Anya Taylor-Joy is one of the most exciting young movie stars working right now. Most recently, she voiced Princess Peach in The Super Mario Bros. Movie. Next, she will star in and executive produce the Apple TV limited series Lucky, a crime thriller premiering July 15, 2026, alongside Annette Bening and Timothy Olyphant. Taylor-Joy had her breakthrough role in Robert Eggers‘ The Witch in 2015 and became a true household name in 2020 with Netflix’s The Queen’s Gambit. In between these monumental roles, however, she gave an underrated performance in the PBS Masterpiece Theater miniseries The Miniaturist.

This ‘Furiosa’ Scene Took Anya Taylor-Joy 78 Days to Film

 

 

 

4:56

What Is ‘The Miniaturist’ About?

The Miniaturist is based on the novel of the same name by Jessie Burton, inspired by a real-life intricate dollhouse that can be seen in a museum in Amsterdam. The dollhouse was owned by a woman named Petronella Oortman, and Burton used the name for her novel, but the story is entirely fictional. Like the novel, the miniseries is a 17th-century period drama that takes place in the Netherlands. Taylor-Joy plays Nella Oortman, a young woman who must marry a much older man so that her family can pay off their debts.

Five Oscar Best Picture winners. Five completely different visions of what cinema can be — and what it can do to you. One of them is the film that was made for the way your mind works. Ten questions will figure out which one.

Nella’s new husband, Johannes Brandt (Hassell), is a closeted gay man. Part of him wants to be a good husband for Nella, but in his mind, all a good husband needs to do is be a provider. He doesn’t notice Nella’s deep loneliness and need for intimacy and companionship.

As a wedding gift, Johannes gives Nella a cabinet for her to decorate as a dollhouse. Nella puts in a request with a miniaturist for three items for the dollhouse, but she mysteriously receives extra items. What makes the mystery creepier is that these items correspond perfectly to items in her new home. The gifts from an unseen miniaturist who seems to know all the secrets of Nella’s household make for an intriguing setup. But, ultimately, The Miniaturist is more about exploring the characters’ inner tragedies rather than telling a traditional mystery story.

Anya Taylor-Joy Is Quietly Heartbreaking in ‘The Miniaturist

Anya Taylor-Joy gives a quietly heartbreaking performance as Nella. The Miniaturist portrays a time when women often had very little agency, especially if they were from a poor family like Nella’s. At first, she accepts her fate and sincerely tries to make the best of a bad situation. In the first episode, Nella goes out of her way to react to everything with politeness and good humor, only showing subtle disappointment when her sister-in-law Marin Brandt (Romola Garai), is cold, or her husband is evasive and secretive.

However, Taylor-Joy makes the smallest reactions hit hard. Over time, Nella’s determination to assert herself and her desires grows, despite the confines of her role in society. Taylor-Joy does an excellent job of showing this young woman gradually working up the confidence to demand that Johannes treat her more like a wife than an object. Alex Hassell brings the same bawdy charm to this series that he does to Rivals, offering a stark contrast to Taylor-Joy’s quietly despairing performance as Nella.

The juxtaposing energies work well and Nella’s scenes with Johannes are the most interesting in the show. The two actors light up with chemistry when their characters have a moment of friendship or solidarity, making it more frustrating when Johannes pulls back from his wife. Hassell makes Johannes sympathetic, warm, and funny, but then brutally depicts an evasive side that’s obviously contributing to Nella’s isolation. The viewer goes back and forth right along with Nella as she goes from finding her new husband charming to frustrating.

‘The Miniaturist’ Has Detailed Production and Costume Design

In addition to the captivating lead performance from Anya Taylor-Joy and the stellar supporting cast, a highlight of The Miniaturist is in the details of the production design and costuming. The show brings the 17th century to life very well, which can be expected from Masterpiece Theater. It’s the details that make this production stand out. A brilliant touch in the costuming is how poorly Nella’s new dresses fit her, a clear sign that her husband and sister-in-law aren’t interested in her as a person and see her as just a generic wife.

Unsurprisingly, the true biggest strength in the production is the miniatures themselves, which are beautifully crafted. Few other projects hinge so much on the props. Even while Nella is horrified by the creepy detail with which the miniaturist replicates items in her private home, it’s also clear she’s in awe of the objects. This show wouldn’t work without the miniatures popping on screen. The production nailed it, and it’s exciting each time Nella unwraps one of the miniaturist’s mysterious gifts.

If you’ve already seen Anya Taylor-Joy in period dramas like The Queen’s Gambit, Peaky Blinders, and Emma, The Miniaturist should be your next binge. While it doesn’t have as strong an adapted screenplay as many other Masterpiece Theater miniseries, the core relationship between Nella and Johannes — two outsiders who can’t connect despite sharing a deep loneliness — is enough to make the story compelling even when their dialogue isn’t as clever as it could be. It’s the performances and the beautiful details in the production that bring this story to life and make it worth watching.

The Miniaturist is available to stream on the PBS Masterpiece Amazon Channel in the U.S.

SOURCE: COLLIDER