Top 10 Greatest Villain Performances by Actors

1. Heath Ledger 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. 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.

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

   

   "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!

3. Jack Nicholson as Joker - Batman

   

4. Javier Bardem as Anton Chigurh - No Country for Old Men

   

   The angel of death personified, enough said.

5. Al Pacino as John Milton / The Devil - The Devil's Advocate

   

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

   It was the greatest Devil ever played.

6. James Earl Jones as Darth Vader - Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back

   

7. Jason Isaacs as Col. William Tavington - The Patriot

   

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

8. Joaquin Phoenix as Emperor Commodus - Gladiator

   

9. Robert Patrick as T-1000 - Terminator 2: Judgment Day

   

   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.

10. Arnold Schwarzenegger as The Terminator - The Terminator

    

    That role suited him so well.

The Newcomers
11. ?

    Samuel L. Jackson as Stephen Warren - Django Unchained

12. ?

    Yoo Ji-tae as Lee Woo-jin - Oldboy

    
The Contenders

13. Ralph Fiennes as Amon Goeth - Schindler's List

    

14. Gary Oldman as Norman Stansfield - Léon: 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 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).

15. Hugo Weaving as Agent Smith - The Matrix

    

    The Matrix trilogy is a stroke of genius.

16. Sergi López as Captain Vidal - Pan's Labyrinth

    

17. 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.

    One of the greatest works from Tom Cruise. Superb acting.

18. Bruce Willis as The Jackal - The Jackal

    

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

19. Tom Hiddleston as Loki - The Avengers

    

20. Gary Oldman as Jean-Baptiste Emanuel Zorg - The Fifth Element

    

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

21. Alan Rickman as Hans Gruber - Die Hard

    

22. Ian McKellen as Magneto - X-Men

    

23. Javier Bardem as Raoul Silva - Skyfall

    

24. Ralph Fiennes as Lord Voldemort - Harry Potter

    

    He is the best villain this universe has ever seen. How is it possible that his rank is so low? He deserves to be number 1.

25. Tom Cruise as Vincent - Collateral

    

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

26. Christoph Waltz as Col. Hans Landa - Inglourious Basterds

    He was absolutely brilliant in this film as the cold and cunning Col. Hans Landa. He thoroughly deserves the Oscar he received! Great film!

27. Willem Dafoe as The Green Goblin - Spider-Man

    

    He played the part in the movie brilliantly, and I personally think Dafoe's Green Goblin is one of the best movie villains of the last twenty years.

    Every time I watch Spider-Man, the Green Goblin always scares me by almost killing MJ!