Jodie Comer is everywhere these days. After a scene-stealing role in Free Guy, she’s now, according to Variety, set to star in a new Adam McKay drama titled Big Swiss. But one could argue that the English’s actor’s success all started with Killing Eve, courtesy of BBC America and AMC.
Killing Eve is an award-winning cat-and-mouse thriller between disillusioned intelligence agent Eve (Sandra Oh) and glamorous assassin Villanelle (Comer). Season four, which is now airing weekly and will (sadly) conclude the series, is more personal, dangerous, and emotional than ever. Based on the Villanelle novella series by Luke Jennings, each of the show’s seasons is led by a different woman head writer, the first of which had Fleabag’s Phoebe Waller-Bridge (who still serves as executive producer).
The first two installments received critical acclaim, while the last two seasons got more mixed responses. Nonetheless, Killing Eve owes much of its success to its two women leads and the way it subverts the TV police procedural. Not only does Villanelle distinguish herself as an assassin and sociopath, but she provides comic relief across the board. The wide-eyed face Comer often makes when deep in thought is priceless. She often wears disguises to insert herself into dangerous situations. Here’s a closer look at her craziest getups to date.
Note: In the four season, Villanelle often sees a “Jesus” version of herself, with whom Villanelle converses about life amid her (attempted) spiritual recovery. Technically, it’s not a “disguise,” but Villanelle’s hilarious turn as the “lord and savior” is worth at least a mention before we dive into our list below.
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5 The Chic Professor (Season 2)
BBC America
Season two’s third episode really showed off Comer’s acting chops as Villanelle. It’s no surprise, then, that it was this season overall that netted Comer her Primetime Emmy. In the episode titled “The Hungry Caterpillar,” Villanelle grows jealous that Eve is investigating another woman contract killer nicknamed the Ghost. She lashes out at Eve in a sneaky and indirect way, posing as a child and calling the school Eve’s husband Niko teaches at in order to lodge a complaint about him. Then, she goes to the school and watches him flirting with a fellow teacher named Gemma. Finally, Villanelle has the fodder she needs to set fire to the one relationship standing in her way. The scenes where Villanelle ultimately interacts with Gemma directly show the villain’s surprising emotional complexity. And she nails the teacher look, physically. It’s a hoot to watch.
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4 The Perfume Entrepreneur (Season 1)
“I’ll Deal With Him Later” is the name of the second-ever episode of Killing Eve. The “him” in the title certainly isn’t referring to the person eventually assassinated by Villanelle — using perfume, of all weapons. Earlier in the episode, Villanelle disguises herself as wait staff and infiltrates a political fundraising event in order to find her next target. She finds the target, a woman, alone in the ladies room and persuades her to sample a perfume Villanelle had prepared earlier, which in fact is a nerve agent that triggers asthma. Villanelle watches her die and then leaves, taking the bottle of perfume with her. Later in the episode, Villanelle’s love interest also dies by perfume by accident. Villanelle’s ability to infiltrate high-brow events is on full display with this disguise and is why it makes our top 5 list.
3 Billie the Addict (Season 2)
In season two, it’s a thrill watching Villanelle take assignments from MI6’s Carolyn (played by Emmy-winner Fiona Shaw). In the episode titled “I Hope You Like Missionary!”, Carolyn details Villanelle’s new assignment — they’ve hired her to get close to a potentially murderous tech mastermind by befriending his sister Amber. Enter Billie, Villanelle’s ditzy new persona. Villanelle slips on a bubblegum pink wig and American accent to embody her New Yorker alter ego. By the time she’s joined Amber at an AA meeting, Villanelle has Billie’s story fully fleshed out: “I’m Billie, and I’m an addict. Cocaine and alcohol, mostly, but honestly, whatever I can get.” Villanelle’s attention to detail is in peak form with this unique getup.
2 The Kids’ Party Clown (Season 3)
Villanelle has worn plenty of memorable fits, from the stylish suits and poofy dresses to oddball getups like children’s PJ’s. She’s also known for her over the top, intricate-yet-clean kills, but nothing prepared us for Villanelle as a petulant clown at a children’s birthday party, where she’s also mentoring a newbie assassin. In the third season’s second episode, “Management Sucks” (you’ve got to love the titles), we see Villanelle in her second-crazies getup yet. The ensemble that takes the cake, however, can be found below…
1 The Amsterdam Pig (Season 2)
One hit job proved so creepy that some viewers said they feared having nightmares after watching it. The second season’s fourth episode, fittingly titled “Desperate Times,” sees Villanelle disguised in a pink pig mask as she honed in on her latest target, a married father with a penchant for bestiality, in Amsterdam’s atmospheric red-light district. Viewers were left cold by what unfolded and took to social media to vent with one-liners including, “I’ll never look at bacon the same way again.” The photo above speaks for itself.
