# Actors who embrace the evil of their character **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [January 1, 2014, 9:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-who-embrace-the-evil-of-their-character/677660 "2014-01-01T21:00:16Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2014, 9:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-who-embrace-the-evil-of-their-character/677660/1 "2014-01-01T21:00:16Z")
My sister and I were, for reasons I can’t now reconstruct, talking about Michael Douglas, and she said that one of the reasons she didn’t care for him as an actor was that he isn’t willing to be dislikable – even when he’s playing a bad guy, as in _Wall Street_, he holds back a little. So we started trying to think of actors who are willing to just go whole hog on a truly dark, scary character in a completely believable fashion. (Believability is important – Bond villains don’t count, for instance, because there’s an ironic distance in the whole premise of the movie.) I came up with Pacino as Michael Corleone in _The Godfather_ and De Niro as Travis Bickle in _Taxi Driver_. I’ve never seen _Silence of the Lambs_, believe it or not, but gather Anthony Hopkins might be another one. As I was writing this, I was going to say “no comic book films” because of the lack of realism – but yanno, Heath Ledger as the Joker might count. What are some others? And who are the women? ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2014, 9:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-who-embrace-the-evil-of-their-character/677660/2 "2014-01-01T21:05:18Z")
Rowan Atkinson seemed to relish the various incarnations of Blackadder. ---
**Author:** ![Peanuthead](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peanuthead/32/360_2.png) [@Peanuthead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peanuthead)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2014, 9:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-who-embrace-the-evil-of-their-character/677660/3 "2014-01-01T21:13:10Z")
Let’s go way back to 1935. Charles Laughton made one badass Captain Bligh. ---
**Author:** ![gaffa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e68b1a/32.png) [@gaffa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gaffa)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2014, 9:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-who-embrace-the-evil-of-their-character/677660/4 "2014-01-01T21:24:06Z")
[Charles Dance](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001097/reference) is an actor who seems to relish playing villains. His character Benedict in _Last Action Hero_ loved being evil. > [@](#): > > Benedict: Gentlemen. Since you are about to die anyway, I may as well tell you the entire plot. Think of villains Jack. You want Dracula? Dra-cool-la? Hang on > > [takes out the ticket] > > Benedict: , I’ll fetch him. Dracula? Huh. I can get King Kong! We’ll have a nightmare with Freddy Krueger, have a surprise party for Adolf Hitler, Hannibal Lecter can do the catering, and then we’ll have christening for Rosemary’s Baby! All I have to do is snap my fingers and they’ll be here. They’re lining up to get here, and do you know why Jack? Should I tell you why? Hmm? Because here, in this world, the bad guys can win! ---
**Author:** ![bump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7c8e57/32.png) [@bump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bump)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2014, 9:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-who-embrace-the-evil-of-their-character/677660/5 "2014-01-01T21:33:30Z")
> [@gaffa](#): > > [Charles Dance](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001097/reference) is an actor who seems to relish playing villains. His character Benedict in _Last Action Hero_ loved being evil. He seems to get into being Tywin Lannister as well, although “evil” might be a bit strong for that character. ---
**Author:** ![Prof.Pepperwinkle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/prof.pepperwinkle/32/13627_2.png) [@Prof.Pepperwinkle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Prof.Pepperwinkle)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2014, 9:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-who-embrace-the-evil-of-their-character/677660/6 "2014-01-01T21:36:18Z")
John Travolta relishes the bad guy roles: see _Face Off_ and _Broken Arrow_. Hammy, though. ---
**Author:** ![Sherrerd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sherrerd/32/8_2.png) [@Sherrerd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sherrerd)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2014, 9:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-who-embrace-the-evil-of-their-character/677660/7 "2014-01-01T21:49:05Z")
> [@twickster](#): > > My sister and I were, for reasons I can’t now reconstruct, talking about Michael Douglas, and she said that one of the reasons she didn’t care for him as an actor was that \*\*he isn’t willing to be dislikable – even when he’s playing a bad guy, as in _Wall Street_, he holds back a little. \*\* > > So we started trying to think of actors who are willing to just go whole hog on a truly dark, scary character in a completely believable fashion. I’m interpreting this question (and tell me if I’m wrong) as not so much being about actors who enjoy playing villains, as being about actors who are willing to be disliked by the audience. For me, the difference is illustrated by two interpretations of the Emcee in Cabaret. In the 1993 televised showing of the London play, Alan Cumming won great acclaim as a sexualized Emcee. He was nothing if not adorable. By contrast, Joel Grey (in the 1972 film) was unabashedly vile. To my mind that took greater courage. Most performers want the audience to at least admire them for their mustache-twirling villainy (if not find them sexy and magnetic). Most will not commit to being truly despicable. ---
**Author:** ![Slithy\_Tove](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slithy_tove/32/18248_2.png) [@Slithy\_Tove](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slithy_Tove)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2014, 9:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-who-embrace-the-evil-of-their-character/677660/8 "2014-01-01T21:52:02Z")
Cyril Cusack played the best baddies is films like \*\*Farenheit 451, 1984, \*\*and **The Day of the Jackal** because instead of scenery-chewing maniacal, he was always brought a weary resignation “time to make the donuts” attitude that is more consistent with the actual sons of bitches we meet in life Of course, if scenery-chewing is what you want, there was Eric Von Stroheim, billed as “the man you love to hate.” For female, there was Catherine “just shoot him in the face” Zeta Jones in **Traffic** , but I couldn’t tell if I was supposed to hate her because she was a vicious drug queenpin, or because she was a self-absorbed SoCal rich bitch. ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2014, 10:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-who-embrace-the-evil-of-their-character/677660/9 "2014-01-01T22:00:36Z")
> [@bump](#): > > He seems to get into being Tywin Lannister as well, although “evil” might be a bit strong for that character. Everyone, pretty much, is evil and good in that series. Didn’t he plan the Red Wedding, though? ---
**Author:** ![Steophan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/steophan/32/9595_2.png) [@Steophan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Steophan)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2014, 10:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-who-embrace-the-evil-of-their-character/677660/10 "2014-01-01T22:04:59Z")
Casey Affleck in [The Killer Inside Me](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0954947/?ref_=nv_sr_1) is extremely unpleasant and evil, and plays the part perfectly. It’s one of those films I really think I should rewatch, but don’t want to, if that makes sense… ---
**Author:** ![Bill\_Door](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/50afbb/32.png) [@Bill\_Door](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bill_Door)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2014, 10:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-who-embrace-the-evil-of-their-character/677660/11 "2014-01-01T22:05:32Z")
I’d go with [Billy Drago](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0236711/?ref_=fn_al_nm_1). Almost always evil, and enjoys it. ---
**Author:** ![StGermain](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/stgermain/32/2868_2.png) [@StGermain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/StGermain)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2014, 10:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-who-embrace-the-evil-of-their-character/677660/12 "2014-01-01T22:10:04Z")
The girl who played Nellie Olsen in _Little House on the Prairie_. Until the later seasons when she grew up and got married, Nellie was a vile sociopath who would cause harm to someone else just to get a chuckle out of it. Then twirl her blonde curls and skip merrily away. StG ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2014, 10:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-who-embrace-the-evil-of-their-character/677660/13 "2014-01-01T22:10:09Z")
> [@Bryan\_Ekers](#): > > Rowan Atkinson seemed to relish the various incarnations of Blackadder. That’s a comedy. We’re talking about believable villains. Comedies, by definition, not about believability. > [@Prof.Pepperwinkle](#): > > John Travolta relishes the bad guy roles: see _Face Off_ and _Broken Arrow_. Hammy, though. I think hamminess also disqualifies – it taints the performance, making it clear it’s a performance. Lots and lots of what Pacino has done is disqualified on this basis – but his Michael Corleone was understated and evil. > [@Sherrerd](#): > > I’m interpreting this question (and tell me if I’m wrong) as not so much being about actors who enjoy playing villains, as being about actors who are willing to be disliked by the audience. Exactly. That was our starting point – that Michael Douglas (at least in my sister’s perception of him) isn’t. ---
**Author:** ![John\_DiFool](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_difool/32/19543_2.png) [@John\_DiFool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_DiFool)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2014, 10:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-who-embrace-the-evil-of-their-character/677660/14 "2014-01-01T22:45:09Z")
13 posts and nobody has mentioned Hugo Weaving or Heath Ledger yet? ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2014, 10:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-who-embrace-the-evil-of-their-character/677660/15 "2014-01-01T22:53:59Z")
Anthony Hopkins as Hannibal Lecter. Neal McDonough as Robert Quarles in _Justified_. Jere Burns as Wynn Duffy in _Justified_. Jack Nicholson as Jack Torrance in _The Shining_. Raymond Cruz, who played Tuco in _Breaking Bad_, along with Bryan Cranston of course. Nick Cage doesn’t seem to care what the fuck people think, regardless of the role. ---
**Author:** ![Accidental\_Martyr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ce7236/32.png) [@Accidental\_Martyr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Accidental_Martyr)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2014, 10:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-who-embrace-the-evil-of-their-character/677660/16 "2014-01-01T22:55:35Z")
> [@John\_DiFool](#): > > 13 posts and nobody has mentioned Hugo Weaving or Heath Ledger yet? The OP mentioned Heath Ledger. James Spader seems to enjoy playing bad guys. ---
**Author:** ![Typo\_Negative](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/typo_negative/32/484_2.png) [@Typo\_Negative](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Typo_Negative)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2014, 11:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-who-embrace-the-evil-of-their-character/677660/17 "2014-01-01T23:04:47Z")
Javier Bardem as Anton Chigurh in No County for Old Men. ---
**Author:** ![not\_what\_you\_d\_expect](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/not_what_you_d_expect/32/3246_2.png) [@not\_what\_you\_d\_expect](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/not_what_you_d_expect)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2014, 11:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-who-embrace-the-evil-of-their-character/677660/18 "2014-01-01T23:16:43Z")
Christian Bale is excellent at this and so is Kevin Bacon. American Psycho and Sleepers are the two movies I am thinking of. ---
**Author:** ![PastTense](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pasttense/32/14550_2.png) [@PastTense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PastTense)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2014, 11:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-who-embrace-the-evil-of-their-character/677660/19 "2014-01-01T23:27:02Z")
Boris Karloff? > **[Boris Karloff filmography](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boris_Karloff_filmography)** > > Boris Karloff (1887-1969) was an English actor. He became known for his role as Frankenstein's monster in the 1931 Frankenstein (his 82nd film), leading to a long career in film, radio, and television. > Born William Henry Pratt in England, he emigrated to Canada in 1909 as a young man and eventually joined a Canadian touring company, adopting the stage name Boris Karloff. By 1919, Karloff moved to Hollywood where he found regular work as an extra at Universal Studios. Although he appeared in ... ---
**Author:** ![Sherrerd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sherrerd/32/8_2.png) [@Sherrerd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sherrerd)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2014, 11:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-who-embrace-the-evil-of-their-character/677660/20 "2014-01-01T23:52:18Z")
Among actresses, I’d nominate Laura Fraser for her Lydia in _Breaking Bad_. She had the courage to be genuinely repellant—twitching, cowardly, squinting with the effort to think of ways to murder everyone who might threaten her. There was no effort on the part of the actress to display her actual beauty; instead, she undercut it at every moment by showing us the force of Lydia’s neurotic survivalism. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-who-embrace-the-evil-of-their-character/677660.md?page=2)