Rosamund Pike's All-Time Favorite Movies Might Surprise You

Classy, ambitious, and devious are words often used to describe Rosamund Pike's on-screen characters. It turns out, her personal film preferences mirror that same complex elegance. After her breakout role as Miranda Frost in Die Another Day, she cemented her status as a leading lady in David Fincher's Gone Girl. Pike has since delivered memorable performances as the kind-hearted Jane Bennet in Pride & Prejudice, the ruthless guardian Marla Grayson in I Care a Lot, and the self-absorbed aristocrat Elspeth Catton in Saltburn.

A Penchant for the 1960s

It's clear that cinema from the 1960s holds a special place for the actress. Her selections include the two-part Swedish drama I Am Curious, a unique quasi-documentary that tackled the hot-button issues of its time. Another pick, A Taste of Honey, tells the story of an unconventional family formed when a pregnant teen finds support only from a friend. The Czech film Loves of a Blonde also makes the list, a story that seems to echo Pike's own on-screen persona of a complex blonde bombshell, as it follows a young woman who chases a man to Prague, much to his family's dismay.

Mirrors to Her Own Roles

A common thread runs through many of her choices. Darling charts a model's climb to success in 1960s London, while Daisies follows two women named Marie who embrace a life of materialism. Martin Scorsese's Mean Streets focuses on a gangster struggling to juggle love and power. These narratives resonate with the types of characters Pike often plays—individuals navigating the murky waters of human nature, where ambition and desire collide in a harsh world.

This brings to mind Marla's monologue in I Care a Lot: "Every fortune ever accumulated started with a leap of faith. But before you take that leap, first take a long, hard look at yourself. Know who you are." Marla's ruthless ambition and rejection of a rigged system echo the themes in these films. "What am I willing to sacrifice to achieve my dreams?" she wonders. "What lines will I not cross? Don’t try to be anyone else. Just know who you are and use that to your advantage."

The Unexpected Choices

Not all of Pike's picks are from the '60s. Brief Encounter is a key outlier, a film whose themes of temptation and forbidden love distill many of the conflicts seen in her own work. She also named her recent project, Saltburn, as a favorite, stating, "Our film, number one." This choice fits perfectly, as Saltburn explores a troubled characters relentless obsession with a wealthy family. However, the most striking and unique selection is the heartwarming classic ET the Extra-Terrestrial.

As one of the most beloved movies about friendship, its inclusion suggests that an actress known for portraying humanity's darker side also appreciates stories of purity and hope. Here is the complete list of Rosamund Pike's ten favorite films:

Brief Encounter (David Lean, 1945)
A Taste of Honey (Tony Richardson, 1961)
L’Eclisse (Michelangelo Antonioni, 1962)
Darling (John Schlesinger, 1965)
Loves of a Blonde (Miloš Forman, 1966)
Daisies (Věra Chytilová, 1966)
I Am Curious (Vilgot Sjöman, 1967-68)
Mean Streets (Martin Scorsese, 1973)
ET the Extra-Terrestrial (Steven Spielberg, 1982)
Saltburn (Emerald Fennell, 2023)