Emily Browning

Emily Jane Browning (born December 7, 1988) is an Australian actress. She made her film debut in the television film The Echo of Thunder, and subsequently appeared in television shows such as High Flyers (1999), Something in the Air (2000–2001), and Blue Heelers (2000–2002). Her breakthrough role was in the 2002 horror film Ghost Ship, which introduced her to a wider audience. In 2005, Browning won the Australian Film Institute International Award for Best Actress for her portrayal of Violet Baudelaire in the film Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events (2004).

Browning is also known for her roles in The Uninvited (2009), Sucker Punch (2011), Sleeping Beauty (2011), and Pompeii (2014). She was named the Breakthrough Performer of The Year by the Hamptons International Film Festival for her role in the latter. Browning's other films include Summer in February, Plush (both 2013), Legend (2015) and Golden Exits (2017). From 2017 to 2021, she starred as Laura Moon in the Starz series American Gods. She also had a recurring role in Showtime's drama series The Affair (2018–2019). In 2023, she starred as Zoe in Amazon Prime Video's series Class of '07.

Early life and education Emily Jane Browning was born in Melbourne, Victoria, the daughter of Andrew and Shelley Browning. She has two younger brothers.

Career 1998–2007 Browning's debut acting role was in the 1998 Hallmark Channel movie The Echo of Thunder. Additional roles in Australian film and television productions soon followed, including recurring roles in the television series Blue Heelers from 2000 to 2002, and Something in the Air from 2000 to 2001. In 2001, Browning appeared as the daughter of the character played by Billy Connolly in The Man Who Sued God.

She made her American film debut in 2002's Ghost Ship, and won an Australian Film Institute Award for Best Young Actress, the same year. In 2003, she appeared opposite Heath Ledger and Orlando Bloom in 2003's Ned Kelly, and reunited with Connolly the following year in the film adaptation of Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events, in which she played Violet Baudelaire.

In 2006, Browning appeared in the music video for Evermore's "Light Surrounding You". In the behind-the-scenes video for the clip, the band stated, "[We] suck as actors, so we decided to get Emily". She attended the L'Oreal Fashion Festival as a festival ambassador on 1 February 2007.

2008–2011 Browning played the lead role in the 2009 horror film The Uninvited, an American remake of the 2003 South Korean film A Tale of Two Sisters. She turned down a request to audition for the role of Bella Swan in Twilight, citing exhaustion, despite an endorsement from series author Stephenie Meyer. In 2009, she was cast as Babydoll in Zack Snyder's action film Sucker Punch, as a replacement for Amanda Seyfried, who dropped out due to scheduling conflicts. Filming took place in Vancouver from September 2009 to January 2010, and the film was released on 25 March 2011. In an interview at Comic-Con, she confirmed that she would be singing in the film, while claiming that her audition tape brought tears to her casting agent's eyes and the song she selected ("Killing Me Softly") was one of Zack Snyder's wife Deborah's favourites, which Browning referred to as the "selling point" on her being cast in the role.

In February 2010, it was announced that Browning would play the lead role in the independent Australian film Sleeping Beauty, directed by Julia Leigh. She replaced Mia Wasikowska, who was committed to a film adaptation of Jane Eyre at the time. The film screened at the 2011 Cannes Film Festival and the Sydney Film Festival. In a review from the festival, Peter Bradshaw of The Guardian called the film "Technically elegant with vehemence and control ... Emily Browning gives a fierce and powerful performance ... There is force and originality in Leigh's work". Fionnuala Halligan in Screen International wrote "Browning has gone the distance for her director and together, they have delivered something here that sometimes catches your breath". At the festival Browning said, "Even reading the screenplay, it made me feel uncomfortable. But that was something that attracted me to it. I would prefer to polarise an audience as opposed to making an entertaining film everybody feels ambivalent about."

2012–2020 In 2012, she replaced English actress Ophelia Lovibond as female lead Florence Carter-Wood in the film Summer in February. The film is based on the book of the same title, by Jonathan Smith. In July 2012, Browning was cast in God Help the Girl, a musical film by Belle and Sebastian front-man Stuart Murdoch. Browning played Eve, and the role required live singing. Filming on the production began on 8 July 2012 and wrapped on 12 August 2012.

Browning was cast in Catherine Hardwicke's Plush alongside Cam Gigandet, replacing Evan Rachel Wood (who was originally attached to the project) due to scheduling conflicts. Browning also starred alongside Xavier Samuel whom she met on the set during filming. Magic Magic, directed by Sebastián Silva, screened at the 2013 Sundance Film Festival. Film.com designated the film as a "Top Pick".

Browning starred in Paul W. S. Anderson's 2014 epic romantic historical disaster film Pompeii. The project was filmed in Toronto and the city of Pompeii. The film received generally mixed to negative reviews, although Browning's performance was generally assessed more favorably. Browning took a break from filming on Pompeii, and returned home to Australia to film a music video for the song "No Matter What You Say" by the band Imperial Teen. The video follows Browning as the lead character, conducting a 'live art-piece'.

In 2014, Browning filmed Shangri-La Suite. The story follows two young lovers who break out of a mental hospital in 1974 and set out on a road trip to Los Angeles to fulfill the boy's lifelong dream of killing his idol Elvis Presley, who appears as a supporting character. Luke Grimes and Avan Jogia co-star. The same year, she appeared in Years & Years's "Take Shelter" music video.

In 2015, Browning appeared in the biopic crime thriller Legend, alongside Tom Hardy, who portrayed twin brothers and infamous 1960s London gangsters Reggie and Ronnie Kray. She portrayed Frances Shea, the first wife of Reggie Kray.

Browning was cast in American Gods (2017-2021) as Laura Moon. Neil Gaiman, author of the novel, said, "I've been fascinated by Emily Browning since A Series of Unfortunate Events. She has a challenge ahead of her: Laura is a tricky character, and the Laura on the screen is even trickier and more dangerous than the one on the page. She's going to have a wonderful time bringing Laura to life".

2021–present Browining appeared in Andrea Pallaoro's 2022 drama Monica, alongside Trace Lysette, Patricia Clarkson and Adriana Barraza, replacing Anna Paquin who had dropped out of the movie due to scheduling conflicts. she was also set to star in Lance Edmands' thriller Brightwater, starring alongside Scoot McNairy and Jack Reynor.

She stars in The Fox, the debut feature film directed by Australian filmmaker Dario Russo, which premieres at the 2025 Adelaide Film Festival in October. It also stars Jai Courtney, Damon Herriman, and the voices of Sam Neill and Olivia Colman.

Personal life From 2011 to 2012, she dated British actor Max Irons, whom she met while filming The Host. From 2012 to 2015, Browning was in a relationship with Plush co-star Xavier Samuel.

She married Eddie O'Keefe in April 2023.

When Browning was 21 years old, she moved to London, but then moved to Los Angeles when London became "too expensive to live". She initially disliked Los Angeles but then settled down on the Eastside and was residing there in 2023. She also has spoken on her depression and stated she has been doing therapy ever since being diagnosed.

Browning noted that she is spiritual but not religious: "I like the idea there is something innately magical about human connection. But I don't know, I'm okay with not knowing, and I get pissed off by anyone who claims to know for sure. A dogmatic atheist is just as annoying as a Bible-thumping crazy person."

Filmography Film Year Title RoleNotes 2001 Rebecca Myers 2002 Ghost Ship Katie Harwood 2003 Darkness Falls Young Caitlin Greene Ned Kelly Grace Kelly 2004 Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events Violet Baudelaire 2005 Stranded Penny Short film 2009 Anna Ivers 2011 Sucker Punch Babydoll Sleeping Beauty Lucy 2013 Magic Magic Sara The Host Wanda Uncredited cameo 2014 Summer in February Florence Carter-Wood Plush Hayley God Help the Girl Eve Pompeii Cassia 2015 Legend Frances Shea Shangri-La Suite Karen Bird 2017 Golden Exits Naomi 2022 Monica Laura 2025One More ShotMinnie Vernon The Fox Kori Directed by Dario Russo

Television Year Title Role Notes 1998 Opal Ritchie Television film 1999 High Flyers Phoebe Mason Recurring role, 13 episodes 2000 Thunderstone Clio 2000–2001 Something in the Air Alicia Recurring role (seasons 1–2), 5 episodes 2000–2002 Blue Heelers Hayley Fulton Recurring role (seasons 7–9), 9 episodes2001 Blonde Fleece Television film Halifax f.p: Playing God Kristy O'Connor Episode: "Playing God" 2003 After the Deluge Maddy Television film 2017–2021 American Gods Laura Moon / Essie MacGowan Main role 2018–2019 The Affair Sierra Recurring role (seasons 4–5)2023 Class of '07 Zoe Main role American Horror Stories Natessa Episode: "Organ" Prison Break Cassidy Collins Main role

Music videos Year Title Artist(s) 2006 "Light Surrounding You" Evermore 2013 "No Matter What You Say" Imperial Teen 2014 "Take Shelter" Years & Years

Video games Year Title Role Notes 2004 Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events Violet Baudelaire Voice role

Awards and nominations