Mia Goth’s Roles to Date — and What She’s Doing Next

“Nymphomaniac: Vol II” (2013)

Goth jumped straight into the deep end for her first major film role, playing a character known only as P in Lars von Trier’s infamously erotic art film. She plays a key role in the second half of the two-volume film: a 15-year-old who gets sucked into the darkly sexual criminal underworld of the film before ultimately urinating on the protagonist. It was a fitting start to the career of a star defined by her willingness to go the extra mile to play twisted characters. 

“A Cure for Wellness” (2017)

Goth’s horror career launched with a bang in 2017 when she starred in “A Cure for Wellness,” Gore Verbinski’s criminally underseen film about a demented spa with a serious dark side. While the twists and turns should remain unspoiled — they make “Infinity Pool” look tame by comparison — Goth gives one of the film’s best performances as Hannah, a girl whose determination to remain at the resort knows no bounds.

In his review, IndieWire’s David Ehrlich called the film “a thick, festering chunk of psychological horror that feels like a full-bodied Guillermo del Toro remake of ‘Shutter Island,’ this woozy 146-minute nightmare does for workaholics what Val Lewton did for cat people, and it does so in ridiculous style. It isn’t particularly smart, but a Hollywood product this screwy doesn’t really have to be — even at its most half-baked, ‘A Cure for Wellness’ is still a thrilling reminder of what can happen in the increasingly rare instance when a visionary filmmaker is given serious cash without constraints.”

“Marrowbone” (2017)

Another one of Goth’s earliest roles was this domestic horror drama from Sergio G. Sánchez. The visually stunning film follows a creepy group of siblings who conceal their mother’s death in an attempt to stay together — only to learn that that is far from the darkest secret hiding in their gothic manor. The film marked the first of Goth’s many onscreen appearances alongside Anya Taylor-Joy. 

“High Life” (2018)

One of the most unique entries in Claire Denis’ filmography is “High Life,” a 2018 sci-fi drama that stars Robert Pattinson as a prisoner on a lifelong mission in space who tries to bond with the daughter he fathered via artificial insemination. Goth plays Boyse, the mother of the child who was forced to give birth without consent. While the muted art film is a far cry from the slasher fare Goth has become known for, she still finds a way to get a cool kill shot with a shovel! 

“Suspiria” (2018)

Goth bolstered her horror bona fides by participating in Luca Guadagnino’s highly stylized “Suspiria” remake in 2018. She played a relatively small role as a student tasked with investigating the disappearance of a classmate, but it adds to the sense that it’s almost impossible to make a good horror movie without Goth these days. The update of Dario Argento’s legendary horror movie polarized audiences and critics, with some finding it repulsive and unnecessary and others seeing it as an exciting addition to the horror canon. IndieWire’s David Ehrlich wrote that: “’Suspiria’ is a film of rare and unfettered madness, and it leaves behind a scalding message that’s written in pain and blood: The future will be a nightmare if we can’t take responsibility for the past.”

“Emma” (2020)

Goth re-teamed with Anya Taylor-Joy for this Jane Austen adaptation, proving that she’s more than capable of thriving in films where nobody gets stabbed. Goth stars as Harriet Smith, governess to Taylor-Joy’s eponymous heiress who ultimately becomes a pawn in her matchmaking game. Autumn de Wilde’s film is a delightful update of Austen’s comedy of manners, maintaining the film’s period setting while still feeling uniquely fresh due to strong performances like Goth’s. 

“Mayday” (2021)

One of the more unique films of the past several years, Karen Cinnore’s unclassifiable fantasy war drama follows a bored caterer who escapes to a dream land engaged in an endless war. While many critics felt like the film fell short of its high concept, IndieWire’s Kate Erbland wrote that Goth gave “one of her best performances to date” as a bride-turned-military-leader. 

“X (2022)

Goth pulled double duty in Ti West’s ode to ’70s slasher cinema, playing both Maxine the porn star and Pearl the horny nonagenarian (under a layer of prosthetics). The showdown between Maxine and Pearl is the foundation of the entire film, which succeeds due to Goth’s unprecedented ability to play both a killer and a final girl in the same movie. It’s no wonder West realized that her talent couldn’t be contained in one film — or even two, for that matter.

“Pearl”

While Ti West quarantined in New Zealand before shooting “X,” he had a radical idea: with sets already built and the hassle of transporting an American cast halfway around the world, why not just make another movie? That led him and Goth to hastily write “Pearl,” a prequel set 61 years before the events of the first film. Goth reprises her role as Pearl, playing a much younger version of the killer as she attempts to launch an acting career in 1918. While “X” owes a massive creative debt to the grindhouses of the ’70s, “Pearl” takes more of its creative cues from the lush Technicolor pictures of Hollywood’s golden age. The juxtaposition between glamour and violence makes for a thrilling addition to the trilogy, which is set to conclude with the upcoming “MaXXXine.”

“Infinity Pool” (2023)

Hot off the success of “X” and “Pearl,” Goth headlined Brandon Cronenberg’s insane Sundance horror hit alongside Alexander Skarsgard. The neon-tinged film takes place at a luxury resort in a country that punishes even minor crimes with executions — though its corrupt law enforcement provides some unique alternative punishments for rich foreigners willing to pay. Goth plays a manipulative vacationer who sucks Skarsgard’s embattled writer into her orbit and proceeds to blow up his life. It’s yet another example of her ability to subvert horror tropes, seamlessly transitioning from the pretty girl on the sidelines to the puppet master orchestrating the entire fucked-up symphony.

“MaXXXine” (Coming soon)

Goth returns to the “X” universe one last time in “MaXXXine,” Ti West’s upcoming conclusion to the trilogy. After surviving the deadly porn set massacre in “X,” Maxine makes her way to Los Angeles and gets the fame she always wanted — but it comes with a price. The film takes place in 1985, and is expected to explore the ways the home video market impacted the film and porn industries. No release date has been announced.