Batman has always been very fortunate with casting. Something about the character's mythic status and his iconic villains seems to attract big-name stars with incredible talent who seem excited to play a DC role. Matt Reeves' The Batman illustrates this perfectly as the cast is not only well assembled, but huge Batman fans.
Batman has had no shortage of TV and film portrayals over the years. From his 1966 show to his newest film, there is one constant; A-list actors and incredible personalities have always been drawn to Batman's rogues' gallery. Any fan of the incredible actors who play The Dark Knight's foes needs to check out their other performances.
9 Burgess Meredith Steals The Show In Rocky
Burgess Meredith was a character actor who played the Penguin in the Batman show. Like the other rogues, Meredith really enjoyed jamming up his cackling performance, and he did a great job. His other iconic role was that of Rocky's coach in the movie Rocky.
Rocky is a boxing movie with two fights in it, which is one of its biggest strengths. Sylvester delivers a believable performance as Rocky Balboa, and watching him form a relationship with Adrian outside the ring is the core of Rocky. Burgess Meredith, however, steals the show when he’s on-screen as Rocky's curmudgeonly mentor. Not only does he give a great performance, but his dialogue is packed with great quick-witted one-liners.
8 Jack Nicholson Gives A Great Leading Performance In Chinatown
Jack Nicholson really made a name for himself throughout the '70s and '80s as leading man material. Typically, he gravitated to roles that exhibited some layers of dubious morality, which is what he does so well in Chinatown and what ultimately led to his casting as the Joker.
Chinatown is a great detective noir film and one that even had a hand in influencing Matt Reeves' new take on the Dark Knight. Jack Nicholson grounds the mysterious and complex story with his intriguing and sly performance as Chinatown's lead.
7 Jim Carrey And Danny DeVito Are Stellar In Man On The Moon
Jim Carrey and Danny DeVito are two men both known for comedy and drama. Carrey started out as a standup comedian who showcased his excellent impressions and quirky physical comedy. Carrey soon made the jump to movies like Ace Ventura and Batman Forever, where he played the Riddler. He then went on to prove himself as a great dramatic actor in films like Eternal Sunshine Of The Spotless Mind and The Truman Show.
Danny DeVito likewise managed to balance comedies like Taxi and would also play the Penguin in Batman Returns. Both DeVito and Carrey teamed up for Man On The Moon, an interesting off-the-beat biographical about famous comedian Andy Kaufman. Man On The Moon very much captures their sense of humor.
6 Michelle Pfeiffer Brings A Lot To Scarface
Michelle Pfeiffer is a terrific actor who does a great job in both dramatic and comedic roles. Her Catwoman in Batman Returns perfectly illustrates this, and it's easy to see why she was cast. She perfectly pulled off both Selina Kyle and a dangerous Catwoman. For more proof of her diverse acting ability, just check out Scarface.
Before Pfeiffer was cast in Scarface, other actors were considered for the role of Elvira Hancock. Upon the film's release, this proved to be her breakthrough role. Pfieffer brings an elegant and aspirational quality to the character, and it's easy to see why Tony continually looks to her. Upon marrying Tony, however, fans see Pfeiffer really start to break apart. Her character becomes colder, argumentative, and more troubled Pfeiffer embodies it all perfectly.
5 Aaron Eckhart Is Incredibly Likable In Erin Brokovich
Aaron Eckhart is a talented actor who played Harvey Dent in The Dark Knight. Even before this role, Eckhart was known as a great talent responsible for powerful and diverse performances. If proof is needed, look no further than Erin Brockovich.
Detailing the real story of how one woman took on a scandal, Erin Brockovich is an engaging movie with great performances and a grounded real-world element to hook audiences. Aaron Eckhart plays Brokovich's love interest George, and he brings a lot to a relatively small role. Not only is he instantly likable, but he’s both incredibly strong and vulnerable - not to mention almost unrecognizable in costume. It’s a great role in which he’s totally believable in every scene.
4 Tommy Lee Jones Is The Core Of No Country For Old Men
Tommy Lee Jones is an experienced actor famed for great performances in films like The Fugitive and Lincoln. His casting as Harvey Dent in 1995's Batman Forever was pitch-perfect.
Anyone looking for Jones’ best should look to No Country For Old Men. While Jones is not at the heart of the action per se, he stands as the heart and core of the picture. He brings a grounded believability and melancholy to Sheriff Ed Tom Bell, and his final monologue is simple yet effective.
3 Cillian Murphy's Performance In 28 Days Later Is A Fan Favorite
Cillian Murphy's career is constantly going from strength to strength and it doesn't appear to be losing steam anytime soon. Cillian has a huge filmography filled with incredible and diverse performances in Nolan's movies like Dunkirk and Inception, and also Danny Boyle's projects like Sunshine and 28 Days Later. 28 Days Later is the movie that really helped boost Cillian's profile.
Cillian plays Jim, the protagonist of 28 Days Later, and he does a terrific job. He grounds the film with likability and believability, things that go a long way in a zombie apocalypse movie. The audience instantly connects with Murphy and, as he starts to join the rest of the stellar cast, his performance only improves.
2 Heath Ledger Is Charming In 10 Things I Hate About You
Before being cast as the Joker in The Dark Knight, Ledger had made a name for himself by taking on very bold and diverse characters in a litany of great films. Brokeback Mountain is undeniably one of his standout performances, and his role in The Imaginarium Of Doctor Parnassus is a great showcasing of the star.
10 Things I Hate About You is a great modern update of William Shakespeare's The Taming Of The Shrew. It's also a great comedy with a stellar cast. Cameron (played by future Batman star Joseph Gordon Levitt) bribes Heath Ledger's character to charm a girl named Kat. Ledger is unbelievably charismatic and charming in the role as he perfectly balances sweetness with a "bad boy" persona. For anyone who adores his take on the Joker, they will agree he's almost unrecognizable here in the best way.
1 Killing Of A Sacred Deer Has A Very Batman Centric Cast
Both Colin Farrell and Barry Keoghan have joined Pattinson's rogues' gallery as the Penguin and the Joker respectively. Therefore, anyone excited by their acting talents should definitely take a look at The Killing Of A Sacred Deer.
As well as being a terrific and mysterious film with great performances (including Keoghan's terrifying role), it has quite the cast. Farrell and Keoghan may be famed for their villain roles, but The Killing also features Nicole Kidman and Alicia Silverstone who both appeared in Joel Schumacher's Batman installments.