In the last few years, a new actress has blown up that everyone should be talking about, and that is Julia Garner. Most probably know her from her huge role in the popular Netflix series, Ozark, for which she won a Primetime Emmy Award. However, there are many other awesome roles from Julia Garner, from her time on other awesome Netflix shows and independent films that really show off her acting ability.
If you’re looking for the best Julia Garner movies and TV shows that you could watch right now, here are our picks, and how you can stream (or rent) them today.
The Americans (Amazon Prime)
If you’re looking for a thrilling FX drama, check out The Americans. This popular show, which ran for six seasons, follows two Soviet spies who are sent undercover in America during the 1960s, eventually having two American-born children. However, their lives begin to take a turn two decades later.
Julia Garner portrayed Kimberly Breland for ten episodes of the series, from Season 3 to Season 6, and while she didn’t appear in the show as much as others, her part as Kimberly is memorable for her stellar performance and the interesting story of her character. It’s crazy how this was one of her first TV roles, and now she’s huge because of another television show. The Americans itself is definitely one of the best FX dramas to watch, so be sure to check it out as soon as you can.
Stream The Americans on Amazon.
The Assistant (Hulu)
You’ll be happy to be working from home after watching this film. The Assistant, starring Julia Garner, tells the story of a young woman who works for a powerful man as his assistant, and the grueling tasks she faces every day. As she starts to grow in her job, she becomes more aware of the horribleness at the company.
Julia Garner stars in this drama, and honestly, it’s one of the most real and raw films I’ve seen in a long time. Garner shines in her starring role, showing the craziness of what happens when someone works as a personal assistant, and providing a performance that should have gotten her more hype. It’s truly such a great film and I wish it had gotten more praise than it received.
Stream The Assistant on Hulu.
Rent The Assistant on Amazon.
I Believe In Unicorns (Amazon Prime)
A bit of an older one on this list, but still a good one. I Believe in Unicorns is an independent movie that tells the honest truth about what young love can do to someone, and how it affects the state of mind of a person who wants to get away from the rest of the world.
Julia Garner played Cassidy, the best friend of Davina (played by the talented Natalia Dyer in one of her first roles), and while her part was smaller than some of the others on this list, it was still memorable, as her scenes with Dyer were filled with chemistry and a pure loving friendship that’ll probably make you want to call your best friend at the end of the movie. My only suggestion would be to go into this with an open mind - some parts drag a bit, but I think it’s worth it in the end.
Stream I Believe in Unicorns on Amazon Prime.
Rent I Believe in Unicorns on Apple TV.
Maniac (Netflix)
If you’re looking for a great miniseries, check out Maniac on Netflix. This psychological series tells the story of two strangers who meet each other through a series of strange experiments, but together they find a way out of the maze of confusion.
Maniac already had a star-studded cast, with the likes of Emma Stone, Jonah Hill and more among its cast, but Julia Garner also had a pretty major role as Ellie Landsberg, the deceased younger sister of Stone’s character, Annie. Emotional moments between the two of them further pushed Annie’s storyline along, and Ellie was given so much character thanks to Garner’s great performance. My personal favorite scene between them was when they were elves - which is even funnier knowing Stone hated dressing as an elf.
Everything Beautiful Is Far Away (Amazon Prime)
Another great independent film on this list, Everything Beautiful is Far Away tells the story of an unlikely pair of humans who are both in the desert searching for something different. So, they decide to team up and look for what they’re searching for together, creating an intense, sci-fi/fantasy experience.
Julia Garner leads in this small movie, playing Rola opposite Joseph Cross as Lernert. Because of the small cast, the actors are given more time to truly show their acting talent and how far they’re willing to go, and Garner does exactly that with her portrayal of Rola in the film. The movie can sometimes be a little trippy, but for fans of sci-fi and fantasy, I think you’ll enjoy this.
Stream Everything Beautiful is Far Away on Amazon Prime.
Rent Everything Beautiful is Far Away on Apple TV.
Waco (Amazon Rental)
Ready for another miniseries? Waco is based on the true story of David Koresh's 51-day stand against federal agents in Waco, Texas back in 1993, with his religious cult, The Brand Davidians, what they did, and how it started this intense standoff.
Julia Garner portrayed Michelle Jones for the duration of the miniseries’ six episodes, and she again shows off her ability as an actor to not only perform extremely well in period pieces, but overall in a series that talks about such a serious event. What makes this show even more interesting was that real-life standoff survivor David Thibodeau was heavily involved in making the series. While it has its ups and downs, I think it’s worth the time to binge.
Tomato Red: Blood Money (Tubi)
Crime films are some of my favorite movies, as they always provide an excellent amount of suspense, and Tomato Red fits that perfectly. This film tells the story of a drifter going from town to town just looking for his next meal and maybe a place to stay. But soon, he hits the jackpot when he meets Jamalee Merridew, a young woman who wants to make it big in the world, and needs his help.
Let me tell you, I adore Julie Garner in this movie. I feel like no one ever talks about her other roles because truly, she is at her best here. Maybe it’s the fact that the red hair suits her, I’m not sure, but her acting as Jamalee still makes me smile any time I seen this movie. I want to see her in more crime movies because she really fits that genre perfectly.
Stream Tomato Red on Tubi.
Rent Tomato Red on Amazon.
Modern Love (Amazon Prime)
If you’re looking for a great Amazon Prime original, check out Modern Love. This anthology series, which has been going on for two seasons now, explores what love really is, whether it be romantic, platonic, familial, or any other kinds of love you can think of, following several different storylines that show how love affects relationships.
Modern Love signed a bunch of well-known actors for Season 1, and Garner was one of them. She portrays Maddy in the sixth episode of the first season - and hear me out. Yes, I know that her episode is a tad bit creepy. But the issue that is tackled in this episode is something that is talked about, and if we’re being honest, we’re here for Julia Garner’s acting skills more than the storylines. And, regardless of the story, Garner is freaking awesome with her performance in this episode.
Stream Modern Love on Amazon Prime.
Grandma (Amazon Rental)
Okay, moving away from interestingly weird romances, we take a look at a hilarious comedy-drama starring Julia Garner and the legend herself, Lily Tomlin. Grandma is all about these two, a grandmother and her granddaughter, who go on an adventure to raise money in order for her granddaughter to get an abortion.
This movie is so ridiculously funny and yet perfectly dramatic in all the right ways. I swear, I’d give anything to see Lily Tomlin and Julia Garner in these roles again, because they really do work so well together. Not only is the grandma-granddaughter relationship fantastic, but the acting from the both of them is what takes the cake, creating a memorable story that speaks about the lengths we will go to in order for our family to be happy. I could watch this movie over and over again and never get tired of it.
Ozark (Netflix)
It’s what you’re here for, isn’t it? Ozark stars Jason Batman as a financial advisor, who gets roped into a Mexican drug cartel when a money laundering scheme goes horribly wrong. Soon, his whole life changes as his family gets dragged into the operation, as well.
Julia Garner became a big star because of Ozark, due to her wonderful acting as Ruth, and her award wins and nominations because of this show are well deserved. The entire Ozark cast is so talented, but to be honest, Garner takes the cake as the best character on the show. If you’ve already seen all of Ozark and want to find a new show to watch, check out some of these similar shows.
With how much her fame has grown over the last several years, I’m glad to see Julia Garner finally getting the recognition she deserves. I’m even more excited for her starring role in the upcoming TV series, Inventing Anna, which we already know several quick things about, and will be popping up on the 2022 Netflix TV schedule. Now you have a new list of awesome Julia Garner shows and movies to watch.
