When Joe Wright dropped Hanna in 2011, it wasn't just another "teenage girl kicks everyone's teeth in" movie. It was weird. It was stylish. It had this pulsing Chemical Brothers soundtrack that felt like a heartbeat. But honestly, the reason it actually worked—and why we are still talking about it years later—was the cast of Hanna the movie.
You had this weirdly perfect mix of a future Oscar heavyweight, a legendary Australian leading man, and a villainous Cate Blanchett who looked like she stepped out of a high-fashion nightmare.
Most people remember the bleached eyebrows. They remember the snowy Finnish wilderness. But if you look closer at the ensemble, you’ll see it was a masterclass in casting actors who could handle both the "fairy tale" vibe Wright wanted and the gritty reality of a CIA manhunt.
Saoirse Ronan as the Ultimate Outsider
Basically, the whole movie rests on Saoirse Ronan’s shoulders. She was only 16 when this came out, but she’d already worked with Wright on Atonement. For Hanna, she had to go through a massive physical transformation.
We’re talking about a girl who had never seen a television, never heard music, and didn't know what a fluorescent light was. Ronan played her with this "feral innocence" that’s honestly hard to pull off. One minute she’s snapping a neck in a CIA holding cell, and the next she’s staring at a ceiling fan like it’s a piece of alien technology.
She did her own stunts, too. Mostly. She trained for hours every day, doing martial arts and gym work to look like she could actually take down a grown man. Her character, Hanna Heller, is a genetic experiment, sure, but Ronan made her feel like a real kid who was just... incredibly dangerous.
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Eric Bana and the Dad Who Knew Too Much
Eric Bana plays Erik Heller. He’s the father—or "father," as the movie eventually reveals. Erik is an ex-CIA operative who stole Hanna away from a program because he couldn't let her be a weapon.
You’ve probably seen Bana in Hulk or Troy, but here he’s much more grounded. He’s melancholy. He loves this girl, but he’s also the one who turned her into a killing machine. There’s a scene early on where they’re training in the snow, and he’s basically beating her up to teach her a lesson. It’s brutal, but Bana brings a softness to the character that makes you realize he’s doing it because he knows what’s coming for her.
He spends a lot of the movie apart from her, trying to lead the CIA on a goose chase through Europe, but his presence is everywhere.
Cate Blanchett: The Wicked Witch of the CIA
If you want to talk about a villain who steals every scene, it’s Marissa Wiegler. Cate Blanchett is terrifying here. Honestly, the way she brushes her teeth until her gums bleed tells you everything you need to know about how tightly wound this woman is.
Director Joe Wright wanted her to be like the "Wicked Witch" from a Grimm’s fairy tale. That’s why she’s almost always wearing green and has that striking red hair. She’s obsessed with "tying up loose ends," which is just a polite CIA way of saying she wants to murder a teenager.
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What’s interesting is the weird motherly vibe she has toward Hanna. She didn’t give birth to her, but she helped "create" her in a lab. It’s a twisted dynamic that Blanchett plays with this Southern-accented, razor-sharp precision.
The Supporting Characters You Probably Forgot
The cast of Hanna the movie isn't just the big three. There are some incredible performances in the margins that give the film its soul.
- Jessica Barden as Sophie: Before she was in The End of the F*ing World, Barden played the mouthy British teen who befriends Hanna. She’s the one who teaches Hanna about makeup, boys, and just being a "normal" person. Their friendship is the emotional core of the middle of the movie.
- Tom Hollander as Isaacs: He is genuinely one of the creepiest movie villains ever. He’s a flamboyant mercenary in short shorts and a yellow tracksuit who whistles while he hunts people. Hollander plays him with this weird, campy menace that makes you want to look away but you can’t.
- Olivia Williams and Jason Flemyng: They play Sophie’s "hippy" parents. They’re just trying to have a nice family vacation in Morocco and Spain, and they have no idea they’ve picked up a genetically modified assassin. Their normalcy highlights just how weird Hanna's life actually is.
- Vicky Krieps: This was one of her earlier roles! She plays Johanna Zadek. It’s a small part, but seeing her here before she became a massive star in things like Phantom Thread is a fun "I know her!" moment.
Why This Cast Still Matters Today
Hanna wasn't just a one-off action flick. It was a jumping-off point for a lot of these actors. Saoirse Ronan went on to become one of the most respected actresses of her generation. Jessica Barden became an indie darling.
The movie even spawned a TV series on Amazon Prime later on, but for many fans, the 2011 film is the definitive version. The chemistry between the cast members—even when they aren't on screen together—is what makes the stakes feel real. You believe that Marissa is obsessed with Erik. You believe that Hanna and Sophie could have been best friends in another life.
It’s a movie about nature versus nurture. Was Hanna born to be a killer, or was she made that way by the people around her? The cast brings that question to life in every scene.
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What to Do Next
If you haven't watched Hanna in a while, it's worth a re-watch just to see how many future stars are hidden in the background. Pay attention to:
- The Whistling: Watch how Tom Hollander’s character uses sound to create dread before he even appears.
- The Costume Colors: Notice how Marissa (Blanchett) is almost always in green, while Hanna is often in whites or earth tones.
- The Soundtrack: Listen to how the Chemical Brothers' beats sync up with the fight choreography. It’s basically a long-form music video.
After you finish the movie, check out the 2019 TV series adaptation. It stars Esmé Creed-Miles as Hanna and Joel Kinnaman as Erik. It's a completely different vibe—more of a slow-burn thriller than a fairy tale—but it’s a great way to see how other actors interpret these iconic roles.
Whatever you do, don't ignore the technical side of the 2011 film. The cinematography by Alwin Küchler is stunning, especially the long tracking shot of Erik fighting in the subway. It's one of those "how did they film that?" moments that makes the movie a classic of the genre.
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