Top 10 Best Mob Actors

Marlon Brando

Marlon Brando, Jr. was an American actor, film director, and activist. He is credited with bringing a gripping realism to film acting and is often cited as one of the greatest and most influential actors of all time. He died on July 1, 2004, at the age of 80.

Vito's perfect blend of commanding, imposing, yet soothing and analytical nature makes him unforgettable, even 40 years later.

The star in the gangster genre.

HELLO!? He made The Godfather what it is.

Al Pacino

Alfredo James "Al" Pacino (born April 25, 1940) is an American actor and filmmaker. Pacino has had a career spanning over five decades and is widely regarded as one of the greatest actors in film history. He has received numerous accolades, including an Academy Award, two Tony Awards, and two Primetime... read more

Hands down, he has an amazing performance. Scarface, The Godfather, Carlito's Way.

Maybe not the most badass. Certainly the most credible boss in movies.

You should watch the movies Scarface, The Godfather, and Carlito's Way.

Anthony DeSando

Robert De Niro

Robert Anthony De Niro Jr. (born August 17, 1943) is an American actor and producer. He is particularly known for his nine collaborations with filmmaker Martin Scorsese and is the recipient of various accolades, including two Academy Awards, a Golden Globe Award, the Cecil B. DeMille Award, and a Screen... read more

He did a great job and won an Oscar for Godfather Part 2 and was in multiple other gangster films such as Goodfellas, Casino, and The Untouchables.

Scorsese is king of the gangster film, and De Niro is his go-to man. His killer role in The Godfather Part 2 doesn't hurt either.

Robert De Niro was a very good actor. If I ever made a movie in his time, there is no doubt he would be the main character.

Lillo Brancato Jr.

Chris Tardio

Alex Rocco

Joe Pesci

Joseph Frank "Joe" Pesci is an Italian-American actor, comedian, and musician known for portraying tough, volatile characters in a wide range of genres. He is best known for roles in films such as "Goodfellas," "Casino," and "Home Alone." Pesci won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his... read more

Some great actors are playing mobsters on this list, but I have to say, I think Joe Pesci is the greatest of all time. Joe is the only actor that really scares the hell out of me.

The epitome of a gangster. If I were to say to someone, 'that mob/gangster actor,' I'd put my money on most people thinking of Joe Pesci.

This man bears the demeanor of a gangster - definitely one of the best tough-guy actors of all time.

Michael V. Gazzo

James Gandolfini

James John Gandolfini (September 18, 1961 - June 19, 2013) was an American actor. He was best known for his portrayal of Tony Soprano, the Italian-American Mafia crime boss in HBO's television series The Sopranos (1999-2007). For this role, he won three Primetime Emmy Awards, five Screen Actors Guild... read more

You might argue and say he was not the best, but if you watch The Sopranos from day one and watch Tony develop, it would be impossible to name a better tough guy. He was the bear. He didn't just give orders. He was it. He could kill with his bare hands. Watching him drive through Jersey in the opening credits, smoking a big cigar, it doesn't get better.
From him being so true on camera as Tony, so believable, he did for TV what The Godfather did for movies. He changed what we watched on TV for years. Let's also take into account that these other guys were in movies that last a few hours. The Godfather had three parts, three hours each, the most out of all the mob movies. The Sopranos has six long seasons spanned out over many years. He stuck with that part day in and day out, and millions of people waited for every second.

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Steven Bauer

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Frank Sivero

Eddie Malavarca

Frank Vincent

People forget about Raging Bull. Mob or connected.

Simply the greatest of all time!

The Sopranos, Casino, Goodfellas, Wise Guys

Ray Liotta

Raymond Allen Liotta (December 18, 1954 - May 26, 2022) was an American actor and producer. He was known for playing Shoeless Joe Jackson in Field of Dreams (1989), Henry Hill in Goodfellas (1990), and Tommy Vercetti in the video game Grand Theft Auto: Vice City (2002).... read more

Great performance in Goodfellas.

Michael Madsen

Michael Søren Madsen (born September 25, 1958 - July 3, 2025) was an American actor, producer, director, writer, poet, and photographer.

He starred in numerous feature films, including Thelma & Louise, Reservoir Dogs, Wyatt Earp, Free Willy, Species, Donnie Brasco, Sin City, Kill Bill, and The... read more

Chazz Palminteri

A Bronx Tale, Analyze That, Boss of Bosses

Joe Viterelli

Mobsters, Analyze This, Wannabes, Mickey Blue Eyes

Steve Buscemi

Steven Vincent "Steve" Buscemi is an American actor, comedian, director, and former New York City firefighter. He has appeared in numerous successful Hollywood and independent films, including Reservoir Dogs, Fargo, The Big Lebowski, and Boardwalk Empire. Buscemi is also an award-winning television director... read more

James Caan

James Edmund Caan was an American actor. After early roles in films such as El Dorado, Caan rose to prominence in the 1970s with significant roles in films including Brian's Song, The Godfather, The Gambler, Funny Lady, and A Bridge Too Far. He was nominated for several major awards throughout his career... read more

The Godfather, Mickey Blue Eyes, This Thing of Ours

Johnny Depp

John Christopher "Johnny" Depp II (born June 9, 1963) is an American actor, producer, and musician. He has won the Golden Globe Award and Screen Actors Guild Award for Best Actor. His role in a movie is often rather big. His character is often on the "loopy side" and his character being in a darker state... read more

Donnie Brasco, Public Enemies, and now Black Mass

Jack Nicholson

John Joseph Nicholson (born April 22, 1937) is an American actor and filmmaker whose career has spanned over 60 years. He is known for his wide range of roles, including satirical comedies, romantic dramas, and portrayals of antiheroes and psychopathic characters. In many of his films, Nicholson plays... read more

He played Jimmy Hoffa in Hoffa. Jimmy Hoffa was the leader of a notorious gang called the Teamsters.

Vincent Pastore

The Sopranos, This Thing of Ours

Andy Garcia

Andrés Arturo García Menéndez, known professionally as Andy García, is a Cuban American actor and director. He rose to fame with roles in films such as The Untouchables, Internal Affairs, and The Godfather Part III. García has also starred in the Ocean's film series and has directed several projects... read more

Always loved this guy.

Christopher Walken

Christopher Walken is an American actor of screen and stage who has appeared in more than 100 films and television shows. He won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his role in The Deer Hunter (1978). Walken is also known for his performances in Catch Me If You Can, Pulp Fiction, and Hairspray... read more

Cillian Murphy

Cillian Murphy is an Irish actor of stage and screen. He began his career in the late 1990s and has since gained recognition in British and American cinema for his versatility. Murphy is widely known for playing Thomas Shelby in Peaky Blinders and for roles in several Christopher Nolan films, including... read more

Edward G. Robinson

Emanuel Goldenberg, known professionally as Edward G. Robinson, was an American actor born on December 12, 1893, in Romania. He was a popular star on stage and screen during Hollywood's Golden Age, appearing in 40 Broadway plays and more than 100 films over a 50-year career. Robinson is best remembered... read more