In Spotlight: Juno Temple’s best film and TV roles – From Killer Joe and Notes on a Scandal to Vinyl and Little Birds

Following the launch of Juno Temple's Sky Atlantic erotic drama series Little Birds, we look back at her greatest TV and film roles.

From child star to EE Bafta Rising Star Award winner and more recently starring roles in critically acclaimed HBO and Sky Atlantic series, Juno Temple’s careers appears be fixed on a skyward trajectory.

In summer 2020, she joins Hugh Skinner in Little Birds, a bold and subversive drama series based on the erotic short stories of Anaïs Nin.

The Sky Atlantic show is the latest eye-catching performance from one of Britain’s brightest acting stars, who has lit up numerous hit movies and TV series since making her acting debut in 1997’s Vigo: Passion for Life, when she was only eight years old.

We round up some of Juno Temple’s best TV and film roles, and point out where you might recognise her from…

Little Birds

Bold, subversive and unlike anything else on TV right now, Little Birds is a stunning new Sky Atlantic series starring Juno Temple and Hugh Skinner.

Set in the sizzling heat of 1950s Tangier, the series is loosely based on the erotic vignettes of Anaïs Nin and tells a very modern tale of independence, freedom and personal discovery.

Temple (Vinyl, Maleficent) stars as Lucy Savage, a New York heiress fresh of a transatlantic steamer and ready for lover and marriage in exotic climes.

Watch Little Birds on Sky Atlantic with the NOW TV Entertainment Pass.

Notes on a Scandal

The Oscar and Bafta-nominated 2006 movie was one of Temple’s first breakout roles, playing Polly Hart opposite Judi Dench and Cate Blanchett.

The psychological thriller is about a lonely teacher who finds friendship in a fellow instructor, Sheba Hart. However, their relationship takes a dark turn when she discovers Sheba’s illicit affair with a teenage student.

Notes on a Scandal is available to rent on Amazon Prime Video

Atonement

The 2007 adaptation of Ian McEwan’s novel featured Temple as young cousin Lola, who has a central role in the epic romantic drama that spans six decades.

Starring alongside James McAvoy, Keira Knightley, Romola Garai and Benedict Cumberbatch, Temple won critical acclaim for her performance.

Atonement is available on Netflix

Killer Joe

Temple starred alongside Matthew McConaughey and Emile Hirsch in this dark comedy crime movie, directed by William Friedkin.

The young star plays the sister of a desperate drug dealer (Hirsch), who uses her as part of a deal with a cop and part-time hit man (McConaughey).

Killer Joe is available on Amazon Prime Video

Maleficent

Temple appears as green fairy Thistlewit in Angelina Jolie’s 2014 Disney fantasy film Maleficent and the 2019 sequel Mistress of Evil.

Inspired by the 1959 animation Sleeping Beauty, the film tells the story from the perspective of the fairy and former Queen of the Moors, Maleficent.

Temple stars alongside Imelda Staunton and Lesley Manville as the fairies, who try to protect Aurora (Elle Fanning).

Watch Maleficent and Maleficent: Mistress of Evil with Sky Cinema on NOW TV

Horns

A 2012 horror film directed by Alexandre Aja, Horns is based on a Joe Hill novel and stars Daniel Radcliffe as the lead Ig.

Ig is falsely accused of raping and murdering his girlfriend (Temple), but discovers new paranormal abilities to help him uncover the real killer.

Horns is available to rent on Amazon Prime Video

Vinyl

This HBO series about the 1970s New York music scene was a dazzling mix of sex, drugs and rock ‘n’ roll as it charted the emergence of punk, disco and hip-hop and their impact on Bobby Cannavale’s record label boss Richie Finestra.

Temple plays ambitious assistant Jamie Vine alongside an incredible cast including Paul Ben-Victor, PJ Byrne, Ray Romano, Jack Quaid and Olivia Wilde.

The series was created by Mick Jagger, Martin Scorsese, Rich Cohen and Terence Winter.

Vinyl is available to watch on Sky Atlantic with NOW TV

Dirty John         

Based on the podcast of the same name, Dirty John is an addictive true crime anthology series that thrills viewers with its twists and turns as it draws into question how much we ever really know about the people we meet.

Temple took a lead role in the first season as the eldest daughter of Connie Britton’s Debra Newell.

Dirty John is available to stream on Netflix