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[DrForester]

Moviefone.com has compiled a top 10 list of Hollywood's most evil actors. Pretty good list I think, other than a shocking lack of Daniel Day-Lewis. Also would put Tim Curry in top 10, but he hasn't done anything notable in years.

http://www.moviefone.co.uk/2010/02/18/hollywoods-most-evil-actors/

1. Alan Rickmann

Maybe it's the deep and imposing voice, or because he's got a mean sneer, but Rickman is always game to play a nasty character. He has memorably depicted the slimy and seemingly-traitorous Severus Snape in the 'Harry Potter' films, the greedy and perverted Judge Turpin in 'Sweeney Todd' and terrorist Hans Gruber in the original 'Die Hard.' We love Rickman when he's good, but when he's bad, he's irresistible.

2. Jeremy Irons

Like Huston, Irons has perfected the art of playing a finer class of villain. Look no further than his Oscar-winning part as blue-blooded wife-hater Claus von Bulow in 'Reversal of Fortune,' or his maniacal bomber in 'Die Hard With a Vengeance' or the rich and ruthless rancher in 'Appaloosa' for a few examples of Irons' infamous characters. Oh, and who can forget King Mufasa's jealous, fratricidal brother, Scar, in 'The Lion King.'

3. Danny Huston

Huston's eyebrows alone are menacing, and he also possesses beady eyes, an intimidating height and an air of entitlement that makes him a wonderful upscale bad guy. There's his creepy profiteer in 'Edge of Darkness,' the greedy corporatist in 'The Constant Gardner,' the head vampire in '30 Days of Night,' the killer outlaw in 'The Proposition' and the hateful General Stryker in 'Wolverine.' Certainly his father, the late director John Huston, who was famously evil himself in 'Chinatown,' would've been proud.

4. Sean Bean

Bean squints, scowls and glares his way into villainous roles with such flair that the tiniest narrowing of his eyes can scare an audience. For proof, see him as an IRA terrorist in 'Patriot Games,' a double-crossing Bond villain in 'Goldeneye,' a violent wife-beater in 'Essex Boys' and a psychopathic hitchhiker in 'The Hitcher.' Even his Boromir in 'The Lord of the Rings' trilogy was appropriately edgy and and dark. This is one tough Englishman.

5. Max von Sydow

The 80-year-old Oscar nominee has 107 film credits, but it's his turns as corrupt men of authority or even the personification of evil itself that send shivers. Ever since the screen vet became Bond filmmakers' first choice for the titular role of 'Dr. No' (eventually played by Joseph Wiseman), he's been delivering chills in films like 'Flash Gordon' (as the Emperor Ming the Merciless), 'Minority Report' and 'Rush Hour 3.'

6. Jason Issacs

The steely-eyed Brit's standout performance as the sadistic Redcoat who kills Mel Gibson's sons in 'The Patriot' set the tone for his popularity as Voldemort's deliciously evil Death Eater -- with awesome hair -- Lucius Malfoy in the 'Harry Potter' series. On the small screen, Isaacs impressed critics as a hot-headed Providence mobster in Showtime's drama 'Brotherhood.'

7. Ray Winstone

Winstone is cut from the same cloth as his friend McShane; he's an expert at playing bad-ass men. As an Irish mob boss' henchman in 'The Departed,' a nasty deserter hunter in 'Cold Mountain,' an enigmatic agent in 'Edge of Darkness' and a fed-up gangster in 'Sexy Beast,' Winstone proves again and again that if you want brilliantly ominous, he's the man for the job.

8. Ian McShane

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Although he's been an actor for nearly 50 years, McShane made a name for himself in the States in 2004 for playing the foul-mouthed, pioneering pimp Al Swearengen on HBO's 'Deadwood.' Anyone who has seen his Golden Globe-winning performance knows you just don't cross McShane. In films, McShane's best of the bad include a London kingpin in 'Sexy Beast,' a cruel hijacker in 'The Terrorists' and the animated villain Tai Lung in 'Kung Fu Panda.'

9. Gary Oldman

Oldman is so good at being bad, even his "good" roles are a bit on the dark side, like Harry Potter's godfather Sirius Black or Gotham police captain Jim Gordon. His unabashedly-malevolent characters -- legendary vampire 'Dracula,' a wannabe presidential assassin in 'Air Force One,' vengeful Lecter victim in 'Hannibal' and his latest turn as a post-apocalyptic crime boss in 'The Book of Eli' -- create a fabulous filmography of bad-natured souls.

10. Joe Patoliano

Like that other Italian Joe (Pesci), Pantoliano may be small, but you don't want to see him angry. Whether he's a no-good stepdad in 'Percy Jackson,' a cold-hearted traitor in 'The Matrix,' a double-crossed mobster in 'Bound' or Tony Soprano's blood-thirsty subordinate in 'The Sopranos,' Pantoliano is king when it comes to sleazy jerks.

 

[saltinekracka]

I was waiting for Gary. This list meets my needs.

 

[Snowman Prophet of Doom]

Edit: Never mind.

 

[LQX]

How did it become that British actors pull of being evil so good. Seriously.

 

[G-Pink]

What? No Tim Curry?

EDIT: Yeah, I guess being modern, he wouldn't be in it.

 

[Chinner]

i like how the first two guys have also been villains in die hard

 

[TurboLibre]

I'm shocked they mentioned Oldman and forgot to give a nod to his role in "Leon the Professional".

 

[harSon]

I was going to rip this list to shreds until I realized it was a list of current actors.

 

[KAOz]

Jason Isaacs looks so naturally evil. He is fucking scary damnit.

Just watch Event Horizon where he plays the good, nice doctor. He still looks evil, and like he will fuck you up any second. SO awesome.

Very good list there. Very, very good.

 

[Patrick Bateman]

I'm shocked they mentioned Oldman and forgot to give a nod to his role in "Leon the Professional".

They probably hadn't time for this Micky Mouse bullshit.

 

[DMczaf]

Sean Bean as 006 was so awesome. Come back for Bond 23!

 

[Tim the Wiz]

Good list but no Lee Van Cleef?

 

[RedShift]

British people make the best Hollywood villains confirmed.

 

[LQX]

I finally remembered his name but this bastard will be the the all time number 1 evil actor. I seriously thought this guy was evil in real life. Back in the 80's when they showed black and white movies on TV everyone of the movies I saw him in he was playing someone convincingly evil. Not many out there now that can do it like him.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k4R5wZs8cxI

 

[harSon]

I finally remembered his name but this bastard will be the the all time number 1 evil actor. I seriously thought this guy was evil in real life. Back in the 80's when they showed black and white movies on TV everyone of the movies I saw him in he was playing someone convincingly evil. Not many out there now that can do it like him.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k4R5wZs8cxI

This movie is so awesome. When his brother punches him in the face and he drops like a rock :lol

 

[Kilgore Trout]

Willem Dafoe would be another good addition.

 

[MMaRsu]

No curry? I expected him to be nr 1.

 

[JDSN]

No Christoph Waltz

 

[sooperkool]

Some Honorale Mentions:

Tim Curry
Cole Hauser
Dylan Baker

 

[harSon]

No Christoph Waltz

This isn't a list of one hit wonders.

If you're going to include a Nazi villain role, it has to be Ralph Fiennes as Amon Goeth or Bruno Ganz as Hitler, nothing else comes close to those two.

 

[sarcastor]

wtf?

superman returns? A Bug's Life? Se7en? Swimming with Sharks?

Spoiler

usual suspects?

 

[nilbog21]

not a bad list, and i don't kno wat all all the fuss about curry is

 

[brianjones]

kevin bacon plays a good sleazeball

 

[Patrick Bateman]

Needs more early movie guys:

Peter Lorre

Max Schreck in Nosferatu.

He was so good in his role that people thought even after his death in 1936 that he was a real vampire.

 

[harSon]

Speaking of James Cagney, Joe Pesci deserves to be on this list for Good Fellas and Casino alone, he's ridiculously amazing in both.

Needs more early movie guys:

Peter Lorre

Max Schreck in Nosferatu.

He was so good in his role that people thought even after his death in 1936 that he was a real vampire.

If this was an "of all time" list, almost none of the people in the OP would have made it. People like Vincent Price and Robert Mitchum walk circles around most of them.

 

[wRATH2x]

Alan Rickmann's number 1, thats the only right choice.

 

[ChubbyHuggs]

Top two are amazing, but overall it's a pretty good list.

Gary Oldman in True Romance.

Needs more early movie guys:

Peter Lorre

I just watched this a few days ago, they should digitally remaster it and add some more audio.

 

[Raistlin]

I was waiting for Gary. This list meets my needs.

yep

 

[Decado]

No Tim Roth = list fail.

Spoiler

That said, there are a lot of good choices there.

 

[Keen]

I'm shocked they mentioned Oldman and forgot to give a nod to his role in "Leon the Professional".

Agreed! And what about his, admittedly small, role in True Romance? Or 5th Element. Still, good that he was included, but should've been higher.


Also agree about Kevin Spacey.

 

[DonMigs85]

Many years ago my mom met Jeremy Irons while he was on holiday. He had terrible BO.

Another great evil actor would be Paul McCrane.

Oh and Henry Fonda.

 

[ChubbyHuggs]

Agreed! And what about his, admittedly small, role in True Romance?

I put that one, maybe I should've named it better.
Freaking awesome performance and I watched the movie just to see that one scene.

Gary Oldman

I am also surprised that William Hurt isn't on that list, because all I remember him as is an evil man.

 

[D4Danger]

If Tom Cruise did more bad guy roles he would be on that list. He was great in Collateral.

 

[KnightM7]

 

[Patrick Bateman]

Speaking of James Cagney, Joe Pesci deserves to be on this list for Good Fellas and Casino alone, he's ridiculously amazing in both.



If this was an "of all time" list, almost none of the people in the OP would have made it. People like Vincent Price and Robert Mitchum walk circles around most of them.

Pretty much.

 

[British Monsoon]

Good list but no Lee Van Cleef?

Good call, no Gian Maria Volonte either.

 

[soul creator]

Another great evil actor would be Paul McCrane.

I always think that guy is Ron Howard :lol

edit: I just realized that that he was part of the 24 Bluetooth Mafia as well

 

[Dead Man Typing]

2 out of 4 for the Die Hard movies aint bad. Especially when it's the top two.

 

[FabCam]

I would give this guy a shout:

While not technically fully evil, he plays his character so damn well. One of the best TV actors of the time IMO.

 

[Gallbaro]

 

[hxa155]

Jack Nickelson deserves to be on that list.

 

[Bob Loblaw]

No Jack Nicholson? The guy has an evil face by default.

 

[Beardz]

 

[Ducarmel]

Total Douche Bag

 

[eznark]

If your list doesn't have Lee Van Cleef you are wrong.

 

[Instro]

Bit of a hit and miss list, lacking Ed Harris and Jack Nicholson for sure. Lee Van Cleef too

 

[Vilix]

Christopher Waltz' protrail as the SS officer in Inglourious Bastards was so deliciously evil. The Devil incarnent. Him and Michael Emerson who plays Ben Linus on ABC's Lost are very good at their craft of playing the bad guy.

 

[ChubbyHuggs]

Total Douche Bag

But only a douche, not really evil.

 

[Sealda]

Fiennes have done a couple of bad guys.

 

[Johnlenham]

But yeah id have said Oldman or Winston over Rickman