Elizabeth Olsen's performance in "Martha Marcy May Marlene" garnered her lots of critical attention, as well as nominations at the Critics' Choice Awards and Independent Spirit Awards. She followed up the film with four projects throughout 2012, all furthering her burgeoning status as an indie movie darling. Among these projects was the thriller "Red Lights," which saw her sharing the screen with Cillian Murphy, Robert De Niro, and Sigourney Weaver. "Silent House," a horror movie, yet again put her front and center.
Olsen rounded out 2012 with two films that were much different from her previous three (per The Guardian): "Peace, Love and Misunderstanding" was a comedy with Jane Fonda and Catherine Keener, while "Liberal Arts" saw her playing the young romantic interest of writer-director Josh Radnor. Still, what all of these films had in common was showcasing Olsen's unique acting prowess, which only continued to become more impressive with each role.
In 2013, Olsen starred as Edie Parker, the wife of Jack Kerouac, in "Kill Your Darlings," a biopic about several Beat Generation writers starring Daniel Radcliffe and Jack Huston. She also appeared in the 2013 remake of South Korean film "Oldboy" alongside Josh Brolin, although many critics found it inferior to the original version. The 2013 romance "In Secret" found her in the throes of on-screen love with fellow future Marvel star Oscar Isaac, though it wouldn't be long before Elizabeth Olsen found herself bringing her charisma to major Hollywood studios.
