Rose Byrne is incredibly sweet, something that has come in handy over the course of her acting career. The Australian native’s first onscreen acting credit dates back to 1994’s Dallas Doll, where she played Rastus Sommers in writer-director Ann Turner's comedy when she was just 15. This kicked off a filmography that highlights Byrne’s versatility, as it stretches across practically every genre and features Byrne inhabiting wildly different personalities. She was the malleable young lawyer Ellen Parsons on the critically acclaimed Damages alongside Glenn Close, a role that proved she could not only hold her own next to a seasoned pro, but earn two Emmy nominations for her work in the process.

She’s played the dorky but lovable Kelly to Seth Rogen’s Mac in the comedy Neighbors, feminism icon Gloria Steinem in the historical limited series Mrs. America, a ghost-fearing gal in the Insidious horror movies, and a CIA agent and mutant ally in a number of X-Men films. But Byrne really shows us what she’s capable of when she’s playing an absolute monster.

RELATED: 7 Essential Rose Byrne Performances, From 'Damages' to 'Bridesmaids'

Byrne Is Delightful and Dorky When She Wants to Be

Seth Rogen and Rose Byrne as Mac and Kelly Radnor in Neighbors
Image via Universal Pictures 

Perhaps what makes Byrne’s intense characters that much more stark and devilish is how much fun she is when she’s playing some version of a ray of sunshine. 2014 was a year full of projects that prove this theory. In the star-studded dramedy This Is Where I Leave You, Byrne had a small, but pivotal part as Penny Moore, the “one that got away” from Jason Bateman’s aimless and figuring-himself-out Judd Altman, whom she runs into when he’s back in town for his father’s funeral. Byrne immediately lights up the screen with her long-time-no-see excitable energy and genuine interest that could put any grieving person at ease.

Byrne lets completely loose in Neighbors, a raunchy comedy from director Nicholas Stoller and writers Andrew Jay Cohen and Brendan O’Brien. She plays Kelly Radner, a new mom with a new problem once a massive fraternity moves in next door to her and her husband Mac (Seth Rogen, who Byrne will soon be reteaming with on screen). Kelly’s trying to prove she is still “cool” and “hip” and down to clown by wearing green sunglasses and telling frat leader Teddy (Zac Efron) to “take it sleazy” is equal parts cringe and charming. And the scene of her trying to spell “sorority” to no avail? A truly brilliant piece of cinema. It takes someone with a certain dorky charm to really make this character come alive. Basically, Byrne knows how to get vulnerable in a very relatable way. The kind of way that makes you want to give her a hug, share a beer, and spill your deepest darkest secrets, all at the same time.

Rose Byrne’s Smile Can Tell a Scary Story

Kristen Wiig and Rose Byrne in Bridesmaides
Image via Universal Pictures

If there’s one common thread through all of Byrne’s filmography, it’s that she commits to her character, and if it’s a comedy, she commits hard to the bit. The smartest comedy is when everyone takes everything seriously, no matter how outlandish the circumstances. Byrne has acted in comedies that range from subtle to silly so adeptly that she makes it look easy. In reality, not many people can pull off such a feat. But it’s when Byrne is playing a character you love to loathe that she is at her best, like a poised cobra ready to strike.

She hides her manipulative and back-stabbing characters behind a perfect smile and stylish outfits in the comedies Bridesmaids and Spy. In the former, she plays Helen, “best friend” to Maya Rudolph’s Lillian, who is prepping for her wedding. She is a total nightmare to Kristen Wiig’s Annie, the Maid of Honor, as she tries to not-so-subtly undermine her plans every step of the way. This performance, as well as everyone’s in this movie (Melissa McCarthy was nominated for an Oscar), was a pivotal moment in Byrne's career. After seeing Bridesmaids, Rose Byrne undoubtedly became a household name.

The knee-jerk reaction is to want to slap Helen, because, well, she’s the worst? Everyone has a version of Helen in their life, someone who needs to remind others of how they are superior. She might say she is putting Lillian first, but actually, everything she says and does screams, “Look at me!” Annie’s introduction to Helen is so ridiculous, with Byrne’s regal character slowly turning in her lavish and unnecessary gown. She weaponizes her fake laugh and compliments, making them pierce through you like a knife. Her proper way reeks of condescension from start to finish, slowly morphing into desperation. Look no further than the scene where Annie and Helen have an accidental toast-off as they try to one-up each other with how close they are to the bride. “You’re my angel and soulmate. I feel I can communicate with you with simply a look,” she says before a lingering glance. Khop khun kha.

If she wanted to, Byrne could have played this “villain” role quite as you’d expect: over-the-top and irredeemable. But it’s the way she wields emotion behind her bright white smile that will make you start to see through her confident facade in an authentic way. Her stepkids have no problem shattering the “perfect life” picture she’s been painstakingly projecting the entire movie. Byrne’s delicate, yet bumbling response to this interaction as well as her breakdown to Annie towards the end makes us feel for her, and realize she’s just as flawed as the rest of us.

'Spy' Lets Byrne Really Be a Menace

Rose Byrne in Spy
Image via 20th Century Fox

Byrne reteamed with her Bridesmaids co-star Melissa McCarthy in the silly action comedy Spy. Byrne’s antagonist Rayna Boyanov, the entitled daughter of an arms dealer, is far more blunt, insulting McCarthy’s Susan Cooper undercover CIA agent right to her face. But somehow, she gets away with it because she is so poised and confident. Everything that spills out of her mouth, including some horrific language, sounds masterful. "I saw you standing there in that abortion of a dress, as if to say, 'This is what I’ve got, world. It’s hideous, but it’s mine,'" she coos to Susan. This is, of course, right before telling her that her attempt at bonding was incredibly stupid. Spy lets Byrne play a mean girl who won’t just kill you with barb-wire insults, but will quite literally kill you if she pleases. Not only is your dignity on the line when you are with her, but so is your life.

While Bridesmaids and Spy are the clear standouts, Byrne’s been some form of a menace in a number of projects of various scales. She played Susan Sarandon’s irritable daughter in The Meddler, a complex and dissatisfied housewife-turned-aerobics instructor with a brutally honest internal monologue, and a fearless, stylish, biting (and licking) RNC rival Faith Brewster in Jon Stewart’s political satire Irresistible. It’s the devilishly charming and wholesome nature of her characters in Neighbors, This Is Where I Leave You, and Juliet, Naked that buoy these mighty meanie characters and their witty edge. If you are looking for someone to make you feel like garbage, Rose Byrne has proven that she is more than capable — through her characters, that is.