All 8 Black Canary actresses ranked from worst to best

2. Jurnee Smollett

Appeared In: Birds of Prey (And The Fantabulous Emancipation Of One Harley Quinn), Black Canary movie (upcoming)

There were senses of both intrigue and suspicion in regards to how little Birds of Prey was utilizing its titular heroes in its promotional material, but that ironically ended up benefiting it because it forced us to wait in order to see how the film’s portrayal of the legendary Black Canary would come across. Well, after seeing the movie, it’s safe to say that it was worth the wait.

Jurnee Smollett is a revelation as Dinah Lance. That’s in no way an overstatement because the way in which she effortlessly brings the heroine to life is nothing short of magical. She’s strong, intense and very full-on when she needs to be – capturing all of the character’s empowering qualities in an instant – but she’s also playful, emotional and even a little witty – and that‘s a side of her that we don’t see often enough.

Dinah’s backstory is among the best in the film, and the internal conflict she endures resonates well given her lack of screen-time. Furthermore, her fighting skills are second-to-none and her Canary Cry is a thing of absolute beauty.

The film certainly could have done with a lot more of her, as its lack of focus on Dinah and Helena really is quite the drawback here, but it’s a forgivable one because Smollett is a Dinah Lance for a whole new generation – and what a great Dinah Lance she is.

She is set to return for a new movie as the character, which still seems set to go ahead even with the DC Universe reboot. We hope it does, because a portrayal as rich as this one deserves far more screen-time.