Though English actress Faye Marsay might not be the most well-known performer, she has commanded the screen in a variety of high-profile roles across several massive franchises. Getting her start in the early 2010s, Marsay quickly established herself as a go-to supporting actress with important roles that allowed her to hone her craft without being the center of attention. As her career has progressed, Marsay has found herself at the center of several huge franchises including Star Wars and Doctor Who, but it was her turn in Game of Thrones that might be her biggest pop culture legacy so far.

Like many of her young up-and-coming contemporaries, Marsay’s greatest asset is her versatility, and there are few roles that she hasn’t inhabited with believability. Even among the massive cast of Game of Thrones and many of her other larger projects, Marsay stands out not because she steals the show, but because she becomes her characters with engrossing reality. While she has always played important roles, even if they were supporting, Faye Marsay has recently begun to be tapped for starring spots in TV shows and movies. Marsay might not be a star, but her ability to disappear into roles establishes her as a bona fide talent.

10McMafia (2018)

Faye Marsay as Katya Godman

While Faye Marsay has appeared in a slew of hit shows, she has also been in a few series which didn’t quite get off the ground such as the short-lived McMafia. The series follows Russian ex-pat and former mafia member Alex Godson (James Norton) as he tries to evade his family while forging a new life. Marsay’s turn as Katya, Alex’s vitriolic sister, was a brilliant choice, and she personified the life Alex was trying to leave behind. However, the show itself failed to drum up a lot of interest when it aired on AMC, and McMafia was pulled from the airwaves after only one woefully short season.

9Ten Pound Poms (2023-Present)

Faye Marsay as Annie Roberts

As an English actress working a lot in her home country, Faye Marsay has appeared in her fair share of BBC period dramas including the 2023 series Ten Pound Poms. The show chronicles the mass migration of English citizens to Australia in the middle of the 20th century as they looked for a better life Down Under. Annie Roberts is a different sort of role than what Marsay usually plays, but she brings the exasperated housewife to life with stunning clarity. The series received positive critical attention (via Rotten Tomatoes) and could be Marsay’s first chance at a long-term starring role.

8The Bletchley Circle (2012-2014)

Faye Marsay as Lizzie Lancaster

Joining a cast mid-way through a show’s run is a challenge, but Faye Marsay is a seasoned veteran of jumping into a story and holding her own. The Bletchley Circle is set in post-WWII England and follows a group of women who used to work as code crackers during the war, who now use their skills to solve various crimes. Marsay appeared as Lizzie Lancaster, a minor supporting role, and though she wasn’t given much to do, she still held her own among established stars. Drawing comparisons to shows like Murder She Wrote, The Bletchley Circle rewrote the cozy mystery narrative and was genuinely compelling across its unfortunately short run.

7Fresh Meat (2011-2016)

Faye Marsay as Candice Pelling

Fresh Meat was a college dramedy with a distinctly British flare, and Faye Marsay left her mark on the cult classic series during the show’s third season. Fresh Meat follows a handful of students as they experience the trials and tribulations of their early days at University. A show like Fresh Meat was a perfect platform for Faye Marsay to show both sides of her acting ability, and Candice Pelling was both humorous and dramatic in equal measure. Marsay’s turn as the gifted literature student wasn’t her first major role, but it certainly gained her the most attention early on.

6The White Queen (2013)

Faye Marsay as Lady Anne Neville

Coming as the first of a trilogy of highly regarded miniseries, The White Queen was Faye Marsay’s big break, yet she came off like a seasoned veteran. The miniseries follows three women who manipulated the events of history during England’s bloody War of the Roses. While The White Queen wasn’t entirely historically accurate, it delivered a compelling story due in large part to performances from the likes of Rebecca Ferguson and Marsay. The latter’s turn as Lady Anne Neville allowed her to be ruthless and coy, and she stole nearly every scene she was in. The White Queen was overshadowed by its successors, but was just as powerful.