Diane Lane's Best Performances, Ranked

Diane Lane has been part of the entertainment industry for over four decades now. The actress first began her career as a romantic lead, building her portfolio as time passed by, and now boasts performances in a variety of dramas, musicals, and even a musical. Over the years, Lane has accumulated quite a few awards and nominations, including a nomination for the Academy Awards for Best Actress, and a Hollywood Film Award for Actress of the Year for her role in Unfaithful. Let’s take a closer look at some of her most remarkable performances over the years.

6 Streets of Fire (1984)

Streets of Fire was one of the first films that cemented Diane Lane’s name as a star in the entertainment industry. Directed by Walter Hills, Streets of Fire is a 1984 American neo-noir rock musical. The musical follows Ellen Aim, portrayed by Lane, who is a rock n’ roll singer and is kidnapped by a nefarious biker. The “Rock n Roll fable” is packed with explosive action, which at times becomes a bit too showy with over-the-top brawls, but has a memorable neon set and an excellent performance by the cast. When commenting on Lane’s role, Hill had said that he wanted her to be the rock 'n roll version of Helen of Troy. Hill wanted a star and Lane gave him a star. When standing on stage with her scarlet dress and black go-go boots, Lane’s Ellen Aim is able to not only move the fiction audience to her beat but also the real audience. Streets of Fire was a box office disaster when it was first released, but over the years the musical has gathered quite the cult following.

5 The Cotton Club (1984)

Based on a book of the same name by James Haskins, The Cotton Club is a 1984 crime drama film that centers on a jazz club in 1930s Harlem. The narrative of the movie follows a group of musicians and performers as they build a career by performing in the underground. Lane plays the part of Vera Cicero, who is not only the girlfriend of a crime kingpin, Dutch Schultz, but also catches the eye of a musician named Dixie. Not only does the actress look absolutely stunning, but her performance in the movie is also spectacular. Vera needs Schultz’s help to survive within the underground, but one glance at her, and it’s not hard to figure out that her heart belongs to Dixie. Perhaps one of the scenes where Lane does a spectacular job of showing Vera’s emotions is when she’s singing at a party along with Dixie. Even as she sings for the crowd, her eyes give her away.

4 A Walk on the Moon (1999)

Directed by Tony Goldwyn, A Walk on the Moon is a 1999 drama film that is set around the 1969 Woodstock festival and the United States' Moon landing. The movie follows Pearl Kantrowitz, portrayed by Lane; a young mother who starts an affair after feeling lonely, with her husband being absent most of the time. Lane does a spectacular job in the movie, so much so that she got her first Independent Spirit Award nomination for Best Actress. The actress does an amazing job at capturing the dilemma of a woman who was married too young. Through Lane’s performance, the audience can clearly see that Pearl loves her family, but also craves freedom from her marital relationship.

3 A Little Romance (1979)

Directed by George Roy Hill, A Little Romance, as the name indicates, is a 1979 American romantic comedy. It is also Diane Lane’s debut film. The story follows a French boy and an American girl who meet in Paris and then fall in love; the two hope to seal their love forever by kissing beneath the Bridge of Sighs at sunset. Lane’s portrayal of 13-year-old Lauren is exactly how you would imagine a teen (or tween) to be when in love. Through her performance in the film, Lane shows the audience that not only is she a natural actress, but a captivating one at that. It’s rather interesting to see the young couple trying to act like adults, but it's not hard to say that they’re still kids trying to make the most of the time they have together.

2 Under the Tuscan Sun (2003)

Based on Frances Mayes’ 1996 memoir of the same name, Under the Tuscan Sun is a romantic comedy-drama that follows a divorced writer who buys a villa in Tuscan on a whim. Lane portrays Frances, who on the surface, seems calm and sunny, but is resigned as she feels like she may never be able to finish her book. Under the Tuscan Sun is all about being patient, courageous, and resilient after dealing with heartache. Lane, through her performance, is able to remind the audience to embrace the unknown and to always have faith in themselves. With her performance, the actress is able to bring emotional nuances to the film. She even got a Global Globe nomination for Best Actress in a Motion Picture - Comedy or Musical for her performance in the movie. It’s rather interesting to draw a parallel between the villa and Lane’s character. Both the villa and Frances’ mental health are in shambles at the start, but slowly as the movie progresses and both are given the proper care and nurturing they require, they slowly begin to heal.

1 Unfaithful (2002)

If one were to name a single best performance by Diane Lane, it would no doubt be her performance in Unfaithful. Lane has received numerous nominations and awards for her performance in the movie, including a Global Globe nomination for Best Actress in a Motion Picture - Drama; a National Society of Film Critics Award for Best Actress, and a Hollywood Film Award for Actress of the Year. Unfaithful is an erotic thriller film that tells the story of a couple whose marriage goes askew when the wife starts an affair with a stranger she encounters. Lane does a phenomenal job at portraying the wife, Connie, who is (literally) swept away by a stranger and starts an affair with him. The confession scene in the film is perhaps the most memorable. All the tension in the film has been leading up to this moment when Connie’s husband Edward finally finds out about the affair, and kills his wife’s lover with a snow globe. In this particular scene, Lane’s performance is reliant on not her dialog but on her expressions. The actress does a spectacular job of portraying to the audience not only the fear she feels but also the heartache when she finds out that her husband has killed her lover. Through her performance, Lane proves to the audience how deserving she is of every award and nomination she’s received thus far.