Sophie Turner's Acting Career Goes Way Beyond "Game of Thrones"

Published on 3/21/2022 at 1:10 PM

It's all but impossible to think of Sophie Turner without thinking of her epic journey as Sansa Stark, but her career goes far beyond "Game of Thrones." Not every actor has their very first role become one that makes such a mark on pop culture, but that's exactly what happened when Turner first appeared as Sansa when she was just 15 years old. More than a decade later, Turner is a thriving actress (and fashion icon) who's dipped into genres from comedy to thriller to animation and more, both on TV and in movies.

Whether she's stepping into the shoes of an iconic superhero or tackling a mysterious character in an indie film, Turner always brings plenty of care and nuance to every role. Take a look at every project she's starred in so far.

"Game of Thrones"

Turner's first onscreen role was also the one that launched her to international stardom. From 2011 to 2019, she played Sansa Stark, a young noblewoman whose childish dreams of being queen are quickly dashed when the kingdom is thrown into upheaval and war. Sansa (and Turner) grew up in front of audiences over nearly a decade, with a character arc that took her from a spoiled, petulant girl to a capable, complex queen — and made her a fantasy icon in the process.

"Another Me"

Turner made her movie debut with this 2013 psychological thriller. She plays Fay, a teenage girl who's spooked by the apparent appearance of a doppelganger. Terrified of the strange happenings that no one else seems to see, Fay tries to investigate, turning up old family secrets in the process. When she finally learns the truth, it doesn't put a stop to the danger. On the contrary, she soon finds out that she's in more danger than ever.

"The Thirteenth Tale"

In this made-for-TV movie, Turner plays Adeline March, one of the pivotal characters, during her teenage years. Adeline is raised at a slowly decaying estate along with her twin sister, Emmeline, with unusually free rein due to the difficult circumstances of their family life. Over time, Adeline's past is slowly revealed in flashbacks, many decades later, with plenty of twists and turns that'll keep you guessing.

"Barely Lethal"

Turner took a dip into comedy with this action-comedy flick. She stars as Agent 84, a teenage super agent who's part of a group of young orphans trained to become government assets. When her rival goes missing and tries to hide out to live a normal teenage life, Agent 84 takes on the identity of Heather and tracks her down. It's a classic rival-spies action movie, but this time with some teen comedy tropes thrown into the mix for good measure.

"X-Men: Apocalypse"

For her biggest role outside of "Game of Thrones," Turner took on the mantle of one of the most iconic characters in comic-book history: Jean Grey. In 2016's "X-Men: Apocalypse," Turner plays a young version of the super-powerful telepathic mutant, just beginning to learn how to control her powers. Jean, along with other young mutants with enormous destinies, fights alongside the established X-Men when a new threat arises. Long dormant, an ancient mutant has risen again and is powerful enough to create a literal apocalypse, and only the most powerful of mutants, including Jean, have a chance at stopping him.

"Josie"

Turner plays the title character in this 2018 thriller. Josie is a seemingly ordinary, if mysterious, teenage girl who arrives in a small town. Despite the warnings of her classmate, she befriends Hank, a reclusive man who lives at the local motel and works at the school. As it turns out, though, both Josie and Hank are hiding some dangerous secrets.

"Time Freak"

Turner plays Debbie, the ex-girlfriend of a physics genius, in this time-travel dramedy. After Debbie dumps her boyfriend, he turns to his best friend to help him try to figure out where the relationship went wrong. When the pair discover how to build a time machine, they go back to key moments over and over to try to prevent the breakup, but the consequences ripple beyond what they expect.

"Dark Phoenix"

In 2019, Turner reprised her role as Jean Grey for another X-Men movie. This time, the series tried once again to tackle the famed "Dark Phoenix" storyline from the comics. After an encounter with a cosmic force, Jean's already-powerful telepathic abilities are supercharged, to the point that even she can't always control them. As her mental and emotional states deteriorate, her powers only grow and her "Dark Phoenix" personality forms, putting her and everyone around her at risk.

"Heavy"

Arguably Turner's darkest project to date, "Heavy" follows the ups and downs (mostly downs) of a young drug dealer in trouble. Turner, as Maddie, is along for the ride as the couple live it up in New York City before it all comes crashing down. When the couple agree to accept a high-risk job from an old friend, they find themselves in more danger than ever.

"Survive"

Quibi may have been very short-lived as a streaming service, but it did attract a number of stars to its quirky projects. Turner was one of them, costarring with Corey Hawkins in this survival drama. As the only two survivors of a plane crash on a remote, snowy mountain, Jane (Turner) and Paul (Hawkins) have to stick together to make it through the elements and find their way back to civilization. Complicating things are their own personal baggage, including Jane's struggles with depression.

"The Prince"

Turner made a foray into voice work with this controversial animated satire for HBO Max. The series pokes fun at the British monarchy, with 7-year-old Prince George as the main character. Turner voiced Princess Charlotte for one season in 2021, before the show was quickly canceled. Although it didn't last long, it did have time to be a "Game of Thrones" mini reunion: Iwan Rheon, who played the vicious Ramsay Bolton, voiced Prince William!