Top 10 Greatest Villain Performances by Actors

The Top Ten
1 Heath Legder as Joker - The Dark Knight

It's one thing to act out a role masterfully, but to immerse yourself into said role so masterfully that you and the character you're portraying become indistinguishable is another thing. Heath Ledger's portrayal of the Joker in The Dark Knight was just that, and, simply put, it's why so many considered his portrayal of Joker to be the best villain portrayal in film history.

Heath was an incredible actor but this was by far his most astounding performance. I am amazed by him and I have so much respect for him... His joker was so fascinating, and you never once stopped to think that it was heath ledger, the guy from brokeback mountain, underneath all that makeup. You were too busy being scared out of your pants

He IS the joker. He played the role very well, from the voice to the character Heath killed to outta this movie. He played it naturally, he truly the best joker and one of the best villains of all time. Such a great actor, we missed you dear.

2 Anthony Hopkins as Dr. Hannibal Lecter - The Silence of the Lambs

"I ate his liver" and "Clarice do you still hear them the screaming of the lambs? " Anthony Hopkins performance is remarkable in one of my all time favorite The Silence of the Lambs.

The Most Horrendously Dangerous Villain in a Motion Picture! Easily your #1 Spot in this List...

No one can top this performance! Sir Anthony Hopkins, we love your Remarkable Acting!

3 Javier Bardem as Anton Chigurh - No Country for Old Man

The angel of death personified, enough said.

4 Jack Nicholson as Joker - Batman
5 Al Pacino as John Milton/Devil - The Devil's Advocate

Vanity is definitely my favourite sin - love that line. Al Pacino is one hell of an actor.

6 Jason Isaacs as Col. Tavington in The Patriot

He also portrayed Draco Malfoy in the Harry Potter series (although he's more of an anti-hero)!

7 Ralph Fiennes as Amon Goeth - Schindler's List
8 James Earl Jones As Darth Vader - Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back
9 Joaquin Phoenix as Emperor Commodus - Gladiator
10 Bruce Willis as The Jackal - The Jackal

Movie hero Willis changed his style in this movie and honestly, his Jackal was brilliant!

The Contenders
11 Robert Patrick as T-1000 - Terminator 2: Judgment Day

Wait, that guy who guest starred on Ben 10 in that one episode about Phil was T-1000? I am too young to watch the film, but that is surprising.

Great art Robert Patrick to T-1000 terminator full watter metal, T-1000 better model of T-800 relative T-101. T-1000 is compatible modul to identite peoples (T-1000, great young, T-800 oldest old).

Great acting! Robert Patrick made this role very memorable! Since childhood, T2 has been my favorite movie.

12 Sergi López as Captain Vidal - Pan's Labyrinth
13 Ian McKellen as Magneto - X-Men
14 Gary Oldman as Norman Stansfield - Leon (The Professional)

This performance has everything that people want in a villain. Sometimes Gary Oldman is comically over the top; air-conducting along to the Beethoven symphony playing in his mind whilst shooting down an entire family, or spouting out oddly hilarious - if not deranged phrases (I haven't got TIME for this Mickey Mouse bull! ). Other times he's flat-out chilling, in particular during the bathroom scene with Natalie Portman wherein he reveals the full extent of his sadism (I take no pleasure in taking a life if it's from a person who doesn't care about it)

15 Tom Cruise as Lestat de Lioncourt - Interview with the Vampire: The Vampire Chronicles

As one who read and loved this character in many of Anne Rice's novels, I feel Tom Cruise embodied him perfectly. I can't imagine anyone else doing it nearly as well.

16 Arnold Schwarzenegger as Terminator - The Terminator

Arnold of part terminator, werry intellect cybernet, red shine eyes and metal body endoskeleton. He is Model T-800, no match return.

T-101, relative T-800, art Arnold big scene to metal cybernet is his form to destruction. Cyberdaim system complete metal red blick eyes.

17 Tom Hiddleston as Loki - The Avengers
18 Alan Rickman as Hans Gruber - Die Hard
19 Gary Oldman as Jean-Baptiste Emanuel Zorg - The Fifth Element

Oldman always was awesome and believable as villain but this one was over the top!

20 Hugo Weaving as Agent Smith - The Matrix

The Matrix trilogy is a stroke of genius.

21 Stephen Lang as Colonel Miles Quaritch - Avatar
22 William McNamara as Peter Foley - Copycat

He did so brutal and cruel murders.

23 Yoo Ji-tae as Lee Woo-jin - Oldboy
24 Javier Bardem as Raoul Silva - Skyfall
25 Tom Cruise as Vincent - Collateral

Brilliant performance from Cruise. He didn't try to overdo anything and made this dark character completely realistic.

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