Maya Rudolph's 6 most memorable roles

In Apple TV+'s new series Loot, Maya Rudolph stars as a billionaire divorcée who goes on a journey of self-discovery, portraying a character who can, at turns, be both wholesome and raunchy, confused and confident, outrageous and deeply sad. Though Rudolph made her name as a comedic performer during her years on Saturday Night Live, she's since morphed into a fascinating actress with depth and range. Below, we've highlighted some of her most memorable roles that demonstrate what a versatile performer she is.

<i>Away We Go</i> (2009)

In Sam Mendes' indie dramedy, Away We Go, Rudolph delivers a beautiful performance. She plays a pregnant woman who travels across the country with her husband (John Krasinski) in search of the perfect place to settle down and start their family. At each stop, the couple experiences the strange, sweet, sad, and joyful aspects of life, and Rudolph explores what it means to be a parent and be responsible for new life. It's a subtle, moving performance that came on the heels of her departure from SNL.

Available to stream on: Peacock

<i>Bridesmaids</i> (2011)

While Paul Feig's 2011 comedy has more outlandish performances from Kristen Wiig and Melissa McCarthy, it's Rudolph who keeps Bridesmaids grounded. As the woman getting married, she's the emotional anchor amongst the comedic hijinks, making sure the sweet, more dramatic moments hit. With all that said, she also had to sell a scene where she poops in the street... which quickly became one of the most memorable comedic moments of Rudolph's career.

Available to stream on: Peacock

<i> Inherent Vice</i> (2014)

Rudolph has a very small role in Inherent Vice, the neo-noir film directed by her husband, Paul Thomas Anderson. But like so many other supporting roles in the movie, her performance perfectly captures the weird vibe that Anderson transported from Thomas Pynchon's novel of the same name. Rudolph plays Petunia Leeway, a receptionist at a doctor's office where a private investigator, Doc (Joaquin Phoenix), sets up shop. We only see Rudolph a few times, but she's integral to engrossing the audience within the feeling of the film. Through Rudolph, we can track Doc getting in over his head as his investigation grows more complex. Rudolph's performance starts out friendly and open before becoming more dour and worrisome as the film goes on. She's the perfect supporting player in a tricky Pynchon adaptation.

Available to rent on: Amazon Prime and Apple TV

<i>Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping</i> (2016)

In Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping, a movie full of great comedic performances that parody the egos within the music industry, Rudolph shines as Deborah, an Aquaspin employee who's working to collaborate with Andy Samberg's pop-rap star Conner4Real. Rudolph is wonderfully over the top, playing Deborah as a woman desperate to seem hip and connected to the scene. Like so many of her best comedic roles, Rudolph is razor sharp with her punchlines while also diving headfirst into some truly satirical comedy.

Available to stream on: Cinemax and Hulu

<i> The Good Place </i> (2016-2020)

This feel-good show from Michael Schur changed shape a lot across its four seasons, expanding its universe in many different ways. That ever-changing nature allowed for a lot of different comedic roles, and Rudolph's "The Judge" is one of the best. Tasked with judging the lives of the main characters in the afterlife, Rudolph is at times sweet, ruthless, and totally unhinged, making the Judge one of The Good Place's most memorable characters, even in a sitcom filled with great talent and guest performances.

Available to stream on: Netflix

<i> Up All Night </i> (2011-2012)

Based on creator Emily Spivey's personal experience of going back to work on SNL after having a baby, Up All Night stars Christina Applegate as a talk show producer struggling to balance her work and home lives. Rudolph stars opposite Applegate and used aspects of her spot-on Oprah Winfrey impressions from SNL to craft the character of Ava, a talk show host who's hilariously full of herself. As usual, Rudolph is remarkable at hamming it up without ever going too over the top.

Available to stream on: The Roku Channel

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