Rosamund Pike: 5 Awesome Performances And 5 That Sucked

4. Helen - An Education

In Lone Scherfig's Best Picture-nominated film, Pike plays Helen, the ditzy girlfriend of Dominic Cooper's Danny, who serves as a stark contrast to Carey Mulligan's schoolgirl Jenny, an apparently sophisticated woman who, in reality, is anything but. Pike does a fine job depicting the duality of her unexpectedly complex character, underlining the struggle for women to find their place in the world in the 1960s. The performance is all the more impressive considering that, in almost total contrast to the dumb blonde character she plays, Pike actually attended Oxford in real life. Even if she's ultimately completely upstaged by Mulligan's Oscar-nominated performance, it's an important role that provides added context and meaning to Mulligan's: as they say, what is a classic lead performance without strong support? That is what Pike's job is here, and she delivers splendidly. She's clearly enjoying herself letting loose and playing against type, and the results speak for themselves.