Before Rebel Wilson's "Senior Year" character Stephanie Conway takes the fateful tumble
that leaves her in a coma for two decades, she's a teen who's pretty much on top of the
world.
Portraying Stephanie at this sunny spot in her life is Angourie Rice, a talented Australian
actress who's worked with some of Hollywood's biggest stars on the small and silver screens
alike.
"Guys, can we just, like, try to be cool for once?"
Chances are good you've seen her work before.
To celebrate her exciting new role in "Senior Year," which arrives on May 13, here's a look
at what Angourie Rice has already accomplished in her career.
After getting her start with student films, Rice earned the lead role in a short 2012
film called "Transmission," which was directed by Zak Hilditch.
The film features her as 10-year-old Tilly, one of the very few survivors of a deadly
plague.
Rice's performance in the film made her one to watch right away -- plus, she earned a
win for best actress at a local film festival.
Soon after, she reunited with Hilditch for her theatrical debut in his 2013 sci-fi film
"These Final Hours."
Rice stars in the apocalyptic thriller as Rose, a girl who's rescued from a violent
attack while desperately searching for her father at the end of the world.
As Rose, Rice delivers a performance that is both heartbreaking and heartwarming at
the same time, and she received several festival nominations for her work in the picture.
From there, Rice's career continued to bloom, as she nabbed roles in subsequent films like
"Walking with Dinosaurs 3D" and "Nowhere Boys: The Book of Shadows," along with guest spots
on television series such as "The Doctor Blake Mysteries" and "Mako Mermaids."
Angourie Rice's career really began to take off when she joined forces with Ryan Gosling
and Russell Crowe for the 2016 action-comedy "The Nice Guys."
Rice is a total scene-stealer as Holly March, the spirited daughter of Gosling's down-on-his-luck
detective.
"You beat people up and charge money?"
"Yeah, sad, isn't it?"
"That's really your job?"
"Yeah."
"No way.
So how much would you charge to beat up my friend Janet?"
"What?"
"How much you got?"
Rice's take-notice performance in the movie once again earned her some serious attention
from critics, including multiple award nominations for her breakthrough performance in the pic.
"Just tell it to me straight: Am I a bad person?"
"Yes."
From there, Rice continued to thrive on the cinematic scene, beginning with her standout
role in the 2017 mystery-thriller "Jasper Jones," which features her as the daughter
of a small-town mayor and sister of a girl who's gone missing.
As the twisted plot unfolds, Rice imbues the character with empathy and maturity.
Shortly after that, Rice appeared in another festival favorite film: Sofia Coppola's gripping
2017 period film "The Beguiled."
In the eerie drama, Rice stars as Jane, one of the few remaining girls still living at
a Virginia finishing school during the Civil War.
Their quiet life is completely upended when they find a wounded Northern soldier and attempt
to nurse him back to health, which causes friction and resentments between the women.
In 2017, Rice made her superhero movie debut in "Spider-Man: Homecoming."
Rice appears in the franchise film as Betty Brant, a bubbly school news anchor.
Being a part of the world's biggest movie franchise didn't stop Rice from continuing
to impress with her thoughtful drama work.
The next year she starred in the tear-jerker adaptation of "Every Day" as Rhiannon, a girl
who falls in love with a body-snatching soul called "A." Not only did the film reunite
her with her "Spider-Man" co-star Jacob Batalon, but it also put her at the top of the cast
list for the first time in a major motion picture.
She also impressed with her turn in 2018's "Ladies in Black."
Like so many of her performances before it, this film earned her several festival accolades.
Meanwhile, Rice's "Spider-Man" role became even more prominent in the series' second
installment, 2019's "Far from Home."
Rice again reprised the role in "The Daily Bugle" web series and the 2021 sequel "No
Way Home."
As if her stunning film resume isn't impressive enough, Rice has also proven to be a terrific
presence on the television side of things.
In 2019, she starred in the fifth season of "Black Mirror" as the co-lead of the dizzying
and emotional episode "Rachel, Jack and Ashley Too."
In the segment, Rice portrays Rachel, a teen who's obsessed with her favorite pop star
and gets the chance to bring a piece of her home via a new artificial intelligence device.
The episode is an absolute roller coaster of emotions, ranging from comedy to devastation
and back again, and Rice's thoughtful performance is the glue that holds it all together.
"What happened?"
"She killed her."
Similarly, she also played a pivotal role in another celebrated series, "Mare of Easttown."
In the compelling crime drama, she stars as Siobhan Sheehan, a young woman who tries to
keep her broken family moving forward as the entire town reels from a spree of horrific
crimes.
Rice's ability to bring such intensity to her roles is undoubtedly part of the reason
she's such an in-demand and established actor, and in "Senior Year," she brings that same
authenticity to young Stephanie.
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