You’ve probably seen her face flash across your screen and thought, "Wait, where do I know her from?" Joelle Rae is one of those actors who just seems to fit into any world she’s dropped into, whether it’s a posh British boarding school or a 1950s rural farm. Honestly, tracking Joelle Rae movies and TV shows is like watching a masterclass in how to build a diverse career in record time. She doesn't just play a character; she basically inhabits them so well you forget she’s the same person who was just playing a mean girl on Netflix two weeks ago.
The Nottingham-born actress didn't just stumble into this. She trained at the famous TV Workshop—the same place that churned out stars like Bella Ramsey and Jack O’Connell. You can tell. There’s a certain "grit" to her performances, even when she’s playing someone supposedly shallow.
The Netflix Breakout: Why Get Even Changed Everything
If you were deep in the Netflix trenches around 2020, you definitely saw Get Even. Joelle played Jemima, a character she once described as a "typical posh, stuck-up schoolgirl." But if you actually watch the show, Jemima isn't just a cardboard cutout villain. Rae brought this weirdly relatable insecurity to the role. She used her "internal voice" to stay in character, often whispering nasty things to her co-stars off-camera just to keep that "mean girl" edge sharp. It worked.
The show became a massive hit because it felt like a British Pretty Little Liars. It gave Rae the platform she needed to show that she could handle the intensity of a high-stakes thriller while keeping the character grounded in reality.
Stepping Into Big Shoes in The Larkins
Replacing a lead actor is a nightmare. Truly. Most actors avoid it like the plague because fans can be, well, a lot. When Joelle Rae took over the role of Mariette Larkin from Sabrina Bartlett in season two of The Larkins, the internet had opinions. People loved Bartlett’s take on the eldest Larkin daughter.
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But Rae didn't try to mimic her predecessor. She basically took the "it's me, just as..." approach. She brought her own energy to the 1950s setting, working alongside heavyweights like Bradley Walsh and Joanna Scanlan. It was a huge pivot from the modern, sharp-tongued world of Get Even to the idyllic, "perfick" life in rural Kent.
Beyond the Big Series: Joelle Rae’s Film Credits
While many fans know her from TV, her film work is where she gets to experiment with different genres. Have you seen My Dad's Christmas Date? It’s a 2020 flick starring Jeremy Piven. It’s sweet, it’s a bit cheesy (in a good way), and Joelle plays a supporting role that showcased her ability to do lighthearted comedy.
Then you have The Gallery. This one is fascinating because it’s an interactive film/game. You aren't just watching; you're making choices. This kind of project requires a different set of muscles for an actor because they have to film multiple versions of the same scene.
- Christmas in Notting Hill: A 2023 Hallmark-style romance where she played the supporting lead.
- The Nice Ones: A psychological horror where she played Kate. To prepare, she actually journaled as the character to get into a darker headspace.
- Your Host: A more recent project from 2025 that keeps her in the thriller/drama loop.
Why The Witcher Season 4 is the Next Big Leap
This is the one everyone is talking about in 2026. Joining the cast of The Witcher for its fourth season is a massive deal. She’s sharing the screen with Liam Hemsworth (who is taking over as Geralt) and the legendary Lawrence Fishburne.
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While her specific character details have been kept under wraps by the standard Netflix "don't-talk-or-else" NDAs, we know she’s moving into the fantasy realm. For an actress who grew up loving Iron Man and sci-fi, this is basically the dream. It’s a total shift from period dramas or teen thrillers into high-fantasy world-building.
A Quick Look at the Joelle Rae Filmography
Let’s be real, it’s hard to keep a linear list of someone whose career is moving this fast. She’s jumped between soaps, prestige dramas, and indie films.
- Emmerdale (2021): She had a stint as Hannah. If you’re a soap fan, you know those sets are high-pressure environments where you have to learn scripts at light speed.
- Starstruck: Another credit that shows her range in the comedy-drama space.
- Voiceover Work: Rae actually has a really successful side-hustle in voiceovers and video games. She has a natural East Midlands lilt but can do a "pitch perfect" American accent when needed.
Honestly, the sheer variety in Joelle Rae movies and TV shows is what makes her interesting. She isn't staying in one lane. She’s doing horror, then a Hallmark movie, then a massive Netflix fantasy epic.
Acting Styles and "Method" Lite
One thing that separates Rae from other young British actors is her prep. For the horror film The Nice Ones, she didn't just show up and scream. She journaled as her character, Kate, to find the "why" behind the fear. Then, once the director yelled "cut," she’d journal as Joelle to snap herself back into reality. That's a lot of emotional work for a project that many might just see as a "scary movie."
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She also seems to love the technical side of the job. She’s mentioned enjoying the challenge of filming without using facial expressions—focusing entirely on body language. This usually happens in motion capture or high-concept sci-fi, which hints that we might see more of her in the gaming or CGI-heavy world soon.
What’s Next for the Actress?
Look, 2026 is shaping up to be her biggest year yet. With The Witcher putting her in front of a global audience and several unannounced projects under NDA, the "where do I know her from?" phase is about to end. People are just going to know her name.
If you’re looking to catch up on her work, start with Get Even. It’s the best representation of her ability to play a character you love to hate. Then, jump over to The Larkins to see how she handles a total 180-degree shift in tone.
Pro-Tip for Fans: If you want to see her most recent work, keep an eye on the 2025/2026 release of Your Host and her upcoming appearance in The Witcher. She’s also very active in the voiceover world, so if you’re a gamer, you might have already heard her without even realizing it.
The best way to track her progress is to check her IMDb periodically, as she often has 2-3 projects in post-production at any given time. She's a workhorse, and that’s why her resume is already longer than actors who have been in the industry twice as long.
To see Joelle's range for yourself, you can find Get Even and The Witcher on Netflix, while The Larkins and Christmas in Notting Hill are often available on ITVX or Hallmark's streaming platforms depending on your region. Keep an eye out for her name in the credits of upcoming AAA video games too, as her voiceover career is quietly becoming just as impressive as her on-screen work.