Honestly, if you only know her as the girl who flipped a plastic cup in a college cafeteria, you’re missing out on about 90% of the picture. Most people associate movies with anna kendrick with that specific brand of "quirky, fast-talking, slightly neurotic" energy. It's a vibe she perfected. But as we move through 2026, looking back at her filmography reveals a much weirder and more daring career than the average Pitch Perfect fan might realize.
She’s gone from being the third-string friend in a vampire saga to a directorial powerhouse making gritty true-crime thrillers. It’s a wild arc. Kendrick has this specific superpower where she can be the most relatable person in the room while simultaneously being the sharpest person in the room.
The Oscar-Nominated Breakout and the Twilight Years
Before she was a household name, Anna Kendrick was basically the only person in the Twilight franchise who seemed like they were having any fun. As Jessica Stanley, she delivered lines with a dry, "I can’t believe I’m in this movie" wit that actually made those high school scenes bearable. But 2009 was the year everything shifted.
Jason Reitman cast her in Up in the Air.
She had to go toe-to-toe with George Clooney, which is a terrifying prospect for most young actors. She played Natalie Keener, a hyper-ambitious, efficiency-obsessed corporate downsizer who eventually realizes the world is a lot messier than her spreadsheets suggest. It earned her an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actress. That performance wasn't just "good for her age"—it was a masterclass in controlled vulnerability. If you haven't seen it recently, go back. You’ll notice how her ponytail almost acts as a secondary character, swinging with every aggressive, certain point she makes.
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The Pitch Perfect Era and Musical Domination
We have to talk about the Barden Bellas. In 2012, Pitch Perfect was a sleeper hit that no one saw coming. Kendrick played Beca Mitchell, the reluctant alt-girl who joins an a cappella group. It was a massive success, spawning two sequels and a chart-topping single, "Cups (When I'm Gone)."
People forget how weird it was that a song featuring nothing but a plastic cup and a folk melody stayed on the Billboard Hot 100 for 44 weeks.
That movie defined a decade of musical comedies. It also cemented her as a bankable lead, though it arguably led to a bit of typecasting. For a few years, it felt like every movies with anna kendrick request was just "find a role where she can be snarky and maybe sing a little bit." She did exactly that in Into the Woods (as Cinderella) and The Last Five Years, proving she’s one of the few actors who can actually handle a Broadway-grade vocal score without heavy studio magic.
Why A Simple Favor Changed the Narrative
By 2018, things got interesting. Paul Feig’s A Simple Favor is, frankly, a bizarre movie. It’s a "mommy noir" thriller that feels like Gone Girl on acid. Kendrick played Stephanie, a "perfect" vlogger mom who gets tangled in the disappearance of her glamorous friend, played by Blake Lively.
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This was a pivot.
Instead of being the underdog we root for, Stephanie is... well, she's kind of a lot. She’s manipulative in her own polite way. The chemistry between Kendrick and Lively was electric, and it showed that Kendrick could play "dark and twisted" just as well as "sunny and bright." The sequel, Another Simple Favor, is officially arriving in 2025/2026, taking the chaos to Italy. If you liked the first one, the buzz around the sequel suggests it leans even harder into the campy thriller vibes.
Taking Control: Woman of the Hour
If you want to see the real evolution of her career, you have to look at her 2023/2024 project, Woman of the Hour. Not only did she star in it, but she directed it.
It’s a chilling look at Rodney Alcala, the "Dating Game Killer." Kendrick plays Sheryl Bradshaw, the woman who actually chose Alcala on the TV show but then refused to go on a date with him because she "sensed something off."
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It’s not a fun movie. It’s tense. It’s an investigation into systemic misogyny and the "gut feeling" women have to rely on to stay alive. Critics loved it, and for good reason—it’s a sophisticated directorial debut. She didn't go for a flashy action movie or a safe rom-com; she chose a story that was uncomfortable and necessary.
A Quick Checklist of Must-Watch Kendrick Roles
If you’re looking to binge her filmography, don’t just stick to the hits. Here’s a mixed bag of the essential and the underrated:
- 50/50 (2011): She plays a therapist-in-training helping a guy with cancer (Joseph Gordon-Levitt). It’s sweet, awkward, and will absolutely make you cry.
- Scott Pilgrim vs. the World (2010): She is Scott’s sister, Stacey. She spends most of her screen time on a phone, being brutally honest. It’s peak snark.
- Alice, Darling (2022): A much quieter, heavier film about emotional abuse. It’s probably her most subtle performance to date.
- End of Watch (2012): A gritty police drama where she plays the wife of Jake Gyllenhaal’s character. It’s a smaller role but shows her range in a non-comedic setting.
- Trolls (2016-present): Look, if you have kids, you’ve heard her voice as Poppy. It’s high energy, it’s glittery, and it’s a billion-dollar franchise.
What’s Next for Anna Kendrick?
The landscape of movies with anna kendrick is shifting toward more behind-the-scenes work. She’s producing more. She’s directing. But she hasn’t left acting behind. With the Another Simple Favor sequel and voice work for the Trolls universe continuing, she’s maintaining that balance between "prestige director" and "mainstream star."
The lesson of her career is basically: don't put her in a box. She started on Broadway at age 12, got a Tony nomination, and has been outworking almost everyone in Hollywood ever since.
If you're looking for your next watch, start with Woman of the Hour to see her as a filmmaker, then loop back to Up in the Air to see the raw talent that started it all. You’ll see two completely different artists, which is exactly why she's still relevant after twenty years in the business.
Actionable Next Steps
- Watch for the 2025 Release: Keep an eye out for the Another Simple Favor trailer. It’s expected to be a major streaming hit on Prime Video.
- Explore the Indie Side: If you’ve only seen her blockbusters, rent Drinking Buddies or Happy Christmas. They are "mumblecore" films that rely heavily on improvisation and show a very different, unpolished side of her acting style.
- Check Her Directorial Path: Following Woman of the Hour, follow industry news on her production company. She's signaled a strong interest in stories that highlight female perspectives in the thriller and true-crime genres.