While moviegoers love a formidable hero who they can root for, bad guys roles can be just as captivating, if not more so. When the good guy shows up to save the day, a menacing villain is just what is needed to elevate a movie to the next level. Without a solid antagonist, a film can fall flat on its face.
Some of the greatest actors of all time have gotten to their stature thanks to taking on a myriad of different roles. However, many thespians find themselves being placed into a box, particularly those who have delivered iconic heroic roles, therefore becoming type cast. So, here are 5 of the best bad guy roles from heroic actors that prove sometimes audiences like to have their expectations flipped on their head.
5. Jean-Claude Van Damme – The Expendables 2 (2012)
Jean-Claude Van Damme was one of the biggest action stars of the 80s and early 90s, up there with the likes of Sylvester Stallone, Bruce Willis, and Arnold Schwarzenegger. Although his box office draw wasn’t quite as large as his peers, Van Damme was still a well-known action hero, and garnered more of a cult following rather than a widespread one. However, towards the end of the 90s, he became refined to straight-to-DVD, lower budget action movies, which he claims is the result of being blacklisted in Hollywood.
In 2012, Van Damme graced the big screen for the first time in over a decade when Sylvester Stallone offered him the role of the lead villain in The Expendables 2. As Vilain, Van Damme brought forth an eerie demeanour that was understated yet chilling. Of course, he showed off his famous roundhouse kick in his final fight scene with Stallone too. This villainous role put him back on the map, reminding larger audiences of his talent.
4. Tom Cruise – Collateral (2004)
Four-time Oscar nominee Tom Cruise made his bones in Hollywood by playing a string of heroic characters, namely the part of Ethan Hunt in the Mission: Impossible franchise. Other iconic hero roles came from blockbusters like Top Gun, Minority Report, and critically acclaimed films like Born on the Fourth of July. So, when he took on a villainous role in Collateral in 2004, this marked a big change in formula.
Michael Mann‘s gritty thriller tells the story of a taxi driver named Max (Jamie Foxx), who spends a harrowing evening under the mercy of Vincent (Tom Cruise), a ruthless hitman who forces him to drive him around LA while he works his way through a hit list. Cruise’s rendition was subtle and unsuspecting, however, when his character bursts into action, he is violent, lacking empathy, and extremely skilled. Foxx found himself nominated for Best Actor in a Supporting Role at the Oscars for his rendition, whereas Cruise was overlooked in what is easily one of his finest performances.
3. Leonardo DiCaprio – Django Unchained (2012)
Leonardo DiCaprio has played many heroic characters throughout his illustrious career. He has also turned down many roles that went on to become iconic. Notably, he has turned down a string of villainous parts. Taking on a bad guy role can be daunting for such a high-profile actor, as a certain level of public appeal needs to be withheld. However, in 2021, DiCaprio finally ventured over to the dark side of cinema.
In Django Unchained, DiCaprio portrayed Calvin Candie, a despicable plantation owner who squares off with Django (Jamie Foxx), a freed slave who hunts Candie down to save his wife from his grasps. When speaking with Entertainment Weekly, DiCaprio said that Candie was “one of the most deplorable, indulgent, horrendous characters I’ve ever read in my life.” And it’s safe to say, it was this that drew him to the role. DiCaprio landed a Golden Globe nomination for his performance and it has continued to resonate with audiences ever since, particularly for a tense scene that was actually improvised by the actor.
2. Robin Williams – Insomnia (2002)
Robin Williams was one of the biggest comedy actors of the 80s and 90s, starring in classics like Good Morning, Vietnam, Mrs. Doubtfire, and The Birdcage. However, he always had a flair for drama too, blending more serious themes with comedy in films like The Fisher King, Jack, and Patch Adams. He then took home an Oscar for his role in Good Will Hunting, a critically-acclaimed coming-of-age drama.
In the early 2000s, Williams get kept his dramatic streak going but leaned more towards bad guy roles. Firstly, he starred in the psychological thriller One Hour Photo, and garnered critical praise for his creepy rendition. That same year, he shared the screen with Al Pacino in Christopher Nolan‘s mystery thriller, Insomnia. In the somewhat overlooked film, Williams plays Walter Finch, a novelist who murders a young girl and is pursued by police detective Will Dormer (Pacino). When Dormer accidentally kills his partner while hunting Finch, the tables are turned and Finch begins a blackmail campaign. Williams shines as a villain who is equally cunning and evil as he attempts to clear his name by ruining another man’s life and career.
1. Denzel Washington – Training Day (2001)
Denzel Washington is another iconic actor who became known for his heroic roles, earning his first Oscar for his supporting role as Private Trip in Glory in 1989. In 2001, he took on an entirely different part as LAPD detective Olonzo Harris in Training Day. However, this cop wasn’t heroic whatsoever. The plot follows rookie cop Jake (Ethan Hawke) as he shadows Olonzo for a day on the beat in Los Angeles. As the day unfolds, Jake soon realizes that Olonzo is not who he says he is and has ties to organized crime. Washington’s loud and obnoxious yet captivating performance earned him his second Oscar win and has since become iconic, particularly for the enthralling monologue he delivers at the end of the picture. His ability to make such a despicable character so awe-inspiring to watch truly demonstrates his nuanced skills as an actor.
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