Jonny Lee Miller is an English actor whose career took off after his appearance in the cult classic Trainspotting. Miller went on to take on stronger lead roles as he did in The Flying Scotsman, which earned him a nomination for Actor of the Year at the London Film Critics’ Circle. That said, Miller’s roles have not all been exclusively on-screen, with many of his best performances coming from theatrical productions like Frankenstein, which earned him the prestigious Olivier Award for Best Actor.
Miller may have decades of acting experience under his belt, but he shows no signs of slowing down. With new performances in the sci-fi thriller Settlersand the revenge drama film Alice opposite KeKe Palmer, it’s only fair that we examine Miller’s roles to date, looking at some of his best to see the potential in these new releases. These are Jonny Lee Miller’s best performances, ranked.
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9 Dark Shadows
Village Roadshow Productions
After two centuries buried in a tomb, vampire Barnabas Collins escapes finding himself surrounded by the era of the 70s. With his estate in ruin, Barnabas struggles to manage what remains of his family. Jonny Lee Miller plays the role of Roger Collins, brother to Elizabeth and distant relative of Barnabas. A film recreation of the gothic soap opera of the same name, Dark Shadows received mixed reviews for a lack of focus and poor character development. That said, the film’s ending hinted at a potential sequel, but director Tim Burton quickly dismissed any speculation that the film was the beginning of a franchise.
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8 Emma
BBC
Based on the Jane Austen novel of the same name Emma, this four-part miniseries follows Emma Woodhouse who has a habit of meddling in other people’s love lives. As Emma continuously takes it upon herself to make matches for others within her community, Emma neglects her own emotions, which eventually catch up to her. Jonny Lee Miller stars as Mr. George Knightly, Emma’s long-time friend who has no problem calling Emma out when he disagrees with her behavior. The miniseries was nominated for a number of awards and even won an Emmy for Outstanding Hairstyling for a Miniseries or A Movie.
7 Byzantium
IFC Films
Based on A Vampire Story by Moira Buffini, Byzantium follows mother-daughter vampires Clara and Eleanor who move into the run-down Byzantium Hotel to hide from other vampires. Jonny Lee Miller plays the key role of Captain Ruthven, a despicable man from Clara’s past who forced himself on Clara, resulting in the birth of Eleanor. The film also holds archaic rules that members of the Brethren, a secret vampire society, are traditionally male nobles; as a result, Clara is shunned and is excluded from the protection given from the Brethren, leading to the ensuing chase. Byzantium was generally well-received, with special praise for the performances as well as the overall unconventional approach to vampirism with many codes to follow.
6 The Flying Scotsman
MGM
The Flying Scotsman follows the true story of bicycle shop owner Graeme Obree and his journey in becoming a racing cyclist who would take the world’s one-hour distance record. On his way to fame, he faces the struggle with his severe bipolar disorder and depression, as well as his lack of financial sponsorship with his only true support being his bicycle “Old Faithful.” Jonny Lee Miller was praised for his performance in the title role, with critics commending him for such an inspiring performance. That said, the film was criticized for minimizing the effects of his mental illness on Obree and his journey to live his dream.
5 Elementary
CBS
Elementary is a modern spin on the classic character Sherlock Holmes. After a stint in rehab, Sherlock comes home to find his father has found him a sober living companion, Dr. Joan Watson, who seeks penance after her surgical license was revoked. Sherlock throws himself into police work to help him stay sober and with Watson at his side, Holmes manages to crack some of the NYPD’s most difficult cases. Jonny Lee Miller plays the role of Sherlock Holmes and received a great deal of praise for his performance in this series that ran from 2012 to 2019.
4 Mansfield Park
BBC Films
Poor Fanny is sent away to live with her wealthy uncle Sir Thomas, his wife, and their four children where she will be brought into society properly at Mansfield Park. Her relatives, however, don’t look upon Fanny with kind eyes, apart from her cousin Edmund, played by Jonny Lee Miller, whom she grows quite fond of. Fanny’s life turns to chaos when the worldly, charming Mary Crawford arrives with her brother Henry. Based on the Jane Austen novel of the same name, Mansfield Park is a romantic comedy that explores the complexities of love and status during the regency era. The film was well-received but was criticized for the changes made, especially the choice to leave out the issues of slavery at West Indian plantations that Austen included in the novel.
3 Afterglow
Sony Pictures
Starring Nick Nolte and Lara Flynn Boyle, Afterglow follows the life of contractor Lucky Mann who is equally handy as seduction, which is how he managed to snag the attention of the unhappy, childless Marianne whose husband Jeffrey is more interested in his work. A twist of fate arrives when Jeffrey finds himself falling for Lucky’s wife, former star Phyllis, played by Julie Christie. This complicated love rectangle may seem like a complicated mess, but it reignites the spark in their stale marriages. Jonny Lee Miller plays the role of Jeffrey, a performance for which he received a great deal of praise alongside his co-stars.
2 Hackers
Hackers is a crime film that follows a group of high school hackers and their involvement in corporate extortion. Jonny Lee Miller plays the role of Dade Murphy, a master hacker who has been banned from even touching a keyboard for seven years after crashing 1500 Wall Street computers at the mere age of 11. Dade finds himself in trouble, being framed for a crime similar to the one he pulled in his youth. At the time of the film’s release, the internet was not widely known to the public and many believed it to be a simple fad that would pass. The film outlines the general basics of “The Hacker Manifesto,” written back in 1986. Hackers received generally mixed reviews, but eventually gained status as a cult classic.
1 Trainspotting
Miramax
With a character known for his obsession with fellow Scot Sean Connery, Jonny Lee Miller shines in his most memorable role as Simon AKA Sick Boy in Trainspotting. Trainspotting follows a group of Scottish heroin addicts and their struggles with sobriety and overall sanity in an economically depressed Edinburgh. Trainspotting went on to create a huge boom in the film industry, launching Ewan McGregor’s career. The film even manages to snag the title as the fourth-greatest British film of all time by Total Film magazine. The film’s legacy was even enough for a sequel T2 Trainspotting to be released in 2017, more than 30 years after the release of the original film.
