#These Are Bryce Dallas Howard’s Best Performances, Ranked

Born into the entertainment industry as the daughter of Oscar-winning director, Ron Howard, Bryce Dallas Howard has managed to carve her name into cinematic history. With roles in iconic franchises like The Twilight Saga and Jurassic World, Howard has been mesmerizing fans since the early 2000s. In addition to acting, Howard has followed in her father’s footsteps, moving behind the camera as a director (most recently in season 2 of The Mandalorian).
Her classic acting style brings grace and elegance back to the silver screen. Howard brings a sense of softness to every character she portrays – even the authoritative ones. Her latest film is Jurassic World: Dominion, which is set to hit theaters in June 2022. In the meantime, these are some of her top performances to date.
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8 The Twilight Saga: Eclipse

In the 2010 installment of The Twilight Saga: Eclipse, Howard took on the role of Victoria, which was previously occupied by Rachelle Lefevre. Set on a warpath of revenge for the killing of her lover, James, in the first film, Victoria is determined to find and kill Bella. She rampages through the forest surrounding the quiet Washington town of Forks, but she is ultimately defeated by the Cullen gang. Howard does a fantastic job playing a supernatural villain who drinks blood.

7 Terminator Salvation

Starring alongside Christian Bale and Sam Worthington, Howard steps into the role of Kate Connor in the 2009 sci-fi film, Terminator Salvation. This character was first introduced in the third film as the daughter of Robert Brewster – who was the supervisor for Skynet. Married to John Connor in this adaptation, Kate has grown from a veterinarian to a physician. Howard’s ability to portray a character who is accustomed to loss and grief is evident in her depiction of Kate.

6 Spider-Man 3

In yet another blockbuster franchise, Howard plays Gwen Stacy in the 2007 superhero film, Spider-Man 3, alongside Toby Maguire. This was the highest-grossest installment in the franchise until 2019, but that wasn’t enough to impress film critic, Roger Ebert, who called it a mess. As Peter Parker’s lab partner, Gwen is introduced as a sweet girl who could be a potential girlfriend for him in the future. What’s even more impressive is that Howard was pregnant during filming, and she was performing her own stunts.

5 Black Mirror

In episode one “Nosedive” of season three for Black Mirror, Howard plays a woman named Lacie who is obsessed with her social rating. Looking to lead a more luxurious lifestyle, she is on a mission to raise her score from 4.2 to 4.5. Unfortunately, she endures several mishaps that cause her rating to plummet. After tanking to below a 1.0, she is arrested. However, she realizes that now she can speak freely and be herself. Howard’s portrayal of a socially-declining young woman is not only an example of her acting range, but it also parallels the real-life struggles young people face due to social media pressure.
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4 The Help

Based on the novel by Kathryn Stockett, the 2011 period drama film, The Help, boasts a glorious cast that includes Howard alongside Viola Davis, Octavia Spencer, and Jessica Chastain. Playing socialite, Hilly Holbrook, Howard explores the mindset of a rich, white woman living in Jackson, Mississippi in the 1960s. Hilly’s passive-aggressive nature shows her to be two-faced and manipulative. She is a very different character for Howard’s repertoire, and Howard is very believable in the role.

3 The Lady in the Water

In the 2006 fantasy thriller, The Lady in the Water, Howard plays M. Night Shyamalan’s heroine, Story. Found in an apartment complex swimming pool, Story explains to the main character, Cleveland Heep, that she is a Narf or naiad/nymph spirit who is fleeing from an attack by a Scrunt. On a mission to find the Writer who will create a book that saves humanity, she is in constant danger and nearly dies several times. Her delicate nature is both her strength and weakness, and Howard’s portrayal of this gentle, ethereal being is spot-on.

2 The Village

In her first major motion picture, Howard plays Ivy Walker in the 2004 thriller, The Village. As another creation from the mind of M. Night Shyamalan, Ivy is a blind girl who lives deep in the forest among a conservative community. Starring alongside Adrian Brody, Joaquin Phoenix, and Sigourney Weaver, Howard is able to hold her own as a main character. In an attempt to save the life of the young man she loves, Ivy heads off into the forest to find medical supplies. There, she comes face-to-face with the monsters the village elders have been warning everyone about. However, things are not as they seem once the red cloak is removed.

1 Jurassic World

Rebooting the Jurassic Park franchise in the 2015 sequel, Jurassic World, Howard joins the team as Claire Dearing, the operations manager of the new theme park. Hosting her nephews who have come for a visit, Claire quickly shows the audience that she is very busy with the unveiling of a new hybrid dinosaur known as the Indominus Rex. Things go haywire, and this vicious beast escapes its paddock to run amok across the island. Claire and raptor trainer, Owen Grady, set out to find her nephews and take down the rogue dinosaur with the help of T-Rex, the raptors, and a Mosasaurus. In this reboot, Howard is able to showcase her athletic skills as she outruns T-Rex in heels, as any hardworking woman would.

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