10 Best Ella Purnell Movies and TV Shows, Ranked

Ella Purnell, who began her career in acting as a child, has quietly and steadily been cultivating her skills for over a decade now. But it was 2024’s Fallout that catapulted her into global fame. As the pragmatic Lucy MacLean navigating the post-apocalyptic wasteland that is Los Angeles, Purnell’s radiant talent was on full display. But for her fans, her excellence has been evident for years across indie films and television series.

Beyond the mainstream attention, Purnell has been enriching stories and breathing life, wit, complexity, and empathy into characters across genres. From dystopian fright fests like Never Let Me Go to the coddled adopted daughter in Ordeal by Innocence, her roles have consistently been nuanced and versatile. This list takes a deeper look into the 10 best movies and television shows starring Ella Purnell so far.

10 Wildlike (2014)

In Wildlike, Ella Purnell plays the role of Mackenzie, a 14-year-old girl who loses her father and is left alone when her mother is hospitalized. She is sent to live with her uncle in Juneau. However, when her uncle sexually molests her, Mackenzie runs away into the wilderness and ends up befriending an older backpacker who helps her on her journey of self-discovery and eventually gets her back to her home in Seattle.

Finding Solace in Strangers

Purnell delivers a heartbreakingly real portrayal of a teenage girl grappling with intense loss in Wildlike. Her raw, nuanced performance is perfectly paired with the movie’s beautiful yet bleak setting. Even when the scenery is mesmerizing, Purnell breathes melancholy into Mackenzie. Written, directed, and produced by Frank Hall Green, the movie uses minimalism to draw out the power of its story. Despite having a 93% score on Rotten Tomatoes and winning over 100 awards at festivals, Wildlike remains underrated.

9 Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children (2016)

Ella Purnell stars alongside Eva Green, Asa Butterfield, Judi Dench, and Samuel L. Jackson in Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children, which is a fantasy movie based on a novel written by Ransom Riggs. It follows a teenager named Jake, who discovers an abandoned orphanage on a secluded Welsh island. He finds that it is run by Miss Alma Lefay Peregrine and the children who live there have special abilities and are called “peculiars.” Jake is also peculiar with the ability to see invisible monsters called “Hollows.”

Purnell Adds Quiet Gravitas

A genuinely fantastic, elegant, and mysterious movie directed by Tim Burton, Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children is more of a visual experience than a narrative one. Ella Purnell plays the role of Emma Bloom, an aerokinetic teenager with the ability to manipulate air. It is quite different from her book counterpart, who could manipulate fire, but still, she connects deeply with the character, allowing her quiet and careful demeanor to express power and pain in equal measure.

8 Ways to Live Forever (2010)

In Ways to Live Forever, we are introduced to 12-year-old Sam, a curious boy with a zest for life and a knack for learning facts. Knowing he may not have much time due to his leukemia diagnosis, he fills a scrapbook with all the fun things he wants to do before kicking the bucket. His mother is overprotective, but Sam has brilliant friends who show him how to break rules and live life to the fullest.

A Heartwarming Reminder to Live in the Present

A humorous and compassionate coming-of-age gem based on an award-winning novel of the same name written by Sally Nicholls, Ways to Live Forever is a feel-good film. The role of Sam is played by Robbie Kay, and while he may meet the star of the story with his moving performance, Ella Purnell holds her own as Kayleigh, Sam’s first love. Arriving in the same year as her adult debut in movies, Purnell’s role is brief, but it is enough to showcase her versatility, inquisitiveness, and flair for playing dramatic characters.

7 Sweetbitter (2018 – 2019)

Set in New York City, this Starz drama series follows the coming-of-age story of Tess, a 21-year-old, naive young woman who is drawn to the vibrant world of a prestigious downtown restaurant and thus begins working there as a waitress. She is eager to break into the world of fine dining and make something of herself, but before that, Tess must navigate the challenges of the job and deal with the temptations arising at the workplace.

Ella Purnell Plays the Tenacious Tess

Adapted from the captivating and character-driven novel of the same name by Stephanie Danler, Sweetbitter is a two-season dramedy that does not overstay its welcome. It captures the demands and vulnerabilities of working at a high-end restaurant while also focusing on the richness of its characters. Purnell delivers a star-making turn as the spirited Tess, capturing her relatable emotions with nuance. Overall, the show’s steamy romance and hardcore restaurant drama provide rich material for Purnell to sink her teeth into.

6 Ordeal by Innocence (2018)

Like any adaptation of Agatha Christie’s works, Ordeal by Innocence, kicks off with a murder. The three-part television miniseries is set in 1954, during Christmas, when Jack Argyll, the adopted son of the Argyll family, is accused of murdering his mother, Rachel Argyll, a wealthy philanthropist. Years after Jack’s death in prison, a man arrives with proof that Jack was innocent. The news unravels several secrets and forces the current members of the family to look for the actual killer.

Another Brilliant Whodunit

Despite the source material receiving backlash for lacking empathy and coming off as a psychological fiction rather than a detective tale, the TV adaptation of Ordeal by Innocence attracted positive reviews from critics and fans. It was shot on location, at the Ardgowan Estate, a majestic 18th-century mansion on the Scottish coast near Glasgow, and was overflowing with period-accurate details. Purnell played Hester Argyll, the youngest and most pampered of the adopted Argyll children. Her character shares a complex relationship with her mother, Rachel.

5 Star Trek: Prodigy (2021 – 2024)

For as long as we can remember, the Star Trek franchise catered to the viewing preferences of older audiences. Star Trek: Prodigy is the first series in the expansive universe to specifically target a younger audience. An animated entry into the franchise, it follows a group of young aliens in the 24th century who discover an abandoned spaceship and decide to use it to search for adventure, meaning, and salvation.

Purnell Showcases Her Vocal Talents

The series received enormous love and support from old fans and new. It faced some cancelation issues after premiering on Paramount+ in 2021, but eventually overcame them. Known for celebrating diversity, Star Trek: Prodigy rolls out compelling stories of growth for its young crew under the direction of its hyped creators Kevin and Dan Hageman. Ella Purnell makes her voice acting debut as Gwyndala, a 17-year-old Vau N’Akat who is passionate about exploring the stars. Her character is truly remarkable and has an enchanting backstory.

4 Never Let Me Go (2010)

Never Let Me Go is a dystopian sci-fi drama based on the acclaimed novel by Kazuo Ishiguro. It takes place in an alternate historical Britain, within the walls of an idyllic and enigmatic boarding school called Hailsham. It shelters three special children, Kathy, Ruth, and Tommy, who have their feelings about love and life but are slowly realizing that they have been bred for a mysterious fate tied to their original selves, as they are mere clones.

A Tale That Transcends Humanity

The story about young adults coming to terms with the fact that they have a predetermined destiny and can do nothing to pursue love is devastating to watch. Deftly directed by Mark Romanek, Never Let Me Go is a subtle yet profound adaptation that sheds light on our weaknesses. It stars Carey Mulligan, Keira Knightley, and Andrew Garfield in the lead roles. Purnell plays the younger version of Knightley’s Ruth, and while she gets limited screen time, she brilliantly rises to the challenge of the heady material and conveys Ruth’s sorrow and longing.

3 Yellowjackets (2021 – present)

Right before she rose to prominence with Prime Video’s Fallout, Ella Purnell starred in Yellowjackets, a dark and humorous drama/thriller created by Ashley Lyle and Bart Nickerson. It tells the story of a high school girls’ soccer team traveling to Seattle for a tournament. Their plane crashes into the remote northern Ontario wilderness, leaving the team to survive in the brutal conditions and deal with the trauma of everything they must endure.

Ella Purnell Emerges as Team Captain

The series, which is inspired by the true events of the 1972 Andes Flight Disaster, weaves a brilliant tale filled with tense scenes, including steadily growing unease between characters, as well as graphic violence. Purnell, who was initially hesitant to join the project, ended up playing Jackie Taylor, the captain of the Yellowjackets soccer team. A fan-favorite character, Jackie has this ominous poise and captivating charm about her that drives the story forward. Due to the ferocious performance of all its cast members, Yellowjackets received seven Primetime Emmy Award nominations.

2 Fallout (2024 – Present)

Fallout is a post-apocalyptic drama set 200 years after the Great War, when a nuclear exchange between the United States and China laid waste to all above-ground land, leaving the remaining civilization to seek refuge in bunkers known as Vaults. We follow the journey of Lucy MacLean, a Vault Dweller who ventures out into the irradiated wasteland to look for her missing father and learns shocking realities about the surface.

Kickstarts an Unforgettable Franchise

As the complex and courageous Lucy, Ella Purnell anchors the series with empathetic grit. Her lead performance brings heart to a thought-provoking and complicated post-apocalyptic world. Fallout itself is overflowing with plot twists, action, and social commentary, and Purnell’s character is vital to all those elements. Its lush production value and extraordinary storytelling do justice to the source material, which is a role-playing video game franchise developed by Bethesda Game Studios.

1 Arcane (2021 – Present)

Combining elements of steampunk and action is this phenomenal animated series that premiered on Netflix in 2021. Arcane is set in the universe of League of Legends. It explores the delicate balance between the rich city of Piltover and the oppressed underground of Zaun through the eyes of two sisters, Vi and Jinx. When conflict in both cities rises, the sisters and their ambitions are put to the ultimate test.

Purnell Elevates Animation Once Again

Created by Christian Linke and Alex Yee, Arcane shattered viewership records and won global acclaim for its gorgeous animation, soulful storytelling, and breathtaking performances from the voice cast, which included Hailee Steinfeld, Kevin Alejandro, Katie Leung, Jason Spisek, and more. Purnell provides the voice for Jinx. She effortlessly adds dimension to a pivotal character and tackles heavy themes of class and social divide. Clearly, her elegant work deserves more recognition and appreciation.