The Evolution of Emma Stone

The New Partridge Family (2005)

Emma Stone made her debut in this TV movie, an update of the 70s favourite about the titular family who become a pop sensation. The feature length pilot was expected to launch a new series, but no further episodes were ever made.

The cast for the show were found via that ubiquitous modern means of entertainment scouting: the TV talent show. Stone saw off fierce competition, but the viewers seemed more interested in the journey than the end result.

Stone cold… shameful. Thankfully she quickly rose above the reality TV dross to find worthier projects.

Medium (2005)

After the failure of the Partridge Family reboot, Stone took a small role in Patricia Arquette's psychic drama series Medium .

Billed as Riley Stone, she played Cynthia McCallister, a mysterious figure who appears in a dodgy sex tape that may or may not be connected with a kidnapping, and a hell of a lot of blood, that Allison (Arquette) is investigating with her mind powers.

Stone cold… spooky. Any excitement you might feel about an Emma Stone sex tape is quickly dampened by the creepy context.

The Suite Life of Zack and Cody (2006)

Emma Stone nabbed another small TV role, this time in irritating kiddie sitcom The Suite Life of Zack and Cody . The show centred around the twins of the title: blond moppets who live in a hotel while their mum performs there.

Stone had a one-off voicing job as Ivana Tipton: the pampered pooch of a Paris Hilton-alike heiress. Stone wasn't the only Hollywood seedling to turn up on the show: Zac Efron, Miley Cyrus and Jaden Smith all had one-off roles on the Disney Channel staple.

Stone cold… silly, but at least it gave Stone's distinctive, husky tones an outing.

Malcolm in the Middle (2006)

Stone notched up a respectable TV appearance in the final season of the superior sitcom. She was one of four girls who play a prank on Reese, only to bear the brunt of mum Lois' vengeful rage.

The mean gals get stitched up in a variety of amusing ways: one has to cut off her bubblegummed hair, while another is framed with a false hotel reservation and an overnight bag full of condoms. Stone gets off relatively lightly: her locker is stuffed with decapitated dolls' heads.

Stone cold… bitchy. Emma proves she can handle top-drawer comedy.

Lucky Louie (2006)

Stone's next appearance was in the critically-lauded, but short-lived, comedy series Lucky Louie . As a HBO production, the content could be a little saltier than a lot of the generic sitcoms you see on TV, but ultimately the network felt it didn't fit in with their image.

At least in its short run it gave Stone the chance to show off her killer comedy chops as rebellious teen Shannon, with the pay-per-view benefits making room for some naughty language.

Stone cold… saucy. Stone's teenager is all kinds of wrong (in, y'know, the right way).

Drive (2007)

More solid TV work for Stone with a sizeable role in this action drama, which sadly saw only seven episodes make it through production (and only four got to TV). Set around an illegal cross-country road race, Drive saw Stone in good company: Dylan Baker played her father, and Nathan Fillion was the lead.

The ratings didn't cut the mustard though, and the typically harsh US system didn't cut any slack, which is a shame given that it'd could've potentially been a great little thriller.

Stone cold… waste. The words 'cancelled ahead of its time' are heard way too much.

Superbad (2007)

Stone made one hell of a movie debut in Superbad . Greg Mottola's ace high school comedy was based on a script that Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg wrote while they were still in their teens.

Michael Cera and Jonah Hill cemented their comedic reps with the movie, but it was Stone who made the biggest impact: Jules could have been the token lust-object, but she brings sass and smarts to the laddish comedy, with her undoubted hotness becoming something of a secondary function.

Stone cold… sassy, the perfect foil for the bumbling boys. She has arrived.

The Rocker (2008)

Stone's next big screen comedy outing couldn't match Superbad for success (it didn't help that it came nowhere near in terms of laughs or likeability). Rainn Wilson stars as an ageing former rock star named Fish, who puts what's left of his dignity through the wringer when he agrees to drum for his nephew's band.

The film's not impossible to enjoy, and Stone, as the band's bassist, further perfects her sarky, spunky schtick.

Stone cold… rock chick. Emma learnt to play the bass for real for the part.

The House Bunny (2008)

Emma Stone's second so-so comedy in a row sees her having the standard Hollywood ugly duckling moment (bring out the specs), then proving her true worth after a jolly good makeover.

Anna Faris is the ostracised Playboy Playmate who joins the Zeta Alpha Zeta sorority house after being exiled from Hef's mansion, and she helps her sisters to pretty up as they all learn some valuable life lessons. It's glossy, sickly-sweet froth that's just about carried by its decent cast.

Stone cold… hilarious. This girl can make 'em laugh, even with thin material.

Ghosts of Girlfriends Past (2009)

Stone once again pushed vanity to the back-burner is this Matthew McConaughey-does-Dickens effort. She plays the ghost of ladyfriends past, and gives the serial-lothario a tour of his former conquests.

Stone adds some much needed snap to what could have been an unbearable movie. In fact, her top turn, combined with a scene-stealing Michael Douglas and a captivating Jennifer Garner, make the time spent with McConaughey's detestable douche much more palatable.

Stone cold… charming. The geeky trappings don't diminish Stone's screen appeal.

Paper Man (2009)

This quirksome indie comedy drama got an extremely limited release in the states, and there's no way of guessing when (or even if) we'll get to see it on these shores.

Which is a shame as it looks like it could be pretty decent. Jeff Daniels plays a failed author who moves to Long Island with the hope of finding inspiration. His imaginary friend Captain Excellent (Ryan Reynolds) comes along with him, and he sparks up a friendship with similarly alienated teen Abby.

Stone cold… serious, eschewing the broad laughs in favour of surrealistic whimsy.

Zombieland (2009)

Stone was an asset to Zombieland , a riotously funny comedy that also happened to be a pretty decent zombie apocalypse movie, satisfying as relentlessly in the action stakes as it does on the laugh count.

Proving once again that she simply doesn't do token love interest, Stone plays Wichita, a rare survivor who's an ideal opportunity for companionship and procreation for Jesse Eisenberg's Columbus, but she plays it ambiguously enough to add a genuine sense of doubt into the proceedings.

Stone cold… superb (she also nails the funny beats among a brilliant comic cast).

Marmaduke (2010)

At least Stone had the sense to keep her face off-screen in this digital doggy disaster, as she voices Mazie, a pooch who falls for Marmaduke (who has Owen Wilson's laid-back drawl).

This has none of the charm of the Brad Anderson's beloved comic strip, and struggles to find a tone: the family relocate to California and poochie has trouble fitting in at the park with all of its high-school hierarchies. Couldn't-be-bothered FX confound this lazy effort.

Stone cold… forgettable, repressed way down with the awful Chipmunks movies.

Easy A

This week, Emma Stone finally gets a lead role in Easy A . This Scarlet Letter updating high-school comedy sees her as Olive, a virginal student who helps her gay best friend avoid bullies by consenting to a rumour that the pair have done 'it'. Before long, she's being called to help out any guy in need of a tall tale, and attracting all kinds of bad press.

You can read Total Film 's review here .

Stone cold… superstar. Easy A is Emma Stone's film all the way, and she was rewarded with decent box office numbers on the other side of the pond. But we haven't seen the last of her yet…

Up next

Stone is showing absolutely no signs of deceleration. She already has Friends with Benefits in the can, starring for Easy A director Will Gluck again alongside Justin Timberlake and Mila Kunis.

Then there's adaptation of racially-charged period novel The Help , more voice work in The Croods and a role in super-starry comedy Crazy, Stupid, Love (with Steve Carell, Ryan Gosling, Julianne Moore and Marisa Tomei).

But those projects are small-fry compared to…

Spider-Man (2012)

Yes, unless you've been under a rock for the last month, you'll know that Stone nabbed the coveted role of Gwen Stacy in Marc Webb's Spider-Man reboot. She'll no doubt be bringing her unique brand of sass to the franchise, which was formerly laden with a wet blanket of a female lead in the shape of an off-form Kirsten Dunst.

Andrew Garfield is Webslinger 2.0 and Rhys Ifans has signed on the dotted line to play Dr Curt Connors, AKA The Lizard.

Can Webb's 3D reboot stand up to Sam Raimi's superlative superhero efforts in the blockbusting stakes? We can't wait to find out...

Matt Maytum is the former Editor of Total Film magazine. Over the past decade, Matt has worked in various roles for TF online and in print, including at GamesRadar+. Bucket-list-ticking career highlights have included reporting from the set of Tenet and Avengers: Infinity War, as well as covering Comic-Con, TIFF and the Sundance Film Festival.