1998–2007 Browning's debut acting role was in the 1998
Hallmark Channel movie
The Echo of Thunder. Additional roles in Australian film and television productions soon followed, including recurring roles in the television series
Blue Heelers from 2000 to 2002, and
Something in the Air from 2000 to 2001. In 2001, Browning appeared as the daughter of the character played by
Billy Connolly in
The Man Who Sued God. She made her American film debut in 2002's
Ghost Ship, and won an
Australian Film Institute Award for Best Young Actress, the same year. In 2003, she appeared opposite
Heath Ledger and
Orlando Bloom in 2003's
Ned Kelly, and reunited with Connolly the following year in the film adaptation of ''
Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events'', in which she played
Violet Baudelaire. In 2006, Browning appeared in the music video for
Evermore's "Light Surrounding You". In the behind-the-scenes video for the clip, the band stated, "[We] suck as actors, so we decided to get Emily". She attended the
L'Oreal Fashion Festival as a festival ambassador on 1 February 2007.
2008–2011 Browning played the lead role in the 2009 horror film
The Uninvited, an American remake of the 2003 South Korean film
A Tale of Two Sisters. She turned down a request to audition for the role of
Bella Swan in
Twilight, citing exhaustion, despite an endorsement from series author
Stephenie Meyer. In 2009, she was cast as Babydoll in
Zack Snyder's action film
Sucker Punch, as a replacement for
Amanda Seyfried, who dropped out due to scheduling conflicts. Filming took place in
Vancouver from September 2009 to January 2010, and the film was released on 25 March 2011. In an interview at
Comic-Con, she confirmed that she would be singing in the film, while claiming that her audition tape brought tears to her casting agent's eyes and the song she selected ("
Killing Me Softly") was one of
Zack Snyder's wife
Deborah's favourites, which Browning referred to as the "selling point" on her being cast in the role. In February 2010, it was announced that Browning would play the lead role in the independent Australian film
Sleeping Beauty, directed by
Julia Leigh. She replaced
Mia Wasikowska, who was committed to a film adaptation of
Jane Eyre at the time. The film screened at the 2011
Cannes Film Festival and the
Sydney Film Festival. In a review from the festival,
Peter Bradshaw of
The Guardian called the film "Technically elegant with vehemence and control ... Emily Browning gives a fierce and powerful performance ... There is force and originality in Leigh's work". Fionnuala Halligan in
Screen International wrote "Browning has gone the distance for her director and together, they have delivered something here that sometimes catches your breath". At the festival Browning said, "Even reading the screenplay, it made me feel uncomfortable. But that was something that attracted me to it. I would prefer to polarise an audience as opposed to making an entertaining film everybody feels ambivalent about."
2012–2020 In 2012, she replaced English actress
Ophelia Lovibond as female lead
Florence Carter-Wood in the film
Summer in February. The film is based on the book of the same title, by
Jonathan Smith. In July 2012, Browning was cast in
God Help the Girl, a musical film by
Belle and Sebastian front-man
Stuart Murdoch. Browning played Eve, and the role required live singing. Filming on the production began on 8 July 2012 and wrapped on 12 August 2012. Browning was cast in
Catherine Hardwicke's
Plush alongside
Cam Gigandet, replacing
Evan Rachel Wood (who was originally attached to the project) due to scheduling conflicts. Browning also starred alongside
Xavier Samuel whom she met on the set during filming.
Magic Magic, directed by Sebastián Silva, screened at the 2013
Sundance Film Festival. Film.com designated the film as a "Top Pick". Browning starred in
Paul W. S. Anderson's 2014 epic romantic historical disaster film
Pompeii. The project was filmed in
Toronto and the city of
Pompeii. The film received generally mixed to negative reviews, although Browning's performance was generally assessed more favorably. Browning took a break from filming on
Pompeii, and returned home to Australia to film a music video for the song "No Matter What You Say" by the band
Imperial Teen. The video follows Browning as the lead character, conducting a 'live art-piece'. In 2014, Browning filmed
Shangri-La Suite. The story follows two young lovers who break out of a mental hospital in 1974 and set out on a road trip to
Los Angeles to fulfill the boy's lifelong dream of killing his idol
Elvis Presley, who appears as a supporting character.
Luke Grimes and
Avan Jogia co-star. The same year, she appeared in
Years & Years's "Take Shelter" music video. In 2015, Browning appeared in the biopic crime thriller
Legend, alongside
Tom Hardy, who portrayed twin brothers and infamous 1960s London gangsters
Reggie and Ronnie Kray. She portrayed
Frances Shea, the first wife of Reggie Kray. Browning was cast in
American Gods (2017-2021) as Laura Moon.
Neil Gaiman, author of the
novel, said, "I've been fascinated by Emily Browning since
A Series of Unfortunate Events. She has a challenge ahead of her: Laura is a tricky character, and the Laura on the screen is even trickier and more dangerous than the one on the page. She's going to have a wonderful time bringing Laura to life".
2021–present In June 2021, it was announced that Browning would replace
Anna Paquin in
Andrea Pallaoro's drama
Monica, joining
Trace Lysette,
Patricia Clarkson and
Adriana Barraza. She is also set to star in Lance Edmands' thriller
Brightwater, starring alongside
Scoot McNairy and
Jack Reynor. She stars in
The Fox, the debut feature film directed by Australian filmmaker
Dario Russo, which premieres at the 2025
Adelaide Film Festival in October. It also stars
Jai Courtney,
Damon Herriman, and the voices of
Sam Neill and
Olivia Colman. ==Personal life==