The Queen's Gambit Review - 8 Ups & 1 Down

2. Anya Taylor-Joy’s Mesmerizing Performance

The shining light at the centre of The Queen’s Gambit’s success is the amazing leading performance by Anya Taylor-Joy.

The young 24-year-old actress has consistently been on the rise for the past 6 years, having her breakout role in 2015 with the terrific period horror, The Witch.

Some of her other acclaimed projects include Thoroughbreds, Emma., The New Mutants, Split and its sequel, Glass, as well as a recurring role in the most recent season of Peaky Blinders.

And, in The Queen’s Gambit, she lights up the screen and is absolutely magnetic. Although her character doesn’t say much, she gives a beautiful performance with just her eyes and body. She is able to craft a character that is both extremely flawed and thoroughly likeable all at once.

The performance is definitely up there with some of the best female performances of the year (possibly tied with Rhea Seahorn’s amazing performance in the fifth season in Better Call Saul), and should definitely get awards love. If she doesn’t at least get nominated for Best Lead Actress at next year’s Emmy Awards, then there will be major injustice.