Chloë Grace Moretz has been one of the most recognizable and well-regarded child actresses of the 21st century, whose success has translated into numerous notable roles into adulthood. Throughout her career, she has been a part of a wide variety of genres and styles of films, from action movies to horror movies to voiceover work in animated films.
With such a diversified filmography, Moretz has found herself starring a part in many critical hits as well as notorious cult classics, with Rotten Tomatoes cataloging every step of the way. The number of great films that she has already been a part of proves that this is only just the beginning of a long and fruitful career.
10 ‘Laggies’ (2014)
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 65%
Laggies is a romantic comedy film that follows the story of Megan, an aimless 28-year-old who is unsure of what to make of her life after a series of unexpected events. She soon finds solace in a blossoming friendship with Annika, a 16-year-old who invites her during their friend group’s night out. She soon is given the perfect opportunity to discover her true goals in life under the guise of Annika and her single father, Craig.
Moretz plays the role of Annika in the film, continuing her trend of playing a mischievous and troublemaking adolescent. Her on-screen dynamic and chemistry with both Keira Knightley and Sam Rockwell is a definite highlight of the film, as her not-so-innocent character leaves a definitive impact on the audience.
9 ‘Kick-Ass’ (2010)
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 76%
Kick-Ass follows the story of unnoticed Dave Lizewski, an ordinary teenager who sets out to become a real-life superhero under the moniker of “Kick-Ass”. He soon ends up in over his head when he joins a continuing struggle between other real-life caped crusaders and a ruthless crime boss syndicate.
Moretz plays the role of Hit-Girl in the movie, a ruthless eleven-year-old vigilante who has been trained by her father (played by Nicolas Cage) to take down a notorious crime boss. The role of Hit-Girl was one of the biggest breakout roles for Moretz’s career, as she steals the show and acts as one of the funniest and greatest parts of the film. It’s a performance that even over a decade later is still one of Moretz’s most iconic and recognizable.
8 ‘Shadow in the Cloud’ (2020)
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 77%
Shadow in the Cloud is an action horror film that follows the story of RAF Pilot Officer Maude Garrett, who during World War II is on a top-secret mission across the Pacific Ocean. However, after boarding a B-17 Flying Fortress, she comes face to face with an unexplainable and otherworldly horror on the aircraft.
Moretz plays the leading role of Maude Garrett in the film, providing an enjoyable leading performance as she survives the horrors in the unique aerial World War II setting. The film as a whole is an effective balancing act between creature-based horror, war drama, and social commentary, and Moretz’s effective performance helps bring all of these aspects together into a singular vision.
7 ‘(500) Days of Summer’ (2009)
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 85%
(500) Days of Summer follows the story of Tom, a hopeless romantic and greeting-card writer who reflects upon his relationship with his girlfriend, Summer, which lasted a total of 500 days. In his recollection, Tom attempts to figure out where things went wrong and why things got sour between them, and in the process, gains a better understanding of his own life goals.
Moretz plays the role of Rachel Hansen in the film, Tom’s younger half-sister who acts as a sort of guardian angel to give him helpful words of encouragement and advice. Especially when Tom is stubbornly in an unlikable state, Rachel’s character is the one that is able to get him on the right track and help him realize the error of his ways multiple times throughout the film.
6 ‘The Miseducation of Cameron Post’ (2018)
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 86%
The Miseducation of Cameron Post follows the titular Cameron Post, a teenage girl living in Pennsylvania in 1993 who is sent to a conversion therapy center after being caught with another girl. While stuck in the center, Cameron befriends fellow teenagers Jane and Adam, and the trio forms together a new family in order to deal with their surrounding situation.
Moretz plays the role of Cameron Post in the film, providing one of her most notable and well-regarded dramatic leading roles as the misunderstood and persecuted adolescent. It’s clear from her on-screen performance just how important the story of Cameron (as well as similar cases) means to Moretz, as her passion shines through in one of her best dramatic performances.
5 ‘Let Me In’ (2010)
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 88%
Let Me In is a romantic horror film and an American remake of the Swedish film Let The Right One In, and follows the story of a young bullied boy who befriends a vampire girl that lives in secrecy. As the two’s bond more and more, they begin to form a sort of young love, which makes it all the more difficult when more truths come out about what it means to be a vampire.
Moretz plays the role of Abby in the film, the young vampire girl who forms a connection and falls in love with the young boy, Owen. Moretz is perfectly able to balance the innocence of a young girl and the horror and mystery of being a vampire in her performance, making for a great adaptation that stands alongside the original film.
4 ‘Clouds of Sils Maria’ (2014)
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 91%
Clouds of Sils Maria follows the story of veteran actress Maria Enders, who gains the opportunity to take part and return to perform in a revival of the play that launched her career 20 years earlier. Accompanied by her assistant, Valentine, Maria faces an uncomfortable realization when she comes face to face with a modern-day reflection of herself in the new actress she will be acting alongside.
Moretz plays the role of Jo-Ann Ellis in the film, the younger American actress who is cast in playing the original role in the play that launched Maria’s stardom in the revival play. Moretz’s role in the film is one of psychological dismay and pain for Maria, as she acts as a mirror image of what she was like at the beginning of her career, complete with all the negatives she embodied. As the lines are constantly blurred between Maria’s performance relationship with Jo-Ann, her original performance 20 years prior, and her current tension with her assistant, Moretz’s performance is a great mediator and addition to the chaos.
3 ‘Hugo’ (2011)
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 93%
From director Martin Scorsese, Hugo follows the story of the young orphan boy, Hugo Cabret, who lives inside the walls of a train station in 1930s Paris, working to oil and maintain the clocks. Hugo’s main draw and attention are often set towards a broken automaton left to him by his father, and with the help of the goddaughter of a toy merchant, Hugo may finally solve the mystery of the automaton.
Moretz plays the role of Isabelle in the film, the goddaughter of the owner of a toy store who soon befriends and helps Hugo on his quest to fix the automaton. Hugo and Isabelle’s friendship and relationship is one of the cores of the film, as it’s a heartwarming and wholesome connection that the audience sees blossom on screen with beautiful colors. Moretz’s chemistry with fellow child actor Asa Butterfield is a major positive aspect that has helped Hugo garner such a positive reputation from audiences and critics.
2 ‘Nimona’ (2023)
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 94%
Nimona follows the story of former knight Bannister Boldheart, who is banished from his kingdom after being framed for the murder of their queen. While in exile, Boldheart forms an unlikely friendship with Nimona, a shapeshifter with a knack for chaos and destruction. Together, the duo works together to solve the mystery and prove Boldheart’s innocence, leaving a path of chaos in their wake.
Moretz voices the character of Nimona in the film, the titular chaotic young shapeshifter who takes a liking to Boldheart and helps him on his quest to prove his innocence. While Moretz has had a number of vocal performances in the past in films such as Disney’s Bolt and the animated Addams Family films, Nimona is by far and away her greatest original voice acting work. Moretz provides a great mix of childlike innocence, massive self-confidence, and love for all things destruction and dangerous to craft an instantly iconic character who steals the show at every opportunity.
1 ‘The Tale of the Princess Kaguya’ (2013)
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 100%
The Tale of the Princess Kaguya follows the story of a tiny girl found inside a bamboo stalk, who soon enough begins growing rapidly into a fully grown young lady. The mysterious young princess brings wonder and light to all that she encounters, yet always looming over her is her eventual fate, as she must eventually face punishment for her past.
Moretz provides the English dub voice for the titular Princess Kaguya, acting as the primary voice for the character for English audiences. While not the original voice actress for the character, Moretz still does a great job at doing the character and story of Princess Kaguya justice, even arguably doing equally beautiful a job as the original Japanese dialogue.