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50 Times Actors Nailed A Role So Flawlessly, Nobody Will Be Able To Live Up To It
They say hard work beats talent, and there’s plenty of truth to that. However, there’s no denying that some people have a natural gift for what they do.
Take the world’s greatest movie stars, for instance. It feels like they were made for the roles they play, leaving us completely spellbound every second they’re on screen.
Redditors recently weighed in on this and shared their thoughts about which actors delivered performances that can never be topped. Scroll down to see their picks and let us know if you agree!
This post may include affiliate links.
RELATED:
#2
Johnny Depp as Captain Jack Sparrow.
Prof_Walrus:
The fact they're trying to replace/reboot him is a guaranteed box office flop.
anonymous:
The role was actually written for Hugh Jackman but Johnny Depp had more star power.
#3
Christopher Lloyd as Doc Brown.
enricopallazo22:
There's only one doc Brown and only Marty Mcfly and it should always be that way.
#6
Harrison Ford. Indiana Jones and Han Solo.
Far-Government5469:
Harrison brought just the right amount of incredulity to his circumstance to sell them.
#7
Michael Keaton did great with Beetlejuice.
DeeVa72:
I also think he was the best Batman
#8
Gene Wilder will forever be Willy Wonka.
thegreatresistrules:
This... my little daughter loved the Johnny Depp version until she finally saw the original. Now she hates the Depp version.
#10
Viggo Mortensen in Lord of the Rings. That wasn't how I pictured the character reading the book 40 years ago, or any time re reading it before the films, but that is Aragorn for me now.
#11
Tim Curry as Frank N Furter in Rocky Horror.
DirtRockEngineer:
This is so true. He didn't cross my mind until I read this comment and now I can't forgive myself.
#12
Heath Ledger's Joker.
FloydsForked:
This is the one for me. The most epic performance of all time.
#13
Ryan Reynolds as Deadpool.
warchiefx:
Reynolds was practically born to play that role.
#15
Patric Stewart/Picard.
craigerstar:
Stewart is the biggest reason for the success of a Star Trek reboot. If not for Stewart's Picard, I believe every Star Trek vehicle made since would not have happened or been some low budget hatchet job, including the current Chris Pine movies.
#19
Hugh Jackman as Wolverine. if Hugh dies they should retire that character same with the Black Panther.
#20
Tom Hanks and in Forest Gump.
tojifajita:
Honestly for me it is actually Tom hanks in Cast away, I see that character in every other movie, lonely deranged man.
#22
Bryan Cranston as Walter White "Heisenberg".
Sharp_Ad_6336:
The fact that he was able to break the mental association we all had of him as Hal from Malcolm in the middle is the true tribute to how well he nailed that role.
#23
Kathy Bates as Annie Wilkes in 1990 film adaptation of Stephen King's 1987 novel "Misery".
mohksinats:
Just rewatched this at the local theater recently, and she is the reason that film holds up to this day.
#26
Jack Gleeson as Joffrey Baratheon. He played his role so well that fans of Game of Thrones made him quit acting all together.
#28
Arnold Schwarzenegger as The Terminator.
Rambo_1923:
No one else can be Terminator!
#29
John Cleese as Basil Fawlty.
PumpJack_McGee:
Was always surprised Cleese didn't give himself an aneurysm playing Fawlty. Imagine even just pretending to be that high-strung all the time.
#33
Cristof Waltz/ Hans Landa.
Shumuu:
Actually Tarantino wrote Landa and after seeing actor after actor try it he believed the character to be "unplayable" because no one could pull it off. Well, thank God he found Waltz because wow!
#39
James McAvoy in Split.
Pitiful_Winner2669:
It's so good it makes me uncomfortable to such a degree. Incredible performance(s).
#41
Javier Bardem as Anton Chigurh.
Sayon7:
I think he’s the scariest villain ever
#43
Sylvester Stallone, Rocky.
KeyKick7759:
I agree I've enjoyed other boxer films but none have ever got to me like Rocky did.
#44
James Gandolfini. Tony Soprano.
DarthDregan:
All these takes I'm seeing and thinking "I can see someone else doing that."
And then I saw this post. And... yeah. That's all James.
#46
All of the Harry Potter cast was perfect, it better not be redone. Not even that big of a fan but they're good movies with great casting.
#47
Jeff Bridges as The Dude! There’s no way anyone else could play that roll.
#50
JK Simmons as J. Jonah Jameson.
Cuppieecakes:
He so good they just made him a multiversal constant
What do you think ?
Mavis 6 days ago
Liza Minelli as Sally Bowles in Cabaret. She is the gold standard for that character. I've seen clips of other actresses playing the role on Broadway and no one beats Liza.
Fat Harry (Oi / You) 6 days ago
This is just a list of "people who played roles". You really need to be picking actors who played a role already played by several people but did it so well that THEY became synonymous with it, like Jeremy Brett as Sherlock Holmes.
Phantom Phoenix 6 days ago
Sorry, but Benedict Cumberbatch is Sherlock Holmes
Load More Replies...
CanadianDimes 6 days ago
For me, it's Hugo Weaving as Elrond and Emily Clarke as Daenarys Targaryen.
Arthur Waite 6 days ago
Brace yourself, but: Bill Cosby as Dr. Huxtable in his tv show. (memo: must separate fiction from reality.)
Amelia Jade 5 days ago
I agree. I grew up with that show and I LOVED it. My own home life being what it was, I adored the Huxtables. They were firm but caring parents. I used to wish so much that they were my parents. It really sucked when the things came out about Cosby. Not only did my own dad let me down, but so did my fictional dad. I was also a fan of Little Bill, another show about family that highlights good parenting. It's hard to fathom Cosby can be behind such wholesome content, being who he is. But I'd still recommend both shows.
Load More Replies...
Surly Scot 6 days ago (edited)
Robin Williams & Nathan Lane in The Birdcage. No one else could have made it so comedic that I still burst out laughing at the kitchen scene despite seeing it 100+ times.
Annik Perrot 3 days ago
The original play was French (La Cage aux Folles), I saw it in the 70s with the original actors, Jean Poiret (who wrote the play) and Michel Serrault. To me, they're indissociable from those roles, though I would love to see Robin Williams in the rôle of Albin. Just like Michel Serrault, he was mad enough to carry it.
Load More Replies...
Dusty's mom 5 days ago
Chris Evans as Steve Rogers (Captain America). Sebastian Stan as Bucky Barnes (the Winter Soldier). Anthony Mackie was a fantastic Falcon, and will be sure to wow us if they ever release Captain America #4. Marvel Cinematic Universe movies.
vanjatimmers 5 days ago
Sorry, have to add some ladies to this list: Clare Danes as Carrie Mathison in Homeland - Julie Andrews in/as Mary Poppins - Sharon Stone as Catherine Tramell in Basic Instinct - Juliette Lewis in Natural Born Killers - Uma Thurman in Pulp Fiction - Judi Dench as M - Helena Bonham as Bellatrix
Apatheist Account2 5 days ago
In most of these, it's whoever you see first, if they're any good. One exception for me is Natalie Dormer as Anne Boleyn - streets ahead of Dorothy Tutin, even allowing for the difference in approach between the decades.
Babs McGurk 6 days ago
Not a fan of him personally, but Will Ferrell as Buddy the Elf. No one else could have played that role to the perfection that he did.
Surly Scot 6 days ago
Agree, that was the first movie I could stand Will Ferrell in. After that I was able to start watching some of his movies and not be completely put off by him.
Load More Replies... Phantom Phoenix 6 days ago (edited)
Keanu Reeves as Neo, John Wick, Constantine etc Andy Serkis as Gollum
Nicole Weymann 3 days ago
Maggie Smith as Minerva McGonagall. I don't have a very detailed imaginatione when it comes to visualizing characters, but that one was 12/10! And if they had ever managed to make a Discworld movie with a witches plot she would have been my one and only Granny Weatherwax! The card playing scene on the riverboat in Witches Abroad alone would be SO worth it!
Don Adams 3 days ago
With the penchant of just remaking old movies, Clint Eastwood was the definitive Harry Callahan in the Dirty Harry movies, and The Man with No Name in the Sergio Leone films. Also as William Munny in Unforgiven, and Josey Wales. Those parts were all him, and he was all those parts and more.
fan of phish 4 days ago
Bruce Campbell as Brisco County Jr. and Ash. As mentioned in other comments, David Duchovny and Gillian Anderson in The X-Files.
William Teach 5 days ago
James Roday as Shawn and Dule Hill as Gus in Psych. I never once saw them as anything but their characters while watching all the episodes
Justin Tyme 5 days ago (edited)
Daniel Day-Lewis as John Proctor in The Crucible (1996). James Woods as Rudy Giuliani in Rudy: The Rudy Giuliani Story (2003)
Daniel Atkins 5 days ago
Jack Black as Nacho in Nacho Libre. Just enough silliness to make the character work without going overboard.
Luis Hernandez Dauajare 5 days ago
Anthony Hopkins and Jonathan Pryce as Popes Benedict XVI and Francis.
Daniel Atkins 5 days ago
I think the movie 3 and 4 probably ruined that they were so goofy.
Load More Replies...
Ben Aziza 6 days ago (edited)
Sigourney Weaver as Ripley, Kirk Lazarus as Iron man, Cate Blanchett as Galadriel, Mycocaine as Alfred, Heath ledger as the joker, Random Australian ex PE teacher as the Wolverine, Ian McKellen as gandalf, Zoolander as Ben stiller, Antony Starr as homemander ,Jackie Chan as Jackie chan, Chris Tucker as Ruby Rhod (He somehow made me love my least favourite char archetype)
Smeghead Tribble Down Under 6 days ago (edited)
Wentworth Miller in Prison Break, and Legends Of Tomorrow. Tom Hiddleston as Loki. Gary Oldman as Commissioner Gordon in the Batman trilogy. Morgan Freeman and Michael Caine in anything. And my personal favourite, Andrew Robinson as Garak in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, and as Liberace.
Ben Aziza 6 days ago
"Morgan Freeman and Michael Caine in anything." There is no statement more accurate than that one.
Load More Replies...
Mavis 6 days ago
Liza Minelli as Sally Bowles in Cabaret. She is the gold standard for that character. I've seen clips of other actresses playing the role on Broadway and no one beats Liza.
Fat Harry (Oi / You) 6 days ago
This is just a list of "people who played roles". You really need to be picking actors who played a role already played by several people but did it so well that THEY became synonymous with it, like Jeremy Brett as Sherlock Holmes.
Phantom Phoenix 6 days ago
Sorry, but Benedict Cumberbatch is Sherlock Holmes
Load More Replies... CanadianDimes 6 days ago
For me, it's Hugo Weaving as Elrond and Emily Clarke as Daenarys Targaryen.
Arthur Waite 6 days ago
Brace yourself, but: Bill Cosby as Dr. Huxtable in his tv show. (memo: must separate fiction from reality.)
Amelia Jade 5 days ago
I agree. I grew up with that show and I LOVED it. My own home life being what it was, I adored the Huxtables. They were firm but caring parents. I used to wish so much that they were my parents. It really sucked when the things came out about Cosby. Not only did my own dad let me down, but so did my fictional dad. I was also a fan of Little Bill, another show about family that highlights good parenting. It's hard to fathom Cosby can be behind such wholesome content, being who he is. But I'd still recommend both shows.
Load More Replies... Surly Scot 6 days ago (edited)
Robin Williams & Nathan Lane in The Birdcage. No one else could have made it so comedic that I still burst out laughing at the kitchen scene despite seeing it 100+ times.
Annik Perrot 3 days ago
The original play was French (La Cage aux Folles), I saw it in the 70s with the original actors, Jean Poiret (who wrote the play) and Michel Serrault. To me, they're indissociable from those roles, though I would love to see Robin Williams in the rôle of Albin. Just like Michel Serrault, he was mad enough to carry it.
Load More Replies... Dusty's mom 5 days ago
Chris Evans as Steve Rogers (Captain America). Sebastian Stan as Bucky Barnes (the Winter Soldier). Anthony Mackie was a fantastic Falcon, and will be sure to wow us if they ever release Captain America #4. Marvel Cinematic Universe movies.
vanjatimmers 5 days ago
Sorry, have to add some ladies to this list: Clare Danes as Carrie Mathison in Homeland - Julie Andrews in/as Mary Poppins - Sharon Stone as Catherine Tramell in Basic Instinct - Juliette Lewis in Natural Born Killers - Uma Thurman in Pulp Fiction - Judi Dench as M - Helena Bonham as Bellatrix
Apatheist Account2 5 days ago
In most of these, it's whoever you see first, if they're any good. One exception for me is Natalie Dormer as Anne Boleyn - streets ahead of Dorothy Tutin, even allowing for the difference in approach between the decades.
Babs McGurk 6 days ago
Not a fan of him personally, but Will Ferrell as Buddy the Elf. No one else could have played that role to the perfection that he did.
Surly Scot 6 days ago
Agree, that was the first movie I could stand Will Ferrell in. After that I was able to start watching some of his movies and not be completely put off by him.
Load More Replies... Phantom Phoenix 6 days ago (edited)
Keanu Reeves as Neo, John Wick, Constantine etc Andy Serkis as Gollum
Nicole Weymann 3 days ago
Maggie Smith as Minerva McGonagall. I don't have a very detailed imaginatione when it comes to visualizing characters, but that one was 12/10! And if they had ever managed to make a Discworld movie with a witches plot she would have been my one and only Granny Weatherwax! The card playing scene on the riverboat in Witches Abroad alone would be SO worth it!
Don Adams 3 days ago
With the penchant of just remaking old movies, Clint Eastwood was the definitive Harry Callahan in the Dirty Harry movies, and The Man with No Name in the Sergio Leone films. Also as William Munny in Unforgiven, and Josey Wales. Those parts were all him, and he was all those parts and more.
fan of phish 4 days ago
Bruce Campbell as Brisco County Jr. and Ash. As mentioned in other comments, David Duchovny and Gillian Anderson in The X-Files.
William Teach 5 days ago
James Roday as Shawn and Dule Hill as Gus in Psych. I never once saw them as anything but their characters while watching all the episodes
Justin Tyme 5 days ago (edited)
Daniel Day-Lewis as John Proctor in The Crucible (1996). James Woods as Rudy Giuliani in Rudy: The Rudy Giuliani Story (2003)
Daniel Atkins 5 days ago
Jack Black as Nacho in Nacho Libre. Just enough silliness to make the character work without going overboard.
Luis Hernandez Dauajare 5 days ago
Anthony Hopkins and Jonathan Pryce as Popes Benedict XVI and Francis.
Daniel Atkins 5 days ago
I think the movie 3 and 4 probably ruined that they were so goofy.
Load More Replies... Ben Aziza 6 days ago (edited)
Sigourney Weaver as Ripley, Kirk Lazarus as Iron man, Cate Blanchett as Galadriel, Mycocaine as Alfred, Heath ledger as the joker, Random Australian ex PE teacher as the Wolverine, Ian McKellen as gandalf, Zoolander as Ben stiller, Antony Starr as homemander ,Jackie Chan as Jackie chan, Chris Tucker as Ruby Rhod (He somehow made me love my least favourite char archetype)
Smeghead Tribble Down Under 6 days ago (edited)
Wentworth Miller in Prison Break, and Legends Of Tomorrow. Tom Hiddleston as Loki. Gary Oldman as Commissioner Gordon in the Batman trilogy. Morgan Freeman and Michael Caine in anything. And my personal favourite, Andrew Robinson as Garak in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, and as Liberace.
Ben Aziza 6 days ago
"Morgan Freeman and Michael Caine in anything." There is no statement more accurate than that one.
Load More Replies... You May Like 50 Best Actors To Have Ever Graced Our Screens 50 Korean Movies You Should Add To Your Watchlist 61 Johnny Depp Movies To Rewatch And Rediscover
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