Mackenzie Davis is a Canadian actress who rose to prominence after she made her debut in Smashed in 2012. She then went on to star in several other indie films and eventually broke into the mainstream when she starred in Halt and Catch Fire from 2014-2017 as computer programmer Cameron Howe.
In her career, she would take on a lot of roles that are significant to the LGBTQ+ community, namely including her episode in Black Mirror and recently in Happiest Season opposite recently Oscar-nominated Kristen Stewart. Davis brings a flare to her performances which draws the audience in and is standout in whatever role she takes on. Most recently, Davis starred in HBO’s slow-burn Station Eleven. While we wait to see what’s next for the actress, here are Mackenzie Davis’ best performances, ranked.
9 Always Shine
Mackenzie Davis took the lead in 2016s psychological drama Always Shine, directed by Sophia Takal. The story follows Anna (Davis) and Beth (Caitlin Fitzgerald), two old friends who are now actresses, as they decide to go on a weekend trip to Big Sur. As their trip progresses, it becomes more apparent that their relationship has deteriorated, and things are not the same. It’s a clever piece of cinema that explores the complexities of relationships and Davis’ performance adds to the reality of this.
8 Terminator: Dark Fate
Terminator: Dark Fate served as the sixth film in the Terminator franchise and a direct sequel to T2. The film didn’t perform as well commercially as the films that came before it, but did well with critics. She stars alongside Arnold Schwarzenegger as Grace, a hybrid cyborg human who must protect Ramos from the seemingly indestructible robotic assassin. It’s a different role than the usual played by Davis, and she succeeds in the high energy franchise action movie, gripping the audience with her mastery of her character.
7 Happiest Season
Happiest Season was a spin on the cliché Christmas movie and was released in 2020. She stars as Harper alongside Kristen Stewart as Abby and Harper, respectively, a lesbian couple who return home to Abby’s hometown at Christmas to meet her family. She chooses to keep Harper as secret when they arrive, instead introducing her as a friend, which causes tension between the pair. It’s a moving and heart-warming film, which is a refreshing break from the classic cookie cutter Christmas film, and both actors have brilliant chemistry.
6 Tully
Tully was the third collaboration between Mackenzie Davis and director Jason Reitman as well as screenwriter Diablo Cody. The story is a powerful comedic drama that depicts the life of Marlo (played by Charlize Theron) as she hires a nanny named Tully (Davis) to help her look after her baby after she adjusts to its birth. The film is very funny and meaningful at the same time. The pair have undeniable chemistry and it’s one of Davis’ strongest performances.
5 Station Eleven
Mackenzie Davis took the leading role in the miniseries Station Eleven, which premiered on HBO Max in 2021. The show is set twenty years after a flu pandemic resulted in the collapse of civilization, focusing on a group of survivors and how they navigate the new world. Davis plays Kirsten, and her performance is very convincing. The subject matter is especially relevant given the nature of the world today.
4 The Martian
In 2015, she starred alongside Matt Damon in the very successful The Martian. Matt Damon plays an astronaut who is stranded on Mars and Mackenzie Davis stars as Mindy Park, a member of the team who are trying to bring him home. Her performance was praised by critics, and she showcased her ability to star alongside big players in Hollywood.
3 Halt and Catch Fire
Davis moved into the mainstream in the period drama Halt and Catch Fire which ran on AMC from 2014-2017. This series dramatizes the personal computing boom through the eyes of tech workers wo brought about the creation of the World Wide Web. The series was hugely successful, and Davis plays Cameron Howe, a computer programmer who is recruited from University due to her talent. Her performance is strong and helped showcase her range as an actor, setting the grounds for her future career.
2 Black Mirror
Black Mirror has been a huge success for Charlie Brooker, and produced several seasons with all unique episodes that explore the dark side which could arise as technology advances. The episode in which Davis starred is a fan favorite and created a huge stir after its release the episode is set in a fictional town known as San Junipero, where the introverted Yorkie (Mackenzie Davis) meets the more outgoing Kelly (Gugu Mbatha-Raw). It turns out the town is a place that the elderly can inhabit even after death, and the two are able to live out youth and fall in love together. It’s incredibly moving and a monumental piece of TV for LGBTQ+ representation, and arguably the best episode of the series.
1 Blade Runner 2049
Davis paired up with Ridley Scott for the long-awaited sequel to Blade Runner, and featured an ensemble cast including Ryan Gosling as Officer K and Harrison Ford as Rick Deckard. Blade Runner 2049 was hugely successful and was very anticipated after the impact the first film had. Mackenzie Davis plays a replicant named Mariette who is a member of a group of assassins who assist Officer K. The film was a critical hit, and represented another success for Davis in a high budget blockbuster.
