Nicholas Galitzine's 7 Best Movies, Ranked

Publish date: 2024-09-02

Having already amassed an impressive filmography ranging from horror films to comedy hits and more dramatic roles as well, Nicholas Galitzine is a rising star in the film industry. Standout roles in recent successes like Bottoms and Red, White & Royal Blue have already painted the British actor as a celebrated icon of queer cinema, and while it’s a moniker which suits Galitzine well, his immense talent means there are no limits to what he can achieve going forward.

In fact, given the impact he has had in a career of almost 10 years, it is quite staggering that he has only the 13 official acting credits to his name so far. His star is set to soar higher in the near future though, with major roles in upcoming projects like the pop-star rom-com The Idea of You and the historical drama miniseries Mary & George.

7 'The Craft: Legacy' (2020)

A soft reboot/sequel to 1996’s The Craft, The Craft: Legacy saw illustrious horror house Blumhouse Productions engage in a fun sense of supernatural horror. Following four teenage girls who practice witchcraft, the film tracks their experimentation with their powers and the trouble they find themselves in when their spells get out of hand and attract attention from some powerful adversaries.

RELATED: The 10 Highest-Rated Horror Movies Remakes on Letterboxd

While it does a terrific job of paying tribute to the cult classic original, director Zoe Lister Jones ensures the film stands distinct as its own thing. Nicholas Galitzine had a supporting role as a bully at the girls’ school who becomes a victim of their powers, while David Duchovny and Michelle Monaghan have minor parts as well and Fairuza Balk reprises her role of Nancy Downs in a cameo appearance.

6 'Cinderella' (2021)

It wouldn’t be too unfair to say that Cinderella had a polarizing impact on viewers when it was released in 2021. A modern musical reprisal of the classic fairy tale, it follows ambitious orphan Cinderella (Camila Cabello) as she strives to realize her dressmaking dreams with help from her eccentric fairy godparent, Fab G (Billy Porter).

As a jukebox musical, it contained more than enough beloved hit songs and easy-to-watch glam to wallpaper over some of its flaws to be a rousing guilty pleasure movie, especially for lovers of the genre. Galitzine co-starred as Prince Robert, the heir to the throne who falls in love with Cinderella, even going so far as to give up his birthright to live a life with her on the road.

5 'The Beat Beneath My Feet' (2014)

A 2014 music comedy, The Beat Beneath My Feet served as Nicholas Galitzine’s cinematic debut. He starred as Tom, an ordinary teenage boy who makes the shocking discovery that his problematic neighbor is actually a former rock star who supposedly died eight years ago leaving behind a significant debt of unpaid tax.

RELATED: 10 Best Movies About Music That Are Not Musicals

Tom agrees not to reveal Steve’s (Luke Perry) secret so long as he teaches him how to play the guitar like a certified rock ‘n’ roll God. In addition to introducing Galitzine as a bright young talent of the future, it also worked as a fist-pumping ode to rock music.

4 'Share' (2019)

Based on the director’s short film of the same name and being backed by illustrious production company A24, Share is underrated as a timely thriller about social media and the way it can be used. The film follows Mandy (Rhianne Barreto), a 16-year-old girl who learns a disturbing video she has no recollection of her has gone viral and is ostracized as she tries to find out what happened.

The nature of the shared video is particularly confronting, as is the lens director Pippa Bianco casts on the destructive potential of the modern internet age. With strong direction and performances, the teenage drama became a hit with critics who appreciated its suitably grim tone.

3 'Handsome Devil' (2016)

In recent years, Irish cinema has become quite adept at producing fantastic comedies bolstered by their underlying dramatic heft. An underrated example of that is 2016’s Handsome Devil which follows an outcast youth at an all-boys school obsessed with Rugby who forms an unlikely friendship with his new roommate Conor (Galitzine), a new student at the school who is also a star athlete.

In addition to focusing on homosexuality within hyper-masculine environments, the film also set its sights on the toxicity of Ireland’s private school system. Implementing elements of coming-of-age drama, sporting triumph, teen angst, and schoolyard politics, Handsome Devil is a riveting amalgamation of genres which thrives as a grounded dramedy.

2 'Red, White & Royal Blue' (2023)

Destined to become a cult hit of LGBTQIA+ cinema, Red, White & Royal Blue is a queer rom-com which blends situational comedy with public high stakes. It follows the relationship between Britain’s Prince Henry (Galitzine) and the son of the American President as their long-running feud turns into a romantic intrigue when they are forced to pose as friends to stave off a public catastrophe with political ramifications.

RELATED: The 10 Best 'Red, White & Royal Blue' Characters, Ranked by Likability

Director Matthew Lopez does well to ensure the film remains fun throughout, seldom lingering on the characters’ sexuality and instead letting the gags and the melodrama run to entertaining effect. The film is based on Casey McQuiston’s best-selling book of the same name and also features Uma Thurman and Stephen Fry in supporting roles.

1 'Bottoms' (2023)

Bottoms is proving to be an unlikely comedy cult hit of 2023. A raucous teen sex comedy, it follows P J (Rachel Sennott) and Josie (Ayo Edebiri), two high school seniors who set up a fight club with hopes that it will lead to both of them losing their virginity to cheerleaders, but they find themselves in trouble when their organization gains traction.

The film has a lot going on, but its elements are well-balanced with the surreal silliness, raunchy comedy, and occasional violence all energetically weaved into the overriding theme to be a surprising poignant queer coming-of-age film. It also manages to hearken back to the sex comedies of decades past while being specifically aimed towards Gen Z audiences with its comedic tastes and tone.

KEEP READING:

10 Movies to Watch if You Loved 'Red, White & Royal Blue'

ncG1vNJzZmibn6G5qrDEq2Wcp51ku6qvx6ijmqtdnK6ttdOzoKedXZeytMCMpqavoZWoerOtzaScnWc%3D