Vera Farmiga brings both a sense of mystique and motherly energy to the many roles she has played. She has graced both the big and small screens throughout the years, appearing in all kinds of movies and TV shows. To many audiences, she is most known for her emotionally honest performances within the horror, crime, and drama genres. These roles often invoke a feeling of urgency and desperation within typically tense settings, like her interpretation of Norma Bates in Bates Motel and her portrayal of Lorraine Warren in films from The Conjuring Universe.
But her strengths also lie in her versatility. Her ability to shape shift from a maternal figure like Norma or Lorraine into a much more unlikeable character like Elizabeth Lederer in When They See Us exemplifies her excellence in the development of her characters. An article in the Guardian said of her acting ability, "On screen, she possesses a rare combination of luminescence and a mastery of nuance, expressing internal conflict with a slight twist of the mouth; conveying a sense of deep emotion through the merest flicker of the eyes." Let's look back at Vera Farmiga's best performances, ranked.
7 The Boy in the Striped Pajamas (2008)
As Elsa, Bruno's mother and Ralf's wife, Farmiga captures growing concern and the eventual impact of crushing grief. The Boy in the Striped Pajamas is an extremely tragic historical drama that follows a dangerous friendship between young Bruno and Schmuel, who is imprisoned in a concentration camp during the Holocaust. After the film's climax, culminating in the heartbreaking death of the two boys, Elsa breaks down screaming and crying as she realizes what happened and grapples with her husband's involvement.
6 The Departed (2006)
The Departed, a thriller from Martin Scorsese, took home a handful of Oscars in 2007, including Best Picture. Farmiga plays Dr. Madolyn Madden, a no-nonsense police psychiatrist, who eventually becomes the love interest of Colin Sullivan and then Frank Costello. Her powerful (and often exasperated) performance is accentuated by a perfectly placed Boston accent. She hammers home the believability and real-life feeling of her role through Madolyn's tenacity, especially in a Scorsese crime epic.
5 Orphan (2009)
In Orphan, Kate is reeling from the passing of her unborn child when she and her husband John opt to adopt a mysterious young girl named Esther. Through this role, Farmiga paints a picture of a mother in crisis. She struggles with how to help her newly adopted daughter while facing the gutting pain of her own past, but she becomes increasingly horrified and protective when she learns the shocking truth about Esther. While Farmiga isn't set to appear again in the film's upcoming prequel, Orphan: First Kill will bring back Isabelle Fuhrman.
4 Bates Motel (2013-2017)
As Norma Bates, the eponymous and infamous mother of a monster, Farmiga develops a feeling of desperation and fierce devotion through this portrayal. Building upon the backstory of Psycho, the television show Bates Motel ran for five gruesome seasons that followed young Norma and Norman before its heartbreaking finale. While Norma isn't even technically alive during the final season, her smothering influence (and her propped up dead body at the dinner table) continued to haunt Norman from beyond the grave, showcasing Farmiga's creepy and all-consuming on-screen nature.
3 When They See Us (2019)
Netflix's When They See Us, directed by Ava DuVernay, captures the real-life story of the Central Park Five and the cruel complications that follow the false assault accusations. Farmiga plays Elizabeth Lederer, the head prosecutor of the case, with brash and unforgiving accuracy. As the voice of heated argumentation and hatred-fueled anger throughout the courtroom, Farmiga was nominated for an Emmy for Outstanding Supporting Actress. Following the impact of the miniseries, the real Elizabeth Lederer recently stepped down from her position at Columbia Law School.
2 Up in the Air (2009)
Up in the Air is a comedic drama set in an airport, that follows George Clooney's Ryan Bingham, a company downsizer who has a change of heart after meeting Farmiga's Alex Goran. He begins to fall in love with the flirty frequent flier, who appears to be a free agent at first glance. He enjoys chasing this windblown woman to different cities until Alex reveals to him that she's already married with kids. After that point, the film becomes more of a dark comedy than what was advertised, showing Farmiga's affinity for stories with twist endings. She was nominated for Best Supporting Actress for this role at the 2010 Academy Awards.
1 The Conjuring Universe (2013-Present)
Finally, Farmiga shines as Lorraine Warren in the films of the Conjuring Universe. As the matriarch of the spiritually attuned Warren family, Lorraine is a celebrated paranormal investigator alongside her husband Ed. She truly brings a mother's tell-tale intuition to a whole new level, helping put an end to multiple harrowing hauntings across the world. Portrayed as a loving mother to their daughter Judy, a fierce protector of her family, and a champion of love and light within the darkness, Lorraine is a gentle conduit of otherworldly communication. Farmiga captures primal fear, concern, and an uneasy sense of knowing through the journey her face takes as scenes progress.