15 Actresses Perfect for the Role of the Black Canary in the DCU

Black Canary has existed in multiple incarnations across comics, most notably Dinah Drake and Dinah Laurel Lance. The character is associated with the Birds of Prey and the Justice League, is recognized for a metahuman sonic “Canary Cry,” and is consistently depicted as one of DC’s top hand-to-hand fighters. Screen versions have ranged from street-level crime drama to high-style team-up adventures, and the role traditionally blends dramatic range with musical and action chops.

With the DCU poised for new takes on iconic heroes, the following lineup highlights performers whose resumes already mix grounded character work with demanding stunt and performance requirements. Each entry notes representative credits, collaborators, and context that show how these actresses have navigated noir, espionage, action, and music-adjacent stories that often overlap with Black Canary’s world.

Jurnee Smollett

Jurnee Smollett portrayed Dinah Lance in the feature film ‘Birds of Prey’, where the character’s nightclub singer background and Canary Cry were integrated into the plot alongside Gotham-set crime elements. The film co-stars Margot Robbie, Ewan McGregor, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, and Rosie Perez, is directed by Cathy Yan, and is written by Christina Hodson, aligning the character with the Birds of Prey mythos on screen.

Beyond that DC role, Smollett stars in ‘Lovecraft Country’ from creator Misha Green and in ‘Underground’, co-created by Misha Green and Joe Pokaski, demonstrating work across genre pieces anchored in character-driven storytelling. She performs on stage in ‘Birds of Prey’ as part of the story’s club sequences, and her broader filmography includes collaborations with ensemble casts and directors who emphasize physicality and music within narrative settings.

Katheryn Winnick

Katheryn Winnick is known for ‘Vikings’, created by Michael Hirst, in which she plays Lagertha across large-scale battles and intimate political drama with an emphasis on weapons training and tactical choreography. She has leading roles in ‘Big Sky’, developed by David E. Kelley, and appears in the martial-arts-infused series ‘Wu Assassins’, which stars Iko Uwais and centers on triad conflicts and mystical action.

Winnick has formal martial arts training, including black belts in taekwondo and karate, and has professional experience teaching self-defense, aligning with action-heavy production environments. Additional credits span thrillers and procedurals, and she has worked across North American and international productions that blend crime plotting with grounded character arcs.

Jessica Henwick

Jessica Henwick’s action pedigree includes playing Colleen Wing in Marvel’s ‘Iron Fist’, a series created by Scott Buck that spotlights hand-to-hand combat, weapons work, and dojo-based narrative beats. She appears as Nymeria Sand in ‘Game of Thrones’, joins the ensemble of ‘The Matrix Resurrections’ directed by Lana Wachowski, and features in the spy thriller ‘The Gray Man’ from directors Anthony and Joe Russo.

Henwick also voices the lead in the anime series ‘Blade Runner: Black Lotus’, connecting cyberpunk noir motifs with action storytelling. Her filmography demonstrates extensive training with stunt teams and repeated collaboration with action-forward directors and ensembles across television, film, and animation.

Samara Weaving

Samara Weaving leads the survival thriller ‘Ready or Not’, directed by Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett, which combines chase sequences, weapons work, and a cat-and-mouse mansion siege plot. She appears in ‘G.I. Joe: Snake Eyes’ directed by Robert Schwentke, and in genre entries like ‘Mayhem’ and ‘Guns Akimbo’, both of which emphasize close-quarters fights and stunt-driven set pieces.

On television, Weaving features in ‘Nine Perfect Strangers’, created by David E. Kelley from Liane Moriarty’s novel, and earlier work includes ‘SMILF’. Her projects frequently place her at the center of action-comedy or thriller frameworks alongside ensemble casts, integrating physical performance with darkly comic or heightened narratives.

Ana de Armas

Ana de Armas plays Paloma in ‘No Time to Die’, directed by Cary Joji Fukunaga, where she performs high-tempo close-quarters action alongside Daniel Craig within a spy-thriller framework. She leads ‘Knives Out’ from writer-director Rian Johnson, appears in ‘Blade Runner 2049’ by Denis Villeneuve, and co-stars in ‘The Gray Man’ from the Russo brothers.

De Armas headlines ‘Ballerina’, a ‘John Wick’ spinoff directed by Len Wiseman that centers on assassin-world mythology and balletic gun-fu choreography. Earlier Spanish-language work such as ‘El Internado’ demonstrates range across markets, while her English-language roles show collaboration with large stunt departments and effects-heavy productions.

Jodie Comer

Jodie Comer stars as Villanelle in ‘Killing Eve’, developed for television by Phoebe Waller-Bridge and based on Luke Jennings’ novels, portraying a globe-trotting assassin whose story integrates disguise, languages, and hand-to-hand sequences opposite Sandra Oh. She appears in ‘Free Guy’, directed by Shawn Levy, where she plays both an in-game avatar and an indie developer within a high-concept action-comedy.

Comer is featured in ‘The Last Duel’, directed by Ridley Scott and written by Nicole Holofcener, Ben Affleck, and Matt Damon, adding historical drama to her portfolio. She has also led the play ‘Prima Facie’ by Suzie Miller in major stage productions, underscoring experience with demanding, character-centric material across mediums.

Mary Elizabeth Winstead

Mary Elizabeth Winstead plays Helena Bertinelli in ‘Birds of Prey’, joining an ensemble that navigates Gotham crime families with cross-cutting action sequences. Her earlier breakthrough roles include ‘Scott Pilgrim vs. the World’ directed by Edgar Wright and ’10 Cloverfield Lane’ directed by Dan Trachtenberg, demonstrating range from stylized comic adaptation to contained thriller.

Winstead stars in ‘Ahsoka’, created by Dave Filoni, portraying Hera Syndulla in a franchise entry that balances starfighter action with character-driven war storytelling. She leads the action film ‘Kate’, directed by Cedric Nicolas-Troyan, which emphasizes urban chases, improvised weapons, and stunt-centric choreography across an international setting.

Florence Pugh

Florence Pugh portrays Yelena Belova in ‘Black Widow’ directed by Cate Shortland, integrating Red Room backstory with espionage and close-quarters combat opposite Scarlett Johansson. She also stars in ‘Fighting with My Family’, written and directed by Stephen Merchant, which embeds wrestling training and family dynamics within a sports-dramedy structure.

Pugh leads ‘Midsommar’ by Ari Aster, appears in ‘Little Women’ directed by Greta Gerwig, and features in ‘Oppenheimer’ directed by Christopher Nolan, spanning psychological folk horror, literary adaptation, and historical drama. Her roles commonly involve intensive preparation and collaboration with directors known for actor-focused processes.

Vanessa Kirby

Vanessa Kirby appears as the White Widow in the ‘Mission: Impossible’ films directed by Christopher McQuarrie, engaging with espionage networks, high-risk exchanges, and stunt-driven sequences alongside Tom Cruise and Rebecca Ferguson. She co-stars as Hattie Shaw in ‘Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw’ directed by David Leitch, integrating spy-tech and hand-to-hand fights within a franchise action template.

Kirby portrays Princess Margaret in ‘The Crown’, created by Peter Morgan, anchoring a prestige ensemble with period drama demands. She leads ‘Pieces of a Woman’ directed by Kornél Mundruczó, a character study that emphasizes intensive dramatic scenes, long takes, and close collaboration between actor and director.

Naomi Scott

Naomi Scott stars as Princess Jasmine in Disney’s live-action ‘Aladdin’ directed by Guy Ritchie, performing both acting and singing opposite Mena Massoud and Will Smith. She portrays Kimberly Hart in ‘Power Rangers’ directed by Dean Israelite, participating in training montages, team dynamics, and suit action across a sci-fi adventure.

Scott co-stars in ‘Charlie’s Angels’ directed by Elizabeth Banks, which blends spycraft, gadgetry, and ensemble infiltration sequences across international locales. In addition to acting, she releases music as a recording artist, aligning on-screen performance with vocal work in projects that incorporate songs or performance scenes.

Sofia Boutella

Sofia Boutella’s breakout screen action role is Gazelle in ‘Kingsman: The Secret Service’ directed by Matthew Vaughn, where the character’s bladed-leg fighting style is choreographed around acrobatics and precise movement. She plays Jaylah in ‘Star Trek Beyond’ directed by Justin Lin and appears as the title character in ‘The Mummy’ directed by Alex Kurtzman.

Boutella leads ‘Rebel Moon’ from director Zack Snyder, a space-opera project with ensemble war storytelling and extensive stunt and wire work. Before acting, she worked professionally as a dancer and performed in major tours, and that movement background is frequently integrated into the design of her action roles.

Adria Arjona

Adria Arjona portrays Bix Caleen in ‘Andor’, created by Tony Gilroy, contributing to a grounded rebellion narrative with espionage, interrogation sequences, and industrial settings. She plays Martine Bancroft in ‘Morbius’, directed by Daniel Espinosa, aligning with comic-book worldbuilding and laboratory-set thriller elements.

Arjona appears as Anathema Device in ‘Good Omens’, developed for television by Neil Gaiman, joining an ensemble that balances fantasy with contemporary humor. Her additional credits include ‘Emerald City’ as Dorothy Gale and roles in large-scale action projects, demonstrating experience across genre television and studio features.

Cailee Spaeny

Cailee Spaeny leads ‘Priscilla’ as Priscilla Presley, written and directed by Sofia Coppola, with the narrative focused on personal perspective, music-industry proximity, and domestic settings opposite Jacob Elordi. She appears in ‘Devs’, created by Alex Garland, which blends tech mystery with philosophical science-fiction plotting, and features in ‘Civil War’ by Alex Garland with battlefield reporting and convoy action.

Spaeny is part of ‘Pacific Rim: Uprising’ directed by Steven S. DeKnight, participating in mecha-scale action and cadet training sequences within a franchise context. She also stars in ‘Alien: Romulus’ directed by Fede Álvarez, a survival-horror entry that emphasizes claustrophobic set-pieces and practical-effects-driven suspense.

Hannah John-Kamen

Hannah John-Kamen plays Ghost in ‘Ant-Man and the Wasp’ directed by Peyton Reed, a phase-shifting antagonist whose choreography mixes disappearing acts with melee exchanges. She portrays Jill Valentine in ‘Resident Evil: Welcome to Raccoon City’ and appears in ‘Ready Player One’ directed by Steven Spielberg as a corporate enforcer operating within an immersive VR culture.

On television, John-Kamen headlines ‘Killjoys’, a bounty-hunter series that balances ship-to-ship engagements with planetary missions, and appears in ‘Brave New World’, a dystopian adaptation that explores social control and surveillance. Her roles span sci-fi and action properties that rely on both weapons training and ensemble coordination.

Pom Klementieff

Pom Klementieff portrays Mantis in the ‘Guardians of the Galaxy’ films directed by James Gunn and appears across ‘Avengers’ entries within large-scale ensemble action. She features in ‘Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning’ directed by Christopher McQuarrie as Paris, a role integrated into vehicular chases, bladed combat, and rooftop pursuits.

Klementieff’s preparation for franchise projects has included extensive fight choreography and weapons familiarization under stunt coordinators in both superhero and espionage settings. Her broader filmography includes international productions and collaborations with action-focused filmmakers, providing experience with practical stunts and complex second-unit schedules.

Share your favorite Black Canary casting ideas in the comments and tell us who you’d like to see suit up in the DCU.