Top 10 Greatest Villain Performances by Actors
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. Simply put, it's why so many consider his portrayal of the 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 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.
"Clarice, do you still hear them? The screaming of the lambs?" Anthony Hopkins' performance is remarkable in one of my all-time favorites, The Silence of the Lambs.
The most horrendously dangerous villain in a motion picture! Easily your number one spot in this list.
No one can top this performance! Sir Anthony Hopkins, we love your remarkable acting!
The angel of death personified, enough said.
Vanity is definitely my favorite sin - love that line. Al Pacino is one hell of an actor.
He also portrayed Draco Malfoy in the Harry Potter series, although he's more of an anti-hero.
Movie hero Willis changed his style in this movie, and honestly, his Jackal was brilliant!
Great acting! Robert Patrick made this role very memorable. Since childhood, T2 has been my favorite movie.
One of the coolest villains ever. Great acting.
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 while 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, particularly 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).
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.
Oldman always was awesome and believable as a villain, but this one was over the top!
The Matrix trilogy is a stroke of genius.
He committed brutal and cruel murders.
Brilliant performance from Cruise. He didn't try to overdo anything and made this dark character completely realistic.