Alison Brie has long graced our TV screens in a multitude of memorable roles. From Mad Men’s ambitious Trudy to Community’s overachiever Annie, to other noteworthy performances including voicing the introspective writer Diane Nguyen in Bojack Horseman, Brie really has found a place in the hearts of TV series fans across the world.
Beyond the world of TV, Brie is also continuing to add a string of films to her IMDB page as well, not least of which is a notable performance in the Academy Award-nominated Promising Young Woman, highlighting the actress’s ability to seamlessly transition between comedy and drama while excelling in everything she does.
For all the Brie fans out there who want to make sure they haven’t missed the best of the loveable, quirky, chameleon-like actress - this list is for you!
Ruth in GLOW (2017-2019)
In an interview with Elle magazine, Brie reflects on all her past roles and reveals how she most related to GLOW’s Ruth Wilder. In GLOW, Ruth is a struggling actress in 1980s LA, who receives an invitation to audition for the ‘Gorgeous Ladies of Wrestling’ (or, GLOW). Ruth is initially typecast as a homewrecker, but quickly evolves into a more layered and complex character that viewers can relate to; passionate and creative, but also often her own worst enemy.
It is famously known that as well as playing Ruth with the utmost authenticity, Brie also performed several stunts in the show herself, even actually wrestling with many of her co-stars. If nothing else, Brie’s performance in GLOW is a real homage to her commitment to throw herself into any role, fully engaging in the wrestling lifestyle by learning moves and strength training, a mirror to her character and the way Ruth, too, puts her all into the professional wrestling arena.
Annie Edison in Community (2009-2015)
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Brie is probably best known for her role as Annie Edison in NBC’s sitcom, Community, a show that really was made for its fans – weird and wonderful all at once. As Annie, Brie is a young, quirky, enthusiastic, school-girl-like character who embraces campus life; studious while also almost unnaturally cheerful and one of the few in the study group who is less inclined to participate in the morally ambiguous schemes of the college. It truly is a testament to the actress’ ability to transition between drama and comedy that leads to her various and unrecognizable performances. Brie plays Annie with just the right youthful innocence but also sudden comedic turns to darker manipulative traits, where she never fails to leave fans laughing and fully immersed in this six-season long sitcom.
Sarah in Horse Girl (2020)
In Horse Girl, Brie takes on a lead performance as the main character Sarah, the so-called "horse girl", a lonely and awkward young woman who leads a quiet solitary life. The film itself begins in the classic indie Sundance style, with slow-moving and moodily-shot scenes that immerse viewers directly into the character’s own world. However, the storyline soon takes a turn to become more of a sci-fi thriller that is as dark as it is mysterious.
In recent years, Brie has revealed that the mental-health aspect of the film is actually based on her own, real-life family history with paranoid schizophrenia, and her resulting worries about her own mental health. In conversation with Vulture magazine, Brie opened up about how her mother’s mother lived with schizophrenia. In the film, Sarah believes she is a clone of her dead grandmother and begins to spiral. Evidently, much of Brie’s personal life and anxieties are reflected in Horse Girl, where she co-wrote the film as well as starring in it. Writing the film reportedly helped the actress to come out of one of her own depressive periods, highlighting the cathartic nature of the film for the lead actress herself. To see a different, personal and dramatic side of Alison Brie, Horse Girl is not to be missed!
Trudy Campbell in Mad Men (2007-2015)
On the surface, Brie’s character in Mad Men, Trudy, is just another suburban housewife living in a time that treated women poorly. Looking more closely though, Trudy is a wonderfully complex character with many levels - optimistic, gracious, but also sharp and fully aware of the rules of the world in which she lives. She fiercely supports her husband, knowing full well that if Pete is a success, she will be as well, while still being acutely aware of what he is up to in his own time (yes, another cheating Mad Men husband) - and ready to lay down the law when necessary.
Throughout the seasons of the series, we really do see Brie’s performance becoming ever more intricate. Despite being on the sidelines much of the time, Brie really does shine, portraying the evolution of Trudy’s character over time as she quickly becomes a fan favorite.
Madison in Promising Young Woman (2020)
The Oscar-nominated crime-drama slash dark-comedy, Promising Young Woman, stars Carey Mulligan as a young woman who, traumatized by an incident in her past, seeks out vengeance on those who cross her path. While Mulligan is brilliant as the feminist antihero, Cassie, a med-school dropout who lures predatory men to their demise, Brie’s performance as Cassie’s former college friend, Madison, is also one of note.
As a superficial character who seems unfazed by her own past ignorance concerning an old friend’s claims of sexual assault, Madison is an unlikeable personality, to say the least. In a pivotal scene where the two friends catch up for drinks, Brie brilliantly depicts the unfortunately all-too-widely held approach of victim blaming, an issue that is so prevalent that it still today shapes the way our justice system handles such crimes. Cassie’s following act of revenge on Madison is certainly hard to watch, but adds to the unique nature of the film, hinting at the potential we all hold for acts of evil.
Lally Graham in The Post (2017)
In another big screen moment, Brie stars in Steven Spielberg’s The Post, playing Lally Graham, the daughter of the infamous Washington Post publisher, Kay Graham (Meryl Streep). Despite starring alongside huge names in the industry, like Bob Odenkirk, Tom Hanks, and the aforementioned Meryl Streep, Brie still makes her mark in this entertaining drama thriller about a true story cover-up that pushed the nation’s first female publisher to lead a war between press and state. While she has commented about how working with direction from Steven Spielberg was like a dream come true, Brie really does live up to the ensemble cast's collective talent, owning the part in yet another solid dramatic performance.
Michelle in The Rental (2020)
Written by her husband, Dave Franco, The Rental is a horror thriller about two couples who rent a vacation home for a weekend away, where Brie plays Michelle, one of the four friends. Michelle is an upbeat character, blissfully unaware of her husband’s infidelity until a twist in the story turns the celebratory weekend break into a nightmarish scenario. While the concept of the film is indeed simple and perhaps a bit too familiar in the thriller landscape, the cast certainly brings to life the tension and turmoil that builds as the story plays out, where Brie contributes effectively to the overall suspenseful feel.
Lainey in Sleeping With Other People (2015)
In a completely different role, Brie stars as Lainey in the 2015 rom-com, Sleeping With Other People. Based on a timeless and classic premise, comparable to the infamous When Harry Met Sally, the film tells the story of Jake (Jason Sudeikis) and Lainey as they embark on a complicated ‘just friends’ relationship that leads to an inevitable romantic involvement. Sudekis and Brie, backed by a brilliant supporting cast, play off each other with just the right balance of humor and warmth. Brie’s portrayal of Lainey as optimistic, but aware of her own insecurities, helps to make the film a lighthearted and authentic feat in the world of modern romantic comedy.
Unikitty in The LEGO Movie (2014)
In another performance as a voice actor, Brie stars as Unikitty in the family-friendly, The LEGO Movie. The film features a charming ensemble cast and dynamic animations, where much of the comedic dialogue is surprisingly as funny for adults as it is for kids. Brie uses her familiar upbeat voice to play the half-kitten, half-unicorn LEGO character, embodying all the traits of an idyllic childhood persona - fun, light, and happy - as well as the capacity for lethal temper tantrums. Despite the constraints of a child-friendly film, Brie still manages to add her unique comedic flair with plenty of ad-libbing and emotive qualities to her voiced performance.