Five Favorite Films

Anna Gunn’s Five Favorite Films

Equity and Breaking Bad Actress Discusses Her Inspirations and Studying with Kim Stanley.

by Kerr Lordygan | August 31, 2016

Photo by Robin Marchant / Getty Images

As Skyler White in Breaking Bad, Anna Gunn wowed audiences with her subdued, layered performance week after week for five seasons. She now brings her dramatic expertise to the new Certified Fresh film, Equity, in which she plays a successful senior investment banker managing her way through the competitive Wall Street jungle. When we asked Gunn what her Five Favorite Films were, she gave us her top five but also wanted us to know that Meryl Streep is such an inspiration to her that any film she’s in — including one mentioned here — is automatically one of her favorites. With that in mind, here is her list:

A Streetcar Named Desire (1951)

97%

First of all, it’s just a brilliant play, and then seeing the film and seeing those incredible performances and direction — it’s just one of those films. I first saw it when I was 15 or 16, and I decided to be an actress.

On the Waterfront (1954)

99%

I can watch it over and over and over again, and I continue to see layers and layers and layers in it.

The Deer Hunter (1978)

86%

Out of all the films I watch — I mean the ones I’m mentioning — I’ve probably watched this one, for some reason, more than all the others. The actors in it — the acting is stupendous. The story, direction, and the whole thing. And it features one of my favorite actors in the world as well.

The Goddess (1958)

57%

I’m lucky enough to have studied with and been mentored by Kim Stanley. The Goddess, written by [Paddy] Chayevsky, was such an extraordinary film to watch. I hadn’t watched it until after I studied with Kim. Her performance is just so powerful and so extraordinary. The story is the foundation, but it was amazing to watch this woman I was studying with, and it was such an inspiration to me as an actor.

Network (1976)

91%

[Again by] Chayevsky. And directed by Sidney Lumet. That story to me — it’s amazing how it continues to be — it was predicting something that we’re dealing with [now]. It was dealing with something in its time, but it still continues to be so timely. It’s one of these movies that I just go back and watch, and it continues to blow my mind.

Equity is now open in limited release.