Anya Taylor-Joy’s breakout movie gave horror a different kind of female lead

Anya Taylor-Joy has established herself as one of her era's most versatile actors. At 30, she's built a career across film and television, appearing in franchises like Super Mario and Mad Max, along with winning a Golden Globe for her role in The Queen’s Gambit. Earlier this year, she starred in the Apple TV series Lucky and will also play a major role in the cinematic event that is Dune: Part Three. Taylor-Joy is one of the few modern stars who comfortably fit the movie-star label, and it all began with her career-defining breakout role, which turned the final girl trope on its head — a girl who survives not by fighting, but by giving in.