Emily the Criminal originally came out in August 2022, where it was mostly overshadowed by big summer blockbusters like Top Gun: Maverick, Bullet Train and others. But now that the crime drama is streaming on Netflix, Emily the Criminal is starting to find its audience, consistently ranking in Netflix's top 10 movies in the days since it debuted on the service on December 7.
Having first screened as part of the Sundance Film Festival, Emily the Criminal follows Emily (Aubrey Plaza), desperate for income, as she takes on a shady gig buying goods with stolen credit cards supplied by a charismatic middleman named Youcef. Emily quickly becomes hooked on the adrenaline of the crimes, so she and Youcef start devising ways to take their grift to the next level.
Emily the Criminal is one of the best reviewed movies of 2022, with a "Certified Fresh" score of 94% on Rotten Tomatoes. A lot of the praise has been given to Plaza's performance, but who stars alongside her in the movie?
Get to know the Emily the Criminal cast directly below.
Aubrey Plaza as Emily
Emily faces a similar problem to many in this day and age, as she is burdened by a massive amount of student debt. However, she has another issue, as a previous incident that gave her a criminal record has made her nearly unhireable. Desperate, she takes a job as a "dummy shopper" and quickly finds herself enthralled with it and eager to see how far she can go with it.
Plaza broke out with her comedic performances in the likes of Parks & Recreation, Scott Pilgrim vs the World and Mike and Dave Need Wedding Dates, but recently she has been earning good marks for more dramatic work. This includes the TV shows Legion and The White Lotus season 2.
As mentioned, Plaza's performance in Emily the Criminal has been widely acclaimed, including earning nominations for Best Lead Performance from the Film Independent Spirit Awards and the Gotham Awards.
Theo Rossi as Youcef
Youcef is Emily’s entry into this lucrative criminal activity, teaching her the tips of the trade. The two get closer and eventually start to think bigger, seeing a chance to take their business to the next level in Los Angeles.
Theo Rossi has been working as an actor since the early 2000s, mostly on TV. Some of his most recognizable roles have come in Sons of Anarchy and Luke Cage. On the big screen, he's appeared in Cloverfield and Army of the Dead. Most recently, he voiced the character of Senator Larik on the Star Wars animated series, Tales of the Jedi.
Jonathan Avigdroi as Khalil
Youcef is the middle man in his criminal operation, but it is his cousin Khalil who really runs things. That relationship is sure to suffer as Youcef and Emily attempt to try something on their own.
The most recognizable role for Avigdori is probably his multi-season arc on the FX drama Snowfall, though he has popped up as a guest star in a number of high-profile TV shows, including The Blacklist, SEAL Team, FBI, The Equalizer and The Lincoln Lawyer. He also was one of the stars of the Israel TV show Fauda which is streaming on Netflix.
Megalyn Echikunwoke as Liz
Liz is Emily's best friend, but how does Emily's new dive into the crime world impact that friendship?
Megalyn Echikunwoke has a career that you may not immediately be able to recall, but you've likely seen her in a few things. Some of her most notable roles include stints on 24, That '70s Show, the original version of The 4400, House of Lies, CSI: Miami and The Following, to name a few. She's also starred in some well-known movies, including Night School, Late Night and Damsels in Distress, in which she also worked alongside Aubrey Plaza.
Gina Gershon as Alice
Gina Gershon pops up in Emily the Criminal as a boss that Emily works for. It's always fun to see Gershon on screen, who is best known for the campy roles in things like Showgirls and Killer Joe, though in recent years she's also appeared in TV shows like New Amsterdam, Riverdale, Brooklyn Nine-Nine and more.
Emily in the Criminal is available to stream on Netflix, as well as digital on-demand.
