Why Prince From Bullet Train Looks So Familiar
Brad Pitt is set to face off against an army of assassins aboard a speeding locomotive later this summer when "Bullet Train" finally hits theaters. The film sees Pitt star as a hitman named Ladybug who is tasked with recovering a laptop aboard the titular vehicle. However, things go awry when Ladybug eventually discovers that a number of dangerous individuals are on the train with him, many of whom have competing agendas to his own. The film is set to introduce a host of interesting personalities, including one fascinating character named Prince.
Prince from "Bullet Train" likely will look familiar a wide range of viewers. That is because the character is portrayed by Joey King, an actress who has been consistently working in Hollywood since childhood, quite literally growing up in front of audiences on the big and small screens. To date, King has amassed a filmography of at least 70 roles (via IMDb) across a broad spectrum of genres. Given her lengthy career, let's take a look at some of the most notable roles that audience members may recognize her from throughout her time in Hollywood.
Joey King played young Talia Al Ghul in The Dark Knight Rises
One of the earliest roles that audiences may recognize Joey King from is one of the biggest films of 2012. Specifically, she appeared in a flashback sequence in Christopher Nolan's "The Dark Knight Rises."
In the film, it is revealed that Miranda Tate (Marion Cotillard) is actually Talia Al Ghul –- the daughter of Ra's Al Ghul (Liam Neeson), the former mentor turned archenemy of Bruce Wayne (Christian Bale). Joey King's sequence in "The Dark Knight Rises" is short but incredibly significant for the overall plot of the film, because at the climax of the movie, the young Talia is shown climbing out of the prison pit as Bane protects her from the inmates — establishing that she is the only other one who accomplished this feat, other than the adult Bruce Wayne. It is implied that she and Bane ally themselves to the cause of her father, and in the wake of his death in "Batman Begins," she devotes her life to the Batman's undoing.
While "The Dark Knight Rises" is one of the first major blockbuster films that Joey King would appear in, it would certainly not be the last.
Joey King was haunted by a demon in The Conjuring
The year after "The Dark Knight Rises" hit theaters, Joey King would transition from blockbuster superhero filmmaking to blockbuster horror filmmaking. Specifically, she appeared as one of the many Perron family children in James Wan's "The Conjuring." King has many standout scenes in the film, including one notable sequence in which she is haunted by an unseen demon standing in the shadows behind a door, telling her that it wants her family dead.
"The Conjuring" proved incredibly successful upon its debut in 2013, and spawned an entire interconnected universe of horror films, including "Annabelle" and "The Nun." However, while Ed and Lorraine Warren (Patrick Wilson and Vert Farmiga, respectively), are the main recurring characters in the films, the Perrons have never appeared on-screen after the debut outing. However, they are referenced in subsequent movies as close friends to the Warrens that have stayed in touch since the initial haunting.
Joey King was Channing Tatum's daughter in White House Down
2013 was a good year for Joey King at the movies. Not only did she appear in James Wan's "The Conjuring," but she also had a supporting role in Roland Emmerich's "White House Down," alongside Channing Tatum and Jamie Foxx. In the film, Joey King portrays Emily Cale, the daughter of Channing Tatum's John Cale who gets caught in the White House after terrorists take over in an attempt to assassinate the United States president (Foxx).
"White House Down" grossed $205 million at the box office (via The Numbers) during its theatrical run. This was considered a slight disappointment, given the film's $150 million budget. Part of this may be due to the fact that "Olympus Has Fallen," another action movie about a terrorist takeover of The White House, hit theaters three months prior to Emmerich's film. That said, while "White House Down" did not light up the box office, it remains a notable entry and steppingstone in Joey King's filmography.
Joey King fought Barry Allen in The Flash
Joey King's brief performance as a young Talia Al Ghul in "The Dark Knight Rises" was not her only foray into the world of DC Comics adaptations. In fact, the actress went on to portray another DC villain (this time on the small screen) several years later when "The Flash" debuted on The CW. Specifically, she portrayed the super-powered villain Magenta in the Season 3 episode "Magenta."
Frankie Kane a.k.a Magenta is one of the numerous metahumans to make her way through Central City. Her powers allow her to manipulate all forms of metal, but she is torn between her identities of Frankie and Magenta. Team Flash is ultimately able to stop her crime spree through the city during the episode, and while Magenta has never again appeared in "The Flash" since that Season 3 episode, she has been mentioned by the characters numerous times.
Joey King tried to escape her overprotective mother in The Act
In 2019, Joey King starred alongside Patricia Arquette in "The Act." A limited series for Hulu, the show told the true story of Gypsy Rose Blanchard (King), a young woman who was abused by her mother, who imposed fake illnesses and disabilities upon her daughter due to her own desire to be a caregiver, according to Biography. This abuse persists through much of Gypsy's childhood until she ultimately reaches a breaking point and compels her boyfriend to kill her mother, resulting in her being sentenced to ten years in prison.
In addition to Arquette and King, "The Act" ensemble also includes Chloe Sevigny, AnnaSophia Robb, and Calum Worthy.
"The Act" was very well-received upon its debut on Hulu in 2019. Not only did the show receive strong reviews from critics (via Rotten Tomatoes), but it also became a major awards season contender as well. While Joey King ultimately did not win any significant awards for her performance as Blanchard, she was nominated for a Primetime Emmy (via TV Line) as well as a Golden Globe (via The Hollywood Reporter).
Joey King is the star of The Kissing Both series on Netlix
In 2018, Joey King played Elle Evans in Netflix's "The Kissing Booth." Written and directed by Vince Marcello, the film follows Elle as she navigates the awkwardness of her teenage years and develops romantic feelings for her classmate Noah (Jacob Elordi). The film is an adaptation of the novel "The Kissing Booth," written in 2012 by Beth Reekles.
Over the course of the last several years, "The Kissing Booth" has become one of Joey King's most consistent sources of work in the feature film landscape. The original installment in the franchise debuted in 2018, and its success quickly led to the release of a sequel, which debuted in 2020, as well as the final installment in the trilogy, which debuted in 2021. While it remains entirely possible that Netflix could someday decide to return to "The Kissing Booth" for a revival or a reboot, the third film very much positions it as the end of the franchise and a finale for Elle.