Right now, Gemma Chan is an actor who is trending more than most due to her leading role in the latest Marvel Cinematic Universe film, Eternals. Although it is likely the biggest blockbuster of her career, it is far from her first notable role.
In fact, Gemma Chan has been consistently appearing in various movies and television shows throughout the 2010s, including in multiple MCU projects. Looking through her impressive filmography, you'll find an actor who finds a way to shine in every role. The ratings given out by the users at IMDb can point to what her greatest work is.
Eternals (2021) - 6.8
Due to how brand new the movie is, Eternals is a film that will likely see its rating change a bit as more people see it. That being said, reviews have been mixed so far. Critics haven't enjoyed it all that much, with it having the lowest Rotten Tomatoes score of any MCU release.
That being said, audiences have seemed to appreciate it a bit more. Although the film is certainly an ensemble piece, Gemma Chan could be argued as the lead, playing the powerful Sersi. Though there are said to be issues with things like pacing and character development, most of the cast, including Chan, seemed to get praised.
Captain Marvel (2019) - 6.8
As noted, Sersi is not Gemma Chan's first role in the MCU. She's the rare actor to appear as someone else in another movie in the franchise, nabbing a supporting role in Captain Marvel, the first solo female-led superhero film in the franchise. It focuses on Carol Danvers as she becomes an incredibly powerful cosmic hero.
Captain Marvel was a huge hit, surpassing $1 billion at the box office and being led by Academy Award winner Brie Larson. Chan had a relatively small part, playing a Kree sniper named Minn-Erva, who is antagonistic toward Danvers despite technically working on the same team.
True Love (2012) - 6.9
Airing on the BBC Network, True Love felt like it was actually a bit ahead of its time. Miniseries have become all the rage across most major streaming services and that's what this was. Along the same lines as Amazon Prime's Modern Love, this show featured a different relationship in each episode, with a few crossovers.
The cast included the likes of David Tennant, Kaya Scodelario, David Morrissey, and Billie Piper. Gemma Chan joined in for an episode as Kathy, the main love interest of Adrian (Morrissey), and it's one of the show's highest-rated episodes on IMDb.
Crazy Rich Asians (2018) - 6.9
There's a good chance that most people recognize Gemma Chan for her standout performance in Crazy Rich Asians. A box-office success featuring an all Asian cast, the film was a crossover hit and Chan played one of the story's most likable characters, Astrid.
The plot centers on a New York professor named Rachel who visits Singapore and finds out that her boyfriend Nick is actually from a very wealthy family. Chan arguably stole the show as Astrid, a fashion icon who is one of the few people who is nice to Rachel and is very close to Nick. Her performance is one of the film's best.
Submarine (2010) - 7.3
One of the earliest roles in Gemma Chan's film history came in 2010 in the comedy-drama Submarine. Though a little-seen independent project and not one of Chan's most prominent roles, it was well-received by critics. Chan played a woman named Kim-Lin.
Submarine is centered around Oliver Tate (Craig Roberts), a teenager who is out to lose his virginity and break up the romance between his mom and her ex-lover. The likes of Roberts and Sally Hawkins have bigger roles than Chan but as one of her first movie roles, it's still important in her career.
Watership Down (2018) - 7.3
There aren't a ton of voice acting performances in Gemma Chan's filmography but one that certainly stands out is Watership Down. Based on a 1972 novel of the same name, this tale focuses on a group of rabbits with their own culture who must find a new home after theirs is destroyed.
Released on Netflix, Watership Down was met with positive praise and boasted one of the most impressive voice casts around. Chan voiced Dewdrop but there was also James McAvoy, Nicholas Hoult, John Boyega, Daniel Kaluuya, Taron Egerton, and more. The show even won an Emmy for Outstanding Special Class Animated Program.
Fantastic Beasts And Where To Find Them (2016) - 7.3
It turns out that the Marvel Cinematic Universe isn't the first hugely popular film franchise that Gemma Chan appeared in. A few years before Captain Marvel, she joined the Wizarding World of Harry Potter in Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them.
A spin-off prequel, this film followed a magizoologist with an affinity for odd creatures on his misadventures throughout New York in the 1920s. For the most part, Chan had a small role as Madam Ya Zhou, a witch on the Magical Congress of the United States, but she knew how to make the most of it.
Raya And The Last Dragon (2021) - 7.4
Earlier this year, Gemma Chan starred in her highest-rated movie according to IMDb users. Disney's adventure Raya and the Last Dragon is based on many Southeast Asian cultures, so it lines up that the majority of the voice cast features Asian actors, led by Kelly Marie Tran and Awkwafina.
Gemma Chan (rejoining Awkwafina after Crazy Rich Asians) voiced Namaari, the rival of the titular Raya. Both go on a quest to find the last dragon and through it, they each learn to become better people. The film was heavily praised for the story, action sequences, voice acting, and gorgeous animation style.
Dates (2013) - 7.5
Soon after her appearance on True Love, Gemma Chan showed up in a series with something of a similar premise. Dates was created by the same person who made Skins and was a British show where each episode centered on a different romantic date at various points of a relationship.
Although this only lasted a single season consisting of nine episodes, Dates featured a great cast that included stars like Andrew Scott and Oona Chaplin. Chan played a woman named Erica in two episodes, going on dates with people named Callum and Kate. Her storyline was one of the show's best as she ultimately revealed that she prefers women to men romantically.
Humans (2015-2018) - 8.0
For three seasons, Gemma Chan had a leading role in the British television series, Humans. The premise focuses on a world where the latest invention is anthropomorphic robots that every family wants, which alters the way of life for most people. That allowed for themes of artificial intelligence, human-robot relationships, and more.
Gemma Chan portrayed Anita/Mia, a synth who was sold as new but is actually a conscious one built for a specific purpose. The show featured a strong cast, some intriguing twists and turns, and even scored a BAFTA win during its run.