Romantic musical La La Land, starring Emma Stone, opened in cinemas yesterday. Aref Omar lists some big-screen work from the 28-year-old Hollywood actress
1. SUPERBAD (2007)
Emma won a Young Hollywood Award for her big screen debut in this teen comedy about two awkward high school seniors (played by Jonah Hill and Michael Cera), whose plan to stage a wild party goes awry. She plays Jules, the love interest of Hill’s Seth, whom he accidentally headbutts after passing out in a drunken stupor. Jennifer Lawrence was apparently considered for the role of Jules.
2. THE HOUSE BUNNY (2008)
This romcom follows the adventures of a former Playboy bunny who becomes the head of an unpopular university sorority after finding out she must leave the Playboy Mansion. Stone flexes her comedic muscles as an inept nerd of the sorority who bands together with the others to make sure their sorority doesn’t get closed down.
3. ZOMBIELAND (2009)
A critical and commercial success, this zombie survival comedy made Stone an international star. She plays a spunky firebrand, who, together with younger sister Abigail Breslin, travels with college student Jesse Eisenberg and oddball drifter Woody Harrelson in a post-zombie apocalypse. Along the way, they party with comedian Bill Murray (playing himself) to hilarious effect. Apparently, Stone was originally cast to play the small role of a zombie named 406.
4. EASY A (2010)
Stone received a Golden Globe nomination for Best Actress — Motion Picture Musical or Comedy (and much praise from critics) for her lead role in this teen comedy. Partly inspired by Nathaniel Hawthorne’s novel, The Scarlet Letter, she plays a high school student who indulges in her school’s rumour mill in order to advance her social and financial standing. Luckily, Stone dropped out of the action-fantasy turkey, Sucker Punch, to do this movie instead.
5. CRAZY, STUPID, LOVE (2011)
This romcom follows Steve Carell playing a recent divorcee who is taught by womaniser Ryan Gosling on how to pick up women at bars. Stone plays a level-headed law graduate who is immune to Gosling’s bedroom charms but, eventually, develops a meaningful connection with him. Although Stone is only three days older than Analeigh Tipton, who plays Carell’s babysitter, in the film she is 25 while Tipton is 17.
6. THE HELP (2011)
Adapted from Kathryn Stockett’s 2009 novel of the same name, Stone plays an aspiring journalist during the American civil rights movement who writes about the lives of African American maids who work for white families in this period drama. It stars an ensemble cast which includes Jessica Chastain, Viola Davis, Bryce Dallas Howard, Octavia Spencer and Sissy Spacek. Stone and Howard have both played the role of Gwen Stacy in the Spider-Man films.
7. THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN (2012)
Andrew Garfield plays the titular hero who gains superpowers after being bitten by a radioactive spider in this successful reboot of the franchise directed by Marc Webb. Stone plays his love interest, Gwen Stacy, which she reprised in The Amazing Spider-Man 2 (2014). Stone and actress Sally Field, who plays Aunt May, share the same birthday (Nov 6).
8. THE CROODS (2013)
This 3D computer-animated adventure comedy by DreamWorks Animation sees Stone lending her voice to the character of Eep Crood, a curious and rebellious teenage cavegirl. Set in the stone age, her family sets off on a fantastical trek through a strange world after their cave is destroyed.
9. BIRDMAN OR (THE UNEXPECTED VIRTUE OF IGNORANCE) (2014)
Stone received Oscar, Golden Globe and Bafta nominations for Best Supporting Actress for her role as a recovering drug addict and quirky assistant to her father, a washed-up actor played by Michael Keaton. This black dramedy tracks his progress to stage a Broadway play in order to make a comeback. A critical and commercial success, the film won Oscars for Best Picture, Best Director, Best Original Screenplay and Best Cinematography.
10. MAGIC IN THE MOONLIGHT (2014)
In director Woody Allen’s 44th film, Stone plays a clairvoyant and mystic in the French Riviera. This romcom sees an Englishman (Colin Firth) brought in to investigate her as a possible fraud only to lead to other things. Stone would later star in another Allen film, the mystery drama Irrational Man (2015).