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Naomie Ackie steps into the spotlight in I Wanna Dance with Somebody, the glossy Whitney Houston biopic playing in theaters now. The movie uses Houston's own singing voice because, well, it's basically impossible to match, but Ackie definitely captures Houston's distinctive speaking voice and signature stage mannerisms. To whet your appetite, why not check out the British actress's recent appearance on The Graham Norton Show, plus this guide to her career-building roles.

1. Doctor Who (2015)

Ackie made her TV debut in the 2015 episode "Face the Raven." She plays Jen, the deeply concerned mother of a child who won't stop crying. Given that they live in a hidden trap street populated by extraterrestrial refugees in a futuristic vision of  London, there's little doubt her daughter's distress is justified.

2. Lady Macbeth (2016)

Ackie won a British Independent Film Award for her haunting performance in this intense historical film. She plays Anna, a Victorian house servant who is shocked into muteness by the murderous machinations of her boss, Katherine (Florence Pugh). Ackie and Pugh's scenes together are as electric as you'd expect.

3. The End of the F***ing World (2019)

Ackie is mesmerising in the second season of this (very) dark comedy-drama series. She deservedly won a BAFTA for her performance as Bonnie, a buttoned-up librarian who becomes obsessed with James and Alyssa (Alex Lawther and Jessica Barden), the young couple who murdered her lover. It's gruesome, brutal, and at times very funny viewing.

4. Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker (2019)

Ackie portrays Jannah, an accomplished and super-determined Stormtrooper, in the concluding installment of the Star Wars sequel trilogy. She learned to ride horses for the history-making role, the first Black female character in the trilogy and only the second in the entire Star Wars saga (after Thandiwe Newton's Val from 2018's Solo: A Star Story).

5. Small Axe: Education (2020)

Steve McQueen's anthology series Small Axe comprises five films telling self-contained stories about the lives of London's West Indian community from the '60s to the '80s. Ackie appears in "Education," an absolutely damning film about systemic racism in the education system. She plays Hazel, a child psychologist who calls out the appalling bias she sees.

6. Master of None (2021)

Ackie stars in the third season of the hit comedy-drama series as Alicia, the new wife of Lena Waithe's character Denise. The five-episode arc follows the true-to-life couple as they deal with infidelity, the stresses of undergoing fertility treatment, and ultimately a separation. Ackie called the season "a stripped-bare character study and a relationship study."

7. The Score (2021)

This British indie film is a bold hybrid of musical and crime caper – yes, really. Ackie plays Gloria, a waitress at a remote roadside diner who begins a romance with Troy (Will Poulter), a small-time criminal who swings into town on the run. It's an interesting role that allows her to show off her impressive singing voice.

Do you have a favorite Naomie Ackie performance?