Sultry vampire, fading beauty, high-fashion villainess, terminally ill matriarch, campaigning nun, supernatural cellist, and Hollywood’s favourite mother, Susan Sarandon is undoubtedly one of the most versatile actors in Hollywood. With more than five decades of industry experience, she’s delivered unforgettable performances that span generations, genres, and archetypes.
Her strong screen presence, and emotional range have won her several accolades, including the Academy Award for Best Actress for her role as sister Helen in Dead Man Walking. In addition to her Oscar win, she’s received four more Oscar nominations for her performances in Atlantic City, Thelma & Louise, Lorenzo’s Oil, and The Client, six Primetime Emmy Nominations, and nine Golden Globe nominations through her illustrious career. Susan Sarandon has starred in over 95 films, and she’s not slowing down anytime soon. Her latest appearance as Gia, a self made hair salon owner and pastry chef, in the biographical comedy Nonnas, is a welcome reminder of her undying charm, wit, and emotional depth. Here’s a rundown of the best Susan Sarandon movies and where to watch them in India.
Thelma & Louise (1991)
No list of Susan Sarandon’s work or Hollywood’s greatest classic hits would be complete without Thelma & Louise. Ridley Scott’s American crime drama follows two female friends who set off on a road trip to escape the monotony of their suburban lives and, along the way, tumble into a life of crime that escalates with each passing mile. The film landed like a lightning bolt in a sea of male-dominated action flicks and buddy movies, shaking up the genre with its powerful female leads. Sarandon’s layered performance as Louise, a wounded housewife, fiercely loyal friend, and commanding outlaw, earned her an Academy Award nomination for Best Actress and remains one of her most memorable roles to date.
The Rocky Horror Picture Show (1975)
The 1970s were all about sex, drugs, and rock and roll. As society shifted toward more non-traditional and liberated values, art became bolder, more experimental, and unapologetically expressive. Based on the popular stage musical of the same name, The Rocky Horror Picture Show is the embodiment of everything the '70s represented, rolled into one B-camp, chaotic musical. The film broke every rule in the book by mixing sci-fi, horror, music, brazen comedic style, and a wild celebration of sexual rebellion. At the center of it all, a young Susan Sarandon shines as the all-American girl Janet Weiss, a naive young woman who stumbles into Frank’s bizarre world and experiences a sexual awakening. She brings a blend of both vulnerability and comedy to the role, which cemented her popularity as a fun and relatable woman in Hollywood during her early days. She also sang her own parts in the film, adding an extra layer of charm to her musical debut.
Dead Man Walking (1995)
Revenge and redemption, crime and punishment, fear and salvation. Dead Man Walking beautifully portrays the relationship between a convicted killer and his spiritual advisor, Sister Helen Prejean. The intense drama explores a nun’s moral dilemma as she finds herself feeling empathy for both the convicted killer and the victim’s family, all while trying to appeal his sentence from death row to a life sentence. Susan Sarandon won an Academy Award for her raw and compassionate performance as a devoted nun in the film. Her portrayal is painfully real and deeply human. She masterfully captures the quiet strength of someone who listens more than speaks, proving that sometimes the best acting comes from reacting on screen. As Sister Prejean, she becomes a lens through which the audience navigates the strong moral dilemmas of the film.
Atlantic City (1980)
In Atlantic City, Susan Sarandon plays Sally Matthews, a small-time waitress at an oyster bar in a casino, with big dreams of becoming a blackjack dealer. With the help of a French dealer named Joseph, she begins training and hopes to one day leave Atlantic City behind for the glamorous world of Monte Carlo, France. But life takes a turn when her estranged ex-husband and her pregnant sister reenter her life, bringing with them a web of trouble that derails her carefully laid plans. Susan’s grounded and magnetic performance earned her an Academy Award nomination for Best Actress. The role helped establish her as a serious dramatic talent and also marked the beginning of her long-standing screen presence as a sensual yet intelligent and emotionally complex woman.
Lorenzo’s Oil (1992)
Susan Sarandon has played the role of a mother more than 20 times throughout her career, but her performance as Michaela Odone in Lorenzo’s Oil stands out as one of her most moving portrayals. The film tells the story of Michaela and her husband Augusto Odone, who are determined to find a cure for their brilliant seven-year-old son after he is diagnosed with a rare and fatal disease. Refusing to accept the doctors' prognosis, the couple sets out on an exhausting and emotional journey in search of answers. Sarandon brings extraordinary emotional depth to the role, capturing a mother's strength, vulnerability, and fierce determination. Her powerful performance, combined with her compelling on-screen partnership with Nick Nolte as Augusto, makes Lorenzo’s Oil the deeply affecting medical drama it is.
The Client (1994)
Based on John Grisham’s bestselling novel of the same name, The Client is a fast-paced legal thriller about an eleven-year-old boy who accidentally finds himself caught between the FBI and the mafia after witnessing the suicide of a lawyer connected to organized crime. Before his death, the lawyer reveals incriminating information about the location of a murdered U.S. senator’s body, placing the boy in serious danger as both the mafia and the authorities close in. Susan Sarandon plays Regina "Reggie" Love, a sharp, fearless lawyer who steps in to protect the boy at all costs. Reggie is a divorced mother and recovering alcoholic known for taking on clients others would not. Sarandon brings grit, intelligence, and deep emotional complexity to the role, earning her another Academy Award nomination for Best Actress. Her dynamic with young Brad Renfro, who plays Mark, is one of the film’s strongest elements. Their bond gives the story emotional weight and transforms the film into something far more memorable than a standard legal drama.
Stepmom (1998)
Stepmom is the original film that the popular Bollywood film We Are Family is based on. Susan Sarandon stars as Jackie Harrison in this emotional comedy-drama. A divorced mother battling with her feelings and fear of being replaced by her children’s new stepmother after receiving news of her own terminal cancer. The evolving relationship between Jackie and Julia Roberts’ character, Isabel, begins with rivalry but gradually blossoms into a quiet, and respectful friendship. Sarandon brings a sense of depth, grace, and emotional honesty to the role, which makes Jackie so relatable and loved as a character.
Arbitrage (2012)
Richard Gere plays the charming yet deceitful hedge fund manager Robert Miller in this fast-paced financial thriller. Burdened with debt and desperate to cover it up, Robert takes out a risky loan while continuing to make high-stakes decisions that jeopardize both his business and personal life. Silently supporting him is his wife, Ellen Miller, played by Susan Sarandon. While Sarandon’s role in Arbitrage is not extensive, it is pivotal. She brings quiet strength and nuance to Ellen, who begins as a seemingly loyal partner but later reveals a sharp awareness and willingness to take control when the stakes are highest. Without giving anything away, her transformation adds a powerful layer to the film’s conclusion.
Enchanted (2007)
Susan Sarandon isn’t the first name that comes to mind when you think of villains. That said, she brings a unique charisma and devious charm to the role of Queen Narissa in the modern-day fairy tale Enchanted. Set in New York City, the story follows Giselle, a classic Disney princess who dreams of true love and is about to marry Prince Edward. But when Edward’s mother, Queen Narissa, senses her power slipping away, she banishes Giselle from the animated kingdom of Andalasia to the real world. On Earth, Giselle is thrown into chaos and complexity, slowly discovering the harsh realities of life, and the beauty of being human. Determined to keep her grip on the throne, Narissa follows her, leading to a magical showdown. Sarandon is over-the-top, hilarious, and deliciously evil, embracing the theatrical flair of a classic Disney villain with absolute delight.
The Hunger (1983)
Susan Sarandon’s most controversial role at the time, The Hunger, is a steamy erotic thriller that every vampire buff should add to their watchlist. The film follows Miriam Blaylock, an elegant and centuries-old vampire who lives in New York with her lover John, whom she has managed to keep alive and youthful for centuries. But when John begins to age rapidly, Miriam enlists the help of Dr. Sarah Roberts, played by Sarandon, to save him. As Sarah dives deeper into the case, things take a darker turn, leading to new revelations and the film’s iconic, controversial love scene between Miriam and Sarah, one that broke cinematic taboos at the time. Sarandon’s restrained and emotionally charged performance added to the film’s dreamlike quality and marked her shift from the kinds of roles she was previously known for into darker, more psychologically intense territory.
Where To Watch The Best Susan Sarandon Movies Online
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