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The best Eve Hewson movies and TV shows showcase her journey from taking supporting roles in indie films through to lead roles in critically acclaimed dramas. Born in Dublin, Ireland, in 1991, Eve Hewson (birth name Memphis Eve Sunny Day Iris Hewson) is the daughter of U2’s Bono and Irish activist Ali Hewson. Coming from a talented family wasn’t a guarantee Eve Hewson would find her way to fame and acclaim, however, since her parents initially tried to dissuade her from a career in entertainment.
However, Eve Hewson insisted on pursuing a career as an actor, enrolling in the New York Film Academy in 2008, following which she graduated from NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts in 2013. She landed her first role the same year in the thriller Blood Ties, with several more feature-film appearances following. However, it was co-starring in the 2014 Cinemax series The Knick that saw her career truly take off, with the best Eve Hewson movies and TV shows highlighting how she’s gone from strength to strength as a performer.
10 Papillon (2017)
Eve Hewson Plays Nenette
Papillon is a 2017 film that chronicles the life of Henri "Papillon" Charrière, portrayed as a skilled safecracker wrongfully convicted and sent to a penal colony in French Guiana. There, he forms a significant alliance with fellow inmate Louis Dega, a counterfeiter seeking his protection, amidst their struggle for freedom.
Release Date September 7, 2017
Runtime 134 minutes
Director Michael Noer
2017’s Papillon, from director Michael Noer, was Eve Hewson’s fourth feature film appearance and saw her star alongside Charlie Hunnam and Rami Malek. Based on the autobiographies of Henri Cherriere, the real-life Frech criminal played by Hunnam, Papillion is the true story of a miraculous escape from one of the most infamous prisons in history the Devil’s Island Penal Colony.
In the historical drama, Eve Hewson plays Nenette, the former lover of Humman’s Henri Charriere. It’s a relatively small role that’s mostly prevalent at the start of Papillon. However, while she’s not as prominent or central a cast member as Hunnam or Malek, Hewson still gives an incredibly solid performance, and Nenette is essential for humanizing the criminal character of Charriere and ensuring audiences perceive him as a hero they can empathize with. She also has great chemistry with Charlie Hunnam, with none of the scenes between Nenette and Charriere coming across as anything other than believably authentic.
9 Enough Said (2013)
Eve Hewson Plays Tess
Enough Said is a romantic comedy directed by Nicole Holofcener. It features Julia Louis-Dreyfus as a divorced woman who starts a new relationship with a man played by James Gandolfini, only to discover he is the ex-husband of her new friend. As she navigates her feelings, the film explores themes of love, friendship, and midlife challenges with humor and sincerity.
Release Date October 11, 2013
Runtime 93 Minutes
Director Nicole Holofcener
Eve Hewson’s role in 2013’s Enough Said is, like Papillion, in more of a supporting cast capacity, though this doesn’t in any way detract from her performance (and also doesn’t prohibit the romantic comedy-drama from being counted among her best movies). Directed by Nicole Holofcener, Enough Said focuses on Eva (Julia Louis-Dreyfus), a massage therapist who discovers her new boyfriend, Albert (James Gandolfini) is the ex-husband of one of her close friends and business clients.
In the cast of Enough Said, Eve Hewson plays Tess, the teenage daughter of Albert. Given the complex situation Eva finds herself in regarding Albert and his ex-wife Marianne (Catherine Keener), Tess finds herself in plenty of awkward situations. For example, Eva pretends not to know her after being introduced to her by Marianne, despite already meeting Tess through Albert. Hewson plays the part of the bemused and increasingly frustrated teen incredibly well, and proves herself to be an essential member of the ensemble cast.
8 Behind Her Eyes (2021)
Eve Hewson Plays Adele Ferguson
Director Erik Richter Strand presents Behind Her Eyes, a supernatural thriller Netflix series that follows Louise, a single mother who has an affair with her psychiatrist boss, David. Her life takes a strange turn when she later befriends his wife, Adele, but soon she finds herself caught in a never-ending web of secrets and lies where nothing is what it seems.
Release Date February 17, 2021
Network Netflix
Following her breakout small-screen appearance on The Knick, Eve Hewson’s TV show career had many solid roles and appearances in miniseries. Among them is 2021’s Behind Her Eyes, the British psychological thriller made for Netflix and based on the novel of the same name by Sarah Pinborough. In the show, Eve Hewson plays Adele Ferguson in the Behind Her Eyes cast, the wife of Tom Bateman’s David Ferguson, and one of three characters caught up in the story’s central love triangle.
The story of Behind Her Eyes begins when Louise (Simona Brown) begins an affair with David, who is her boss, though also develops a friendship with Eve Hewson’s Adele. However, things then become much darker as Simone begins to uncover the Ferguson’s many secrets. With such a premise it’s a given that Adele Ferguson is an incredibly nuanced role for Eve Hewson, and her skill at navigating the complexities of the plot during her performance secures Behind Her Eyes as one of the star’s best TV shows.
7 Tesla (2020)
Eve Hewson Plays Anne Morgan
Tesla, directed by Michael Almereyda, stars Ethan Hawke as the visionary inventor Nikola Tesla. The film explores Tesla's life and his efforts to pioneer revolutionary electrical technology. With Kyle MacLachlan as Thomas Edison and Eve Hewson as Anne Morgan, the narrative delves into Tesla's intense rivalries, struggles, and triumphs, providing a nuanced portrayal of his contributions to science and technology.
Release Date August 21, 2020
Runtime 102 minutes
Director Michael Almereyda
The 2020 biographic drama Tesla, from director Michael Almereyda, was somewhat divided as far as the critical response was concerned, though the majority agreed that Eve Hewson gave an incredibly strong performance as real-life philanthropist Anne Morgan. The movie focuses on the life of scientist Nikola Tesla (Ethan Hawke), showcasing his groundbreaking scientific discoveries and rivalry with Thomas Edison (Kyle MacLachlan).
Not only does Eve Hewson have some incredible scenes in Tesla as Anne Morgan, but she also serves as the film's narrator. This gave Hewson ample screentime and plenty of opportunity to display her abilities. What’s more, due to the real-life relationship between Morgan and the titular scientist, Hewson has plenty of scenes alongside leading man Ethan Hawke. The pair have great chemistry as platonic companions, and the moments Morgan and Tesla share are among the strongest and most emotional in the entire 102-minute runtime.
6 The Luminaries (2020)
Eve Hewson Plays Anna Wetherell
The Luminaries is a six-part miniseries set in 1860s New Zealand during the gold rush. The story follows young adventurer Anna Wetherell, who becomes entangled with fortune seekers, schemers, and a mysterious death. Starring Eve Hewson, Himesh Patel, and Eva Green, the series explores themes of love, murder, and mysticism, based on Eleanor Catton’s Booker Prize-winning novel.
Release Date February 14, 2021
Cast Eve Hewson , Eva Green , Himesh Patel , Marton Csokas , Ewen Leslie , Erik Thomson , Callan Mulvey , Benedict Hardie
Seasons 1
Another solid miniseries among the best Eve Hewson TV shows, 2020’s The Luminaries is a historical drama based on the Eleanor Catton novel of the same name. The show, which originally aired on TVNZ 1 in New Zealand and on the UK’s BBC 1 network, focuses on a British adventurer who moves to New Zealand during the West Coast gold rush of the late 19th century.
Eve Hewson co-leads the cast of The Luminaries as Anna Wetherell, the central character who travels to New Zealand seeking fortune, fame, and a new life. The show has more than its share of dramatic moments, and remains a standout performance of Hewson’s career. The historical drama contains plenty of adult themes, including romance, revenge, and murder, meaning that Hewson has plenty of opportunities to display her wide range as a performer.
5 Paper Year (2018)
Eve Hewson Plays Franny Winters
Paper Year follows newlyweds Franny (Eve Hewson) and Dan (Avan Jogia) as they navigate the challenges of their first year of marriage. Directed by Rebecca Addelman, the film explores the impact of infidelity, personal growth, and maturing relationships, blending drama and romantic elements. Through realistic and nuanced portrayals, it provides an introspective look at the trials faced by young couples.
Release Date June 22, 2018
Runtime 89 Minutes
Cast Andie MacDowell , Avan Jogia , Eve Hewson , Hamish Linklater , Grace Glowicki , Evan Stern , Brooks Gray , Andrew Markowiak
Director Rebecca Addelman
2018’s Paper Year was the directorial debut of Rebecca Addelman, a former writer on the sitcom New Girl, and casting Eve Hewson as one of the central roles helped ensure critics responded to her first feature-film venture incredibly well. The romantic drama is about the ups and downs of early marriage, with Eve Hewson playing Franny Winters, the newlywed husband of Dan Delany (Avan Jogia).
Paper Girl is an incredibly grounded drama, and few performances among the best Eve Hewson movies and TV shows gave the star as much opportunity to showcase just how authentic she could make her characters seem. The relationship between Franny and Dan feels incredibly realistic, with many of the quieter and more understated moments being all too relatable for many viewers. While it’s not the most widely known project Eve Hewson has been involved with, it’s undeniably one of the strongest performances of Hewson’s filmography so far.
4 The True Adventures Of Wolfboy (2019)
Eve Hewson Plays Rose
The True Adventures of Wolfboy is a coming-of-age drama directed by Martin Krejčí, following the journey of a boy named Paul, played by Jaeden Martell, who has an unusual condition causing excessive hair growth on his body. As Paul seeks acceptance and understanding, he encounters unique individuals that help him redefine his identity and embrace his differences.
Release Date October 30, 2020
Runtime 88 minutes
Director Martin Krejcí
If Paper Girl is the most grounded and authentic among the besat Eve Hewson movies, then 2019’s The True Adventures of Wolfboy sits at the opposite end of the scale as the most surreal and fantastical. The coming-of-age drama directed by Martin Krejci focuses on Jaeden Martell’s Paul Harker, a teenage boy with a skin condition that causes him to grow fur, giving him an almost werewolf-like appearance.
While it contains many fantasy elements, The True Adventures of Wolfboy is ultimately a story about self-acceptance and the rejection of society’s obsession with body image. Eve Hewson plays Rose in the film, an eyepatch-sporting who befriends Paul and is integral in his emotional journey. It’s a unique role and one in which Eve Hewson performs with flying colors. The True Adventures of Wolfboy also stands out among the best Eve Hewson roles for how much of her range it displays, as no other characters she’s played are quite like Rose.
3 The Knick (2014-2015)
Eve Hewson Plays Lucy Elkins
Set in New York City in 1900, The Knick is a medical drama series that follows the staff of the Knickerbocker Hospital at the beginning of the century as they navigate the medical field during a time of limited advancements in technology. The show mostly centers on Dr. John W. Thackery who strives for greatness and inspires others to reach it with him, but struggles with addiction and a self-destructive personality.
Release Date August 8, 2014
Cast Clive Owen
Seasons 2
Showrunner Jack Amiel
While she’d appeared in several movies beforehand, such as 2013’s Enough Said, the 2014-2015 medical period drama The Knick was arguably the big break that Eve Hewson had been seeking in her early career. Starring alongside the likes of Clive Owen and Andre Holland, the Cinemax TV show The Knick focuses on the staff and patients of a NYC hospital at the turn of the 20th century.
Eve Hewson plays Lucy in the cast of The Knick, a nurse from West Virginia who finds herself at the forefront of one of the most innovative eras of medical history. It’s through The Knick that Hewson displayed her skills in period dramas, a strength of her abilities as a performer she’d later come to rely on in movies like Tesla and Papillion, and shows like The Luminaries. However, The Knick still stands as Hewson’s strongest performance in the genre, and among the very best TV shows of her career so far.
2 Bad Sisters (2022-Present)
Eve Hewson Plays Becka Garvey
Bad Sisters is an Apple TV+ exclusive series based on the Flemish TV original Clan. The Garvey sisters are a group of five blood-related siblings bonded closely after the untimely death of their parents. Tragedy strikes once again when the husband of Grace Williams (Anne-Marie Duff) dies. The other four sisters, however, haven't hidden their disapproval of Grace's husband, John Paul Williams, due to his poor treatment of her on an abusive level. His life insurer notes this and launches an investigation into John's death. Bad Sisters will take viewers back and forth into the past and present as they unveil the truth about what happened around John's death.
Release Date August 19, 2022
Seasons 2
Among the TV shows of her recent career, none are as highly regarded as Bad Sisters, the first season of which achieved an astounding 100% critical score on Rotten Tomatoes. The Apple TV+ original is an incredible Irish comedy based on the Flemish miniseries Clan, created by Malin-Sarah Gozin, with a cast that includes the likes of Sharon Horgan, Anne-Marie Duff, and Brian Gleeson. The show focuses on the five Garvey sisters, of which Eve Hewson plays the youngest, Becka Garvey.
So strong was Eve Hewson’s performance as Becka Garvey in Bad Sisters that it earned her her second award nomination, Best Supporting Actress - Television at the 2023 Irish Film & Television Awards. The show itself has received a slew of accolades, including a Peabody Award win in the Entertainment category, the BAFTA for Best Drama Series, and a Primetime Emmy Nomination for cast lead Sharon Horgan. Both in terms of her performance and the quality of the series overall, Bad Sisters comfortably sits as the best Eve Hewson TV show.
1 Flora And Son (2023)
Eve Hewson Plays Flora
Flora and Son is a music-based drama directed by John Carney. Starring Eve Hewson, the film follows a struggling single mother in Dublin who attempts to bond with her troubled teenage son through a shared love of music. Featuring original songs and touching performances, the story explores themes of family, redemption, and the transformative power of creativity amidst life's challenges.
Release Date September 29, 2023
Runtime 97 Minutes
Cast Eve Hewson , Joseph Gordon-Levitt , Oren Kinlan , Jack Reynor
Director John Carney
While Bad Sisters may be her strongest TV show, being part of an ensemble cast means that Eve Hewson can sometimes be overshadowed in episodes where Becka Garvey isn’t central to the plot. This isn’t the case with the best Eve Hewson movie, however, as she is the cast lead of the highly critically acclaimed musical dramedy Flora and Son. The 2023 film from director Joseph Carney stars Hewson as Flora, a single mother from Dublin who uses a guitar she rescued from the trash to help her wayward son, Max (Oren Kinlan) turn his life around.
Another Apple TV+ original like Bad Sisters, Flora and Son contains just as many heartfelt and grounded moments as it does hilarious ones - all of which are played to perfection by Hewson. The movie was received incredibly well by critics, as evidenced by its 93% Rotten Tomatoes score. It’s undoubtedly the film that will go on to be regarded as the movie that truly defined Eve Hewson’s career, with her performance being celebrated in reviews from critics and general viewers alike.
English (US) ·