The best Rachel Griffiths movies and TV shows show the true range of the Australian actor, as he has taken part in many different genres over the past forty years. Griffiths studied drama and dance in college and continued to make her debut in theater groups, including writing and performing her own one-woman show in 1991 called. Barbie Gets Hip. She then enjoyed her role when she signed on for a supporting role in Toni Collette's 1994 film. Muriel's wedding.
Since then, Griffiths has split his time between movies and TV shows. He made his first American film My Best Friend's Wedding and gained national recognition for her starring role in the critically acclaimed HBO series Six Feet Under. For her performance, the actress received high critical acclaim for her performance, with a Golden Globe Award and two Primetime Emmy Awards for his television work and an Academy Award nomination for his work on the big screen.
10
Anyone But You (2023)
Rachel Griffiths played Innie
In 2023, Rachel Griffiths had a supporting role in a romantic comedy Anyone But You. A sleeper hit that did big box office numbers, the film is a loose adaptation of William Shakespeare's play Much Ado About Nothing. Sydney Sweeney stars as Bea, a law student who meets Goldman Sachs employee Ben (Glen Powell), beginning a tumultuous relationship. Griffiths plays Innie, Bea's mother, in the film.
Audiences loved it, with a very high 87% Popcornmeter rating.
With a budget of $25 million, the film was a huge financial success, and ranks as the highest-grossing live-action Shakespeare of all time. Critics were mixed on release, with a 52% fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes, but audiences loved it, with a very high 87% Popcornmeter rating. The film received nominations at the GLAAD Media Awards for Outstanding Film – Wide Theatrical Release and although Griffiths' role was small, it showed that he can still deliver on the big screen.
9
Blow Up (2001)
Rachel Griffiths played Ermine Jung
In 2001, Rachel Griffiths worked with director Ted Demme in a biopic Blow it. The film stars Johnny Depp as the famous American cocaine kingpin George Jung, and the film shows his life story, from his rise in the drug industry to his eventual downfall. The film also features other well-known drug lords of the time, including Pablo Escobar (Cliff Curtis) and Carlos Lehder Rivas (Diego Delgado). As for Griffiths, she plays Jung's mother, Ermine Jung, while Ray Liotta plays his father, Fred.
Although the film was a minor box office success for Demme, it received mixed reviews, with a 55% rating on Rotten Tomatoes. In his review, Roger Ebert questioned making Jung the subject of the film since he was mostly a middle man in the drug industry (via The Chicago Sun-Times). However, the film received praise for its acting, with Griffith among them, who also did well in a small part.
8
The Rookie (2002)
Rachel Griffiths played Lorri Morris
In 2002, Rachel Griffiths played a supporting role in an inspirational sports film The Rookie. The film is based on the true story of Jim Morris, a high school science teacher and baseball coach. He was a former Little League baseball player, but when he was drafted into the MLB, he tore his shoulder and gave up on his dream. While working with his players at school, they notice that he still has a great fastball and convince him to try again. He finally made his major league debut at age 35.
In the movie, Rachel Griffiths plays Jim's wife, Lorri, and mother to his three children. As an inspirational sports story, Griffiths' role revolves around supporting her husband's dreams and being there when he finally achieves a goal he never believed he could achieve. Critics praised the movie's heart and acting talent, giving it an 84% fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes. I American Film Institute also nominated it for its 100 Years … 100 Cheers list.
7
Myself (1999)
Rachel Griffiths played Pamela Drury
One of Rachel Griffiths' best performances comes in a little-known romantic comedy Myself I. This was one of the rare films out there Griffiths took the lead role, playing Pamela Drury, a journalist who realizes that he is alone and starts looking back and regretting the decisions he didn't make in the past. Things get weird when Pamela Drury is hit by a car driven by Pamela Dickson, an alternate universe version of Pamela who made the decisions that the other Pamela wished she had made.
Critics praised Griffiths' strong performance in the lead…
Drury then wakes up in Dickson's place and gets a chance to see what life would be like if he had made the decisions he passed on in his other life. Critics praised Griffiths' strong performance in the lead, although his Rotten Tomatoes score is only average, at 63% fresh. Despite this, it was successful, winning two awards at the Australian Screen Sound Guild Awards and was nominated for the Australian Film Institute Award for Best Direction, Best Screenplay, and Best Actor in a Leading Role.
6
Hacksaw Ridge (2016)
Rachel Griffiths played Bertha Doss
Rachel Griffiths has joined the war film Hacksaw Ridge in 2016. Directed by Mel Gibson, the film follows Desmond Doss (Andrew Garfield), an American combat medic during World War II. He refused to bear arms and was the first conscientious objector to receive the Medal of Honor for his heroic actions in rescuing 75 soldiers from Hacksaw Ridge during the Battle of Okinawa. The film is based on a 2004 documentary Conscientious Objector about the real life Desmond Doss.
Griffith doesn't have a big role but his character is what inspires Desmond to become a conscientious objector…
Rachel Griffiths plays Bertha Doss, Desmond's mother. The film was a box office success and also received critical acclaim, with a fresh rating of 84% on Rotten Tomatoes. Mel Gibson was even nominated for an Oscar for directing this film, when he was also nominated for Best Picture and Best Actor (Garfield). Griffith doesn't have a big role but his character is what motivates Desmond to become a conscientious objector since his father threatened him with a gun.
5
Muriel's Wedding (1994)
Rachel Griffiths played Rhonda Epinstall
Rachel Griffiths made her film debut in the 1994 Australian film Muriel's wedding. The film stars Toni Collette as Muriel Heslop, a socially awkward woman who is often teased by her peers. Her dream is a good marriage and a chance to escape her boring life in the seaside town where she lives. However, nothing seems to be going well for Muriel until she finally leaves and begins to see her life change as she realizes who she should be.
Although this was his first film, Rachel Griffiths is the main partner of the film, Rhonda Epinstall. Her character ends up with a cancerous tumor on her spine, which leaves her paralyzed, and Muriel and Rhonda's relationship helps both women find what they are missing in life. Critics praised the film, giving it an 81% fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes. This also marked the beginning of Griffiths' rise to prominence, as she won Best Supporting Actress at the AACTA Awards.
4
Pretty Kate (2009)
Rachel Griffiths played Sally Kendall
Beautiful Kate is a 2009 Australian drama that follows a writer named Ned (Ben Mendelsohn) who returns to the family's remote home to say goodbye to his terminally ill father. While there, she begins to have memories of her twin sister Kate and her older brother Cliff. The memories lead him to start writing about his experiences, which causes his fiancee, Toni, to leave him when she learns that he had an unpleasant sexual encounter with his sister Kate.
Griffiths won Best Supporting Actress at the AACTA Awards.
A twisted backstory drives this controversial drama forward, as Ned remembers everything that happened between him and his siblings until their deaths, and must come to terms with these moments in his past. Rachel Griffiths plays Sally Kendall, Ned's surviving sister who is left to take care of their father as his health begins to deteriorate. The film has an 84% fresh score on Rotten Tomatoes, and Griffiths won Best Supporting Actress at the AACTA Awards.
3
Brothers and Sisters (2006-2011)
Rachel Griffiths played Sarah Walker
Rachel Griffiths has taken lead roles in several long-running TV shows. From 2006 to 2011, he was part of the main cast of the ABC family drama. My brothers and sisters. It was paired with almost all of his work Desperate Housewives and provide a nice soap-like story. The series is about the rich Walker family, which faces many problems and difficulties after the death of the grandfather, William Walker (Tom Skerritt), at the beginning.
Griffiths received two Supporting Actress Primetime Emmy nominations.
Sally Field played Nora Walker, William's widow, who had to come to terms with the revelation that he had been unfaithful during their marriage. Rachel Griffiths played Sarah, one of his two childrenwho worked as an executive in the family business. My brothers and sisters aired for five seasons and 109 episodes. For her part, Griffiths received two Supporting Actress Primetime Emmy nominations and a Supporting Actress Golden Globe nomination for her performance.
2
Hilary and Jackie (1998)
Rachel Griffiths played Hilary Du Pre
In 1998, Rachel Griffiths and Emily Watson co-starred in a British biopic. Hilary and Jackie. In this film, they played classical music sisters Jacqueline du Pré (cello) and Hilary du Pré (flute). In real life, Jacqueline won the most prestigious cello prize in Britain at the age of 11 and made her debut as an adult at the age of 17. Hilary was also talented, but she always overshadowed her sister. Watson stars as Jacqueline, and the film follows her meteoric rise, her diagnosis of multiple sclerosis, and her death at age 42.
Watson was up for Best Actress and Griffiths for Best Supporting Actress…
Rachel Griffiths stars as Emily, who wrote a novel based on her sister's life called Genius in the family (which was published while the film was being shot). This was Griffiths' most successful movie role, earning him and Emily Watson Academy Award nominations for their performances. Watson was up for Best Actress and Griffiths for Best Supporting Actress, but neither won the award. Hilary and Jackie certified fresh on Rotten Tomatoes with an 88% rating.
1
Six Feet Under (2001-2005)
Rachel Griffiths played Brenda Chenowith
The most successful television show Rachel Griffiths ever appeared on was the HBO series Six Feet Under. The series follows Nate (Peter Krause) and David (Michael C. Hall), two brothers who inherit the family funeral home after the death of their father. The series follows a family, their relationships, and their problems. Throughout its five-season run, the series gained worldwide acclaim and was called one of the best shows on television at the time.
Six Feet Under he earned nine Emmy Award nominations and three SAG wins while also taking home three Golden Globe Awards and a Peabody Award. Rachel Griffiths stars as Brenda Chenowith, who is also Nate's significant other who suffers from depression. The series has an 81% score on Rotten Tomatoes, but the highest audience score is 96%. Griffiths won her only Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actress in 2001 and received one nomination and two Emmy nominations.