Who doesn’t love good villains? The more psychotic and intense they are, the better! Fans would immediately think about Willem Dafoe’s role as Green Goblin from the Spider-Man movies. His portrayal of insanity was so menacing and convincing that sometimes it got scary.
There are other famous actors who also get typecast as villains because that’s exactly what their auras radiate: wicked, cunning, and abominable. Certainly, it helps them land projects. Check out these Hollywood celebrities and their iconic antagonistic roles.
Willem Dafoe
As mentioned, Willem Dafoe served as the main villain in Sam Raimi’s Spider-Man movies with Toby Maguire. He was a mad scientist who developed superhuman strength but led to a mental breakdown. The actor reprised the same role in Tom Holland’s Spider-Man: No Way Home.
Ralph Fiennes
Ralph Fiennes’ film debut saw him star as the anti-hero Heathcliff in Emily Brontë’s Wuthering Heights, though he received international fame for his role as Lord Voldemort in the Harry Potter films. While he has played other iconic villains, nothing comes close to the popularity of his dark wizard character in the franchise.
Javier Bardem
No Country For Old Men catapulted Javier Bardem’s career to new heights. His performance was outstanding as the psychopath Anton Chigurh. He also went on to portray more villain roles in blockbuster movies, such as Raoul Silva in Skyfall and Armando Salazar in Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales.
Giancarlo Esposito
Fans would immediately recognize Giancarlo Esposito for his prominent role in Vince Gilligan’s Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul, but his portrayal of Moff Gideon in The Mandalorian cemented his credibility as a strong antagonist. Esposito’s intimidating demeanor on screen leaves the viewers at the edge of their seats.
Mads Mikkelsen
Surely, everyone would remember how Mads Mikkelsen transformed into the enigmatic Hannibal Lecter, a brilliant psychiatrist who turns out to be a serial killer. The Danish actor is also well-recognized for his role as Kaecilius in 2016’s Doctor Strange, a powerful yet vile and corrupted sorcerer.
Christoph Waltz
Easily remembered for his role in Inglorious Basterds, Christoph Waltz has given life to one of the best and most terrifying characters in cinematic history. The actor even won an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his portrayal of Colonel Hans Landa.
Alan Rickman
The late Alan Rickman will always be recognized as Harry Potter’s Severus Snape, an exceptionally accomplished wizard with a cold and resentful façade. He also starred as Hans Gruber in Die Hard, a remarkable character from the franchise. Both roles earned Rickman the merit of being a great villain actor.
Hugo Weaving
Hugo Weaving’s portfolio as a villain goes from action to superhero, fantasy to mecha. It seemed like he has done a lot of antagonistic roles for most of his career, such as voicing Transformers’ Megatron, and starring as Agent Smith in The Matrix. Weaving is also popularly known for portraying the Red Skull in Captain America: The First Avenger.
