2020)
AT horse girlBree takes on the lead role as the protagonist Sarah, the so-called “horse girl”, a lonely and awkward young woman who leads a quiet, solitary life. The film itself begins in classic Sundance indie style, with slow and moody scenes that immerse viewers directly into the character’s own world. However, the storyline soon turns into a sci-fi thriller that is as dark as it is mysterious.
In recent years, Bree has shown that the mental health aspect of the film is actually based on her own real-life family history with paranoid schizophrenia and the worries she caused about her own mental health. In conversation with Vulture Bree magazine talked about how her mother’s mother lived with schizophrenia. In the film, Sarah believes she is a clone of her deceased grandmother and begins to go insane. Obviously, much of Bree’s personal life and anxieties are reflected in horse girl, where she co-wrote the script for the film, and also played a major role in it. Writing the film reportedly helped the actress emerge from one of her own depressive periods, highlighting the film’s cathartic nature for the lead actress herself. To see a different, personal and dramatic side to Alison Brie, horse girl not to be missed!
Trudy Campbell in Mad Men (2007-2015)
At first glance, Bree’s character MadmenTrudy is just another suburban housewife living in a time when women were treated badly. However, if you take a closer look, Trudy is a surprisingly complex character with many levels - optimistic, kind, but also insightful and fully aware of the rules of the world she lives in. She is fiercely supportive of her husband, knowing full well that if Pete succeeds, then so will she, and at the same time acutely aware of what he is up to in his time (yes, another betrayal Madmen husband) - and is ready to state the law when necessary.
Throughout the seasons of the series, we do see Bree’s acting become more and more intricate. Despite being on the sidelines most of the time, Bree really shines by portraying Trudy’s character evolution over time as she quickly becomes a fan favorite.
Madison in Promising Young Woman (2020)
Oscar-nominated crime drama and black comedy. Promising young womanstars Carey Mulligan as a young woman who, traumatized by an incident in her past, seeks revenge on those who cross her path. While Mulligan excels as feminist anti-hero Cassie, a medical school dropout who lures predatory men to their doom, Bree’s performance as Cassie’s former college friend, Madison, is also noteworthy.
As a superficial character who doesn’t seem to be embarrassed by her own past ignorance about an old friend’s allegations of sexual abuse, Madison is, to put it mildly, a nasty individual. In a pivotal scene where two friends are chasing each other over drinks, Bree brilliantly portrays the unfortunately all too common approach to blaming the victim, a problem that is so pervasive that it still defines how our justice system handles such crimes. Cassie Madison’s subsequent act of revenge is certainly hard to watch, but it adds to the film’s uniqueness by hinting at the potential we all hold for atrocities.
Lally Graham in The Post (2017)
In another big screen, Brie stars in Steven SpielbergX Mailplaying Lally Graham, daughter of notorious Washington Post publisher Kay Graham (Meryl Streep). Even though he has starred alongside big names in the industry like Bob Odenkirk, Tom Hanks, and the aforementioned Meryl Streep, Bree still makes her mark in this entertaining dramatic thriller about the cover-up of the true story that propelled the nation’s first female publisher to lead the war between the press and the state. While she commented that working under Steven Spielberg was like a dream come true, Bree really lives up to the collective talent of the ensemble cast, owning a role in yet another solid dramatic performance.
Michelle in The Rental (2020)
Written by her husband Dave Franco, Rent is a horror thriller about two couples who rent a country house for the weekend, where Bree plays Michelle, one of four friends. Michelle is an optimistic character who is blissfully unaware of her husband’s infidelity until a twist in history turns the holiday weekend into a nightmare scenario. While the film’s concept is indeed simple and perhaps too familiar for a thriller, the cast certainly livens up the tension and turmoil that builds up as the story progresses, where Bree effectively contributes to the overall tension.
Lainey in Sleeping With Other People (2015)
In a very different role, Bree plays Lainey in the 2015 romantic comedy. sleep with other people. Based on a timeless and classical premise comparable to the infamous When Harry Met SallyThe film tells the story of JakeJason Sudeikis) and Laney as they enter into a complicated “just friends” relationship that leads to an inevitable romantic relationship. Sudekis and Bree, backed by a brilliant supporting cast, play each other with just the right balance of humor and warmth. The portrayal of Bree Laney as upbeat but aware of her insecurities helps make the film a light-hearted and genuine feat in the world of modern romantic comedy.
Unikitty in The LEGO Movie (2014)
In another play as a voice actor, Bree plays Unikitty in a family, Lego Movie. The film has a charming ensemble cast and fast-paced animation, where much of the comedic dialogue is surprisingly just as fun for adults as it is for kids. Bree uses her familiar upbeat voice to play the half-kitten half-unicorn from LEGO, embodying all the traits of an idyllic childhood character - cheerful, light and happy - as well as the ability to have deadly fits of rage. Despite the limitations of a children’s film, Bree still manages to add her unique comedic talent with plenty of improvisation and emotional qualities to her voice acting.
Source: Collider
