Vanessa Kirby’s Oscar-Nominated Role Proved She’s Ready for Anything — Even 'Fantastic Four'
Before Marvel, she delivered her most powerful work yet.
With Fantastic Four on the horizon, I turned my attention to Vanessa Kirby, the actress stepping into the role of Sue Storm. And rightly so — it’s one of Marvel’s most iconic characters. For a true sense of Kirby’s talent, start with Pieces of a Woman.
Released on Netflix in 2020, this psychological drama gave Kirby the most demanding role of her career to date — and earned her a well-deserved Oscar nomination for Best Actress.
The story follows Martha, a woman grieving after the devastating loss of her newborn during a home birth. It’s a difficult film, no question. But it’s also quietly powerful, and Kirby’s performance is at the centre of everything.
As Martha begins to process her grief, her world quietly unravels. Her relationship with Sean (Shia LaBeouf) fractures, while her mother (Ellen Burstyn) pushes for legal action. Kirby shows us a woman frozen by loss, yet never passive.
If you only know Kirby from The Crown or high-octane action roles, this might surprise you. But that’s exactly the point. If she can carry a role like this, she can carry just about anything — Fantastic Four included.
