Imagine: you are a British teenager. You enjoy an upbringing at home that raises some specific questions. At school, your teachers would rather be friends with you - or establish a relationship with you - than actually pass on a lot of knowledge to you. How do you deal with that? How do you maintain yourself, with your friends, during that turbulent period in which a lot is changing anyway?
That, in short, is Kaya Scodelario's series debut. The British actress stars as a teenager in the comedy Skins, a comedy series that is still highly appreciated by the general public. However, she has much more on her film and series list. Good, and of lower quality.
During Skins, Scodelario's first role in a film follows. That film is Moon, a fine picture that tells the story of astronaut Sam Bell. Moon was a breakthrough after Skins, but real fame actually followed after that, when Scodelario starred in the blockbuster Clash of the Titans. Lesser successes followed with the disappointing films Shank and Twenty8K.
Scodelario also stars in the improvised romance miniseries True Love. This miniseries is the first British series that was shot without a script, but with only an outline - a guideline - for each episode. The actors and actresses were given the freedom to further develop their own character during the episode, for which they practiced intensively in advance. Finally: improvisation offers many possibilities.
After an appearance in Robbie Williams' music video Candy and a few films, Scodelario's list of achievements includes another miniseries. This time it is Southcliffe. This thriller is about a dangerous shooting at a market, told from the perspective of a journalist and the victims of the terrible event.
A year later, Scodelario plays perhaps her biggest role to date. She is cast to star in the first part of the book adaptation of The Maze Runner. The film has received mixed reviews, but is certainly financially successful enough to warrant two sequels - The Scorch Trials and The Death Cure. In between, Scodelario also appears in another Hollywood film series. Although already past its absolute peak, the Pirates of the Caribbean part with Scodelario is also enjoyable popcorn entertainment to watch.
A return to the small screen will follow in 2020. Netflix signs Scodelario for the lead role in the series Spinning Out. As Kat Baker, she tries to combine a top sports career on the ice with love and family. A combination that will soon demand far too much from a young, dreaming woman.
In the same year, Scodelario can also be admired on another streaming service. Amazon ropes her in for a role in the miniseries The Pale Horse, an Agatha Christie film adaptation where you can expect an expected recipe of mystery, suspense and drama.
A few films follow, the most notable being the poorly received sequel in the Resident Evil series. 'Raccoon City' is only a moderate hit with the audience. Other films Scodelario appeared in during this period are The King's Daughter, Don't Make Me Go and the Christmas film This is Christmas.
2024 will be all about series again for the time being. With a small role in the miniseries Senna, after the legendary racing driver, a larger role follows in the crime comedy The Gentlemen. The latter also stars Vinnie Jones, an actor who is always at home in this genre.
The Gentlemen revolves around Eddie Halstead, who inherits his father's large estate and soon discovers that cannabis is mainly grown and traded there. The series is an adaptation of the Guy Ritchie film of the same name. The question always remains whether it will be a success. For Scodelario it is another step to further establish her name on the small screen.
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