As part of my celebration of movies that came out in 1976, in this, their 50th anniversary year, I’ve been watching and rewatching a mix of movies I’ve long loved and new ones. This week, I watched The Missouri Breaks starring Marlon Brando and Jack Nicholson. It’s a movie I actually never knew existed until I started this project, and I have to say it’s been one I’d been looking forward to watching. I didn’t love it, that’s for sure, but I’m sure glad I watched it.

Expectations Were Very High For The Western

When The Missouri Breaks was released in May 1976, the two lead actors were both on the heels of Oscar-winning performances. The Western, about a “regulator” played by Brando tracking down a gang of horse thieves led by Nicholson’s character, was released just about a month and a half after Jack Nicholson won his first Best Actor Oscar for one of his all-time best roles in One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest. The movie was also Brando’s first release since he’d won in the same category for The Godfather at the 1973 Academy Awards.

The movie, which was directed by Arthur Penn, who himself had already been nominated three times for Best Director, had a deep well of talent both in front of and behind the scenes. It co-stars Randy Quaid before he was…well, whatever he is today (and I'm not talking about Cousin Eddie), Harry Dean Stanton, Frederic Forrest (between his career-defining roles in 1974’s The Conversation and 1979’s Apocalypse Now), John McLiam, and the sole female actor with any lines in the movie, Kathleen Lloyd. The score was composed by John Williams (following Jaws), and the script was penned by renowned counterculture novelist Thomas McGuane.

It’s safe to say that the movie came with high expectations from critics and movie-goers alike. That didn’t translate into box office success, as critics were lukewarm at best, and the public didn’t make it a blockbuster. The film’s 77% Fresh Rotten Tomatoes score today seems to represent a more modern re-evaluation of the movie, and I guess I agree with that, as overall, I did enjoy it. However, I don’t know if I enjoyed it as a movie or for Brando’s wild performance.

Brando Being Brando

1976 was an interesting time in Brando’s career. The legend had infamously hit some bumps in the road in the late ‘60s and early ‘70s before Francis Ford Copolla cast him as Vito Corleone in The Godfather. The star already had a bit of a reputation for being difficult to work with, but The Godfather cemented his status as one of the all-time greats, and his career was having its second huge peak.

However, he was also showing signs of what was to come. Brando makes some, let’s call them…interesting choices in The Missouri Breaks. His character, Robert E. Lee Clayton, is a legendary regulator and bounty hunter, but is first presented as somewhat effete and soft, magnified by the actor's choice to be very soft spoken and, weirdly, with an Irish accent. Lee soon proves that while he is a decadent snob, he’s no pushover. I’d love to know just how much input Brando had in choosing the costumes for the character, because I sense that he had a big say in how Lee was presented in every way. And it’s all way over the top.

I Kind Of Love And Hate Brando Here

I can’t say that I love it, though. When Brando was at his best, he completely disappeared into his roles. When I watch The Godfather, I don’t see an actor; I see Don Corleone. The same goes for his other Oscar-winning performance in On the Waterfront. When he was at his worst, all I could see was the actor. I’m talking about roles like Kurtz in the aforementioned Apocalypse Now, and later truly bonkers performances like Dr. Moreau in The Island of Dr. Moreau.

This one falls somewhere in between. He has some great moments, like his scenes with Randy Quaid, where he adopts a southern drawl to disguise himself, or his first two tense confrontations with Tom (Nicholson). Those were my favorite parts of the movie. Then he has some unhinged moments, like the first time we see him on screen, hanging from the side of a horse, or his later scene with Nicholson in a bathtub covered by bubbles. Brando is both awesome and nuts. Or, in other words, the total package.

Nicholson And The Supporting Cast Are Wonderful

Unlike Brando riding his second crest, Nicholson was truly at the peak of his powers. The Missouri Breaks is right in the midst of his career pinnacle. He’d been nominated for five Oscars, including in each of three previous years, before finally winning for Cuckoo’s Nest. While I wouldn’t say this is as good as some of those, he’s still amazing here. His supporting cast, especially Harry Dean Stanton, is also fantastic.

Kathleen Lloyd, who plays Tom’s love interest (and the daughter of the man who hired Lee to track him), is also really good, though I don’t think the chemistry between Lloyd and Nicholson is smoldering, exactly. Individually, I love both characters, but their scenes together are a bit…stilted. If there is anywhere that the movie drags, it’s their love story. Jane (Lloyd) is a smart, strong, independent woman who never plays second fiddle in the relationship, but the chemistry just isn’t there. It’s not all that believable.

The Missouri Breaks is not one of the best Westerns of all time, that’s for sure. I’m not going to ever rank it among even other Westerns that came out in 1976, like The Outlaw Josey Wales and even The Shootist, but that doesn’t mean I didn’t enjoy it. It’s not a perfect movie, but honestly, watching Brando be Brando is really fun, and there isn’t a movie from the ‘70s with Nicholson that I don’t like (except Tommy, but that’s a whole other story). Though it’s currently not on any of the major streaming services, you can buy or rent it with a Prime subscription, which I would say is worth it, especially if you love this era of Hollywood, as I do.

“You can’t handle the truth!”

Delivered by an enraged Jack Nicholson to a demanding Tom Cruise in A Few Good Men, that’s a line that will be remembered for as long as people are watching films, and it’s one of many special parts of the legacy of director Rob Reiner – who we sadly lost late last year. It’s an iconic moment in an iconic film, with two bona fide movie stars going head-to-head, and as great as it is to see on screen time after time, it’s even better when you know a sweet bit of trivia from the day that it was shot.

In the wake of Reiner’s passing. CBS News aired a special title Rob Reiner: Scenes From A Life that features interviews with those whom the filmmaker worked with and was close to, and one segment concerns the creation of his beloved Aaron Sorkin-scripted, marine-centric courtroom drama from 1992. Kiefer Sutherland, who played 2nd Lt. Jonathan Kendrick in A Few Good Men (a few years after working with the director on Stand By Me), recalls being on set the day that the production was shooting the scene where Nicholson’s Col. Nathan R. Jessep took the stand, and he reflected on a memorable silence after Reiner called cut:

It didn’t sound like Rob Reiner was really desperate for a second take from the man who is widely considered to be one of the best actors of all time, but it never hurts to get one for safety. And they didn’t exactly end up having a super long day either.

According to Sutherland, the production had a full day of shooting planned following the big standoff between Tom Cruise and Jack Nicholson, but Reiner was perhaps a bit too happy and wowed to keep working, so he shut it all down and sent everyone home early. Said the actor,

It was proper and earned satisfaction, as recognized by how that famous scene exists in pop culture. Despite only having three scenes in the movie, Jack Nicholson went on to earn a Best Supporting Actor nomination – though he ended up losing the trophy to Unforgiven’s Gene Hackman.

If you have not done yourself a favor and rewatched A Few Good Men recently (either in memory of Rob Reiner or just as a film to throw on), you really should do so, as it really is a tremendous work, and no matter how many times you may have heard it, the “You can’t handle the truth” scene still sends chills down one’s spine. The movie isn’t currently available to stream on any of the major subscription services, but it is available for digital rental and purchase from online retailers and has been released on 4K UHD and Blu-ray for physical media collectors.

Tom Cruise may be best known for performing wild stunts in the Mission: Impossible movies, but he’s just as capable in serious, dramatic roles that require no stunts. Cruise has been nominated for Oscars for performances in movies like Born on the Fourth of July, Jerry Maguire, and Magnolia, but I think his best dramatic work came in the legal drama A Few Good Men.

Cruise didn’t get an Oscar nomination for that film, but one actor who did was Jack Nicholson. The courtroom battle between the two acting giants is one of the most well-known moments in film history. Speaking with BFI’s Sight & Sound (via Deadline), Cruise remembered the scene, and most importantly, remembered working with Jack Nicholson. Cruise praised the veteran, saying:

The “You can’t handle the truth” line is the one from the scene that we all remember, but Nicholson does a great deal more in the scene where Cruise’s Lt. Kaffee grills him on the stand. Cruise compares Nicholson’s ability to handle a great monologue to the way a singer handles lyrics. He continued:

There’s certainly no argument against that Jack Nicholson is one of the all-time greats of Hollywood. While Cruise has three Oscar nominations, Nicholson received a dozen Oscar nominations over his career, including three wins. Cruise compared Jack Nicholson to another acting great: Marlon Brando. He said...

Of course, Nicholson didn't perform in the scene all by himself. Tom Cruise was there, and both actors were on their game to create a moment as memorable as the one in A Few Good Men. Cruise called it “lightning in a bottle” as it took a combination of work and maybe a bit of luck, to make that moment happen. He said:

If you don’t remember just how great this scene is, check it out.

Ok, now I need to go rewatch all of A Few Good Men. It’s probably my favorite Tom Cruise performance ever, and my favorite Nicholson performance too.

As much as I enjoy reading news about upcoming DC movies, sometimes it’s nice to revisit the classics. That’s what I did recently when I showed someone Tim Burton’s first Batman movie who’d never seen it before. While there are certain moments I will occasionally watch on YouTube every now and then, this was the first time I’d watched the movie from start to finish in many years. (I was also motivated to do this after having read Batman: Resurrection, which takes place after this movie and features a unique version of Clayface.) While I still found 1989’s Batman to be an enjoyable viewing experience overall, there’s one aspect of The Joker’s plan that really got on my nerves this time around.

Joker’s Smylex Plan Starts Off Reasonably Strong

The combination of falling into the vat of chemicals and the back alley surgery that ended with his face twisted into a permanent smile eradicated whatever sanity Jack Napier has left, and he wasted no time leaning into his new Joker persona. Jack Nicholson’s character quickly got himself a purple-heavy wardrobe and assembled a collection of kooky weaponry, like an electric hand buzzer and acid-squirting flower. He even got a spring-loaded boxing glove to shoot at his TV. Why? It doesn’t matter, because that moment gifted us the line, “This town needs an enema!”

It’s only when the Clown Prince of Crime started dispersing Smylex that his ultimate goal started becoming clear. With the right combination of cosmetics, makeup, toiletries and more tainted with this poison. Victims would be sent into a laughing fit for a few moments, then die with a grin plastered on his face. This was demonstrated on live TV when news anchor Becky Nartia died just that kind of horrible death in the middle of a broadcast. Adding insult to injury, Joker hijacked the airwaves mere moments later to officially tout Smylex, the perfect counter to Brand X, in a twisted, yet absolutely hilarious “commercial.” So far, so good, this is just the kind of thing Joker would do in the comics.

Why Did Anybody Attend Joker’s Parade?

But then it falls apart for me once Joker’s parade comes into the picture. Donning the same makeup he used to look relatively normal, Joker once again went on TV to claim that while he might be a little “rough,” he wasn’t a killer. He then announced he would give away $2 million at his own parade to replace the official one that had been planned for Gotham City’s bicentennial. People turn out in droves, Joker and his goons toss money into the crowd as Prince music, and then Smylex gas is sprayed from the gallons and killing untold amounts of people until Batman swoops in on his Batwing to take the balloons away.

Here’s my question: why did anybody show up to the parade? Yes, I get free money is enticing, but the man offering it was someone who went on TV and freely confessed to killing people with his ghoulish poison. Did they really think they could just show up, grab as much money as they could and nothing bad would happen? Joker might as well have shouted from the rooftops, “Come to this and you’re going to die!”

Also, his second TV broadcast is baffling to me. I’ll say again, Joker literally advertised that he was poisoning products with Smylex, so for him to try to suddenly deny he’s a mass murder is a bizarre move, though not as bizarre as all the people who suddenly believed him or were willing to risk their lives for free money. Plus, even though Jack Napier kept a relatively low profile in his pre-Joker days, if his boss Carl Grissom was so well known around Gotham, I have to imagine that were a handful of people who’d at least heard of the man and would start warning others about him.

Feel free to break out your Max subscription to rewatch Batman and see if you agree with me or decide I’m making too much out of this. But I’ve said my piece, so now I need to carve out some time to rewatch Batman Returns and see if my feelings have changed about that movie.

Actors playing multiple roles in entertainment go back to the dawn of drama. Even the ancient Greeks did it. This is certainly true of the film era, where actors have been playing roles all the way back to the beginning. Sometimes it's as simple as playing twins, like Bette Midler and Lily Tomlin in Big Business, and sometimes it's more complex, like the great Peter Sellers playing three very different roles in Dr, Strangelove. In honor of those actors, here are some of our favorite examples of actors playing multiple roles in movies.

Peter Sellers - Dr. Strangelove

No list like this would be complete without the great Peter Sellers in his three fantastic performances in Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb. Sellers plays the resourceful Captain Mandrake, the bumbling President of the United States, and the completely over-the-top Dr. Strangelove in the movie. Sellers was also supposed to play the character Major Kong, but injured himself on set and the the role went to Slim Pickens instead.

Kate Hudson - Alex & Emma

Films with stories within stories are often a good place to find actors playing multiple roles, as is the case with Kate Hudson in Alex & Emma. In the "real" story, Hudson plays Emma, a stenographer helping Alex (Luke Wilson) complete his novel. As Alex and Emma work on the story, viewers are taken inside the story of a novel where both Wilson and Hudson play characters in the novel. Hudson, in fact, plays four different versions of a nanny in the book.

Michael J. Fox - Back To The Future Part II

While nothing will ever live up to the original Back To The Future, Back To The Future Part II is still pretty fun. One of the things that make it so is Michael J. Fox playing Marty (of course), and his son Marty, Jr., and his daughter Marlene in the movie. Thomas F. Wilson, who plays Biff Tannen, also plays multiple roles in the movie as the various members of the Tannen family.

Jodie Comer - Free Guy

This one is a little bit of a fudge, because in Free Guy, Jodie Comer is playing her character and her character's avatar. So in some ways they are kind of, sort of the same character. Still, she plays the roles different and for that reason, she deserves to be on this list.

Rory Kinnear - Men

Men is an odd movie, but in a good way. Rory Kinnear is what makes it unique. On the surface, Kinnear plays the owner of an inn in a small town, but he also plays most of the rest of the men in the town, all of whom are pretty odd characters.

Lupita Nyong'o - Us

Jordan Peele's horror classic Us features all of the cast members playing both their main character and "Tethered" character with that excellent cast being led by Lupita Nyong'o, who plays Addy and Red. It would be fair to put any of the cast members on this list though, about 20 in total, but we don't want to make this whole list about Us, despite how great it is.

Paul Dano - There Will Be Blood

It'll come as no surprise that a few entries on this list are actors playing identical twins in a movie. We had to include Paul Dano as both Paul and Eli Sunday in There Will Be Blood because Dano's performance, especially as the preacher Eli, is transcendent. The final scene between Eli and Daniel (Daniel Day-Lewis) is one of the most intense scenes ever to appear in a film.

Scarlett Johansson - Astroid City

Director Wes Anderson's Astroid City has a movie within a movie telling the story of the movie. As such, and as you'd probably expect, there are a few actors playing both their "real life" characters and the actors playing them in the movie inside the movie. Scarlett Johansson plays both Midge Campbell and the actor playing Midege, Mercedes. Jason Schwartzman also plays two roles, as do Matt Dillon, Maya Hawke, and others.

George Burns - Oh, God! You Devil

The legendary George Burns played God in not one, but three movies in the Oh God series. In the third installment, he added another character, the Devil. The best scene in the movie comes when God and the Devil play a game of poker for the soul of Bobby Shelton, played by Ted Wass.

Bette Midler And Lily Tomlin - Big Business

Movies about twins separated at birth have been popular in Hollywood forever, but in 1988, director Jim Abrahams upped the ante with two sets of twins separated at birth. Lily Tomlin and Bette Midler are two sets of sisters who discover they were separated from their identical twin. It's a decent movie that hasn't really been remembered by many movie fans.

Eddie Murphy - Coming To America

Of course, we had to include Eddie Murphy on this list! There are multiple movies where the great comedian plays multiple roles, but in the interest of brevity, we're just including the best Eddie Murphy movie, Coming To America. Murphy's main character, Prince Akeem, is the only one that he plays in the movie. Clarence, the barber, is also Murphy, as is Saul, the guy who just hangs out at the barbershop all day. Finally, Murphy also plays the character you may remember from the "What's Going Down" episode of "That's My Mama," Jackson Heights' own Randy Watson!

Christian Bale - The Prestige

The Prestige is a movie that gets a little lost in director Christopher Nolan's fimography, though, like most of his movies, it's excellent. Nolan teamed up with Christian Bale again on the heels of Batman Begins for this movie about rival magicians. Bale plays Alfred Borden and Borden's assistant, Fallon, who are living with a secret that we'll keep in case you haven't seen the movie.

Mel Brooks - History of the World, Part I

Mel Brooks is a one-man force of nature. Not only did he write, direct, and str in most of his movies, but he usually played multiple roles as well. One of the best examples was in History of the World, Part I, where he plays four characters, one in each segment of the film.

Tilda Swinton - Suspiria

There is little that Tilda Swinton can't do, including playing multiple roles in movies. She first did it in 2002's Teknolust, before playing oddball twins in the Coen Brothers' Hail, Caesar! In Suspiria, she plays three roles, Madame Blanc, Dr. Josef Klemperer, and Mother Helena Markos.

Leonardo DiCaprio - The Man In The Iron Mask

The titular character in The Man in the Iron Mask, was, supposedly, a prisoner kept by King Louis XIV during his reign. In the movie, the mysterious prisoner is Louis' twin brother, the fictional Philippe Bourbon. Both the king and the man in the iron mask are played by Leonardo DiCaprio in this historically dubious retelling of a classic Four Musketeer tale.

Janelle Monáe - Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery

As the title implies, there are a lot of layers in Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery. by writer and director Rian Johnson. One of those layers is just who Janelle Monáe's character is, either Andi Brand, the ex-partner of Edward Norton's character, or Helen Brand, her twin sister investigating Andi's unexpected death.

Arsenio Hall - Coming To America

Like his co-star Eddie Murphy, Arsenio also plays multiple roles in Coming To America. His main role, Semmi, is Murphy's trusted servant. Hall also plays one of the women the two meet at a club and one of the barbers, but the funniest character he plays has to be the preacher. Every line he delivers is hilarious.

Armie Hammer - The Social Network

Of all the double (and more) roles on this list, maybe the easiest to do double duty for is that of the Winklevoss twins in The Social Network. Don't get us wrong, Armie Hammer nails the role(s) as the swarmy twins who actually came up with the idea that would become Facebook. They may have had a case against Mark Zuckerberg (Jesse Eisenberg), but that didn't make them good people.

Graham Chapman - Monty Python And The Holy Grail

This is really an entry for all of the members of Monty Python, as all of them play at least four different roles in the movie. Graham Chapman plays King Arthur, so naturally, he gets top billing, but John Cleese, Michael Palin, Terry Jones, Terry Gilliam, and Eric Idle deserve the spotlight here. Actors Neil Innes, Sandy Johnson, and John Young also play multiple roles in the movie.

Halle Berry, Tom Hanks, Ben Whishaw, And More - Cloud Atlas

Cloud Atlas tells a story that spans centuries and in each timeline, the same core group of actors play different roles. This includes Tom Hanks, Halle Berry, Ben Whishaw, Jim Broadbent, Hugo Weaving, and many more. It's a wild movie to follow, but all the actors are on point, for sure

Jack Nicholson - Mars Attacks!

While Mars Attacks! may not be the first movie you think of when you think of the great roles Jack Nicholson has played over the years, you should because he's actually really great in both of the roles he plays. It's not often thought of as one of Nicholson's best movies, but maybe it should be, because it is hilarious and he's a big reason why,

Hayley Mills - The Parent Trap

Both versions of The Parent Trap, the original starring Hayley Mills as twins separated at birth and the remake starring Lindsey Lohan as the twins are great movies. Mills and Lohan are both great at playing the dual roles of the twins who discover their parents separated them when they were babies and they never knew.

Mike Myers - Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery

As the Austin Powers franchise chugged on, Mike Myers kept adding roles, but in the original, he started brilliantly as both the hero, Austin Powers, and the villain, Dr. Evil. It's hard to decide which character is funnier, but it's safe to say that without Myers playing the roles, neither would be as iconic and we wouldn't have as many classic lines from Myers.

Peter Sellers - The Mouse That Roared

While Dr. Strangelove is the most famous and revered example of Peter Sellers playing multiple roles in a movie, it wasn't the first time he did. A few years before the Stanley Kubrick classic, Sellers started in the wildly underrated war movie farce The Mouse That Roared. Sellers carries the movie in three different, ridiculous, and hilarious roles and it really should be better remembered today.

Margaret Hamilton - The Wizard Of Oz

Margaret Hamilton plays two different villains in The Wizard Of Oz. Of course, she plays the iconic Wicked Witch Of The West and Dorothy's obnoxious neighbor Almira Gulch, who takes Toto after claiming to be bitten by the innocent dog. Hamilton isn't the only actor in the movie to play dual roles, but both of her characters are the most developed of them.

Eddie Murphy - The Nutty Professor

Coming To America may be the best example of Eddie Murphy playing multiple roles, but The Nutty Professors and its sequel, Nutty Professor II: The Klumps definitely has him playing the most characters. Across both movies, he plays eight different characters. While both movies have their moments, neither quite reach the comedic heights of Coming To America.

Mia Goth - X

In The X series, Mia Goth plays both Maxine Minx and Pearl Douglas. the former is in Goth's wheelhouse, but the latter, an elderly woman who is the villain of both of the first two movies, X and Pearl. Goth is unrecognizable and brilliant in both.

Richard Pryor - Which Way Is Up?

Years before his Harlem Nights co-star Eddie Murphy started starring in multiple roles in movies, Richard Pryor pulled off the feat in Which Way Is Up? in 1977. While it's an uneven movie, it does have some funny moments, especially Pryor in one of his roles, the Reverend Lenox Thomas.

Cate Blanchett - Coffee & Cigarettes

Director Jim Jarmusch's Coffee & Cigarettes is a collection of short stories, 11 in total, that pay tribute to, you guessed it, those two popular vices. In one of them, Cate Blanchett plays a fictionalized version of herself and her fictional cousin, Shelly, who meet for a coffee and a smoke. The story is really just an uncomfortable conversation between Cate and the jealous Shelly, but it's one of the best stories in the movie.

Tom Hardy - Legend

Tom Hardy is never afraid to take on a tricky role and in Legend he takes on two, playing the psychotic Cray twins, Reggie and Ronnie. Based on the true story of the mobsters who gained fame in the mid-'60s as the owners of a popular nightclub frequented by celebrities in the "Swinging London" era.

Hilary Duff - The Lizzie McGuire Movie

Okay, we'll admit the plot of The Lizzie McGuire Movie is pretty silly. In it, Lizzie, played by Hilary Duff, of course, travels to Rome on a school trip and ends up in a weird love triangle of sorts with her Italian doppelganger, Isabella. Is it a great movie? Nah, not really, but it does fit on this list.

Adam Sandler - Jack And Jill

If you're an Adam Sandler fan, then you'll love Jack And Jill because you get twice as much Sandler as usual, as he plays the brother and sister, Jack and Jill. Honestly, unless you're a big Sandler fan, this is a movie you can skip, though it does seem to have fans for some reason.

The Academy Award for Best Actor has been handed out every year since 1929 — fun fact, it was awarded to German actor Emil Jannings for not one but two acclaimed roles, in The Last Command and The Way of All Flesh — and in the near-century since, it's been presented 97 times to 86 actors. But while taking home that coveted statuette is definitely a career highlight for any performer, the honor does add a little extra pressure on the actor's next project. Will it be as beloved and acclaimed as the role that won them the gold? Here are 32 films that Oscar-winning actors did after taking home the Academy Award, and how they were received.

Cillian Murphy

After the enormity of portraying famed physicist J. Robert Oppenheimer in Christopher Nolan's billion-dollar blockbuster Oppenheimer, and taking home the 2024 Oscar for Best Actor in the process, Cillian Murphy went small for his next film — literally. In the 2024 adaptation of Claire Keegan's Small Things Like These, Murphy returned to his native Ireland to play Bill, a quiet coal merchant and father of five internally struggling with the harsh realities of the infamous Magdalene Laundries. While Murphy didn't replicate the awards dominance of Oppenheimer with SMTLT, his internal and affecting performance was widely praised by critics.

Joaquin Phoenix

After four nominations throughout his decades-spanning career, Joaquin Phoenix finally took home that Best Actor statue in 2020 for his engrossing portrayal of the nihilistic clown Arthur Fleck in Todd Phillips' Joker. Following that iconic role, Phoenix next appeared in the 2021 Mike Mills dramedy C'mon C'mon, an improv-heavy performance that saw the actor play a middle-aged radio journalist tasked with babysitting his nephew (Woody Norman) while on the road for work. Phoenix was nominated for Outstanding Lead Performance at the Gotham Awards, and the film was chosen by the National Board of Review as one of the Top 10 Independent Films of the year.

Will Smith

Will Smith had quite an, um, eventful evening when he took home the Oscar for Best Actor in 2022 for King Richard after two prior nominations (Ali, The Pursuit of Happyness). Winning an Oscar means that a spotlight is already bright on an actor, but the added publicity from the ceremony means his post-slap comeback would be even more scrutinized than usual. His follow-up was 2022's Emancipation, in which he played a runaway slave in 1860s Louisiana. Though the drama received mixed reviews overall, Smith won the NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Actor in a Motion Picture for his performance.

Anthony Hopkins

Though he's garnered six Oscar nominations across his illustrious acting career — with his most recent win being for 2021's The Father — Anthony Hopkins' first Academy Award was for that scene-stealing villain, psychiatrist turned serial killer Hannibal Lector in 1991's The Silence of the Lambs. Following up such an iconic performance is no small task and unfortunately, Hopkins' next film, 1992's Freejack opposite Emilio Estevez and Mick Jagger, was a sci-fi dud, bombing both with critics and audiences. During an appearance on the Late Show with David Letterman, Hopkins himself called the film "terrible."

Leonardo DiCaprio

Five-time nominee Leonardo DiCaprio had a bit of "always the bridesmaid" syndrome where the Academy Awards were concerned, until he finally took home the Best Actor Oscar for his emotionally raw and physically punishing performance in Alejandro G. Iñárritu's 2019 Western epic The Revenant. His next big-screen role was, graciously, a bit less cold and blustery, trading the frosty American Midwest for starry Los Angeles in Quentin Tarantino's Once Upon a Time in Hollywood. The latter received 10 Oscar nominations at the 92nd Academy Awards, including a nod for DiCaprio's individual work.

Denzel Washington

Denzel Washington had already taken home a Best Supporting Actor Oscar for playing a Civil War soldier in the 1989 war drama Glory, but he got his first big Best Actor win for portraying corrupt LAPD officer Alonzo Harris in the 2001 crime thriller Training Day. His next performance was another memorable Denzel role: as the title character in the 2002 Nick Cassavetes-directed drama John Q, which saw Washington play a desperate father who takes a hospital emergency room hostage in order for his son to receive a heart transplant. Alas, despite some praise for Denzel's performance, the film itself boasts only a 26% critics' rating on Rotten Tomatoes.

Robert De Niro

Six years after taking home the Best Supporting Actor statue for The Godfather Part II, Robert De Niro got his Best Actor win for his iconic and intense work as boxing champion Jake LaMotta in Martin Scorsese's Raging Bull. A year later, De Niro put away the boxing gloves and picked up the Bible to play a Roman Catholic monsignor in 1981's True Confessions, opposite fellow The Godfather great Robert Duvall. Though reviews for the neo-noir were largely positive, the National Review's William F. Buckley, Jr. panned it: "Robert De Niro is badly miscast. He is never entirely convincing."

Matthew McConaughey

After acclaimed turns in 2011's Lincoln Lawyer and 2012's Magic Mike, the so-called "McConaissance" was officially solidified a year later with Matthew McConaughey's Oscar-winning portrayal of Ron Woodroof, a cowboy diagnosed with AIDS, in the biopic Dallas Buyers Club. Despite not having nearly as much screentime, the actor's next performance was just as memorable: a chest-thumping, meme-inducing extended cameo as Mark Hanna in Martin Scorsese's The Wolf of Wall Street.

Tom Hanks

Beyond being one of the most beloved actors of all time, Tom Hanks also holds a piece of cinema history: he's one of only two actors to win back-to-back Academy Awards for acting. Yes, that means after taking home the Best Actor Oscar for his heart-wrenching performance as HIV-positive lawyer Andrew Beckett in 1994's Philadelphia, Hanks struck Oscar gold yet again with his very next performance, as the titular lead of 1995's Forrest Gump.

Rami Malek

Rami Malek belted his way to an Oscar as legendary Queen frontman Freddie Mercury in the glossy 2019 biopic Bohemian Rhapsody. His first post-award performance also revolved around his voice — voice acting, that is, as Malek portrayed a mountain gorilla named Chee-Chee in the 2020 fantasy-adventure film Dolittle, with his future Oppenheimer co-star Robert Downey Jr. as the titular doc. The family-friendly flick received abysmal reviews from critics, with Courtney Howard of Variety writing: "What should have been an awe-filled adventure quickly curdles into an awful one, thanks to a pedestrian formula and the filmmakers' fixation on fart jokes."

Adrien Brody

In 2003, Adrien Brody made Oscar history when he won the Academy Award for Best Actor at age 29 for his portrayal of Władysław Szpilman in Roman Polanski's war drama The Pianist, becoming the youngest actor ever to win in that category. Later that year, he followed up his historic win with the musical crime comedy The Singing Detective, about a mystery writer (Robert Downey Jr.) who relives his detective stories through his imagination and hallucinations. The film scored a 39% "Rotten" rating on Rotten Tomatoes.

Jamie Foxx

Jamie Foxx had one hell of a 2004, serving up not one but two award-worthy performances: He took home the Academy Award for Best Actor for his performance as soul great Ray Charles in the 2004 biopic Ray and also received a Best Supporting Actor nod that same year for his work in the crime film Collateral. It would be near-impossible for any performer to hit that kind of stratospheric high again, especially with Foxx's follow-up Stealth — the 2005 military action flick co-starring Josh Lucas and Jessica Biel was dubbed a "stink-bomb" by Roger Ebert.

Daniel Day-Lewis

Acting legend Daniel Day-Lewis deservedly holds the record for the most Best Actor awards ever, with three wins out of six nominations, but his first was for playing Christy Brown, a writer-artist born with cerebral palsy, in the 1989 drama My Left Foot. And though he would later follow that iconic role up by playing famous figures such as Abraham Lincoln and Bill the Butcher, his immediate next performance was as an Irish-American dentist traveling around Argentina in the forgettable 1989 dramedy Eversmile, New Jersey.

Jack Nicholson

The first of three Academy Awards for the legendary movie star, Jack Nicholson's One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest performance as Randle McMurphy nabbed him the Oscar in 1976. Later that year, he would star as cattle rustler Tom Logan opposite Marlon Brandon in the Arthur Penn-helmed Western The Missouri Breaks. Coming hot on the heels of not only his own Oscar win but also Brando's for The Godfather, the film was highly anticipated — however, it failed to live up to those expectations and became a notorious critical and commercial flop.

Marlon Brando

One of the most iconic cinema stars of all time, Marlon Brando was nominated for eight Oscars across his decades-spanning career. He won two, the first being for his electrifying role as prizefighter turned longshoreman Terry Malloy in the 1954 crime drama On the Waterfront, widely considered one of the greatest acting performances of all time. His next role as Napoleon Bonaparte in the historical romance Désirée didn't win him any awards, but Variety reportedly called his performance "a masterful exhibition of thesping" at the time.

Philip Seymour Hoffman

The late, great Philip Seymour Hoffman had already solidified himself as a vibrant and vital supporting actor with films like The Talented Mr. Ripley, Almost Famous, Magnolia and 25th Hour, but his Oscar-winning portrayal of author Truman Capote in 2005's Capote officially upped him to leading man status. He would receive another three Oscar nominations in the years to follow, but his very next role was more of a crowd-pleaser than an awards grab: as arms dealer Owen Davian in Mission: Impossible III.

Russell Crowe

Audiences and critics alike were very much entertained by Russell Crowe's performance as Maximus Decimus Meridius in the 2000 Rome-set epic Gladiator, which earned the New Zealand-born star the Best Actor Oscar at the 73rd Academy Awards. Crowe would go up for the same award only a year later, for his portrayal of American mathematician John Forbes Nash Jr. in the biographical drama A Beautiful Mind, but he lost to Training Day lead Denzel Washington.

Jean Dujardin

Jean Dujardin rose to international fame with his performance as George Valentin in the 2011 silent movie The Artist — his Oscar win was a historic one, as he was the first French performer to ever take home the Best Actor statue. Despite his newfound Hollywood status, however, the actor-comedian returned to his native France for his next film credit: The Players, a 2012 comedy anthology co-starring Gilles Lellouche, with each man also directing and writing a segment.

Nicolas Cage

Nicolas Cage's filmography is a wild ride, from critically acclaimed fare like Raising Arizona, Moonstruck and Adaptation to straight-to-video shlock. Thankfully, his 1995 drama Leaving Las Vegas falls into the former category, winning Cage the Best Actor Oscar for his role as alcoholic screenwriter Ben Sanderson. (Funnily enough, it's not one of Nic Cage's favorite Nic Cage movies.) His next movie was the 1996 action thriller The Rock, which also won Cage an award: the Best On-Screen Duo statue at the MTV Movie Awards alongside co-star Sean Connery.

Eddie Redmayne

British star Eddie Redmayne won the Academy Award for Best Actor for his portrayal of famed theoretical physicist Stephen Hawking in the 2014 biographical drama The Theory of Everything. But that career high was immediately followed by a career-low: a Golden Raspberry Award — a parody award honoring cinematic failures — for Worst Supporting Actor for his work in the galactically goofy 2015 space opera Jupiter Ascending. Even he admitted his performance was bad!

Sidney Poitier

A movie icon through and through, Bahamian-American actor Sidney Poitier made history in 1964 as the first Black performer to win the Academy Award for Best Actor for his performance in Lilies of the Field. A year later, he moved on from that seminal role with the 1965 Cold War thriller The Bedford Incident, as a civilian photojournalist aboard a U.S. Navy ship that gets into some messy business with a Soviet submarine. Though Bosley Crowther of The New York Times wrote that "the whole thing transcends plausibility," other critics clearly disagreed — the movie has an 86% Certified Fresh rating.

Sean Penn

After a trio of Best Actor nominations, Sean Penn's haunting performance as a grieving, vengeful father of a murdered Boston girl in the Clint Eastwood-directed neo-noir Mystic River finally got him the Academy Award in 2004. Later that year, Penn starred in yet another crime thriller, The Assassination of Richard Nixon, based on the story of the POTUS's would-be assassin Samuel Byck in the mid-1970s. The latter film didn't share the award-worthy gravitas of Mystic River, though, per Rotten Tomatoes, critical consensus said: "A fascinating true story and compelling Sean Penn performance are worthy compensations."

Roberto Benigni

Few Oscar wins were as memorable as Roberto Benigni's, what with presenter Sofia Loren's passionate declaration of "Roberto!" to Benigni's literal victory lap up to the stage. The Italian actor-director took the Best Actor trophy in 1998 for the Holocaust tragicomedy Life is Beautiful, making him the first honoree for a non-English language performance. A year later, he would appear in a very different movie: French-Italian-German comedy adventure flick Asterix and Obelix vs. Caesar opposite Gérard Depardieu and Christian Clavier, which was a box office success.

Al Pacino

One of the most influential actors in modern cinema, Al Pacino was nominated for eight Academy Awards — including for The Godfather films, Serpico and the crime drama classic Dog Day Afternoon — before finally taking home the Best Actor statue for playing Frank Slade in 1992's Scent of a Woman. That Oscar win gave viewers an extra critical eye on his next role, as Nuyorican criminal Carlito Brigante in the De Palma crime drama Carlito's Way, however, reviews were largely positive.

Ben Kingsley

It's a daunting thing playing any famous figure in movies based on true stories, especially when the subject is so famous, that they need only one name. Case in point: Gandhi, the 1982 bio epic about the Indian political and spiritual leader Mahatma Gandhi, directed by Richard Attenborough and performed by English actor Sir Ben Kingsley. Luckily for them, the film won Best Picture and Kingsley took home the Best Actor award. Though his next project, the 1983 film adaptation of Harold Pinter's play Betrayal, didn't get Oscar acclaim, it was well-received by critics.

Humphrey Bogart

It seems surprising that Humphrey Bogart didn't win the Oscar for a role as iconic as Rick Blaine in the 1942 classic Casablanca. No, it would actually be another eight years until ol' Bogie won Best Actor for The African Queen, starring as Canadian mechanic Charlie Allnut opposite Katharine Hepburn's Methodist missionary Rose Sayer. His post-Oscar follow-up was the 1952 noir Deadline – U.S.A.: Variety said "Bogart gives a convincing performance all the way" as a big-city newspaper editor who exposes a gangster's crimes.

Forest Whitaker

Forest Whitaker was ferocious and formidable as Ugandan dictator Idi Amin in the 2006 historical drama The Last King of Scotland, one of his best performances that got the performer a Best Actor Oscar in '07. Later that year, the actor appeared in the ensemble crime drama The Air I Breathe alongside Kevin Bacon, Julie Delpy and Brendan Fraser. Though reviews for the film were overwhelmingly negative, several singled out Whitaker's performance. Annabelle Robertson at Crosswalk wrote: "Whitaker, in particular, is extremely sympathetic in his role—a feat that is all the more outstanding after his turn as the evil dictator in The Last King of Scotland."

Dustin Hoffman

After three Best Actor nods, New Hollywood icon Dustin Hoffman received his first Academy Award for playing half of a couple going through a devastating divorce (alongside an equally great Meryl Streep) in Kramer vs. Kramer in 1980. His next movie role is just as much of a classic: as Michael Dorsey-slash-Dorothy Michaels in the beloved 1982 comedy Tootsie, which nabbed the star yet another Best Actor nomination.

Gary Oldman

Gary Oldman was nearly unrecognizable in his prosthetics-heavy performance as British Prime Minister Winston Churchill in the 2017 historical drama Darkest Hour. The Academy Awards honored the quintessential Oldman role with a Best Actor award, his second nomination after Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy. His next role was just as transformative, if not nearly as acclaimed: Oldman voiced an artificial intelligence in the 2018 sci-fi thriller Tau, which holds a woeful critical rating of 27% on Rotten Tomatoes.

Laurence Olivier

One of the most celebrated Shakespearean actors in film history, cinema icon Laurence Olivier starred in and directed adaptations of three of the Bard's best-known words, Henry V (1944), Hamlet (1948) and Richard III (1955), and earned a Best Actor Oscar for playing the Prince of Denmark. After portraying one of the most famous characters of all time, Olivier switched it up by cameoing as a no-name policeman in the 1951 drama The Magic Box, a "distinguished" bit of stunt casting that The New York Times praised as a delightful "extravagance."

Casey Affleck

Casey Affleck's devastating performance as a father grieving the loss of his three children in Kenneth Lonergan's gut-wrenching Manchester by the Sea clearly broke the collective hearts of the Academy, which voted to give the Boston-bred performer the Best Actor award in 2017. That year, he would tackle another exploration of love and loss with the supernatural drama A Ghost Story, which was a hit with critics — Richard Brody of The New Yorker included the title on his list of the decade's best films.

Brendan Fraser

Brendan Fraser experienced quite the career comeback when he took the Best Actor Oscar for his acclaimed performance as a morbidly obese, housebound English teacher in the 2022 Darren Aronofsky-directed melodrama The Whale. He kept those high-profile projects going with his next film credit, as attorney W. S. Hamilton in Martin Scorsese's stunning American crime drama Killers of the Flower Moon, which was nominated for 10 Academy Awards, including Best Picture.

Think of your favorite movie character of all time. There is a good chance that the actor who ended up playing that part is not the first actor the studio approached. See for yourself by taking a look at this list of celebrities who decided to pass on a movie role that would turn out to make cinematic history.

Will Smith (Neo In The Matrix)

It is actually pretty easy for us to picture what the Matrix movies might have been like with Will Smith as Neo. However, the Academy Award winner seems to believe that Keanu Reeves was the better choice to play the chosen one in the mind-bending, dystopian sci-fi movie classic, claiming in a video on his YouTube channel that he would have "ruined it."

Jodie Foster (Princess Leia in Star Wars)

Fresh off her Academy Award-nominated breakthrough role in 1976's Taxi Driver, a teenage Jodie Foster was offered the chance to be a part of the Star Wars movies as Princess Leia Organa. As she revealed to Jimmy Fallon on The Tonight Show, the two-time Oscar winner had a contractual obligation to an unnamed Disney movie, allowing Carrie Fisher to win the role.

Tom Hanks (Jerry Maguire In Jerry Maguire)

Tom Hanks was on top of the world with two Oscar wins (for Philadelphia and Forrest Gump) when he was offered to play a sports agent down on his luck in Jerry Maguire. He ended up passing on the eponymous role from Cameron Crowe's 1996 dramedy and later told Access Hollywood (via FandomWire), "I think you look at it now and it couldn’t have been anybody other than Tom Cruise," who would receive a nod from the Academy for his performance.

Leonardo DiCaprio (Patrick Bateman In American Psycho)

Christian Bale once told GQ that every one of his roles was first offered to Leonardo DiCaprio and one confirmed example is Patrick Bateman in 2000's American Psycho. The future Oscar winner told The Morning Call that he passed on playing the sadistic yuppie because he felt the script “didn’t mean anything in the end," but rumor has it Bale's stepmom, Gloria Steinem, convinced DiCaprio that it would be bad for his post-Titanic, romantic heartthrob reputation at the time.

Jean-Claude Van Damme (The Predator In Predator)

The titular terrifying alien enemy from 1987's Predator looked a lot different when Jean-Claude Van Damme was still in the role, according to THR's oral history. The Belgian actor star actually shot some footage in the original insect-like suit before deciding he would rather not be hidden in his own movie, leading to a redesign of the costume and the casting of 7'2" Kevin Peter Hall.

Jack Nicholson (Michael Corleone In The Godfather)

While we cannot imagine anyone other than Al Pacino as Michael Corleone, Jack Nicholson probably would have been great in the Godfather movies. However, the three-time Oscar winner refused the offer, explaining to Movieline in 2004 (via ScreenRant) that he believed "Italians should play Italians."

John Travolta (Forrest Gump In Forrest Gump)

When speaking with MTV News (via Collider), John Travolta revealed that he had no regrets about turning down the title role of the Best Picture Oscar winner Forrest Gump and it is no wonder why. Not only did Tom Hanks embody the role to Oscar-winning acclaim but Travolta found career-rejuvenating success with Pulp Fiction in 1994 instead.

Burt Reynolds (James Bond In Live And Let Die)

In 2015, Burt Reynolds told USA Today that, when approached to be Sean Connery's replacement in the James Bond films, he believed the public would not accept a 007 with an American accent. However, he would later come to believe that, "It was a stupid thing to say. I could've done it and I could've done it well."

Eddie Murphy (Winston Zeddemore In Ghostbusters)

While appearing on The Tonight Show in 2019, Eddie Murphy was asked by Jimmy Fallon if it is true that he passed on playing Winston Zeddemore in Ghostbusters. The comedian confirmed that it was true but added that it allowed him the opportunity to lead an even bigger hit from 1984: Beverly Hills Cop.

John Lithgow (Seth Brundle In The Fly)

Jeff Goldblum's iconic role from David Cronenberg's 1986 remake of The Fly was previously offered to John Lithgow, who told IndieWire that he said no, not wanting to play "something so grotesque.” Having witnessed Seth Brundle's transformation into a half-human, half-insect in the intense body horror movie, we cannot say we blame him.

Tom Selleck (Indiana Jones In Raiders Of The Lost Ark)

Having already worked with Harrison Ford three times before, George Lucas was reluctant to cast the Han Solo actor as Indiana Jones, opening up the opportunity for a rotation of actors, including Tom Selleck. As he recalled on Today, the actor was forced to pass on 1981's Raiders of the Lost Ark, due to his commitment to the CBS crime drama, Magnum P.I.

Christopher Lee (Dr. Loomis In Halloween)

While already a horror movie icon at the time for his acclaimed portrayal of Dracula and role in 1973's The Wicker Man, Christopher Lee could have added one of the all-time best horror movies, 1978's Halloween, to his resume. According to The Digital Fix, he would come to regret the decision to pass on the role of Michael Myers' psychiatrist, Dr. Sam Loomis, who was immortalized by Donald Pleasance instead.

Christina Applegate (Elle Woods In Legally Blonde)

Before Reese Witherspoon made Elle Woods an icon among fictional lawyers in Legally Blonde and among fictional politicians in the sequel, Legally Blonde 2: Red, White & Blonde, the role was offered to Christina Applegate. The former Married... with Children star later explained to Entertainment Tonight that she was afraid of repeating the ditzy blonde but jokes it was a "stupid move."

Emily Blunt (Black Widow In Iron Man 2)

Scarlett Johansson was perfect as Natasha Romanoff but Emily Blunt would have made a killing as the Avenger also called Black Widow. The English actor explained to Howard Stern that she could not originate the role for the MCU in 2010's Iron Man 2 because she was contractually obligated to appear in that year's adaptation of Gulliver's Travels.

Emma Watson (Mia In La La Land)

Playing Mia in 2016's La La Land earned Emma Stone her first Oscar win but the role of the aspiring actor had originally gone to another Emma: Emma Watson. The Harry Potter movies star said in a SiriusXM Town Hall interview (via Us Weekly) that her commitment to Beauty and the Beast and the hard work required to star in the musical led her to pull out.

Gwyneth Paltrow (Rollergirl In Boogie Nights)

Heather Graham made her mainstream breakthrough in 1998's Boogie Nights as "Rollergirl" – a role that was previously offered to Gwyneth Paltrow. The future Oscar winner told Howard Stern (via Us Weekly) that she passed because she feared the role, which required her to completely disrobe and simulate lewd acts on camera, would "kill" her conservative grandfather.

Jennifer Hudson (Precious In Precious)

Jennifer Hudson had previously said in her memoir, I Got This: How I Changed My Ways And Lost What Weighed Me Down, that she turned down the title role of Precious because she did not want to take a role that involved her weight. The Oscar winner later retracted that statement when speaking to The Huffington Post, explaining that Was not interested in what the role, which ultimately went to Gabourey Sibide, would have required her to do at that point in her career.

Matt Damon (Jake Sully In Avatar)

Sam Worthington became a household name when he led James Cameron's astonishingly successful sci-fi epic, Avatar, as Jake Sully – a role previously offered to Matt Damon. The Oscar winner once joked to Access Hollywood that not participating in the 2009 film cost the movie "a lot."

Ian McKellan (Albus Dumbledore In Harry Potter And The Prisoner Of Azkaban)

The Lord of the Rings movies' Gandalf actor, Sir Ian McKellan, could have added another famous wizard to his resume and become the Harry Potter franchise's new Albus Dumbledore. Instead, the part went to Michael Gambon after, as he told BBC News, McKellan turned it down because he couldn’t “take over the part from an actor who I’d known didn’t approve of me,” referring to the late Richard Harris who was a vocal critic of the actor.

Drew Barrymore (Sidney Prescott In Scream)

Given Drew Barrymore's A-list status in 1996, audiences assumed that she was the lead of Wes Craven's Scream, which could have been the case, as she confirmed on Hot Ones. However, she requested to be killed off in the beginning as Casey Becker, knowing it would shock the audience, paving the way for Neve Campbell to become a Scream Queen in the role of Sidney Prescott.

Angela Bassett (Leticia Musgrove In Monster’s Ball)

Halle Berry became the first Black Best Actress Oscar winner for her performance in Monster's Ball as Leticia Musgrove – a role that was offered to Angela Bassett. According to EW, the Black Panther: Wakanda Forever star felt the part of a Black call girl was too stereotypical.

Sean Connery (Gandalf In The Lord Of The Rings: The Fellowship Of The Ring)

Sir Ian McKellan mentions in an oral history about the Lord of the Rings series for The Independent that an earlier choice to play Gandalf the Grey was Sir Sean Connery. New Line Cinema executive Mark Ordesky notes that the former James Bond actor passed on the role of the wizard simply because he "did not get it."

Bette Midler (Annie Wilkes In Misery)

Despite having no qualms about playing an actual evil witch in 1993's Hocus Pocus, Bette Midler did have some reservations about playing Annie Wilkes in Rob Reiner's adaptation of Stephen King's Misery from 1990. The actor and singer told Variety that was interested in playing the sadistic nurse because of her violent, unfunny, and irredeemable qualities.

Warren Beatty (Bill In Kill Bill)

In 2003, Quentin Tarantino told BBC that he originally started writing the title role of Kill Bill with Warren Beatty in mind because he wanted to work with him and the Oscar winner was set to play the target of Uma Thurman's vengeful Bride for a bit. However, after realizing that David Carradine was a better fit, followed by consideration of the time commitment and martial arts training involved, the actor and filmmaker amicably agreed to part ways.

Michelle Pfeiffer (Clarice Starling In The Silence Of The Lambs)

Michelle Pfeiffer once told Today's Hoda Kotb (via People) that her reasons for passing on roles in the likes of Pretty Woman and Basic Instinct typically had to do with scheduling conflicts. However, she told The New Yorker she passed on playing Clarice Starling (which ultimately went to Jodie Foster) in 1991's The Silence of the Lambs because the “evil” in the film made her nervous.

Al Pacino (Han Solo In Star Wars)

In his memoir, Sonny Boy, Al Pacino reveals that, before Harrison Ford was cast in Star Wars, he was offered the role of Han Solo. The Oscar winner explains that he could not "make anything out of" George Lucas' script and chose not to play the pilot of the Millennium Falcon.

Bela Lugosi (The Creature In Frankenstein)

According to the book, The Immortal Count: The Life and Films of Bela Lugosi by Arthur Lennig (via SlashFilm), the star of 1931's Dracula had the opportunity to play two Universal Monsters in the same year, having also been offered to play The Creature in Frankenstein. However, the actor believed such a role was "beneath him," paving the way for Boris Karloff to rise up in the ranks of horror royalty as Dr. Victor Frankenstein’s creation.

Haley Lu Richardson (Dani Ardor In Midsommar)

Haley Lu Richardson, known for one of the best M. Night Shyamalan movies, Split, passed on the role of Dani Ardor in Ari Aster's 2019 sophomore effort, Midsommar. The A24 horror masterpiece was ultimately led by Florence Pugh, whom Richardson told Backstage she has nothing but praise for, despite not yet having the courage to watch the movie.

Julia Roberts (Annie Reed In Sleepless In Seattle)

The two most prestigious queens of the rom-com genre would have to be Julia Roberts and Meg Ryan but only one could play Annie Reed in Sleepless in Seattle. Roberts told InStyle (via ABC News) that she was offered the part but could not do it, adding that Ryan and Tom Hanks "are just such a jewel of a fit in that."

Jamie Lee Curtis (Regan MacNeil In The Exorcist)

Jamie Lee Curtis became horror royalty with her feature film debut in 1978's Halloween but her reign could have begun earlier if not for one thing: her mother, Janet Leigh. Curtis told EW that, when she was asked to audition for Regan MacNeil in 1973's The Exorcist (which would go to Linda Blair), the Psycho star spoke on the then-13-year-old's behalf and refused the offer.

Lee Marvin (Quint In Jaws)

Robert Shaw's performance as Quint in Jaws is nearly as famous as the man-eating shark itself but the English actor was actually not Steven Spielberg's first choice. The filmmaker told Vanity Fair that he previously approached Lee Marvin but the Dirty Dozen star was not interested.

Sarah Michelle Gellar (Amber In Clueless)

Elisa Donovan's character in Clueless, Amber, very nearly went to the future star of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Sarah Michelle Gellar. Adam Schroeder, the co-producer of the 1995 high school movie classic, told Vanity Fair that the actor's commitment to the soap opera All My Children at the time forced her to recede from consideration.

We see it all the time, serious actors with some major dramatic skills tearing it up in lighter, more comedic roles. Actors who’ve made us cry in Best Picture winners have gone on to make us fall over with side-splitting laughs, which can sometimes be harder than you’d think.

In the past, we’ve talked about some of the great dramatic performances by comedians, but today we’re going to turn our attention to the other side of that coin and highlight 32 serious actors who crushed in in comedic roles.

Robert De Niro (Meet The Parents)

Robert De Niro, an Oscar-winning actor known for serious parts in some of Martin Scorsese’s best movies, including Raging Bull and Goodfellas, as well as his turn as a young Vito Corleone in The Godfather Part II, showed the world that he was also one of the funniest stars in Hollywood with his portrayal of the iron-fisted Jack Byrnes in Meet the Parents. The deadpan expressions, the playing on his gangster roles, and his chemistry with Ben Stiller make this an all-time classic.

George C. Scott (Dr. Stranglelove)

George C. Scott will always be remembered for his portrayal of U.S. General George S. Patton in Franklin J. Schaffner’s Patton, but the acclaimed actor also crushed it in a more comedic role a few years earlier. His take on General Buck Turgidson in Stanley Kubrick’s Dr. Strangelove is nothing short of magnificent and hilarious as it gets. The satirical tone of this iconic anti-war film is biting, as is Scott’s legendary performance.

Philip Seymour Hoffman (Along Came Polly)

Though we could have included Rusty from Twister or Brandt from The Big Lebowski, Philip Seymour Hoffman’s performance in Along Came Polly is just too good to overlook. Though he’s atrocious at basketball (and in most social situations), Sandy Lyle is a force of comedic nature. It’s crazy that Hoffman went from Cold Mountain to this 2004 rom-com to Capote in the span of three years.

Tom Cruise (Tropic Thunder)

Tom Cruise steals the show in Tropic Thunder, which is no easy feat considering Ben Stiller, Jack Black, and Robert Downey Jr. sit atop the cast of this outrageous 2008 action comedy. But hey, Les Grossman, Cruise’s over-the-top and ill-tempered Hollywood exec is unforgettable in every single one of his scenes, especially whenever he dances.

Meryl Streep (Death Becomes Her)

Though not a slapstick or “laugh-a-minute” comedy, Death Becomes Her does feature some wild and hilariously comedic performances from the likes of Bruce Willis, Goldie Hawn, and Meryl Streep, who kills it with her portrayal of Madeline Ashton. The Oscar winner does get to show off her serious skills in the movie, but her character’s darkly humorous personality is worth a watch.

Leslie Nielsen (Airplane!)

It’s wild to think that Leslie Nielsen, an actor mostly remembered for spoof films, started out as a very serious dramatic actor. But that all changed with landmark comedies like Airplane!, where his deadpan humor and signature charm truly shined.

Kate Winslet (The Holiday)

Kate Winslet is known for dramatic movies like Titanic, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, and Revolutionary Road, but the talented dramatic actress was able to show off her comedy chops in The Holiday. This 2006 Nancy Meyers romantic comedy showed off a different side of Winslet, one we haven’t forgotten nearly 20 years later.

James Caan (Elf)

James Caan wasn’t really known for his comedy. Sure, his characters had some humorous lines in The Godfather and Thief, but drama was always his bag. And that’s what makes his performance in Elf so great. We weren’t used to seeing Caan share the screen with someone like Will Ferrell, and that juxtaposition of personalities made it so much fun to watch.

Morgan Freeman (Bruce Almighty)

Morgan Freeman will go down as one of the best dramatic actors of all time, and for good reason. His work in The Shawshank Redemption, Glory, and countless other movies is the stuff of legend. However, let’s not forget that he also put on one of the funniest performances when he played God in Bruce Almighty.

Ralph Fiennes (The Grand Budapest Hotel)

A little more than two decades after playing the vile Amon Goeth in Schindler’s List (and only a few years after portraying Lord Voldemort in the Harry Potter movies), Ralph Fiennes proved he was a great comedic actor with his take on M. Gustave in The Grand Budapest Hotel. Equal parts hilarious and charming, this performance was a breath of fresh air.

Danny Glover (Lethal Weapon)

After playing more serious roles in films like The Color Purple, Witness, and Silverado, Danny Glover showed off his comedy skills in Richard Donner’s iconic buddy cop action film, Lethal Weapon. Though he was more straight-laced compared to Mel Gibson’s Martin Riggs, Roger Murtaugh gave us some laughs.

Arnold Schwarzenegger (Kidergarten Cop)

Kindergarten cop isn’t just one of the funniest Arnold Schwarzenegger movies, it’s also one of his best. Featuring some of the actor’s most memorable one-liners, this 1990 action comedy showed that the Austrian bodybuilder-turned-actor was more than an ice-cold robot or trained killer.

Jeff Daniels (Dumb & Dumber)

Two years after playing Colonel Joshua Chamberlain in Gettysburg, one of the best Civil War movies ever made, Jeff Daniels played a vastly different type of character in Dumb and Dumber. The obnoxious and absurdly dim-witted Harry Dunne would end up becoming one of the more dramatic actor’s most famous roles.

Jack Nicholson (As Good As It Gets)

Jack Nicholson, one of the most well-known dramatic actors of the 20th century, has popped up in comedies over the years. Perhaps the best of the bunch, As Good as It Gets earned the One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest and Terms of Endearment star his third Oscar.

Jeff Bridges (The Big Lebowski)

Whenever the topic of the best Jeff Bridges movies comes up, it doesn’t take long for the conversation to turn to The Big Lebowski. Still considered to be one of his most iconic roles, the performance also showed that the largely dramatic actor could pull off an incredibly funny and beloved character.

Liam Neeson (Extras)

Liam Neeson is best known for his work in dramas like Schindler’s List and the Taken action movie franchise, but the decorated actor with that ice-cold delivery has shown off his funny side over the years. His attempt at improv on Extras is the stuff of legend, as is work in The Lego Movie.

George Clooney (O Brother, Where Art Thou?)

George Clooney often rides the line between comedy and drama in the likes of the Ocean’s movies and several Coen Brothers projects, and one of the best examples of that is found in O Brother, Where Art Thou?, a 2000 loose adaptation of The Odyssey. The scheming and conniving Ulysses Everett McGill is one of the all-time great movie characters.

Dustin Hoffman (Tootsie)

The Graduate, Kramer vs. Kramer, Midnight Cowboy, and All the President’s Men were just a few of the movies that showed off Dustin Hoffman’s incredible dramatic acting skills. It’s a similar story with Tootsie, the beloved 1982 comedy in which Hoffman plays an unlikeable and hirable actor who decides to dress like a woman to land a gig on a daytime soap opera.

Cuba Gooding Jr. (Jerry Maguire)

Cuba Gooding Jr. was out of this world in early 1990s dramas like Boyz n the Hood and A Few Good Men, but he was even better in Jerry Maguire as Tom Cruise’s titular character’s temperamental and needy client Rod Tidwell. The over-the-top performance was hilarious beyond belief.

Timothy Dalton (Hot Fuzz)

Timothy Dalton, an actor best known for playing James Bond and showing up in adaptations of Jane Eyre, got to show off his comedy chops in Hot Fuzz, Edgar Wright’s satirical action comedy. His take on Simon Skinner is just as great all these years later.

Leonardo DiCaprio (The Wolf of Wall Street)

Leonardo DiCaprio teamed up with Martin Scorsese for the fifth time in 2013 to make The Wolf of Wall Street. While previous collaborations like Gangs of New York and The Departed were far more dramatic, this hopped-up and raucous biopic allowed the actor to be outrageously funny on screen, and it paid off.

Billy Bob Thornton (Bad Santa)

Up until starring in Bad Santa, Billy Bob Thornton was mostly known for dramatic roles in films like Monster’s Ball and Sling Blade, but this 2003 R-rated comedy changed all of that. Over the line, vulgar, and one of the funniest performances of the 2000s, Thornton’s take on a mall Santa was an instant classic.

Brad Pitt (Burn After Reading)

Burn After Reading isn’t the best Coen Brothers movie, but it does feature one of Brad Pitt’s funniest performances. Chad Feldheimer, Linda Litzke’s (Frances McDormand) lovable yet moronic coworker is just so silly, so memorable, and so dumb. You just can’t help but love him.

Michael Caine (Dirty Rotten Scoundrels)

On top of being an actor who’s appeared in the most Christopher Nolan movies, Michael Caine is also one of the all-time greats of screen and stage, with dozens of iconic films to his name. And while he’s mostly known for his dramatic work, his portrayal of the dastardly Lawrence Jamieson in Dirty Rotten Scoundrels is so dang good.

Matt Damon (Dogma)

Long before he showed up as an actor playing Loki in Thor: Ragnarok, Matt Damon did it for real in Kevin Smith’s 1999 comedy, Dogma. Sandwiched between Rounders and The Talented Mr. Ripley, the actor’s portrayal of a fallen angel banished to Wisconsin was great and showed a funnier side.

Samuel L. Jackson (The Other Guys)

Samuel L. Jackson in The Other Guys is on a whole other level and is funnier than anything else the actor has done over the years. Sure, Pulp Fiction and Jurassic Park are better movies, but his short yet memorable performance as a gung-ho cop who throws caution (and himself) into the win is comedy cold.

Alan Rickman (Galaxy Quest)

Alan Rickman’s portrayal of Alexander Dane, a Shakespearean actor fed up with life and his career direction in Galaxy Quest, is so funny yet so heartbreaking. The way the Die Hard actor (who was also classically trained) finds the balance between comedy and tragedy is perfection.

Russell Crowe (The Nice Guys)

Russell Crowe made a career out of giving commanding, and largely dramatic, performances in everything from Romper Stomper to Gladiator, so it was great to see him play a more comedic role in The Nice Guys. This 2016 Shane Black film also starring Ryan Gosling, felt like a throwback to buddy action movies of yesteryear, and allowed Crowe to try a different approach to character-driven stories.

Mandy Patinkin (The Princess Bride)

Tony and Primetime Emmy Award-winning actor Mandy Patinkin has given incredible dramatic performances in movies like Yentl and shows like Homeland, but he’s probably best known for his portrayal of Inigo Montoya in The Princess Bride. The skill with a sword, the dashing good looks, and a killer backstory make this not only a great cinematic character but also a hilarious icon of the fantasy genre.

Kevin Kline (A Fish Called Wanda)

Kevin Kline is great in just about everything (especially The Big Chill and Dave), and that includes some great comedies. One of the best featuring a serious and dramatic actor’s work is A Fish Called Wanda. The despicable and charismatic Otto West steals the show whenever on screen.

Christian Bale (The Big Short)

Though not the most standard comedy of the past few years, The Big Short is funny in a frightening and thrilling kind of way. Adam McKay’s biographical crime dramedy about the events that led to the 2007 housing market crash and subsequent economic crisis does feature one of Christian Bale’s most interesting and hilarious performances with his take on hedge fund manager Michael Burry. Not a totally likable guy, but a great character without a doubt.

Chris Hemsworth (Thor: Ragnarok)

Thor: Ragnarok is still considered one of the best Marvel movies years after its release, and that’s mostly because of Chris Hemsworth’s new and improved portrayal of the “God of Thunder.” While the character was more serious in the first two movies (and two Avengers films), the more light-hearted and silly superhero was a comedy tour de force.

The horror sequel Smile 2 has got a lot of noteworthy stars sharing in the terror of creepy smiles like Aladdin’s Naomi Scott who plays pop star Skye Riley, Euphoria’s Lukas Gage, and Kyle Gallner who returns as police officer Joel. But among the hallucinations the infamous pop star sees, there’s Ray Nicholson who perfectly channels his father, Jack Nicholson, displaying that terrifying grin of his. TikTok users are loving the resemblance of the father and son so much that a video has gone viral of the Smile 2 actor talking about how much he looks like his father.

In the gnarly trailer of Smile 2, Skye Riley looks among a crowd and sees a man in a white suit standing up and approaching her with the horror franchise’s signature frightening grin. If the man in the white suit looks familiar to you, it’s because he’s portrayed by Ray Nicholson, the son of The Shining’s Jack Nicholson. Social media users couldn’t ignore their resemblance who helped make a TikTok video of the 32-year-old actor go viral. Check out Entertainment Tonight’s interview with the Smile 2 actor talking about how much he looks like his dad:

It’s no wonder Entertainment Tonight’s TikTok video numbers are going up. With over 66,000 likes, 2,643 saves, and 4,940 shares, users are loving the uncanny resemblance. Many feel that Ray Nicholson definitely takes after his father with his eyes and smile. If you look back at one of Jack Nicholson’s best performances in The Shining, he could easily terrify audiences with that one maddening look he gave as he stared directly at the camera just like his son does in Smile 2. Both of those smiles have the gift of making you not want to look at it for too long which is perfect for any type of horror movie.

Like father like son, Ray Nicholson's diving into the upcoming horror film Smile 2 is an excellent way to show his hereditary acting chops. When Entertainment Tonight asked Nicholson if the horror genre was always something he wanted to act in, here was his satisfying answer:

With critics beaming over the “memorably disturbing” sequel of Smile, I do not doubt in my mind that people will forget the memorable face of Ray Nicholson. He’s already lined up for the thriller Borderline where he’ll be playing an obsessed fan who stalks a pop star, played by Ready or Not’s Samara Weaving, in her home. The Panic actor will also play a role in the 2025 movie release of Novocaine with The Boys’ Jack Quaid starring as a bank executive who can’t feel pain set on a quest to rescue his girlfriend taken hostage in a bank robbery. These two upcoming movies should surely help Nicholson make a name for himself in Hollywood.

TikTok users loving Ray Nicholson's resemblance of his famous father shows that he's a fan-favorite and set to become an actor this generation will fall in love with. I’m psyched to see Nicholson’s versatility come out in many future roles going forward. You can see the Out of the Blue actor’s nightmarish grin and others in the 2024 movie release of Smile 2 in theaters on October 18th.

If you are watching the crowd during a Knicks or Lakers home game, odds are you'll see some A-listers sitting courtside. Over the years that list has included big-name actors like Billy Crystal and Jack Nicholson, in fact, they've even attended them together. Now, the When Harry Met Sally actor has opened up about sitting next to The Shining actor at a game in 2004 and the kiss they ended up sharing during it.

The Monsters Inc. star stopped by Jimmy Kimmel Live! where he and the titular host exchanged funny stories, and chatted about Crystal’s upcoming Apple TV+ series, Before. The comedian also revealed he is being honored by The Basketball Hall of Fame for being a superfan of the sport, as his support for the LA Clippers has been undying. While explaining that, he also recalled one particular night in 2004, when the Clippers were playing the Lakers, the favorite team of Nicholson. The Chinatown actor asked Crystal to attend with him, and the comic actor couldn’t have been happier. He said:

Not many people would turn down the opportunity to hang out with one of the biggest movie stars of all time, especially one with such a distinctive personality as Jack Nicholson.

So, Crystal went to the game with the actor, and they started chatting. It didn’t take long for the two to be spotted enjoying the game together, and apparently, the cameraman thought it would be hilarious to have the two familiar faces exchange a smooch for the crowd. The City Slickers actor recalled:

Kimmel then showed a hilarious picture from the moment where the chaste kiss was caught on camera. While Nicholson may have turned down the urging at first, he clearly understood it was all in good fun and smooched the comedian.

Jack Nicholson has kissed many actors over the years in the Batman star’s endless list of fantastic films. Admittedly, they were mostly women, but during this game, he understood the humor of the moment. It’s a great story, but probably not what the Oscar winner was expecting when he asked Billy Crystal to accompany him to the game.

This is exactly the kind of Hollywood exchange fans love to see at Lakers’ games. Crystal and Nicholson are both courtside fixtures, and seeing them together must’ve been truly something. I totally see why the cameraman couldn’t resist creating a hilarious moment between the two actors.

They haven’t been seen together courtside in a while, but hopefully, they make an appearance again and reprise their kiss-cam chemistry. They both have had great on-screen connections in some of the best rom-coms with actresses like Meryl Streep and Meg Ryan, but this unforgettable sports moment also features some electric (and funny) chemistry.

Jack Nicholson has since retired from acting, but you can see Billy Crystal in his latest series, Before, when it premieres on the 2024 TV schedule on October 25 with an AppleTV+ subscription.

The 1980s was not just a great time for movies but for the people in them. Many of our all-time favorite actors got their start in '80s movies (or at least started to hit it big during that time).

The question is, in what film did these stars hit their peak of cinematic brilliance during that decade? Let's see if we can provide an answer by looking at the best '80s movies starring the most iconic '80s actors, in our opinion.

Bruce Willis (Die Hard)

While the TV series Moonlighting made Bruce Willis a household name, playing John McClane, a New York cop at war with violent German thieves in an LA high-rise on Christmas Eve, made him a movie star in 1988. However, Die Hard might be the actor's best film in any decade, let alone the greatest action movie of all time. 

Sigourney Weaver (Aliens)

Fans have been debating which is the best Alien movie for years but no one disagrees that James Cameron's Aliens is the best Alien movie of the '80s. The 1986 sci-fi movie classic, in which our human protagonists take on plenty more than just one vicious extraterrestrial this time, saw Sigourney Weaver reprise Xenomorph survivor Ellen Ripley to Academy Award-nominated acclaim.

Jack Nicholson (Terms Of Endearment)

The single most iconic Jack Nicolson performance from the 1980s, arguably, comes from the horror movie classic, The Shining. However, we chose to highlight his Academy Award-winning performance in director James L. Brooks' tragic 1983 Best Picture Oscar winner, Terms of Endearment, as Garrett, who forms a complicated relationship with his widowed next-door neighbor, Aurora Greenway (Shirley MacLaine). 

Meg Ryan (When Harry Met Sally...)

Meg Ryan made up one of Hollywood's most beloved onscreen couples with Tom Hanks, but we loved her the most in the '80s when she was falling in love with Billy Crystal in When Harry Met Sally... Considered one of the greatest rom-coms of all time, director Rob Reiner and Nora Ephron's clever and sweet 1989 favorite traces the titular duo's evolution from enemies, to friends, to lovers over the course of 12 years.

Tom Cruise (Top Gun)

Everyone had the need, the need for speed, in 1986 when director Tony Scott's romantic, action-packed instant classic, Top Gun, ruled the box office, captured the hearts of audiences everywhere, and spawned an acclaimed blockbuster sequel in 2022 called Top Gun: Maverick. If Tom Cruise was not a movie star before then, there was no doubt he was at the top of A-list after giving his all as daredevil Navy pilot, Maverick.

Meryl Streep (Sophie's Choice)

There are few actors with as much esteem in Hollywood as the great Meryl Streep, who earned her second Academy Award for her mesmerizing, heartbreaking performance in the title role of Sophie’s Choice. Writer and director Alan J. Pakula's adaptation of William Styron's passionate novel follows the relationship between a Polish woman who survived the Holocaust and a Jewish-American man (played by Kevin Kline) who is obsessed with the tragedy.

Michael Keaton (Beetlejuice)

The all-time best Michael Keaton movie and performance might always be up for debate but no one can deny that, in the 1980s, no film saw him demonstrate his high-energy comedic talents and versatility better than Beetlejuice. The Oscar nominee plays the title role of Tim Burton's 1988 horror-comedy classic (actually spelled "Betelgeuse") — a sleazy "bio-exorcist" begrudgingly enlisted by a recently deceased couple (played by Alec Baldwin and Geena Davis) to scare their home's new inhabitants out.

Sally Field (Steel Magnolias)

The 1980s was a great time for Sally Field, who won both of her Oscars during that decade — one for Norma Rae in 1980 and another in 1985 for Places in the Heart. However, we believe the one film that best encapsulates the actor's stunning range is the powerful, charming 1989 dramedy Steel Magnolias, in which she shines brightly among an ensemble cast including Dolly Parton, Shirley MacLaine, Olympia Dukakis, Daryl Hannah, and Julia Roberts as a close-knit group of Louisiana women.

Eddie Murphy (Coming To America)

There were few movie stars in the '80s bigger than Eddie Murphy, who made such a huge impact in very little time on SNL before hitting it big with feature-length classics like 48 Hrs. and Beverly Hills Cop. Yet, 1988's Coming to America was the first film to see him disappear into multiple roles and, not to mention, African Prince Akeem's search for love in Queens, New York, amounts to a hilarious and heartfelt story.

Molly Ringwald (The Breakfast Club)

The first face we tend to picture when we think of the Brat Pack is Molly Ringwald, who was the go-to young female actor for coming-of-age dramedies of the '80s, such as Pretty in Pink and Sixteen Candles. However, her best film — and, arguably, the greatest high school movie of all time — is writer and director John Hughes' The Breakfast Club, in which she and four of the decade's most essential stars (Emilio Estevez, Ally Sheedy, Anthony Michael Hall, and Judd Nelson) play a group of socially disparate teens who find unexpected kinship during Saturday detention.

Denzel Washington (Cry Freedom)

Two-time Academy Award winner Denzel Washington received his first Oscar nomination for his moving portrayal of activist Steve Biko in director Richard Attenborough's Cry Freedom. The 1987 film focuses primarily on the friendship between the influential Black anti-Apartheid activist and the white South African journalist Donald Woods (Kevin Kline), who puts his own life at risk to investigate Biko's death.

Jodie Foster (The Accused)

Not only does 1988's The Accused feature one of Jodie Foster's most powerful, Academy Award-winning performances, but it is also an enduringly relevant indictment of a flawed justice system that silences women. Foster plays Sarah Tobias, the victim of a violent assault who, along with her prosecuting attorney, Katheryn Murphy (Kelly McGillis), is challenged by a case that puts the blame on her.

Robert De Niro (Raging Bull)

Out of all of Robert De Niro and director Martin Scorsese's collaborations, none have been as unique and as moving as 1980's Raging Bull. De Niro delivers a roaring one-two punch in the masterful sports movie as real-life boxer Jake LaMotta, tracing his rousing success in the ring and his tragic self-destructive tendencies outside of it.

Cher (Moonstruck)

In 1987, Cher proved that she was a master in both the world of music and the world of acting with her Academy Award-winning performance as Loretta Castorini in Moonstruck. Soon after the widowed Italian-American woman agrees to marry her boyfriend, Johnny Cammareri (Danny Aiello), she finds herself falling deeper and deeper in love with his brother, Ronny (Nicolas Cage).

Harrison Ford (Raiders Of The Lost Ark)

One of Harrison Ford's all-time greatest characters is the rough, resourceful, globe-trotting archeologist Dr. Henry "Indiana" Jones. The iconic hero was first introduced in 1981's Raiders of the Lost Ark — director Steven Spielberg and producer George Lucas' tribute to cinema that would later inspire countless tributes to its stunning visual design, John Williams' sweeping score, and its endlessly thrilling, wall-to-wall action.

Diane Keaton (Reds)

Diane Keaton is an absolute revelation in co-writer and director Warren Beatty's 1981 historical epic, Reds. She plays famed activist Louise Bryant who falls in love with radical-minded fellow journalist John Reed (Beatty) as he hopes to bring the ideals of Russia's Communist Revolution to the United States.

Robin Williams (Dead Poets Society)

The late Robin Williams gives us the best of both his comedic energy and dramatic authenticity in director Peter Weir's moving 1989 drama Dead Poet's Society. As English teacher John Keating, he serves as a much-needed role model to a close-knit group of Catholic boarding school students (played by rising stars such as Ethan Hawke and Robert Sean Leonard) who learn how to seize the day.

Michelle Pfeiffer (Scarface)

It was in the '90s when three-time Academy Award nominee Michelle Pfeiffer really began to hit her stride but her strongest work in the '80s is, arguably, Scarface. She stars in director Brian de Palma's 1983 gangster movie classic as Elvira Hancock, who becomes the wife of Cuban crime lord, Tony Montana (Oscar winner Al Pacino).

Morgan Freeman (Glory)

One of the most inspiring Morgan Freeman performances comes from 1989's beloved, moving war movie, Glory. The Oscar winner stars as Sergeant Major John Rawlins, who is the highest-ranked Black member of his regiment in the U.S. Army during the Civil War.

Whoopi Goldberg (The Color Purple)

Legendary comedian Whoopi Goldberg earned her first Academy Award nomination for her heartbreaking performance as Celie Johnson in 1985's The Color Purple. Director Steven Spielberg's adaptation of Alice Walker's seminal novel chronicles decades in the life of the Black, Southern woman as she endures dehumanizing adversity and traumatic abuse. 

Kurt Russell (Escape From New York)

One of co-writer and director John Carpenter's best movies, 1981's Escape from New York, takes place in a war-torn future when Air Force One crash lands inside a maximum security prison that used to be the Big Apple and the President of the United States (Donald Pleasance) is taken hostage by the prisoners. The only one who can save him is a recently arrested, hardened war veteran named Snake Plissken, which is easily one of Kurt Russell's coolest roles and certainly one of his greatest performances.

Glenn Close (Fatal Attraction)

While we do not condone treacherous acts like boiling a family's pet rabbit alive, we would consider Alex Forrest to be a villain with understandable motivations, and not just because Glenn Close gives a brilliant performance in 1987's intense thriller, Fatal Attraction. It was married lawyer Dan Gallagher's (Michael Douglas) mistake to indulge in a one-time fling with the New York editor, who then misconstrues the affair for love and continues to taunt him and his family in increasingly horrifying ways.

Sylvester Stallone (First Blood)

Sylvester Stallone has played many iconic roles in many great action movies, especially in the 1980s, but his best role from that decade would have to be John Rambo in First Blood. The 1981 adaptation of David Morell's novel is not a conventional shoot-em-up thriller like the later Rambo movies but an emotionally charged, nuanced drama in which the burdened Vietnam veteran is pushed to the edge by a cruel sheriff (Brian Dennehy) and wages a war against a whole town.

Goldie Hawn (Overboard)

Many of Oscar winner Goldie Hawn's most memorable roles see her sharing the screen with her real-life romantic partner, Kurt Russell, and the couple's chemistry was at an all-time high in director Garry Marshall's Overboard. Hawn stars in the inventive and charming 1987 rom-com as a spoiled socialite with amnesia who is convinced by a carpenter (Russell) that she is his wife and the mother of his four boys to get back at her for her cruel treatment. 

Bill Murray (Ghostbusters)

Academy Award nominee Bill Murray is one of the most beloved comedic talents of the '80s (or any decade, really) and to understand why, all you need to do is watch 1984's Ghostbusters. Also one of director Ivan Reitman's best movies, the spooky, kooky classic sees Murray's masterfully witty Peter Venkman team up with Ray Stantz (writer Dan Aykroyd), Egon Spengler (Harold Ramis), and Winston Zeddmore (Ernie Hudson) to rid New York of its scariest spirits.

Geena Davis (The Accidental Tourist)

Geena Davis earned an Academy Award for her wonderfully eccentric performance in 1988's The Accidental Tourist as Muriel Pritchett. Emotionally distant travel writer Macon Leary (William Hurt) meets and begins to fall for the free-spirited dog trainer after splitting with his wife (played by Kathleen Turner), following the death of their son, in director Lawrence Kasdan's moving dramedy. 

Kevin Bacon (Footloose)

It is no wonder why Chris Prat's Peter Quill regarded Kevin Bacon's role in Footloose as one of the greatest heroes in cinematic history. Ren singlehandedly brought dance back to the cruelly repressed small town of Bomont in the timelessly entertaining music movie from 1984.

Kathleen Turner (Romancing The Stone)

The ultimate romantic adventure comedy would have to be director Robert Zemeckis' 1984 hit, Romancing the Stone. Kathleen Turner is wonderful as novelist Joan Wilder, who enlists the help of a rogue mercenary to help rescue her kidnapped sister in Colombia and ends up joining him on the search for a prized artifact. 

Arnold Schwarzenegger (The Terminator)

The film that made Arnold Schwarzenegger the leading action movie hero of the 1980s remains his best action movie from the decade, as far as we are concerned. The Austrian bodybuilder gives a pitch-perfect, ice-cold performance as one of the best '80s movie villains — the cybernetic title role of James Cameron's The Terminator, which is sent from a war-torn future to prevent the birth of humanity's savior by killing his mother, Sarah Connor (Linda Hamilton).

Jane Fonda (9 To 5)

After taking the '70s by storm as one of the decade's biggest and most acclaimed stars, Jane Fonda started off the 1980s right with 9 to 5. In the hilarious workplace satire, her character, Judy Bernly, teams up with fellow office assistants Violet (Lily Tomlin) and Doralee (Dolly Parton) to turn the tables on their nightmare of a boss (played by Dabney Coleman).

Dustin Hoffman (Rain Man)

In his second Academy Award-winning performance, Dustin Hoffman plays autistic-savant Raymond Babbitt in Barry Levinson's Best Picture Oscar winner, Rain Man. He stars opposite Tom Cruise as his younger brother, Charlie, who gets to meet him for the first time in this beautiful family story from 1988. 

Daryl Hannah (Wall Street)

You can find Daryl Hannah in many of the '80s' most iconic cinematic classics but the cream of the crop would have to be Wall Street. She stars in Oliver Stone's riveting 1987 drama as Darien Taylor, who once shared a romance with corrupt stockbroker Gordon Gekko (Michael Douglas) and begins a relationship with his ambitious protege, Bud Fox (Charlie Sheen).

Even the biggest and brightest stars of Hollywood have movies that they’d rather not mention being a part of in polite company. And the list you’re about to read has some of the most infamous examples of those types of projects making silver screen history…just not in the way one would have expected.

Tom Hanks - The Bonfire Of The Vanities

While we’ve seen Tom Hanks’ comments on why The Bonfire of the Vanities didn’t work, the movie’s infamy as a box office dud is something he probably doesn’t address all that often. And who could blame him, as the public considered America’s Dad to be the worst casting choice to lead a satire about the amorality of late ‘80s/early ‘90s stockbrokers.

Jamie Lee Curtis - Virus

The film adaptation of Dark Horse Comics’ Virus is uncompromisingly bad, no matter if you’re familiar with the book or not. But the most entertaining thing to come out of it was the fact that star Jamie Lee Curtis has taken every chance to roast this picture with the most cutting of remarks. It’s truly one of the best cases of entertainers who have trashed their own movies.

Michael Caine - Jaws: The Revenge

This is an example of using class and wit to politely stuff a movie like Jaws: The Revenge into the trash bin of life. Actor Michael Caine’s remarks about never seeing the film, but loving its payday, is something that always hits like the best line at a cocktail party celebrating the movies we love to loathe.

Emily Blunt - Gulliver’s Travels

History almost gave us an Iron Man 2 with Emily Blunt playing the role of Black Widow. And then contractual obligations forced Ms. Blunt to pass, in favor of starring in the Jack Black vehicle Gulliver’s Travels. So yeah, maybe it’s best not to mention this one to this star of A Quiet Place, no matter how much you think she might laugh.

Dennis Quaid - Jaws 3-D

All legendary actors have the gigs that make them, and the ones that they took so early in their career that they’d rather not think about them. Dennis Quaid’s role in Jaws 3-D more than likely falls into the latter bucket, as it’s one of the two Jaws sequels that failed to make the cut with even the franchise’s most devoted fans.

Viola Davis - The Help

Academy Award winner Viola Davis scored a nomination for her role in Tate Taylor’s film adaptation of The Help. Despite her performance’s excellence, Davis still maintains her opinion of regretting having taken part in the movie’s production, and the resulting product. 

Bill Murray - Garfield

No cinematic icon is immune to trickery, especially a trickster like Bill Murray. With his infamous Garfield casting story seeing the comedy legend mistake the movie’s writer for one of the Coen Bros, you can kind of see why he’d use his Zombieland cameo in 2009 to poke fun at the film being his only life’s regret.

Mariah Carey - Glitter

Glitter wasn’t enough of a disaster to kill Mariah Carey’s acting career, and to her credit, she went on to deliver some amazing performances in films like Lee Daniels’ Precious. But whoo-boy, does this musical drama still sting to think about from time to time? 

Elijah Wood - North

While there’s an interesting selection of beloved films Roger Ebert absolutely hated, North is one of the flops that the legendary film critic rightfully roasted. Though it definitely wasn’t Elijah Wood’s fault, it’s probably best if you don’t approach him about this one without some sort of care. 

Jennifer Lopez - Gigli

As a legendary turkey in the world of infamously bad movies, even Gigli’s director Martin Brest has pointed thoughts about that epic fail. Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck’s colossal dud of a rom-com has more than earned its place on the bad side of history, and one could bet that even its mere mention would inspire the most withering side eye from J.Lo herself. 

George Clooney - Batman & Robin

If there’s a constant in George Clooney’s career as an entertainer, it’s his regret over Batman and Robin. Stepping in after Val Kilmer bolted on Joel Schumacher’s second Gotham-based tentpole, you can bet the ER heartthrob wishes he could use a time machine to go back and prevent this experience from ever happening. 

Renee Zellweger - Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Next Generation

Out of the Oscar-winning pair of Renee Zellweger and Matthew McConaughey, it’s a safe bet that Ms. Zellweger would be the one who’d want to keep Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Next Generation off the table of discussion. Then again, she might be a bit more relaxed on the subject since so much time has passed. 

Robert Downey Jr. - The Shaggy Dog

Early on in his mid-Aughts comeback, Robert Downey Jr. diversified his acting portfolio with everything from Kiss Kiss Bang Bang to Good Night, and Good Luck. And mixed in with the lot was his role as the antagonist in Tim Allen’s remake of The Shaggy Dog. Downey would probably talk about the movie if asked, but one has to wonder what he’d say? 

Emma Watson - The Circle

For someone like Emma Watson, an actor who chooses their projects with a level of mindfulness and message in mind, The Circle must have seemed like a good choice. But the eventual public reaction to the film may have caused the Harry Potter vet to think twice even before approaching source material with names as storied as author Dave Eggers and director James Ponsoldt attached. 

Eddie Murphy - The Adventures of Pluto Nash

The Adventures of Pluto Naash is a habitual punching bag when folks choose to talk about the most infamous disasters in movie history. And thanks to that distinction, even the very open Eddie Murphy wouldn’t be mistaken for keeping this sci-fi/comedy flameout away from the conversation. 

Lucy Liu - Ballistic: Ecks vs. Sever

Ballistic: Ecks vs. Sever is an infamous movie without even taking into account that it somehow managed to snag the star power of Lucy Liu into its clutches. Admittedly, so few people remember this one that it doesn’t feel like she’d have to be on guard for random fans mentioning its existence. 

Matt Damon - The Great Wall

You might think that the “white savior” worries of Matt Damon’s character in The Great Wall are the reason he might not want to talk about this massive box office dud. But the fact of the matter is, he’d probably politely decline any discussion on the matter because it was a thundering failure that didn’t really win him any new fans.

Jennifer Lawrence - Dark Phoenix

How much did Jennifer Lawrence distance herself from the X-Men movies by time she made Dark Phoenix? Well, not only was her time in makeup severely reduced/scaled back in quality, but she died quite early in the final X-Men prequel from the Fox days. Maybe that's part of why the two-part structure was abandoned prior to its release. 

Sylvester Stallone - Stop! Or My Mom Will Shoot

It’s the movie so bad that Arnold Schwarzenegger tricked Sylvester Stallone into starring in it. Stop! Or My Mom Will Shoot is still a punch line for the Rocky franchise star/director, even decades after the film was released and tanked. One has to wonder how awkward some of those Planet Hollywood openings were, thanks to this awkward piece of history existing.

Lily Collins - Rules Don’t Apply

Actor Lily Collins is a talent that has the old Hollywood look down to a tee and isn’t afraid to show it. That confidence is probably what got her cast in Warren Beatty’s misguided rom-com Rules Don’t Apply, and to be fair, she and co-star Alden Ehrenreich are two of the only bright spots in this mostly forgettable throwback. 

Eddie Redmayne - Jupiter Ascending

If anyone is ready to admit Eddie Redmayne’s Jupiter Ascending performance is bad, it’s the man himself. While some might be inclined to give him more credit for his work in the Wachowski’s far-flung space opera, Redmayne’s criticisms of his role do come with some important caveats. 

Jennifer Hudson - Sandy Wexler

Adam Sandler is a talent who’s able to draw a wide range of actors into his orbit, and his Netflix movie Sandy Wexler was no exception. Playing a talent agent who knows a good client when he sees one, Jennifer Hudson is one of the people he rightfully tries to fast-track to fame. By no means does that proper judgment mean that this movie is something she, or most viewers, would even remember.

Hugh Jackman - Pan

Some flops crash and burn with very little trace of the wreckage. Others, like the Hugh Jackman starring Peter Pan adaptation Pan, collapse under ill-fated ambitions that don’t end up adding up in the end. But at least we got Jackman’s Captain Hook singing “Smells Like Teen Spirit,” in a totally bonkers musical number.

Pedro Pascal - Wonder Woman 1984

Pedro Pascal is almost universally recognized as one of, if not the best part of Wonder Woman 1984. That still feels like a far cry from something The Mandalorian star would even want to discuss, as its infamy is something that still echoes pretty strongly so close to its initial execution.

Dame Judi Dench - Cats

You can always count on an acting talent as iconic as Dame Judi Dench to tell it like it is. And whether it was reacting to her Razzie award nomination or the final look of her character in 2019’s Cats, she certainly hasn’t left any of her thoughts to the imagination. 

Daisy Ridley - Chaos Walking

One would probably think that Daisy Ridley would merely not want to remember Chaos Walking because of its unsuccessful bid for box office success. However, the protracted production and crazy amounts of reshoots and edits have probably ensured that the Star Wars vet has actually forgotten the ins and outs of this failed YA franchise.

Ben Kingsley - A Sound of Thunder

You don’t get to be an actor as legendary as Ben Kingsley without logging some seriously wild projects like A Sound of Thunder on your resume. This 2005 sci-fi disaster is so ill-regarded that its Game Boy video game adaptation is seen as a more favorable experience. That’s both terribly unique and just plain old terrible. 

Brendan Fraser - Monkeybone

Brendan Fraser is a lovable actor who knows how, and when, to get goofy. It’s just a shame that a project like Monkeybone never understood how to use those skills to its advantage, saddling The Mummy star with a movie that he more than likely hasn’t thought about for some time. 

Scarlett Johansson - Ghost In The Shell

There are some who might defend the live-action adaptation of Ghost in the Shell starring Scarlett Johansson. Considering how much the movie has been rejected by even the source anime’s fans, and the kerfluffle that came from her casting as Major Mira Killian being seen as a bit of whitewashing, this project is probably one that the Marvel veteran would reasonably remain silent on.

Keanu Reeves - 47 Ronin

It’s not Keanu Reeves’ fault that 47 Ronin was a stinker for the ages. Although if one were to mention the movie to him in passing, he’d probably just smile and laugh, charmingly admitting defeat in that particular case of cinematic disaster. 

Will Smith - Gemini Man

What’s worse than a movie failing with one Will Smith in the starring role? Apparently, a technologically advanced picture like Gemini Man, which saw Smith playing against a CGI de-aged younger version of himself. Finally, a movie that rivals Wild Wild West for infamy on Mr. Smith’s resume.

Jack Nicholson - How Do You Know?

Jack Nicholson has been comfortably retired ever since making 2010’s How Do You Know? One has to wonder if he’d be equally as comfortable if he were to be prompted to remember the experience and the fallout that came from its release into theaters. 

As you can see, even the most talented of actors have their potential sore spots in conversation. Maybe they're not as shy about discussing these films as we'd think, and you can get a good story out of the deal. In any case, if there was a class of losers that the best and brightest of Hollywood wished they could forget, this is more than a formidable crop of titles that would fit that bill for good reason.

The results are in! Everybody’s favorite version of the Joker is Heath Ledger. I mean, we said as such in our ranking of every major portrayal of the Joker. 

And, that makes perfect sense, because Ledger played the Clown Prince of Crime in pretty much everybody’s favorite Batman movie, The Dark Knight. 

But, what if I were to tell you that he was never my favorite Joker, nor was the animated version voiced by Mark Hamill in the greatest animated TV show of all time, Batman: The Animated Series? Nope, my favorite has always been (and likely always will be) Jack Nicholson from the 1989 Batman movie. Here’s why. 

I Have Deep, Childhood Trauma From Watching Jack Nicholson As The Joker  

Man, I saw Batman when I was way too young. I was born in 1983, so I was a very impressionable 6 year old when my mom took me to see Batman in theaters, and man. I will never forget it. 

There were many moments that truly traumatized me (just like Michael Jackson’s Moonwalker) such as the scene where Joker reveals his face after Vicki Vale threw water at him, leaving his skin streaked in white, or when he stabs a man in the throat with a quill pen. 

However, the scene that still haunts me, even today, is when the Joker requests to see his face after undergoing surgery. The scene itself is a masterclass in tension, because we don’t actually get to see what he looks like until later. All we get is his silhouette and his haunting laughter, which gave me goosebumps back then, and is still giving me goosebumps even while I write this today. 

I think a great deal of credit has to go to Tim Burton, as Batman is one of his best films, by far. Unbeknownst at the time, Burton was the perfect choice to direct it, because he could take the surreal and make it make sense in his own special way. 

Gotham City is a character in itself, and Nicholson’s Joker fits perfectly into this world. This Gotham is both dark and eerie, but also playful in a way that still hasn’t been matched (except for in Batman Returns) to this day. 

So, it wasn’t just Joker that scared me as a kid, but Gotham itself. Nicholson’s Joker was the city personified, which is why I think it was ultimately so effective in scaring the hell out of me as a kid. I’ll just never forget that fear. 

And Yet Today, I Find His Performance Hilarious  

Do you want to know my favorite movie as a kid (and it might just still be my favorite movie as an adult, as well)? Big Trouble in Little China. I’ve written about it a number of times on this website, and it just never gets old for me.

Well, the reason why I’m bringing that up is because that movie scared the ever-loving crap out of me when I was younger, and it’s only now as an adult that I realize that it was meant to be a comedy.

The same kind of goes for 1989’s Batman. I mean, the movie itself is not very funny, but Nicholson's Joker is hilarious. When I watched the film again as an adult and he proclaimed that Gotham City needs an enema, I legitimately shot soda out my nose, since I definitely didn’t understand that line when I was 6. 

Oh, and when he’s dancing through the Gotham City Museum to Prince, I have a goofy grin on my face just like the Joker. I also love when he reaches down into his pants and pulls out that gargantuan gun, only to fire one shot at the Batwing, and take it down with expert precision. 

What I love the most, though, is how certain scenes that really terrified me as a kid, like when he uses the joy buzzer and turns that guy to ash, actually get a laugh out of me today.

In every way, I love how his Joker is the perfect blend of sinister and silly, and I honestly don’t think we’ve gotten a Joker like that since. In fact…

He Set The Bar For The Character On The Big Screen 

Jack Nicholson wasn’t the first major Joker to grace the big screen. That would be Cesar Romero in 1966’s Batman: The Movie. And, look, I love Romero. No other actor has been as outright silly as his version, and it definitely fits the comedic tone of that film.

That said, Romero’s Joker wasn’t scary. Like, not even in the slightest. In fact, I don’t even think people with coulrophobia would be unnerved by Romero’s portrayal of the character. He’s just too silly to be taken as a threat. 

However, Nicholson’s portrayal is absolutely perfect. His Joker actually seems like he’s having a good time hurting people, whereas other versions of the character, like Ledger’s, and especially Phoenix’s, seem more like tortured souls, rather than whimsical sociopaths. 

In fact, I don’t even think Mark Hamill’s version in the animated series, which is my second favorite version of the Joker, matches that high bar set by Nicholson. 

No, his Joker truly set the standard for all future versions. I think the only reason why Ledger’s and Phoenix’s iterations really work is because you have  Nicholson’s performance to juxtapose them against. It’s little wonder that despite the actor's extensive career (both with his famous roles, and also for his more forgotten performances), the Joker is still one of his greatest characters.  

He Represents The Lighter Side Of Comic Book Villains, Which I Prefer 

Lastly, and this might be because I’m a ‘90s kid, but I really miss when comic book movies actually felt like they came from comic books. Sure, the MCU pulls a great deal from its source material, and it has definitely leaned a lot more into being comic-booky than movies like 2000’s X-Men, which almost seemed ashamed of being associated with comics. 

But, I also love how ‘90s comic book movies, like Judge Dredd (which I have a soft spot for), felt like they were trying to capture the actual mood set in the comics.

This Batman definitely feels like it comes from a comic book, most notably withthe Oscar winner's portrayal of the Joker, which truly is larger than life. I feel this way because his character is not too serious, but in this cartoony version of Gotham City, everybody takes him seriously.

Like, could you ever imagine Ledger’s Joker sending a package to a reporter, and telling her to put on a gas mask while he pours gas into the room? Or, could you imagine Jared Leto’s “damaged” Joker having a pistol the length of a rocket launcher stored away in his pants (never mind the phallic implications)? 

No, because those Jokers aren’t meant to have a lighter side. They’re meant to be terrifying. That’s fine (well, not Jared Leto’s Joker, because I hate that version); I like Ledger’s and Phoenix’s. They certainly fit the world that they’ve been placed in. 

That said, I much prefer Jack Nicholson’s much lighter, more comedic version. It takes me back to a time when I used to read comic books religiously, and I appreciate that. 

Are you like everybody else who thinks that Heath Ledger’s Joker is the best, or, are you on my side in believing that Nicholson is the greatest live-action version of the character? Either way, keep on smiling. 

Accents are incredibly difficult and to be clear, this isn't knocking any of the people on this list's acting talents. Some of the best actors in the world often struggle with accents. In fact, everyone on this list should be praised for taking the risk and even attempting one. That said, this is still a list of actors with bad accents in a role. 

Dick Van Dyke – Mary Poppins

Quite possibly the most notorious of an actor messing up an accent is Dick Van Dyke in Mary Poppins. The Midwest native's take on a London Cockney accent is... rough. The rest of his performance is legendary, of course, but boy, it's rough to hear him talk sometimes. 

Keanu Reeves – Bram Stoker's Dracula

Keanu Reeves is an icon, but let's be real, some of his acting performances in the past haven't been the best. The most glaring example is his performance in Bram Stoker's Dracula. It's a stilled example of an English accent that comes across as really unconfident. He's much better in the John Wick movies, to say the least. 

Don Cheadle – Ocean's Eleven

Don Cheadle is one of the best actors in Hollywood and is proof that even the best get it wrong sometimes. His cockney accent in Ocean's Eleven is brutal. In a way, it can be excused, as everyone in the movie is just chewing the scenery the whole time, but still, you expect more. Especially because we've all seen him do amazing accents like in Hotel Rwanda, a movie so good you never want to see it again. 

Daniel Craig - Knives Out

This one might get some pushback from fans – and I am a huge fan of Daniel Craig and Knives Out – but the accent is distracting. Cajun accents are tough, so for even attempting it, Craig gets credit, but he's been much better at other accents, like his straight southern accent in Lucky Logan. 

Kevin Costner – Thirteen Days

Thirteen Days is one of the best movies about the Cold War we've ever seen, but Kevin Costner's Boston accent isn't what makes it great. Costner's performance outshines the accent, but it's still pretty distracting, as it's way off. Boston accents are hard to do, so we'll forgive him. 

Tom Cruise – Far And Away

Another one of the most notorious accents in Hollywood history is Tom Cruise's attempt at an Irish accent in Far And Away. The movie itself is a lot better than its reputation would have you believe, but Cruise, one of the biggest movie stars of the last few decades, has a rough go of it. He's not alone in that, either. 

John Malkovich – Rounders

John Malkovich's career is filled with amazing, and often over-the-top performances. Maybe his most over-the-top is that of the Russian "KGB" in Rounders. His accent is presumably supposed to be Russian, but wow, who knows what it really is? It's wild, that's for sure. He even joked to co-star Matt Damon that he is a "terrible actor," which, of course, is false, even here. 

Brad Pitt – Meet Joe Black

This one is on the list because it's a popular choice as one of the worst ever, but I'm here to defend it...sort of. His Cajun patois is not great, that's true, but, for one, that's a really hard accent to nail, and some have defended it. It also could be argued that it fits his character to not quite understand how to speak normally, as he talks about in other parts of the film. Pitt gets a pass here. 

Mickey Rooney – Breakfast At Tiffany's

In one of the most indefensible roles in the history of Hollywood, Mickey Rooney's bad accent is actually the least offensive part. You can argue about 1961 being a different time, but it wasn't that different, and having Rooney play an offensive caricature of a Japanese man was called out even at the time for how offensive it was. 

Julia Roberts – Michael Collins

The beloved Julia Roberts has been in some of the best movies of the last 30 years. Michael Collins isn't a bad movie, but it's also not among Roberts' best films. While she can usually be counted on for great performances, her Irish accent here misses the mark. 

Anne Hathaway – One Day

Anne Hathaway is an Oscar winner for good reason. She's consistently great in her movies, and in roles that range from rom-coms to comic supervillains. In One Day, she adopts a British accent...sort of. It's not bad when she nails it, but it's wildly inconsistent. 

Brad Pitt - Seven Years in Tibet

Seven Years In Tibet is an underrated movie in my opinion. In all honesty, I don't know if Brad Pitt's accent is truly bad, or if it's just really annoying. I tend to think it's a combo of both. Her performance otherwise is great, and the movie's visuals are stunning, making it well worth suffering through the iffy accent. 

Jack Nicholson – The Departed

This is one that might get some pushback, but I think Jack Nicholson's Boston accent in The Departed is terrible. Given all the great accents in the movie, some by Boston natives, some not, this one really sticks out as not being all that great. Nicholson is awesome as the menacing Frank Costello, but he should have just played it straight. 

Angelina Jolie – Alexander

Okay, what in the ancient world is going on here? Angelina Jolie's accent in Alexander is just wild. It's sort of Greek, sure, but we're not even sure what the ancient Greeks sounded like, so why even go here with this acting choice? Jolie is a wonderful actor and director, but this is not her finest moment. 

Emma Watson – The Bling Ring

Emma Watson's biggest accent sin in The Bling Ring is how inconsistent it is. Maybe the hardest part for an actor is staying consistent, but this one still needs to be highlighted here. A Valley Girl, Watson is not. 

Ewan McGregor – Black Hawk Down

Black Hawk Down has an amazing cast, many of whom are not American, all playing American servicemen. To be honest, all the accents in the movie, from Orlando Bloom, Tom Hardy, and others are a little dicey. It probably isn't fair to only call out Ewan McGregor, but it's not his finest work, either. 

Kevin Costner – Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves

What can be said here? It's the bad accent that beats them all. Kevin Costner's accent (or sometimes lack of) in Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves has been knocked ad nauseam over the years and there isn't much more to say about it. It's not just poor, it's not even there sometimes. 

Cameron Diaz – Gangs Of New York

Let's be clear, Cameron Diaz is not alone with her poor accent in Gangs of New York. Leonardo DiCaprio isn't at his best, either. It's maybe a little more striking in Diaz's case though. It's hard though, when you are going up with Daniel Day-Lewis, who probably spent months and months perfecting his American accent for the role.  

Blake Lively – The Town

If you're not from Boston, it had be a deceptively difficult accent to master. It's not as simple as dropping the Rs, though that is hard to do consistently also. It's also the long vowels and other more nuanced parts of the accent that make it very tricky. Blake Lively is great in The Town, but her accent leaves a lot to be desired. 

Vanessa Hudgens – The Princess Switch

In one of the weirder choices on this list, Vanessa Hudgens decided to go with what is ostensively a British accent in The Princess Switch when she easily could have just gone with her regular accent. Sure, she needed to differentiate herself from...herself as she was also playing the other role in the movie in this Parent Trap-like movie, but still, she was a princess of a fictional country, the accent could have been anything 

Scarlett Johansson – Don Jon

Scarlett Johansson is from New York, and is an excellent actor. That's why it's such a surprise that she missed with a New Jersey accent in Don Jon. Once again, it's an example of a great performance losing a point or two because of the dodgy accent.

Jared Leto – House Of Gucci

Most of the actors in House Of Gucci struggle a little with the Italian accents. Jared Leto, however, sounds like a cartoon character. It's more like Mario than Paolo Gucci. I give him props for trying, heck I give them all props for trying, but it just doesn't work. 

Mel Gibson – Braveheart

I have a lot of problems with Braveheart. The history is notoriously poor, and the acting by Mel Gibson is so over the top, that it's comical, hence all the memes, right? Often lost in that is how sketchy Gibson's Scottish accent is in the movie. 

Quentin Tarantino – Django Unchained

Quentin Tarantino is arguably the best director of the last 30 years with nine (or ten, depending on how you count Kill Bill) great movies out of nine directed. Django Unchained is no exception, but you can't excuse the Australian accent Tarantino tries to pull off in his acting role in the movie. It's not good - and it's not like he's a bad actor, either. 

Harrison Ford - K-19: The Widowmaker

With all due respect to the Gods of the 1970s and '80s, I don't want to besmirch the great Harrison Ford. Sadly, I have to for his messy attempt at a Russian accent in K-19: The Widowmaker. We all love Ford's gruff voice, but it's better when he sticks with his natural accent. 

Nicole Kidman – Far And Away

Tom Cruise gets a lot of gruff for his Irish accent in Far and Away, but that shouldn't distract from Nicole Kidman's sketchy work. The Aussie struggles as much as the American in the film. 

Alan Rickman - The Butler

Alan Rickman, who is one of my favorite actors ever and responsible for some amazing performances, has one of his most uneven in The Butler as President Ronald Reagan. It's not just the accent, though that is part of it. He speaks weirdly softly and it feels like a shallow performance, which was unlike Rickman, most of the time.  

Michael Caine - On Deadly Ground

The great Michael Caine has but one accent – the Michael Caine Accent. It's so iconic, that it's as imitated as Christopher Walken's. When he gets away from it, it gets a little bizarre, as it does in On Deadly Ground. Now, the semi-retired Caine is co-starring in a Steven Seagal movie, so you can't blame him for really going over the top, even if he misses. 

Brad Pitt – The Devil's Own

In The Devil's Own, Brad Pitt makes a go at an Irish accent. I'll always applaud Pitt for going for tougher roles, but he really does struggle with accents, and here is no exception. It is distracting, but I appreciate that he goes for it. 

Jennifer Lawrence – Red Sparrow

As the winner of one Oscar and owner of three more nominations, Jennifer Lawrence is clearly one of the best actresses so far in the 21st Century. Red Sparrow is not her best work though. The movie is surprisingly boring, and her Russian accent, while far from the worst here, is in and out throughout the whole film. 

Ana De Armas – Blonde

Make no mistake, Ana De Armas made a bold decision to play not only an American actress but one whose voice is very familiar to movie fans everywhere, Marilyn Monroe. Blonde was a challenging choice for the Cuban actress and for that she should be celebrated, but when the brass tacks were down, her accent was not the best part of her performance. 

Charlie Hunnam – Green Street Hooligans

If you want to understand how hard accents can be, look no further than Englishman Charlie Hunnam's attempt at a cockney accent in Green Street Hooligans. While Hunnam is English, he's from Newcastle, not East London, and boy does it show. Hunnam was decent doing an American accent in Sons of Anarchy, but he doesn't kill the cockney accent here, in fact, he's so inconsistent it's distracting in an otherwise super fun cult classic. 

Although Michael Keaton wasn’t the first actor to play Batman in live-action, he certainly helped boost the character’s profile among the general public and helped kick off the run of theatrical Batman movies that continues to this day. Keaton first portrayed the DC Comics superhero in 1989’s Batman, with the Tim Burton-helmed flick seeing this version of Bruce Wayne’s going up against Jack Nicholson’s Joker. But while the Dark Knight and Clown Prince of Crime are arch-enemies, in real life, Nicholson helped Keaton realized be was making a big mistake while playing Batman.

Keaton stopped by GQ to break down his most iconic characters, with Batman being the first one. Given that Bruce Wayne has to be in peak physical condition to fight Gotham City’s criminals, the actor understandably wanted to get in shape for the role, but that changed after a strange encounter with Nicholson on set:

First off, I like how Jack Nicholson just walked off providing no context for his opinion. That sounds about right for this member of the Batman cast, and certainly there was no need for him to work out to be menacing as The Joker. But as far as Michael Keaton goes, his costar’s comment was enough to make him reevaluate how to tackle the role:

The funny thing is that nowadays with superhero movies, it’s practically mandatory for any actor playing a superhero or supervillain to go on a strict exercise and diet regimen to accompany the training they go through for doing action sequences. But following Michael Keaton’s encounter with Jack Nicholson, the former felt that was better for him to keep his normal physique so he’d feel more comfortable in the Batsuit. Of course, this particular costume was pretty stiff compared to the Batman movie costumes that would come later on, so had Keaton bulked up significantly, it surely would have been even awkward wearing that thing than it already was.

This was one of three times that Keaton would play Batman, the second being in 1992’s Batman Returns (which has some interesting behind-the-scenes facts), the third being decades later in 2023’s The Flash, and the fourth being in the unreleased Batgirl. Originally the plan was for Keaton to stick around as the DCEU’s Bruce Wayne, those plans were scrapped, and now the new DC Universe will introduce its own Batman in The Brave and the Bold. Still, Keaton sounds like he’s willing to entertain playing Batman again depending on the opportunity, and he recently went full Bruce Wayne at the Oscars.

Break out your Max subscription if you’d like to view any of Michael Keaton’s released Batman outings or any of the DC movies in order, and continue stopping by CinemaBlend for the biggest updates on the upcoming DC movies.

How many times have you watched an incredible acting performance and looked up to see how many awards it won only to find out that the Oscar went to someone else that year? It’s shocking how many times this has happened over the years for some of the greatest actors and actresses of all time. Here are 32 times an incredible performance didn’t win an Academy Award for one reason or another.

Samuel L. Jackson (Pulp Fiction)

Though he was nominated for Best Supporting Actor for his role as Jules Winnfield in Pulp Fiction, Samuel L. Jackson’s name wasn’t called at the 67th Academy Awards. This is nothing against Martin Landau’s performance from Ed Wood, but Jackson’s foul-mouthed and righteous hitman is an all-time great character that should have been recognized.

Robert De Niro (Taxi Driver)

Robert De Niro received an Oscar nomination for his career-defining portrayal of Travis Bickle in Martin Scorsese’s 1977 psychological thriller, Taxi Driver, but the unhinged and memorable performance wasn’t enough to win Best Actor. It’s hard to be mad, as Peter Finch’s Academy Award-winning turn in Network is the stuff of legend.

Harrison Ford (Witness)

One of the best actors without an Oscar, Harrison Ford has only one Academy Award nomination to his name, the 1985 crime thriller, Witness. Though not Ford’s most iconic character, his take on Philadelphia detective John Book as he goes to great lengths to protect a young boy is nothing short of amazing.

Morgan Freeman (The Shawshank Redemption)

Morgan Freeman gave the performance of a lifetime as Ellis Boyd “Red” Redding in The Shawshank Redemption. If the movie would have come out any other time besides 1994, a year dominated by Forrest Gump, there’s a good chance the aging prisoner and accomplished smuggler would have earned Freeman an Oscar.

Bill Murray (Lost In Translation)

Bill Murray’s portrayal of cynical, washed-up actor Bob Harris in Lost in Translation will forever be one of the comedian’s most beloved roles. While Sean Penn’s performance in Mystic River is more than deserving of an Oscar, it’s a shame the iconic comedian didn’t get properly recognized for a once-in-a-decade showing.

Whoopi Goldberg (The Color Purple)

Whoopi Goldberg showed off a more dramatic side with her lauded portrayal of Celie Harris-Johnson in Steven Spielberg’s 1985 adaptation of The Color Purple. It’s absurd that the emotional, dynamic, and powerful performance didn’t win Goldberg a much-deserved Oscar, which went to Geraldine Page in The Trip to Bountiful, instead.

Ralph Fiennes (Schindler's List)

Schindler’s List features one of the best Ralph Fiennes performances with his portrayal of Nazi work camp commandant Amon Goeth in Steven Spielberg’s 1993-defining film. And while the movie won seven Oscars, including Best Picture, Fiennes’ unforgettable turn was not among them. Instead, he lost out to Tommy Lee Jones from The Fugitive.

Dustin Hoffman (Tootsie)

If you’re looking for one of the best New York City movies, Tootsie has you covered. If you’re looking for a movie featuring an acting performance that should have won an Oscar but didn’t, Sydney Pollack’s 1982 comedy has you covered there as well. Seriously, how Dustin Hoffman’s portrayal of Michael Dorsey wasn't awarded is something we just don’t get.

Denzel Washington (Malcolm X)

Denzel Washington eventually won a Best Actor Oscar for his unforgettable turn in Training Day, but the actor was robbed nearly a decade earlier after not winning the big prize for his take on the titular Civil Rights leader in Spike Lee’s Malcolm X.

Florence Pugh (Little Women)

Florence Pugh was already a rising star at the time of Little Women’s release, but her portrayal of Amy March in Greta Gerwig’s coming-of-age drama took her to new heights. Though she was nominated for Best Supporting Actress at the Oscars, Pugh lost out to Laura Dern from Marriage Story.

Jamie Foxx (Django Unchained)

Here’s something wild to think about – Jamie Foxx not only didn’t win an Oscar for his performance in Django Unchained, he wasn’t even nominated for Best Actor. Admittedly, it was a stacked list of actors – Daniel Day-Lewis, Bradley Cooper, Hugh Jackman, Joaquin Phoenix, and Denzel Washington – but not even being named is just something.

Mickey Rourke (The Wrestler)

The Wrestler felt like Mickey Rourke’s big redemption arc, more so than the character he portrayed in Darren Aronofsky’s great wrestling movie. Despite pushing himself to the breaking point from both a physical and emotional standpoint, Rourke lost out to Sean Penn’s take on Harvey Milk in Milk.

Michael Keaton (Birdman)

Michael Keaton gave the performance of a lifetime in the 2014 mind-bending drama film, Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance), one that seemed to channel the actor’s past in such a way it felt like an autobiography. However, stealing the show as Riggan Thomson, a.k.a., Birdman, wasn’t enough, as the prize went to The Theory of Everything’s Eddie Redmayne instead.

Saoirse Ronan (Lady Bird)

Saoirse Ronan has been nominated for an Oscar on four separate occasions, but not a single win, which is something. One of the performances that deserved an Academy Award the most was that of Christine "Lady Bird" McPherson in Greta Gerwig’s Lady Bird. The portrayal of a confused high school senior on the verge of entering the next stage in her life lost out to Frances McDormand in Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri.

Tim Curry (Clue)

Tim Curry’s portrayal of Wadsworth in Clue, a butler or undercover FBI agent depending on which ending you watch, is a role that is beloved by fans of the classic murder mystery comedy. However, it wasn’t recognized at the Academy Awards or other ceremonies, which is the real crime.

Rosamund Pike (Gone Girl)

Rosamund Pike’s take on Amy Elliott-Dunne earned the sole Academy Award nomination for David Fincher’s Gone Girl, a nod that was more than deserved. However, the incredibly nuanced and dynamic performance failed to win the Best Actress Oscar, which went to Still Alice’s Julianne Moore instead.

Jimmy Stewart (Rear Window)

Jimmy Stewart is one of Hollywood’s most iconic actors of all time and his portrayal of L. B. "Jeff" Jefferies in Alfred Hitchcock’s Rear Window is one of the his top-tier performances. However, his take on an injured photographer who uncovers a murder mystery didn’t even get a nod at the Academy Awards.

Kate Winslet (Eternal Sunshine Of The Spotless Mind)

Kate Winslet gave one of her most powerful and unique performances in the 2004 sci-fi dramedy, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind. Her take on Clementine Kruczynski, a woman who had all memories of her ex-boyfriend wiped from her brain, was rich, beautiful, and iconic, but just wasn’t enough to win Best Actress.

Al Pacino (The Godfather)

Al Pacino put himself on the map with his portrayal of reluctant crime boss Michael Corleone in The Godfather. The gradual evolution of the character over the course of the film’s three-hour runtime should have been enough for an Oscar, but like co-stars James Caan and Robert Duvall, who were also nominated for Best Supporting Actor, he didn’t get the win.

Gloria Swanson (Sunset Boulevard)

Gloria Swanson’s "All right, Mr. DeMille, I'm ready for my close-up." line from Sunset Boulevard is one of the most iconic quotes in all of Hollywood and part of an Oscar-worthy performance. While Swanson was nominated for her take on aging film star Norma Desmond, she didn’t take home the top prize.

Jack Nicholson (The Shining)

Though considered one of Jack Nicholson’s best roles, his portrayal of Jack Torrance in The Shining didn’t result in an Oscar win. In fact, Nicholson wasn’t even nominated for the unforgettable performance. 

John Cazale (The Godfather Part II)

John Cazale’s Fredo Corleone in The Godfather Part II is one of cinema’s great tragic figures as well as one of the late actor’s best characters. What’s even more of a travesty is the fact that the late actor didn’t even receive an Oscar nomination for his efforts. Tragically, Cazale would never receive an Academy Award nomination prior to his shocking death in 1978.

Angela Bassett (What's Love Got To Do With It?)

Angela Bassett received her first Oscar nomination for her portrayal of Tina Turner in What’s Love Go to Do with It?, but the miraculous turn as one of American music’s most famous and influential figures didn’t earn her a Best Actress win. 

Edward Norton (American History X)

Reformed neo-Nazi Derek Vinyard is one of Edward Norton’s most controversial and complex characters of his career, and the American History X performance earned him a Best Actor nod at the 71st Academy Awards. However, Roberto Benigni from Life Is Beautiful ran away with the top acting prize.

Ingrid Bergman (Casablanca)

Somehow, Ingrid Bergman, who was astonishing as Ilsa Lund in Casablanca, not only didn’t win Best Actress at the 16th Academy Awards, she wasn’t even nominated for her iconic portrayal of a woman caught between two men and two different lives in the 1943 black-and-white classic.

Paul Giamatti (Sideways)

In a perfect world, Paul Giamatti would have won the Oscar for Best Actor in Alexander Payne’s Sideways, but alas, that is not the reality in which we live. Miles Raymond is one of Giamiatti’s best characters and carried the movie about two friends on a wine trip they’ll never forget.

Henry Fonda (12 Angry Men)

An amazing courtroom drama, 12 Angry Men is still arguably one of the best movies of all time. While its star, Henry Fonda, received a Best Picture nomination as a producer, his dynamic and rich portrayal of a juror who insisted on getting things right didn’t earn him an acting nod, which is a real miscarriage of justice.

John Goodman (The Big Lebowski)

You can add John Goodman to the list of great actors who have never received an Oscar nomination, which just doesn’t make sense. It’s especially maddening when you consider his legendary portrayal of Walter Sobchak in The Big Lebowski, a character loosely based on John Milius, per Far Out Magazine.

Joaquin Phoenix (Walk The Line)

Joaquin Phoenix has since won an Oscar, but his portrayal of Johnny Cash in James Mangold’s 2005 biographical drama, Walk the Line, was more than deserving of the top acting prize at the Academy Awards. What’s interesting is the fact that Phoenix was beat by his future The Master co-star, the late Philip Seymour Hoffman, who won for his take on Truman Capote in Bennett Miller’s Capote.

Ellen Burstyn (Requiem For A Dream)

A little more 25 years after winning an Academy Award for Best Actress thanks to her outstanding performance in Martin Scorsese’s Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore, Ellen Burstyn had another shot at capturing an Oscar with her turn as Sara Goldfarb in Requiem for a Dream. Her take on a woman battling unchecked depression, anxiety, and a diet of weight loss pills gave audiences one of the most incredible and sympathetic characters of the early 21st century. Unfortunately, this also happened to be the same year Erin Brockovich was released. 

Paul Dano (There Will Be Blood)

There Will Be Blood is remembered more than a half-decade after its release because of the Academy Award-winning performance by Daniel Day-Lewis, but one of the three-time Oscar winner’s castmates was also deserving of recognition. Paul Dano’s Eli Sunday (he also played the smaller part of Eli’s twin brother, Paul) is one of the more fascinating characters of modern cinema, and he should have received an Oscar for his troubles. Dynamic is an understatement for this overzealous, petty, and temperamental preacher.

Robert Shaw (Jaws)

Steven Spielberg’s 1975 summer blockbuster, Jaws, won three Academy Awards – Best Filming Editing, Best Original Dramatic Score, and Best Sound – but Robert Shaw, who acted his tail off as the boat captain, Quint, wasn’t recognized. This shameful act by the Academy, especially after watching the USS Indianapolis monologue, still stings nearly 50 years after the fact. That scene alone deserved a Best Supporting Actor nomination and win.

Many of these actors won an Academy Award either before or after these movies and performances we just covered, but it’s just wild to think about how some of these roles didn’t take home the big prize at the Oscars.

In 1940, one year after Batman debuted in the pages of Detective Comics #27, a clownish-looking villain named The Joker came to Gotham City to wreak havoc in Batman #1. It didn’t take long for him to become the Dark Knight’s arch-nemesis in the comic book pages, to the point that all these decades later, Joker is arguably just as well known as Batman himself. With that fame, of course, has come numerous adaptations of the Clown Prince of Crime, most prominently on the big screen.

To that point, we’re here to rank all the major movie portrayals of The Joker. And to be clear, this list will only be discussing live-action and animated versions of the character who’ve appeared in DC movies that had theatrical runs. There’s a lot more to keep track of if we count the numerous direct-to-video DC movies that have been released, but keeping our scope narrowed to big screen offerings keeps things at a more manageable level.

8. Barry Keoghan

The only reason Barry Keoghan’s Joker ranks in last place on this list is because we’ve barely seen him. He’s only heard and indirectly shown for roughly a minute within the finalized cut of The Batman, and then there was the deleted scene between the villain and Robert Pattinson’s Caped Crusader released shortly after the movie. 

Still, all we know so far about this version of the Clown Prince of Crime is that he’s heavily disfigured, and that he and Batman tangled sometime prior to The Riddler’s reign of terror. No doubt Keoghan’s ranking on this list will be higher if he plays a prominent role in The Batman: Part II, but for now, there just isn’t material to work with and make a proper judgement.

7. Jared Leto

Suicide Squad marked the first time Joker appeared in a movie that didn’t revolve around him fighting Batman, and that was for the best. The execution for the Clown Prince of Crime didn’t work, from the strange choices with his physical appearance (especially that “Damaged” forehead tattoo), to him barely contributing to the story in any notable way, to Jared Leto’s performance not feeling intimidating in the slightest. 

It’s almost as if the actor was trying too hard to play the character weirdly, which he continued to do during his few minutes of screen time in Zack Snyder’s Justice League. Let’s breathe a sigh of relief that the Leto-led Joker movie never happened, and that with the DCEU now over, we’ll almost certainly never see him again.

6. Zach Galifianakis

There’s nothing particularly wrong with Zach Galifianakis’ Joker, it’s just that he feels more like a standard baddie in The LEGO Batman Movie rather than one giving off the vibes of Batman’s arch-nemesis. For one thing, this spinoff to The LEGO Movie was, like its predecessor, comedic and chiefly geared towards children, so this Joker was presented as more clownish and goofy rather than sinister and terrifying. 

There’s nothing wrong with that, as it clearly worked for the story being told about Joker enacting his biggest plan yet after learning that Batman didn’t see him as an important villain in his life. But when held up against the other portrayals on this list, Galifianakis’ Joker comes across as generic.

5. Cesar Romero

Like another version of The Joker on this list, Cesar Romero primarily portrayed the character on television, namely the live-action Batman TV series that ran from 1966 to 1968. But shortly after Season 1 aired, Batman: The Movie hit theaters, and as such Romero qualifies for the rankings. 

This movie saw Joker teaming up with Penguin, Riddler and Catwoman, and just like the TV show, it leaned heavily into the campy tone. So, while this Joker will appeal more towards people who like the Silver Age of Comics and don’t mind him being more playful rather than a frightening threat, as far as performing this version of the character went, Romero continued to knock it out of the park.

4. Joaquin Phoenix

In 2019, Joker showed audiences how the Clown Prince of Crime’s origin story would unfold if Batman wasn’t around. Joaquin Phoenix’s Arthur Fleck was depicted as a party clown and failed stand-up comic suffering from mental illness, and a few too many traumatizing events led to his descent into madness and adopting his clown-like criminal persona. 

There’s no question that Phoenix gave a stellar performance, as evidenced by him winning the Academy Award for Best Actor. However, since this is a Joker who’s about as far from his comic book roots as possible, it’s hard to put him above the final three men on this list. Still, there are plenty of people looking forward to seeing more from him in the 2024 movie release, Joker: Folie à Deux.

3. Jack Nicholson

More than 20 years after Caesar Romero hammed it up as Joker on the Batman TV series, Jack Nicholson put a more unsettling twist on the character in Tim Burton’s Batman. Although this version of Joker’s original identity was known from the start rather than kept shrouded in secrecy as is usually the case, knowing that he started out as gangster Jack Napier, who murdered Bruce Wayne’s parents, didn’t detract from watching him become a theatrical lunatic after falling into that vat of chemicals during his first encounter with Batman. 

Granted, there are times where it feels like Nicholson is just playing a more unhinged version of himself, but overall, his performance still holds up quite nicely after all this time.

2. Mark Hamill

As with Caesar Romero, Mark Hamill’s exploits as The Joker are chiefly known from TV, specifically the DC Animated Universe incarnation of the character he voiced in Batman: The Animated Series, The New Batman Adventures and other projects. But because Batman: Mask of the Phantasm shifted from a direct-to-video release to a theatrical one, we can thankfully mention him on this list. 

Not only did Hamill bring the same delightful blend of comedy and terror that he did on the small screen, but because this movie didn’t have to deal with the same broadcast TV restrictions, his Joker was finally able to kill and drop some more suggestive lines. Even just judging Hamill’s Joker within the lens of only this movie, he’s more than earned ranking in second place. It’s also a reminder about what a shame it is he’ll never voice Joker again.

1. Heath Ledger

Anyone who followed along with the news cycle surrounding The Dark Knight’s production will remember that many were skeptical Heath Ledger would deliver a compelling Joker performance, especially once it was revealed this version of the character would look much different than how he’s usually depicted. Well, not only did Ledger prove the doubters wrong, he’s still considered by many to be the definitive cinematic Joker, and he went on to posthumously win the Best Supporting Actor Oscar. 

Granted, this version of the villain didn’t drop a ton of actual jokes, but watching him envelop Gotham City in chaos and try to prove that no one is incorruptible not only earns him the #1 spot on this list, but makes him one of cinema’s most iconic villains across all genres.

There will be more actors who play Joker on the big screen in the years to come, and once we see their performances, come back here to see where they rank amongst their cohorts. Until then, use your Max subscription to stream many of Joker’s film and TV appearances, both live-action and animated, to your heart’s content.

Earvin “Magic” Johnson knows better than most just how much pressure comes with playing sports professionally. An athlete not only has to help their team reach certain goals but, as individuals, they also have to continue to hone their own skills. Of course, there’s also the potential anxiety that can come with playing in front of a crowd. In Johnson’s case, he had to play in front of a bevy of celebrities, like Jack Nicholson and Sally Field. The hall of famer, of course, rose to the occasion, but it was never lost on him that he was playing in front of such major stars. He recently reflected on what that was like and recalled partying with Nicholson. 

The “Showtime” Lakers of the 1980s were amongst the most glamorous teams in the NBA. They had great players, an exciting owner in Dr. Jerry Buss and plenty of style. Thanks to Buss and his colleagues’ efforts, The Forum was the place to be, which is why so many A-listers frequented it so often. Some may think that the vivacious Magic Johnson was able to shrug off any jitters he had due to their being so many stars in attendance. However, when he spoke with Jake Hamilton of our own ReelBlend podcast, the revered former point guard revealed that even he was in awe of the situation he’d been thrust into: 

It’s hard to imagine being in Magic Johnson’s shoes. Being a professional athlete and being expected to perform at a high level every night is challenging enough. However, the thought of having to do that in front of a cavalcade of famous faces is just downright daunting. However, he managed to play through the pressure – and win five NBA championships and other various accolades in the process. Johnson also became good friends with some of the stars that showed up to the game, including Jack Nicholson (who’s given amazing performances). The basketball great further explained to Jake’s Takes just how tight the three-time Oscar winner became with the team: 

Much of the glamor and excitement of this time period was depicted in HBO’s Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty (which is streamable with a Max subscription). On the show, an actor even briefly portrayed the Chinatown legend, who appeared during a game day sequence. Critics and viewers praised the series for staying true to such elements (though Magic Johnson didn’t check it out). 

While I was one of the people who found the dramedy compelling, I’d imagine that the experience of watching it can’t compare to actually having lived it. Oh, to have been at one of the games and to have been a fly on the wall during those parties. I suppose I’ll just have to live vicariously through the memories that the Lakers icon shares. 

You can learn more about Magic Johnson by grabbing a Hulu subscription and streaming the docuseries Legacy: The True Story of the LA Lakers. Apple TV+ subscribers can also check out Johnson’s biographic docuseries They Call Me Magic.

Sometimes, if you love a movie enough, you might want to try and own a piece of it. However, the buying movie props business can get to be an expensive one. Here are some of the most expensive pieces of memorabilia ever sold.

 The Spy Who Loved Me's Submarine Car 

Sold For:  $864,600 

James Bond has had some of the coolest cars in all of movie history, but none are quite as wild as the car that transformed into a submarine in The Spy Who Loved Me. The vehicle driven by Roger Moore was a white Lotus Esprit and while multiple cars were used in the film, only one was given the submarine transformation. The vehicle sold for 550,000 pounds at auction in 2013.

Steve McQueen's Le Mans Suit 

Sold For: $336,000

Most of the most expensive movie props ever sold are from major blockbuster movie franchises, but sometimes they're just worn by the coolest people to walk the earth. In 2017 the racing suit worn by Steve McQueen for the racing movie Le Mans sold for $300,000.

Audrey Hepburn's Breakfast at Tiffany's Dress 

Sold For: $800,000

Somebody was a big Breakfast at Tiffany's fan in 2007, because they paid $800,000 for the dress worn by Audrey Hepburn in the classic film. The price blew away the early estimates of what the dress would sell for. It was good news for a lot impoverished children, as the dress was sold for charity. 

Darth Vader's Empire Strikes Back Helmet 

Sold For: $898,420

Darth Vader is one of the most iconic villains in film history, so it's no surprise that his equally iconic helmet would be a prized possession. Specifically, the helmet from The Empire Strikes Back sold in 2017 for 1 million British pounds, or just short of $900,000 dollars.

 Saturday Night Fever's Dance Floor  

Sold For: $1,200,000

Most movie props are something you can put on a shelf and display. It's unclear how the person who spent over $1 million on the Saturday Night Fever dance floor planned to show it off. You don't let people walk on something that costs that much, do you?

Judy Garland's Wizard of Oz Dress 

Sold For: $1,560,000

The Wizard of Oz is one of the most popular films ever made, and Judy Garland one of the most beloved movie stars ever. There are probably a lot of people who would spend more than $1.5 million on Garland's Dorothy dress, assuming of course they had the cash.

Chitty Chitty Bang Bang

Sold For: $805,000

Chitty Chitty Bang Bang wasn't exactly a high-performance automobile in the Dick Van Dyke musical, but it certainly sold like one, as the car sold for over $800,000 back in 2011. While it's one of the most expensive movie props ever purchased at auction, it was actually expected to go for a lot more.

R2-D2 From Star Wars

Sold For: $2,760,000

These days looking at R2-D2 on screen is as likely to be a CGI creation as it is a physical prop. Perhaps that's why one of the original R2-D2 creations for Star Wars: A New Hope sold for well over $2 million in 2017. There simply may not be as many of them in the future.

Casablanca's Piano 

Sold For: $3,400,000

"Play it, Sam." One of the most famous lines in movie history is often misquoted, but however you say it, you can play "As Time Goes By" on the actual piano used in Casablanca, or at least one person who had $3.4 million to purchase the piano can. Assuming they can play the piano at all.

The Wizard of Oz Ruby Slippers

Sold For: $2,000,000

There are multiple pairs of Dorothy's ruby slippers from The Wizard of Oz in the world that have all gone for significant sums. The most expensive was sold for $2 million in 2012 by a group that was buying them to add to the collection of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences museum.

The Maltese Falcon

Sold For:  $4,085,000

The Maltese Falcon is a movie about a lot of people who are willing to do, or pay, anything, to get their hands on a small statue of a falcon. It's fitting then that when the actual statue from the film was put up for sale, it sold for over $4 million, a record sum for a movie prop at the time.

Audrey Hepburn's My Fair Lady Dress 

Sold For:  $4,551,000

My Fair Lady won eight Oscars in 1965 and one of them was for the film's costume design. Audrey Hepburn's "Ascot" dress is probably the most well-remembered outfit in the film. The incredible dress that Eliza Doolittle wore for her coming out would sell for over $4.5 million in 2011. 

The Wizard of Oz's Cowardly Lion Costume

Sold For:  $3,077,000

Sometimes you don't know what you have. The Cowardly Lion costume was reportedly going to be thrown away by MGM before somebody saved it. Many years later the costume, which is made of real lion fur, sold for over $3 million. It makes one wonder what other valuable props may be lost forever.

Marilyn Monroe's The Seven Year Itch Dress 

Sold For:  $4.6 million 

Few pieces of clothing in the world are as famous as the white dress worn by Marilyn Monroe in The Seven Year Itch. The dress was previously owned by actress Debbie Reynolds, for a museum project that never happened. The dress sold for $4.6 million, before the $1 million fee the auction house took home.

Robby the Robot From Forbidden Planet

Sold For:  $5.375 million 

Forbidden Planet was a groundbreaking science fiction film that influenced nearly every movie in the genre that came after it. Today the film is likely best known for Robby the Robot, a completely unique design for a robot character at the time. When Robbie sold for over $5 million in 2017 he became the most valuable movie prop ever sold.

 James Bond's Aston Martin DB5 From No Time To Die

Sold: For:  $3.5 million 

Few movie cars are as iconic as James Bond's Aston Martin. Actors from Sean Connery to Daniel Craig have driven different versions of the classic vehicle. Many replicas have been built and sold over the years but one vehicle that was actually used for stunts in Craig's final outing No Time to Die, sold in 2022 for £2,922,000, or about $3.5 million.

The Ax From The Shining

Sold For: $175,000

Stephen King famously didn't love The Shining from Stanley Kubrick, but millions of movie fans certainly feel otherwise. One apparently loved the movie so much, they dropped six figures on the ax Jack Nicholson swung into doors in the film, spending more than double what the weapon had gone for at a previous auction.

Marty McFly’s Hoverboard From Back To The Future Part II

Sold For:  $501,200

Ever since Back to the Future Part II came out, we've been waiting for hoverboards to become real. We're still waiting for that, so we'll have to make do with the props from the film. One of which, sold in 2021 for over a half million dollars. There were two added features that helped boost the sale, it was autographed by stars Michael J. Fox and Tom Wilson.

 Han Solo’s Blaster From Star Wars

Sold For: $1,057,500

Hokey religions and ancient weapons are no match for a good blaster at your side. That blaster, however, can get expensive. The last remaining Han Solo DL-44 blaster -- three were originally designed -- from the original Star Wars sold for just over $1 million in the summer of 2022. 

Indy's Hat From Raiders Of The Lost Ark And Indiana Jones And The Temple Of Doom

Sold For: $500,000 (and $300,000)

Harrison Ford has created more than one iconic character in film history, but none look as good in a hat as Indiana Jones. Different hats worn by Ford for different movies have all been sold for high prices. A Raiders of the Lost Ark hat has the record at $500,000, but one from Temple of Doom did almost as well selling for $300,000

 Charlie Chaplin's Cane And Hat  

Sold For:  $139,250

Charlie Chaplin was one of the first true movie stars, and his Tramp was one of the first movie franchise characters. Recognizable by his bowler hat and twirling cane, several sets have been auctioned off in the past, with a set in 2006 selling for almost $140,000.

 Superman Costume From Superman: The Movie

Sold For: $350,112

Before the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and before the endless iterations of Batman, there was Superman. Christopher Reeve made us believe a man could fly in 1978's Superman, a full set of Reeve's hero costume from the movie sold at auction for $350,000

 The Sound of Music Costumes 

Sold For:  $1.3 million

In The Sound of Music, Julie Andrews' Maria Von Trapp makes the children some play clothes out of curtains. If only she knew they would become so valuable. A collection of the costumes including the childrens' costumes and one of Andrews' dresses, sold for $1.3 million in 2013.

 2001: A Space Odyssey Space Suit 

Sold For: $370,000

2001: A Space Odyssey is considered one of the best sci-fi movies ever made, so its little shock props from the movie would be in demand. One of the movie's spacesuits sold for $370,000 in 2020.

 Gandalf's Staff From The Lord Of The Rings

Sold For: $390,000

When Gandalf's white staff from The Lord of the Rings went up for auction in 2017, it was expected to sell for around $25,000. Instead, the piece sold for over 10 times that amount. 

The Seventh Seal Chess Set 

Sold For:  $143,300 

Even if you've never seen Ingmar Bergman's The Seventh Seal you likely know of the game of chess against death that has been referenced and parodied countless times. Bergman held on to the actual chess set used in the film, and it was sold after his death for 1 million Swedish crowns or a little under $150,000.

Chris Pratt's Guardians Of The Galaxy Helmet 

Sold For: $160,000

With so much of the Marvel Cinematic Universe being created by digital effects, there may be a minimum, of physical props to actually own. However, Star-Lord's helmet from Guardians of the Galaxy is very real, and it sold for six figures in 2017. 

 Prince's Purple Rain Costume 

Sold For:  $192,000

The death of Prince in 2016 was a shock to fans around the world, but it may be the reason that an auction of two items from his Purple Rain wardrobe a few months later ended up selling for $96,000 each, much more than had been expected. 

Back To The Future's DeLorean   

Sold For:   $541,200

There were seven DeLorean cars used in the original Back to the Future, but today only three are believed to exist, so of course they are quite valuable. One of the remaining models sold for over a half million dollars in 2011, with a portion of the funds going to the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research

Luke Skywalker's Lightsaber From Star Wars

Sold For:  $240,000

There may be no more iconic weapon in movie history than the lightsaber, and while the "real" one has no blade, one of the models Mark Hamill used in the first two Star Wars movies sold for nearly a quarter million dollars in 2008. Another item was listed for sale in 2018, but it was pulled after Hamill himself questioned its authenticity. 

Aragorn's Sword From The Lord Of The Rings: The Return Of The King

Sold For:  $437,000

Andúril was reforged from the shards of Narsil in the Elvish enclave at Rivendell. With a lineage like that, it's no shock that the blade of Aragorn from The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King sold for over $400,000. 

 Poltergeist Clown Doll 

Sold For:  $656,250

Why somebody would spend $650,000 on a scary clown doll is a real question. Yes, it's from Poltergeist, an iconic horror movie, but now you have a scary clown doll in your house. Why would you do that? 

Harrison Ford's Blade Runner Costume

Sold For:  $287,500 

Blade Runner wasn't a box office hit in its day, but the film has become a cult classic and a defining part of Harrison Ford's career. His Deckard costume from the original film sold in 2023 for almost $300,000.

And those are just some of the many iconic movie props that sold for a huge sum of money.

Few films have left as indelible a mark on horror movies as Stanley Kubrick's iconic masterpiece, The Shining. Despite Stephen King and Kubrick not agreeing creatively on the 1980 adaptation, the film continues to haunt audiences with its eerie atmosphere, unforgettable performances, and chilling storyline. One of the standout performances that made the haunted hotel flick the classic it is today came from actress Shelley Duvall, who portrayed Wendy Torrance.

Duvall sadly passed away at the age of 75 in July 2024, but spoke out about her harrowing experiences behind the scene while making of this cinematic gem. Let's dive into the story behind the beloved actress' intense experience filming The Shining, as well as the unfortunate toll it took on her.

A Push Into Madness

Known for his meticulous and often obsessive filmmaking style, the Lolita director was known for pushing his actors to their limits. Shelley Duvall's experience would prove this reputation to be more than accurate. In her portrayal of Wendy Torrance, she had to tap into a profound reservoir of fear and anxiety—a challenge Stanley Kubrick approached with utmost seriousness.

In 2022, The Mirror reported that the Roxanne star openly discussed her ordeal in David Hughes' book, The Complete Kubrick, revealing the emotional toll of sustaining such a high level of distress. She candidly shared at the time:

Duvall's portrayal of a terrified mother fighting to shield her son from her husband's descent into madness remains one of the film's most haunting and unforgettable elements. Sadly, the actress herself remained haunted by the experience, but in a mental and emotional sense, as opposed to anything supernatural.

All Work And No Play: The Baseball Bat Scene

One of the most unforgettable moments in the iconic horror flick is the baseball bat/stairs scene. Here, the Popeye alum’s character finds herself in a harrowing standoff with her crazed husband,o ne of the best '80s horror villains, Jack Torrance, portrayed brilliantly by Jack Nicholson. As Nicholson's character approaches her with fury in his eyes, he delivers the haunting lines: "Wendy, darling, light of my life! I'm not gonna hurt you. You didn't let me finish my sentence. I said I'm not gonna hurt ya. I'm just gonna bash your brains in. I'm gonna bash 'em right the fucking in! [laughs]."

In a 2021 career retrospective by THR, the now-reclusive actress requested that the interviewer revisit this scene. Watching her 30-year-old self opposite Nicholson for the first time in decades, Duvall became visibly upset. As tears welled up in her eyes, the interviewer asked her why she was crying, to which she later responded:

Her performance is no doubt one that some female viewers could find comfort in watching, knowing that she inevitably outlasts the Outlook's horrors, both ghostly and only too human.

The Intensity On Set

The “Here’s Jack/Axe scene,” one of horror’s scariest moments, was particularly brutal to film. It involved Jack violently breaking through a bathroom door as Wendy tried to escape through a tiny window. Shooting this scene took three full days, with Shelley repeatedly delivering intense hysteria to meet Stanley’s standards.

Astoundingly, critics panned the 3 Women alum’s emotionally charged performance upon the film’s release, calling it “comically exaggerated," erroneously winning her a Golden Razzie award, which the organization has since rescinded.

In an interview with Roger Ebert, the actress discussed this criticism:

Almost 60 wooden doors were used. Nicholson noted how Duvall had an exceptionally challenging role, even showing him clumps of hair that fell out due to stress, often feeling physically unwell.

When Does a Director’s Vision Go Too Far?

Stanley Kubrick is often hailed as one of cinema's greatest directors due to his unwavering commitment to a distinct artistic vision, resulting in a string of timeless classics. However, when does a director's relentless pursuit of their vision cross a line? A revealing behind-the-scenes glimpse into the making of a horror film, available on YouTube, offers insight into this question. Interestingly, the documentary was shot by the Paths of Glory filmmaker's daughter, Vivian, who was on set during the Stephen King adaptation’s production. 

This documentary provides viewers with an up-close view of how Kubrick treated Shelley Duvall differently from the other actors, even berating her at one moment. While the reasons for this differential treatment may remain unclear, it's hard not to empathize with Duvall as the director instructs crew members with statements like:

While the making of The Shining was undoubtedly grueling for Shelley Duvall, there's no denying that her performance is one of the film's standout features. Her ability to convey raw, unfiltered fear added a layer of authenticity to the film that continues to terrify audiences today.

If you want to revisit the actress’s supreme work to honor her in light of her passing, The Shining can be streamed with a Paramount+ subscription. And don't forget to check out our list of upcoming horror films.

A list of the most memorable performances of all time is incomplete without mention of Jack Nicholson's turn as Jack Torrance in Stanley Kubrick's The Shining. There is no more iconic cinematic descent into madness than what he delivers in one of the best horror movies of all time, and it's hard to imagine what the movie would be without his particular magic as an actor. Unsurprisingly, this was an outlook that Kubrick shared in the development of the film (hence the casting), but the legendary filmmaker did have one other name that he considered as a backup choice: Kris Kristofferson.

This interesting bit of trivia about The Shining comes from some recent myth debunking performed by Snopes. The website analyzed a well-spread story that Robin Williams was among the actors who were considered by Stanley Kubrick as alternates to play Jack Torrance, and filmmaker Lee Unkrich provided the truth for them.

Unkrich, a Shining superfan who has co-written an upcoming book about the film for TASCHEN, explained in an email to Snopes that Robin Williams was not on a short list to play Jack Torrance because A) he wasn't a big enough star, and B) he was too young for the part. When Kubrick was first developing the film in 1977 (the same year that a 40-year-old Jack Nicholson was cast), the debut of Mork & Mindy was still about a year away, and a 27-year-old Williams was far from the household name he eventually became.

Getting a star to play Jack Torrance was essential for Stanley Kubrick, as one of the key reasons why he took The Shining on as a project was because he needed to make a film that would be a commercial hit. Lee Unkrich explains,

In the research for his aforementioned book, Lee Unkrich learned from information at Warner Bros. that Kris Kristofferson was Stanley Kubrick's only backup choice, and it was his name alone. 

Today, Kris Kristofferson isn't considered a movie star on the level of Jack Nicholson, but in the 1970s he had put together quite an impressive acting resume, including three Sam Peckinpah films, Martin Scorsese's Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore, and 1976's A Star Is Born with Barbra Streisand. And, of course, that was about a decade after establishing himself as a beloved singer/songwriter.

It's an interesting bit of trivia in part because it provides insight into the mind of Stanley Kubrick, but it also makes one think about how the casting choice could have impacted Stephen King's relationship with the film. The author has criticized the movie in many ways over the years, but one standout has been his judgement about Jack Nicholson's performance. He's described Nicholson's Jack Torrance as not having an arc, but instead a "flat line." 

While it's possible that Stanley Kubrick would have directed Kris Kristofferson to put on a similar performance to what we see from Nicholson in The Shining, it's also possible that Kristofferson could have played with the softer side of the character differently – perhaps as a better representation of who Jack Torrance is on the page. Unfortunately, we won't know the answer until multiverse travel is invented and we can peek into another reality where that casting came to pass.

For more about Stanley Kubrick's The Shining, you can read my Adapting Stephen King column about the film, and head over to our ranking of the best Stephen King movies of all time. 

With Geena Davis’ new memoir Dying of Politeness out now, the actress has been discussing her advocacy and research regarding women in film, her array of skills, and her iconic acting career. She’s worked with some of the best in the business from Tom Hanks to Susan Sarandon to Michael Keaton. She has also worked with Dustin Hoffman multiple times, and said she used some of the Rain Man star’s advice to reject Jack Nicholson’s advances. 

What led to this story coming up was a New Yorker journalist asking Davis about the advice she’s received from Dustin Hoffman. The actress had mentioned that Hoffman told her on the set of Tootsie to always read a lot of books and to try to get the rights to the stories she liked. He also gave her advice to never sleep with her co-stars, which led her to this story about Jack Nicholson. She reflected on the advice Hoffman gave her, saying: 

Davis said the advice worked. The two actors have not made a movie together, but some of their best-known work did come out around the same time in the ‘80s and ‘90s. 

The actress has had quite a career since Tootsie, which was her first movie. She went on to star in Fletch, Beetlejuice, Thelma & Louise, and A League of  Their Own. All these movies are iconic but she’s likely best known for the last two mentioned. The incredible baseball movie is considered one of the best sports films, baseball movies, and one of the best women-led comedies. 

Along with her work on screen, Davis has had a phenomenal career behind the scenes. She founded the Geena Davis Institute on Gender in Media and created a documentary called This Changes Everything (which can be watched with a Netflix subscription) that discusses the research she's done and dives into gender disparity in Hollywood. 

Adding onto all this research, Davis has remained a constant on-screen presence. She’s had roles on the shows Grey’s Anatomy and GLOW, and will be in the cast of Guillermo del Toro’s Cabinet of Curiosities. 

You can read more stories about Davis’ early days in Hollywood, similar to the one about Nicholson in the actress’ memoir Dying of Politeness. You can also catch her on-screen on October 25 when Netflix’s Cabinet of Curiosities. 

We hear a lot about Hollywood being a cutthroat place and people struggling to make it out there. But every once in a while we’ll hear stories about big stars passing on their knowledge and taking another actor under their wing. Denzel Washington is one major actor who has spread his knowledge along the way, helping stars like the iconic Tom Hanks. Comparably, apparently, Michael Keaton got some solid advice from Jack Nicholson when they worked together on Batman back in the ‘80s, but it wouldn’t fly these days.

Something pretty special happens when you get a bunch of acting icons together to have a conversation, and The Hollywood Reporter did just that when they put Michael Keaton, Samuel L. Jackson, Brian Cox, and three other popular actors in a room for their Drama Actor Emmy Roundtable. The stars chatted about a number of things, but when the topic of fatherhood and taking a break from acting to be a present father came up, the conversation shifted to some advice that Keaton received from Jack Nicholson back in the day that doesn’t quite translate to the film industry these days.

Apparently Jack Nicholson and Michael Keaton were both under the impression that Batman was a risky movie to make. Their Batman was pretty much the first huge Batman film made, and no one really knew how it would play out. Nicholson apparently told Keaton that if it was a hit, Keaton wouldn’t have to worry about his future in acting if other projects flopped. Since he would have this huge film under his bat suit belt, the flops would pale in comparison. Here’s the story in Keaton’s own words:

Of course, Batman was a huge success and pretty much every Batman film to happen since has its own place (yes, even Batman & Robin, the film everyone loves to hate) in the history of the DC superhero. While Jack Nicolson’s advice was sound when he gave it, he is also an actor who had been in a number of iconic roles at that point (The Shining, One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest, I could go on for a while). His great heavily outweighs his not-so-bad. 

These days, though, the public is very involved in the career and success of an actor. If you look at beloved stars like Dwayne Johnson and Ryan Reynolds, they don’t miss often, and haven’t really had a less than epic film in years. They are also active with their fans, and have branded themselves as someone that people adore. 

Being a heavy hitter is a tough reputation to uphold, though. If either Dwayne Johnson or Ryan Reynolds, for example, came out with a less than awesome film that they poured their heart into and placed their mark of approval on, the public could potentially start to turn on them. They would no longer be stars who don’t miss, but stars that were on a downslide. It’s tough out there, and arguably unfairly so. Maybe that’s why Reynolds is taking a not-so-little acting break, after all. 

Michael Keaton has had his fair share of awesome roles as well, though his performance as Batman remains a huge fan favorite, and some of the greatest Batman moments in history belong to him. Keaton has taken back up his role as Batman in the upcoming Flash film and you can catch him back in the bat suit in the upcoming 2022 new release film Batgirl as well. What a time to be an OG Batman fan.

While Jack Nicholson’s advice might not be as sound these days as it was in the late ‘80s, I don’t believe that Michael Keaton doesn’t have much to worry about in the way of a flop ruining him. It’s almost like he’s entering a second prime, and I’m all about it. 

Warning: a massive SPOILER for Sonic The Hedgehog 2 is about to be discussed. If you’re not looking to ruin the surprise, head out to CinemaBlend’s vast library of other coverage.

Post and mid-credit scenes are pretty much a standard practice at this point thanks to Marvel’s Iron Man turning what was once a novelty into almost a necessity. After director Jon Favreau surprised us all with Nick Fury and ‘The Avengers Initiative,’  established and would-be cinematic universes gained another tool to use in the name of teasing the road ahead. Sonic the Hedgehog 2 continues the tradition that was set during the ending of its predecessor, i.e. introducing another spoilery character for future mayhem. 

In the light of this development, some of the cast shared awesome ideas on who should voice this mysterious presence. This is the last chance you’ll have to turn away from Sonic the Hedgehog 2 spoilers. Should you need a quick escape route, feel free to check out the upcoming 2022 movies headed to theaters and avoid all the deep stuff. Otherwise, hold tight, because we’re about to go Super Sonic on the spoilers.

In the final moments of the movie, not only do we see Lee Majdoub’s Agent Stone escaping in disguise, we also learn that Dr. Robotnik (Jim Carrey) has disappeared without a trace. He's now  being hunted by the shadowy organization Guardian Units of Nations, or G.U.N. for short, a 50-year-old secret that has found its way to the light. 

If the names “G.U.N.” or  “Project Shadow” didn’t already perk up your ears, the Sonic the Hedgehog sequel probably blew your mind with its final reveal. Showing a containment unit that held none other than Shadow the Hedgehog, the road to a potential Sonic the Hedgehog 3, as well as the blossoming cinematic universe overall, is about to get rocky. This meant it was time for me to go digging during the press day for Sonic the Hedgehog 2, as I asked the cast who they thought should become the voice of Shadow. 

Starting with Colleen O’Shaughnessy, a Sonic legacy cast member whose Tails voice crossed from the games and animated series into Paramount’s latest blockbuster, things got off to an interesting start. Making a fantastic suggestion for a Hollywood legend she’d love to hear as Shadow the Hedgehog, but also stumping for more original voice actors to return, here’s what O’Shaughnessy told CinemaBlend: 

Much like a true fan and veteran of the franchise, Colleen O’Shaughnessy had her suspicions that Sonic’s modern anti-hero counterpart was on his way. With that thread now woven in, and the $72 million opening weekend achieved by Sonic 2, it seems that Shadow’s time has come. Admittedly, Jack Nicholson is such a cool choice, and maybe someone at Paramount knows his agent and can float the notion.

Then again, Colleen wasn’t the only person who gave me an opinion on the matter. Ever resourceful, much like his Sonic the Hedgehog franchise character Agent Stone, Lee Majdoub threw a heater of a suggestion into the field of speculation. If you thought the Nicholson suggestion was wonderful, wait until you get a load of who Lee suggested:

Even coming into the Sonic the Hedgehog 2 interviews armed with the question on who should voice Shadow the Hedgehog, I couldn’t have guessed Henry Cavill would come up. With his public displays of geekiness always on display through the internet (like that time Cavill built a computer in a tank top), it could even be assumed that The Witcher star would take the job if offered. Tie that in with writer/director Christopher McQuarrie’s hypothetical revival of August Walker in a Mission: Impossible sequel, and Paramount could have a fruitful relationship with Henry Cavill for years to come.

Admittedly, the first and easiest suggestion I came up with was Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson. With the man being canonized in universe, much like Parks and Recreation’s Jean-Ralphio, through the power of jokes, it’s an easy bet. Although that’s also the downfall of casting Johnson as the voice of Shadow, as it looks like the predictable next step. Which is exactly why the next and final dream casting session is the one to end on.

Running through the suggestions I’d heard in the other rooms with actors Tika Sumpter and Natasha Rothwell, who respectively play sisters Maddie and Rachel in Sonic the Hedgehog 2, the fun really began. Initially stumped with who to even suggest, both ladies came up with a novel strategy to turn everything on its head. 

Just as director Jeff Fowler suggested that the adaptation of the Sonic franchise doesn’t have to follow a linear progression through the games, Shadow the Hedgehog could be gender flipped for the Sonic Cinematic Universe. Built on that pivot, here’s who Tika Sumpter and Natasha Rothwell think should play Shadow: 

Tika Sumpter: I like the Jack Nicholson suggestion. That’d be really different.

Natasha Rothwell: It would. I’m also just like, ‘They’re all men.’ Why can we consider some women, some female options? I don’t know, but I mean Wanda Sykes. I’m just thinking of like really distinctive voices now. That would be insane. I think the potential is endless.

Sumpter: Ooh, Helen Mirren.

Rothwell: There you go! You could do that. … I was gonna say Octavia Spencer. That’s why I’m not a casting director.

Dame Helen Mirren is now the ultimate casting suggestion for Shadow the Hedgehog, though I’ll admit I’m still hung up on Henry Cavill. There’s really no wrong answers here, as the Sonic the Hedgehog movies are so flexible that pretty much anyone can play in the sandbox. All that needs to happen is for the innocence and fun that Jim Carrey credits to the franchise to be present, and the rest takes care of itself.

If you’ve read through this entire rundown and haven’t seen Sonic the Hedgehog 2 yet, why are you in slo-mo? The film is now showing in theaters, and if you need to catch up on the first Sonic the Hedgehog movie, it’s available to stream on Paramount+ at the time of this writing. While you don't need to go too fast, you might want to get in on the fun before everything gets spoiled.

Everybody has seen Jack Nicholson movies. And I mean everybody. Even if you only LIKE movies (I said like, not love), then you’ve still seen at least one Jack Nicholson performance. Be it Joker in the Batman cast,  Jack Torrance in the classic horror movie The Shining, or Colonel Nathan “You can’t handle the truth!” Jessup in A Few Good Men, you’ve seen Jack Nicholson act in at least one movie. It’s just science. That said, have you ever seen him act in Mars Attacks!?  

Maybe? Possibly? But, here’s the thing; I don’t want to talk about the Jack Nicholson movies that EVERYBODY has seen. I want to talk about the ones that only a few people have seen, or rather, the ones that aren’t always brought up in conversation time and time again. Because Jack Nicholson has had a long and storied career, and I thought it best to get into some of the other great Jack Nicholson performances that you might have actually forgotten about. How many of these hidden gems have you seen lately? 

Mars Attacks! (President James Dale / Art Land) 

As if Tim Burton's Mars Attacks! didn't have enough characters in it already with its massive ensemble, Jack Nicholson plays TWO roles, one who is a sleazy land developer named Tom Land, and the other who is a peacenik President of the United States named James Dale. Mars Attacks! is a very silly film (one where a dove representing peace gets zapped out of the air by an alien laser beam), and Jack Nicholson grins, winks, and mugs his way through all of it, being humorous as hell, but also still playing it as straight as possible. 

My favorite moment in the entire film is when Nicholson (as President Dale) gives an impassioned speech to the Martians in the war room, where he genuinely asks them why they all just can’t get along–with a Martian even shedding a tear–only for the Martian to troll Nicholson and do him dirty. That said, the scene wouldn't even work if Jack Nicholson didn't ham it up the way only Jack Nicholson can. God, I love Mars Attacks! I need to write more about it someday. 

Prizzi's Honor (Charley Partanna)  

It's kind of strange that a lot of people don't really talk about Prizzi's Honor all that much today, since it was pretty huge back in 1985. Jack Nicholson even scored an Academy Award nomination for Best Actor, and he won the Golden Globe that year for his role as a hitman who has to take out (Take out, as in "blam, blam!") somebody close to home.  

Prizzi's Honor is a strange film in that it's an extremely dark comedy and unlike anything else, besides maybe The Departed, in Jack Nicholson's catalogue. Nicholson puts on a pretty convincing Italian accent, and he plays both slow-witted and quick-witted, often in the same scene. Prizzi’s Honor is a great, often under-looked performance that you need to watch if you haven’t seen it yet.    

Something's Gotta Give (Harry Sanborn) 

You know how much I love Jack Nicholson? So much that I would even sit through a romantic comedy starring him and Diane Keaton, Amanda Peet, and Keanu Reeves. Not only that, but I saw Something's Gotta Give in the theater, all by myself. That's how big a Jack Nicholson fan I am. 

In this film, Jack Nicholson plays an aging playboy who only hooks up with women much younger than himself. But, after he has a heart attack while with a younger woman (who turns out to be Diane Keaton's character's daughter), he gets a doctor's order for bed rest, and ends up with an older woman (Keaton), whom he manages to fall in love with. The film is refreshing in that it portrays older actors in roles that are not only romantic, but even sexy, which is a rarity in Hollywood, and it's pulled off with aplomb by the masters, Diane Keaton and Jack Nicholson. 

The Witches Of Eastwick (Daryl Van Horne) 

Co-starring Susan Sarandon, Michelle Pfeiffer, and Cher, The Witches of Eastwick actually makes you feel sympathy for the devil. One of George Miller's great films that isn't Mad Max-related, The Witches of Eastwick features Nicholson in one of his most unhinged performances as a lothario who just so happens to also be the devil.   

The great thing about this performance, though is that Nicholson gets his comeuppance in grand fashion from the witches throughout the movie, which only makes him angrier and angrier (which makes his hair wilder and wilder). This goes on until he is an absolute powder keg, just ready to explode. I know everybody loves to mention Jack Torrance when it comes to crazy Jack Nicholson performances, but for my money, there's no better Jack Nicholson out-there performance than as Daryl Van Horne in The Witches of Eastwick.  

Wolf (Will Randall) 

And lastly, in Wolf and the role that inspired this article, Jack Nicholson plays a book editor who turns into a werewolf after being bitten by one. Former Catwoman, Michelle Pfeiffer, also costars in this flick as a love interest who doesn't seem to mind that her new lover creeps around at night and tears people apart in Central Park every now and then.

This is probably my favorite oft-forgotten Jack Nicholson performance since he’s completely committed to playing a werewolf. His character starts off mild-mannered, only to transform into the suave Jack Nicholson that we love to see in all of his movies, and it's just a pleasure to watch the master ham it up as an overgrown wolf. It's a shame he never starred in any Marvel movies. I have a feeling he would have made for a great Beast. At least, I think he might have been a little better than Kelsey Grammar, who may or may not return to the role of Beast. But, you know. I guess we'll likely never know. 

And, that's the list. How many of these often overlooked Jack Nicholson films have you seen? For news on the best Jack Nicholson movies or the 2022 new movie release dates, make sure to stop by here often.           

Back in the 1980s, Rob Lowe came to fame as part of the iconic teen acting clique The Brat Pack, starring in movies like The Outsiders and St. Elmo’s Fire. The actor has been open about his drug and alcohol use during that time, before he got sober in 1990, and he recently recalled a wild memory from his younger days, when he attended a Los Angeles Lakers game with Jack Nicholson and got banned from the locker room by legendary coach Pat Riley. 

Rob Lowe spoke on Jimmy Kimmel Live! about going on a road trip with famed Lakers fan Jack Nicholson around 1986 to see the team play the Detroit Pistons in the NBA Finals (the Lakers played the Pistons in the 1987-88 finals). When asked if the famous fans were allowed to ride on the team plane, the good-looking 9-1-1: Lone Star actor had a hilarious response. 

Sure, no big deal. Just 20-something Rob Lowe at the NBA Finals with arguably the biggest Los Angeles Lakers fan alive, Jack Nicholson, getting barred from being around the team by one of the greatest NBA coaches to ever set foot on the court. 

Jimmy Kimmel made a good point that it would take some pretty serious shenanigans to be a bad influence on the Showtime Lakers — a team known for its exciting style of play as well as players so interesting that HBO is making a series dramatizing that era of professional sports. Rob Lowe at first didn’t say what caused the ban, trying to explain it away as being the ‘80s, but he relented with a stunning revelation.

Okay, now I can definitely see why Pat Riley would want to keep Rob Lowe away from his players. Rob Lowe didn’t want to say which player he gave a Quaalude to, afraid fans would try to look up who went on a shooting slump during an NBA Finals series and get someone in trouble. But hey, you know, the ‘80s!

That sounds like the kind of story we might get when Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty hits HBO in March. The upcoming series about the Showtime Lakers — which Laker legend Magic Johnson is not looking forward to — will in fact feature Max E. Williams in a recurring role as courtside mainstay Jack Nicholson, but sadly no actor has been tapped as the pill-peddling Rob Lowe. 

These days you can see Rob Lowe first-responding on 9-1-1: Lone Star, which airs at 8 p.m. ET Mondays on Fox. Be sure to check out our guide to Winning Time: The Rise Of The Lakers Dynasty, coming to HBO Max in March. 

The phrase, “I knew them BEFORE they were famous” is usually reserved for people you knew back in high school who made it to the big leagues. You know, the girl who sat in the back of the room and doodled all day who eventually went on to work for Marvel. The boy who was a theater nerd who eventually went on to star in Rent. That sort of thing. But, if you’re a movie geek like myself who grew up watching schlocky stuff like Return of the Killer Tomatoes, which featured a very young George Clooney, then you can say “I knew them BEFORE they were famous,” because you actually did. Well, sort of.

And that’s the thing. Everybody has to start somewhere, right? In a recent article, I mentioned how Mustafa Shakir was in an early horror movie called The Cavern long before he became Jet Black in the recently (and sadly) cancelled Cowboy Bebop. This got me to thinking about other big-name actors who started out in much, Much, MUCH smaller roles only to eventually become household names. How many of these early roles have you seen these actors in?

Return of the Killer Tomatoes (George Clooney)

As far as self-aware sequels go, you’d have a hard time finding one more self-aware than the sequel to Attack of the Killer Tomatoes (Well, other than Gremlins 2, I suppose). In Return of the Killer Tomatoes, a mad scientist named Professor Mortimer Gangreen (played by John Astin) wants to avenge the tomatoes that lost the battle in the first movie, as they were defeated by the worst song in the world, “Puberty Love”. In this wacky sequel, Professor Gangreen wants to use music as a force to empower the tomatoes rather than weaken them, and if that plot sounds too unbelievable to be real, then you desperately need to be introduced to the “Tomatoes” franchise, ASAP.

The movie came out in 1988, and George Clooney was 27 when he played the role of Matt Stevens, who’s the main character’s best bud and roommate. One of Clooney’s funniest moments in the movie is when his character shamelessly advertises different products because the film ran out of money (and no, I didn’t make that up. That’s an actual plot point in the film).

George Clooney would of course later go on to be an amazing actor, even winning an Oscar for his role in Syriana. He also arguably became an even better director, making movies like Good Night, and Good Luck, The Midnight Sky, and most recently, The Tender Bar. But, if you ask me, Return of the Killer Tomatoes is still my favorite role of his. And I’m not even joking.

Leprechaun (Jennifer Aniston)

1993’s Leprechaun, starring Warwick Davis and Jennifer Aniston in her very first leading role, is about a leprechaun that is taking revenge on a family that he thinks has taken his pot of gold. A plot like that could have possibly been scary, but Warwick Davis is a hoot instead, cracking jokes like Freddy Krueger and being an overall goofball. It’s the kind of movie where a four-leaf clover is the equivalent of a deadly stake driven into Dracula’s heart. So, yeah, it’s definitely the kind of movie that would have sequels in the Hood (twice!), and in outer space (Because why not?)

Jennifer Aniston is only in the first movie though, and she plays a stuck-up teenager who runs and screams a lot until she finally develops a backbone and helps take on the leprechaun. Riveting stuff. Aniston would of course go on to mega stardom as Rachel on Friends, as well as do other movies like Horrible Bosses, We’re the Millers, and Murder Mystery, with Adam Sandler.

The Little Shop of Horrors (Jack Nicholson)

I know what you’re thinking. Jack Nicholson isn’t in Little Shop of Horrors, and you’re right. He’s not. He was, however, in 1960’s The Little Shop of Horrors (Emphasis on the “the”), though, which is a Roger Corman movie. The plot is pretty much the same as the 1986 classic musical, which is based off of this story—a florist helps sprout a blood drinking plant. But this one is not a musical. It’s still funny, though.

But here’s the thing. It does NOT star Jack Nicholson. In fact, he plays the masochist in the dentist seat that Bill Murray plays in the musical version. In total, Jack Nicholson’s probably in this movie for less than 5 minutes. But, if you find any DVD copies of the film, you’re still likely to see the name Jack Nicholson -- who went on to star in such films as One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, The Shining, Terms of Endearment, Chinatown, The Departed, jeez, the list goes on and on -- right smack dab on the cover. Because hey, when you have star power like Jack Nicholson in one of his early roles, you floss it, baby. 

Critters 3 (Leonardo DiCaprio)

Critters, as a series, has sometimes been referred to as a “poor man’s Gremlins,” which I don’t think is entirely fair. While yes, it does feature rabid little monsters, kind of similar to the what the Mogwai eventually become if you feed them after midnight, Critters has always intentionally been a lot campier, and Critters 3 is no exception. In this 1991 direct-to-video gem, which is Leonardo DiCaprio’s first movie role, the Critters start to lay eggs and terrorize a family. Leo’s character accidentally (?) kills his mean stepdad by locking him in a room with the Critters. Fun times all around!

But seriously, Leo looks very young in the role, but he was actually around 17 at the time the movie came out. Now that’s acting. He would later go on to be in such classics as The Aviator, The Departed, and The Wolf of Wall Street, and he won an Oscar when a bear mauled him in The Revenant. See him next in the comedy, Don’t Look Up. 

The Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Next Generation (Matthew McConaughey AND Renee Zellweger)

While yes, both Matthew McConaughey and Renee Zellweger both make appearances in Dazed and Confused, I thought The Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Next Generation would be a more interesting film to end on since it’s probably the worst film ever made with not one, but TWO eventual Oscar winning actors in it. The 1995 film is about a prom night gone awry as four teenagers end up in a night from hell with Leatherface and a deranged tow truck driver, the latter played by McConaughey. Zellweger plays one of the teenagers, and she can give it just as much as she can take it. You go, girl. 

As mentioned, McConaughey won an Oscar for his role in Dallas Buyer’s Club, and also starred in films like Magic Mike, Interstellar, and The Gentlemen. Hear his distinguishable voice next in Sing 2. Renee Zellweger has won two Oscars, one in a supporting role for Cold Mountain, and another in a leading role in Judy as Judy Garland. She’s also been in popular films like Jerry Maguire, Bridget Jones’s Diary, and Chicago. So, yeah, this low-budget horror film has quite a bit of clout.

And that’s the list. Have you seen all of these films? For news on some of the best horror movies or other cool stories, make sure to swing by here often.

One of the most acclaimed films in history is One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest. That’s just a fact. 

It’s received critical acclaim for its themes, storylines, acting, direction, and overall superb quality. It’s one of only three films in existence to win the Big 5 Academy Awards - Best Picture, Best Director, Best Screenplay, Best Actor and Best Actress, the other two being It Happened One Night and The Silence of the Lambs. 

But with a cast that was so iconic, where are some of the actors now? And what did they do after the 1975 film. From the star himself, Jack Nicholson, all the way down to some of the inmates in the mental institution, this is where the cast of One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest is now.  

Jack Nicholson (Randle Patrick “R.P.” McMurphy) 

As the star of One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, Jack Nicholson is one talented man, and had quite the career after this film. After winning the Academy Award for Best Actor, Nicholson would go on to star in several other Academy Award-winning and nominated films, such as Terms of Endearment, the Stephen King adaptation, The Shining, The Departed, As Good as it Gets and more. 

But, Nicholson also has a fun side, and has starred in several comedy and action movies, such as portraying the Joker in Batman alongside Michael Keaton, commanding witches in the fantasy film The Witches of Eastwick, working alongside the hilarious Adam Sandler in Anger Management, and many others. 

While Jack Nicholson hasn't appeared in a film since 2010's How Do You Know, it’s still always enjoyable to look back on some of his best work, and One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest is certainly high up there. 

Louise Fletcher (Nurse Mildred Ratched)

Nurse Mildred Ratched was a bit of a jerk, not going to lie, and she was played perfectly by Louise Fletcher. After her Academy-Award winning role, Louise Fletcher went on to star in several films, such as the horror movie, Exorcist II: The Heretic, The Lady in Red, Brainstorm, Firestarter, Flowers in the Attic, the teen film, Cruel Intentions, and many more. 

Fletcher was also very active in television. While she has appeared in many shows in guest roles, such as Perry Mason, The Twilight Zone, 7th Heaven and more, she’s also had several recurring roles as well. She portrayed Kai Winn/Vedek Winn on Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, and had a recurring role in the American version of Shameless. And in 2017, she appeared in two episodes of the Netflix series Girlboss.

Mildred Ratched became such an icon in film history that Ryan Murphy based a whole show on her on Netflix starring Sarah Paulson, that you should watch now. 

Will Sampson (“Chief” Bromden)

I feel like when you hear about One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, you either think of Jack Nicholson’s character, or Louse Fletcher’s character. The third one that always pops up for me is Chief, the silent soul that Randle becomes friends with, played by Will Sampson. 

Unfortunately, Will Sampson passed away in 1987, but before his passing he did star in a couple of movies post-One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest. This includes portraying Taylor in Poltergeist II: The Other Side, Ten Bears in The Outlaw Josey Wales, Crazy Horse in the western The White Buffalo, Tall Eagle in Firewalker and more. 

Sampson also had a recurring role in the TV series, Vega$, and in The Yellow Rose.  

William Redfield (Dale Harding)

Next up, we have Dale Harding, performed by William Redfield. Dale Harding was one of the residents of the mental institution in One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, who, like so many of the other patients there, was facing is his own issues. 

Sadly, William Redfield passed away in 1976, not long after One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest was released. Before his passing, he appeared in several movies, such as Hamlet, For Pete’s Sake, Death Wish, Mr. Billion, and more. 

Brad Dourif (Billy Bibbit)

Billy Bibbit was one of those characters in One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest that you just wanted to root for so badly. He was a young man who had a stutter and issues with self esteem. Portraying Billy Bibbit was Brad Dourif, who has had a long career in both film and television. 

One of Dourif’s most prominent roles is providing the iconic voice behind one of the most beloved horror characters of all time - Chucky from the Chucky series. He continues to voice the serial killer to this day with the latest Chucky TV series. 

But besides his iconic horror role, Dourif has done plenty of other amazing projects. He portrayed Grima Wormtongue in The Lord of the Rings series, and appeared in several other movies such as the 1984 adventure film, Dune, Wise Blood, Ragtime, The Exorcist III, Alien Resurrection, and many others. 

On television, Dourif has also appeared in several television films and TV shows. He played Maurice Deveraux in Ponderosa, Dr. Amos Cochran in the HBO series, Deadwood, Zoso in Once Upon a Time, and many other appearances. With someone as a resume as hefty as his, I can’t wait to see what he does next. 

Sydney Lassick (Charlie Cheswick)

Charlie Cheswick was a character who had a very hard time managing his emotions, particularly his temper. Cheswick in One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest was portrayed by Sydney Lassick, and had a career in Hollywood after his role in the show. 

Sydney Lassick passed away in 2003, but before his passing, he appeared in many films, including the iconic horror film, Carrie, Hot Stuff, Alligator, Ratboy, Last in White, American Vampire, Man on the Moon, and more. Lassick also appeared in many TV films as well during his time in Hollywood.

Christopher Lloyd (Max Taber)

Fun fact - did you know that Christopher Lloyd’s film debut was actually One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest as Max Taber? After his role in the iconic film, Lloyd began an amazing career, filled with iconic characters. Arguably, Christopher Lloyd is most famous for portraying Doc Brown as part of the Back to the Future cast, a role he reprised many times, but there are plenty of other parts you might know him from. 

In terms of movies, Lloyd starred as Commander Kruge in Star Trek III: The Search for Spock, Professor Plum in Clue, Judge Doom in Who Framed Roger Rabbit, and played Uncle Fester in The Addams Family cast, as well as its sequel, Addams Family Values. He also appeared in movies like Bad Girls from Valley High, Call of the Wild, Dead Before Dawn, Sin City: A Dame to Kill For, and many others. 

Lloyd has also had a prolific career in television as well. He had a starring role in Taxi, voiced Doc Brown in Back to the Future: The Animated Series, appeared in Deadly Games, Clubhouse, Stacked, Granite Flats, 12 Monkeys and more. 

Among his recent roles, Christopher Lloyd played Bob Odenkirk's character's father, David Mansell, in the 2021 thriller, Nobody. 

Danny DeVito (Martini)

Another big-timer from One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, Danny DeVito played the childish Martini in the film, and has done so much in Hollywood since. DeVito also starred in Taxi alongside Christopher Lloyd, winning an Emmy for his performance, and more recently, has starred in It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia as Frank Reynolds.

Besides that, DeVito has had a long career in both film and television. He appeared in the action film, Romancing the Stone, Batman Returns as the Penguin, Terms of Endearment, the fantasy film, Matilda, Space Jam, Big Fish, The Lorax, the live-action version of Dumbo, and many, many others. 

With It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia Season 15 coming out soon, you better keep an eye out for him on your television screens soon. 

William Duell (Jim Sefelt)

Next up, we have William Duell, who portrayed Jim Sefelt in One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest. After his role, Duell appeared in many films, such as the crime comedy Police Squad!, Mrs. Soffel, Ironweed, Trial by Jury, Cradle Will Rock and many others. 

William Duell passed away in 2011. His last film role was a cameo in the romantic comedy, How To Lose a Guy in 10 Days.

Vincent Andrew Schiavelli (Bruce Fredrickson)

Vincent Andrew Schiavelli portrayed Bruce Fredrickson in One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, and appeared in several films after his role. 

This includes the teen film, Fast Times at Ridgemont High, the romantic drama, Ghost, portraying the Organ Grinder in Batman Returns, Chester in The People vs Larry Flynt, Dr. Kaufman in Tomorrow Never Dies, and several others. 

Schiavelli passed away in 2005 at the age of 57.

Michael Berryman (Ellis)

Last up, we have Ellis from One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, portrayed by Michael Berryman. After his role in One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, Berryman went on to star in many movies and TV shows. 

In terms of movies, Berryman appeared in The Hills Have Eyes, Cut and Run, Armed Response, Tales from the Crypt, Dead Man’s Hand, Satan Hates You, and many others. Berryman also had many roles in the Star Trek series, as well as The X Files. Recently, Berryman appeared in the horror film, Room 9, The Mad Hatter, It Came Upon a Midnight Clear and other flicks in 2021. Soon enough, he will be appearing in more movies such as Jasper, Junction Murders, Violent Starr and among others. 

While there are some actors that are no longer with us, we can at least look back on some of their fantastic contributions to Hollywood and everything else everyone has done. This just makes me want to re-watch the film again. Or maybe watch Ratched again. Either one works.

When I think of iconic actors in Hollywood who have been around for decades, one of the first that pops up in my mind is Jack Nicholson. The veteran talent, who has starred in films such as Batman, The Shining, and The Departed has truly become a household name and has created some of the most memorable film moments in history. 

While he's retired from acting now, we can take a look back on Jack Nicholson’s best movies, from the very start of his career to the end. If you’re looking for some of his movies to stream or rent right now, here are your best options.

Easy Rider (1969)

In Jack Nicholson’s big break, Easy Rider tells the story of two bikers who travel through the American Southwest and South, carrying the proceeds that they have made from a cocaine deal. 

With film legends such as Dennis Hopper and Peter Fonda by Nicholson’s side, Easy Rider makes it clear to see why it was his big break in the movie business. Exploring the social landscape of the 1960s, and featuring impressive performances, Easy Rider is a great counterculture film that really makes a statement. 

Stream Easy Rider on HBO Max. 
Rent Easy Rider on Amazon.

One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest (1975)

This psychological comedy-drama is sure to keep you entertained from beginning to end. One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest tells the story of Randle McMurphy, a new patient in a mental institution, and his ongoing experiences with the patients and the nurses there. 

Jack Nicholson won the Academy Award for Best Actor for his performance, and honestly, I can believe it. He, alongside his amazing One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest co-stars, performed their parts spectacularly and made you believe that they were really in a mental hospital, from beginning to end. Another highlight of this film is Louise Fletcher’s Nurse Ratched. I mean, Ryan Murphy produced a whole Netflix series about that singular character for a reason. It really is a great film. 

Stream One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest on HBO Max. 
Rent One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest on Amazon.

The Shining (1980)

The Shining is one of the best horror movies ever, in my opinion. In this film, based on the Stephen King novel of the same name, we follow Jack Torrance, an aspiring writer and recovering alcoholic, who takes his family as he becomes a caretaker for an isolated hotel in the off-season. While he is there, however, he haunted by the spirits that live there, which causes his mental health to deteriorate until he attacks his loved ones. 

I could do a whole piece about why The Shining is one of the best psychological horror films out there to watch. From some iconic quotes (“Here’s Johnny!”) to amazing acting performances from, not only Nicholson, but Shelley Duvall, The Shining is a film classic that will never be forgotten. 

Stream The Shining on HBO Max. 
Rent The Shining on Amazon.

Something’s Gotta Give (2003)

Moving onto something a little happier, Something’s Gotta Give is a romantic comedy starring Jack Nicholson and Diane Keaton as two middle-aged people who find love for each other, despite being complete opposites. 

I think what I love the most about this movie is that it focuses on the middle years of life. So many romantic comedies tell the story of young love and the passion one finds when they are in their twenties or thirties, sometimes even the teen years. But Something’s Gotta Give examines that same formula for people who are older and does it well, which is only amplified by the stellar performances of Nicolson and Keaton. Keanu Reeves, Amana Peet, and Frances McDormand also star. 

Stream Something’s Gotta Give on Starz. 
Rent Something’s Gotta Give on Amazon. 

Ironweed (1987)

In this drama, Ironweed tells the story of a homeless couple, one who is an alcoholic and the other who is terminally ill, following the years after the Great Depression. 

It stars Jack Nicholson and Meryl Streep - how much more iconic can you make a movie with these two famous names in it? Even so, Ironweed didn’t get the box-office love that was rightfully deserved back then. If you enjoy a good drama, Ironweed is certainly a worthwhile pick to sit down and watch, as it's carried by the chemistry the leads have. Both were nominated for an Academy Award for their roles, so you know they’re going to be amazing. 

Rent Ironweed on Amazon. 

About Schmidt (2002)

In this comedy-drama, About Schmidt tells the story of a recently retired man, who had led a safe life, and is going to go on a journey to visit his estranged daughter for her wedding. But, along the way, he learns more about himself and life than he ever expected to learn. 

What makes About Schmidt such a wonderful film is Jack Nicholson’s portrayal of the character. Schmidt could have been turned into a depressing character who hasn’t lived his life to the fullest, but because Nicholson is such a great actor, he brings this sort of life to Schmidt that I personally don’t think anyone else could, creating a desire for the character to start living life more now, before his time is up. It’s a great study on how humans as a whole live our lives, and how you’re never too old to start chasing your dreams. 

Rent About Schmidt on Amazon.

As Good As It Gets (1997)

In this comedy-drama, As Good as it Gets stars Jack Nicholson as an obsessive-compulsive writer, who’s rude to every person he meets. But, when he starts to look after his neighbor's dog, his perception of the world begins to change. 

As Good as it Gets is a great film if you’re feeling down. The story of Nicholson’s character, who works his way out of his personality through the sheer goodwill of others and the purity of a cute animal, is uplifting in the best possible way. Both Jack Nicholson and Helen Hunt have great roles and awesome chemistry, alongside other big stars like Greg Kinnear, Cuba Gooding Jr., and more. 

Stream As Good As It Gets on Netflix. 
Rent As Good As It Gets on Amazon.

Batman (1989)

Batman has to be one of the most adapted characters in all of comic book history, and this is one of the most legendary portrayals. Batman, starring Michael Keaton and Jack Nicholson, takes place early in Batman’s war on crime, focusing primarily on his conflicts with the legendary villain, the Joker. 

While there are some great Joker adaptations, including that of Heath Ledger, I’ll always have a special place in my heart for Nicholson’s Joker. He just brings the perfect amount of sinister and silliness to the role, creating a multi-faceted villain who has lived on in cinema since the film's release. Keaton is also a fantastic Batman - a role he’ll be reprising in the film, The Batman - and both he and Keaton work great together. 

Stream Batman on HBO Max. 
Rent Batman on Amazon. 

The Witches Of Eastwick (1987)

Based on the novel of the same name, The Witches of Eastwick follows three women who are unaware of the power of the words they speak while uttering their deepest desires. When a man arrives in time to fulfill those desires, they at first don't realize his own powerful dark side. 

If you want a fantasy movie, this is certainly one of the more fun ones out there. Not only is Jack Nicholson awesome in his role as Daryl Van Horne, the rest of the cast is amazing. Stars like Cher, Susan Sarandon, Michelle Pheiffer and more act alongside him, creating a funny, dark fantasy movie that fits Nicholson’s acting style perfectly, highlighting his comedic skills. 

Stream The Witches of Eastwick on HBO Max. 
Rent The Witches of Eastwick on Amazon. 

Chinatown (1974)

If you’re looking for neo-noir mystery movies, check out Chinatown. A private detective is hired to expose an adulterer in 1930s Los Angeles, but as he does, he digs up a well of darker secrets, including corruption and murder. 

I’ve never been the biggest fan of Chinatown, just because the neo-noir film style isn't usually my thing. But, I give credit where credit is due, and Chinatown is still a very enjoyable and well-done movie, with Jack Nicholson taking the lead as J.J. “Jake” Gittes. The story is fantastic, with twists and turns around every corner, a fantastic score, and amazing cinematography. Certainly worth the time to watch at least once if you haven’t. 

Stream Chinatown on Showtime. 
Rent Chinatown on Amazon. 

Terms of Endearment (1983)

Moving onto another comedy-drama, Terms of Endearment tells the story of the 30 year relationship between Aurora Greenway and her daughter, Emma, and all the trials and tribulations that they go through. 

While the movie mainly focuses on the relationship between mother and daughter, Terms of Endearment gives everyone a chance to shine, including Jack Nicholson as Garrett Breedlove, who dates Aurora. From someone who’s watched the film several times, know that the story will most likely leave you smiling or crying. Shirley MacLaine and Debra Winger are fantastic in their starring roles, as is the whole cast, including Danny DeVito, Jeff Daniels, John Lithgow, and more. 

Stream Terms of Endearment on Starz. 
Rent Terms of Endearment on Amazon. 

A Few Good Men (1992)

Moving on to one of many courtroom dramas, A Few Good Men revolves around the court-martial of two U.S. Marines, who were charged with the murder of a fellow Marine, and follows the tribulations of their lawyers as they try to prepare a case to defend their clients. 

A Few Good Men is amazing all around, with not only a fantastic performance from Nicholson, but that of his co-stars, Tom Cruise and Demi Moore. The story is intriguing and engrossing from the start to the very end. The courtroom scenes themselves are enough to entertain anyone, and will have you on the edge of your seat. 

Buy A Few Good Men on Amazon. 

The Departed (2006)

Last but not least, we take a look at The Departed, one of the best Martin Scorsese movies. tells the story of Boston's real-life Winter Hill Gang, telling the story of the battle between the mob and the police. 

The Departed is one of the best modern pieces of cinema, in my opinion. Jack Nicholson only adds to this amazing cast, including Leonardo DiCaprio, Matt Damon, Mark Whalberg, Alec Baldwin, and so many others. The story is high-stakes, the set design fantastic - I could go on for hours and hours about how good The Departed is. If you haven’t seen it yet, be sure to check it out soon. Trust me - it’s one of the best mob / gang movies you could watch. 

Rent The Departed on Amazon. 

With so many amazing films, Jack Nicholson will forever be a legend in Hollywood. For me, my favorite will always be The Shining, but as you can see, there are plenty of awesome picks to choose from. 

It was only fitting that Martin Scorsese got his long overdue Oscar for The Departed, a gangster film, the genre that helped launch his career. The film, which saw Scorsese direct an all-star cast including Leonardo DiCaprio, Matt Damon, Jack Nicholson, Vera Farmiga and Mark Wahlberg, among others, is officially 15 years old, so what better time for behind-the-scenes facts about its making.

Grab your flip phone and imagine you’re reading the following in an in-and-out Boston accent like Jack Nicholson (sorry Jack) because we're about to break down how one of the best movies of the 2000s came to be.

Jack Nicholson’s Character Hadn’t Been Written When He Accepted The Role

Despite the inconsistencies of Jack Nicholson’s Boston accent in the film, the actor delivered an incredible performance in his first (and thus far only) film with Martin Scorsese as the villainous mob boss Frank Costello. It’s widely reported that Costello was based on famed Boston gangster Whitey Bulger, however when Nicholson first read the screenplay he actually turned Scorsese down.

In a 2006 Variety piece profiling Nicholson as an Oscar hopeful for The Departed, the actor said that the character didn’t really exist in the way we see him in the finished film. It was DiCaprio and Scorsese that pushed for Nicholson to join the cast, and the actor says he agreed in large part to work with them.

They of course did build out the character of Frank Costello, “layer by layer” as Nicholson put it. He would go on to add his own flare to the role with things not in the script, but more on that in a bit.

Leonardo DiCaprio Was Interested In Playing Either Billy Or Colin

Leonardo DiCaprio was one of the first people involved with The Departed. He had previously worked with on Gangs of New York and The Aviator. What DiCaprio apparently wasn’t sure of right away was which role he preferred between the film’s two central moles, Billy Costigan or Colin Sullivan.

DiCaprio, in a press junket interview for the film said that he was open to playing either Billy or Colin because he saw a great duality in them, describing them as two sides to the same coin that ended up on their divergent, but collision-bound, paths because of the choices that they made. Scorsese was the one who decided he would be best suited for Billy, though DiCaprio wasn’t as confident at first, saying he had to figure out how to play the role. 

Robert De Niro Almost Reunited With Scorsese In The Departed

With The Departed, Leonardo DiCaprio and Martin Scorsese were working on their third straight movie together (to date they have worked on five together, with potentially more on the way). These frequent collaborations led many to describe DiCaprio as Scorsese’s modern-day Robert De Niro, as the director and Oscar-winning actor had worked together memorably on films including Mean Streets, Taxi Driver, Raging Bull, Cape Fear and Goodfellas (and a little less memorably in New York, New York).

Well we almost got both of Scorsese’s muses in the same film, as De Niro was at one point considering taking a role in The Departed.

In a story by Vanity Fair, De Niro nearly signed on to The Departed for an unspecified role (some reports say it was for the Martin Sheen role of Captain Queenan), but he ultimately decided to direct his own film, 2006’s The Good Shepherd, which starred another The Departed actor, Matt Damon.

Scorsese and De Niro did later reunite for 2019’s The Irishman.

Brad Pitt Was In Talks To Star Alongside DiCaprio At One Point

Had original reports worked out, the starring roles in The Departed could have been very different, including having Brad Pitt star.

One way that it could have looked was Pitt alongside Tom Cruise. We don’t know how far along things got with this possible combination, but certainly at one point Pitt seemed like he was going to be the pick for one of the two leads as a press release from 2004 announces him as starring alongside DiCaprio in the Scorsese picture, when it was still simply referred to as a remake of the Hong Kong gangster film Infernal Affairs.

Ultimately, Pitt turned the role down and in came Matt Damon. However, Pitt stayed involved in the film as a producer through his production banner Plan B Entertainment. He would also get the chance to star with DiCaprio years later in Once Upon a Time... in Hollywood.

Vera Farmiga Had Her Character Analyzed By A Police Psychologist

Vera Farmiga is really the only female character of note in The Departed, playing Madolyn, a psychiatrist who marries Damon’s Colin while also forming a deep connection with DiCaprio’s Billy.

Similarly to DiCaprio, Farmiga wasn’t immediately sure how she was going to play Madolyn, though she recognized that the character appears to be controlled by her Id, which she saw as a fatal flaw. Interested to learn more, she actually decided to talk with a police psychologist of the LAPD.

In a press junket interview, Farmiga said: 

Farmiga is able to stand tall among her co-stars, so what she was able to glean from someone that would have been her character’s contemporary was incredibly useful. 

Nicholson Improvised Some Of Frank Costello’s Most Sinister Lines

We’ve already talked about how Frank Costello wasn’t much of a character when Nicholson signed on to play him, but even after he has built up, the actor took some creative liberties to add even more of an edge to the character.

Matt Damon revealed on Marc Maron’s WTF podcast that Nicholson would add his own rewrites on set, including one memorable early scene when we are first learning about Costello. The scene in question comes during the film’s opening sequence, where Nicholson’s Costello and Ray Winstone’s Mr. French are executing a man and a woman. It was Nicholson’s idea to add the line “Geez, she fell funny” after he shoots the woman in the head, which Nicholson believed to add an extra layer of sinister to his character and ended up in the movie.

Of course, as Damon shared on the podcast, Nicholson would apparently continue to push the scene, taking Costello’s depravity to a whole other level as he alludes that he may want some intimate time with the corpse. That did not make it into the movie.

Nicholson Refused To Wear A Red Sox Hat Because of His Yankee Fandom 

Fans of the Boston Red Sox and the New York Yankees take the teams’ historic rivalry seriously, even when it comes to wearing the other team’s gear in movies. One famous instance was Ben Affleck’s refusal to wear a Yankees hat in Gone Girl, opting instead for a New York Mets hat. But Jack Nicholson took it a step further, having his Boston-based gangster wearing a Yankees hat, the team of Nicholson’s youth.

Nicholson says that Scorsese wanted Costello to wear a Red Sox cap, but Nicholson wouldn't have it, telling New York Magazine that his Yankees fandom came before that even of the Los Angeles Lakers, where he has often been seen courtside. However, he said that Kristen Dalton’s Gwen, Costello’s long-time “inamorata,” as he described her, wore a Red Sox hat to both subtly indicate domestic conflict and placate the Boston fans.

Speaking of the Lakers, however, Nicholson also apparently prevented any Celtics garb from appearing in the film (the Lakers and Celtics are also long-time rivals), at least according to a New York Times report. 

The Departed’s Xs Are A Reference To Another Classic Gangster Film 

The significance of the Xs in The Departed is essentially common knowledge at this point. But in case you aren’t aware, the next time you are watching the film keep an eye out for any Xs appearing around key characters - it means that they are marked for death.

What you may not know is that this is actually in reference to another classic gangster film. Scorsese is a student of film history, and this tactic was previously used more than 70 years before The Departed came out in 1932’s Scarface directed by Howard Hawks. The use of an X to foreshadow death was an homage by Scorsese to Hawks.

Scorsese Described Post-Production On The Departed As “Highly Unpleasant” 

Sometimes you just have to tap out on something you’re working on. Martin Scorsese can recognize this, as he recalled in an interview with the U.K.’s Sunday Times that the process of making The Departed was highly unpleasant, especially when it came to putting it together in post production.

Scorsese said:

Of course, Scorsese rallied from this and has continued making movies even as he approaches 80 years old, though not a Departed sequel.

Martin Scorsese Apparently Thought The Departed Had No Chance Of Winning Awards

By 2006, the idea of an “Oscar movie” generally conjured an idea of a period/biographical or heavy drama that made audiences feel with a capital F, despite winners in the most recent years preceding 2006 included Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King, musical Chicago and sword-and-sandal epic Gladiator amid Million Dollar Baby, Crash and A Beautiful Mind. Still, it was said that Martin Scorsese apparently did not think his latest gangster film would be the one to break his losing streak at the Oscars.

In a story from The Wrap, frequent Scorsese collaborator Emma Tillinger-Koskoff said while the director was extremely proud of the film, he thought it was too violent and vile to be accepted by the Academy. This probably helps explain Scorsese’s surprise when he is announced as the winner of Best Director for The Departed.

Of course, the Academy would follow up The Departed’s win with another dark tale in 2007’s No Country for Old Men. Just goes to show you, sometimes the Oscars can make some bold choices.

The Departed is currently available to rent online on Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV, Google Play and YouTube.

Next to No Country For Old Men and The Godfather movies, The Departed is one of the most violent winners for Best Picture at the Academy Awards of all time. The film is super popular, so many people know the film front to back. But there is still some behind the scenes content that fans are just learning about now, like how Matt Damon recently revealed the wild Departed rewrites Jack Nicholson pitched on set.

Some context: In one scene in the film, Jack Nicholson’s character Frank Costello is talking to a young Colin Sullivan, played by Matt Damon. Well, in the script, the flashback scene simply read: “Costello executes man kneeling in the marsh.” But Jack Nicholson thought the scene could use some punching up, so instead of it being a man shot in the back of the head, he insisted that it should be a woman instead. On the WTF with Marc Maron podcast, Matt Damon had this to say on Jack Nicholson’s new rewrites:

The “Ray” in question is Black Widow’s Ray Winstone, who played Costello’s right hand man, Arnold “Frenchy” French. This is a very memorable moment in the movie, and if it really had just been Jack Nicholson’s character shooting a man in the back of the head, then yes, that would have been kind of boring. We’ve seen that in countless gangster movies in the past, some of them being from Scorsese himself.

That scene actually did make it into the movie. That said, would you believe that Jack Nicholson wanted to take it even further? In the same interview, Matt Damon added that Jack Nicholson also wanted to add this to the scene:

You can’t see me right now, but my eyes are wide open. That “Geez, she fell funny” line is cold-blooded enough. But then adding in that little necrophilia bit there, even if it was just some black humor, is another level entirely.

The Departed is already a pretty dark film, but it’s fascinating to see that Jack Nicholson actually wanted to make it even darker. One thing I really love about Martin Scorsese’s films like The Irishman is that yeah, they’re violent, but the humor is always also there. But while interesting, I personally think that last line Jack Nicholson wanted might have been going a bit too far.

But what are your thoughts? Do you think the “I think I wanna fuck her again” line should have made it into the actual movie? Sound off in the poll below.

This poll is no longer available.

An English-language remake of 2002's Infernal Affairs, Martin Scorsese's The Departed was a star-studded action-thriller blockbuster, filled to the brim with big-name talents, including Leonardo DiCaprio, Matt Damon, Jack Nicholson, Mark Wahlberg, Anthony Anderson, Alec Baldwin, and Vera Farmiga, only a few short years before she found mainstream success. What was once intended to be a fun modernized throwback became one of the signature director's biggest critical/commercial successes and one of the best movies of the 2000s, resulting in Scorsese receiving his long-coveted Best Picture. It's hard to believe that nearly 15 years have passed since this crime film stormed into theaters, but the A-list ensemble continues to work actively on a number of big projects, which we'll share with you now.

Leonardo DiCaprio (Trooper Billy Costigan Jr.)

As Trooper Billy Costigan Jr., a determined police officer who infiltrates Frank Costello's crew, Leonardo DiCaprio plays the protagonist in Martin Scorsese's The Departed. Most notably, DiCaprio won an Oscar for The Revenant. He was also Oscar-nominated for What's Eating Gilbert Grape, The Aviator, Blood Diamond, Once Upon a Time In Hollywood, and The Wolf of Wall Street, which he also produced. His other film credits include Titanic, Catch Me If You Can, Inception, Revolutionary Road, Django Unchained, Romeo + Juliet, Shutter Island, The Quick and the Dead, and The Basketball Diaries. Additionally, DiCaprio appeared in J. Edgar, The Man with the Iron Mask, and Critters 3.

Moreover, on television, Leonardo DiCaprio appeared in NBC's Parenthood (the '90s one) and ABC's Growing Pains. Additionally, outside of acting, DiCaprio is the producer behind Out of the Furnace, Richard Jewell, Orphan, Live by Night, and Robin Hood (2018). Next, DiCaprio will be seen in Adam McKay's Don't Look Up. Currently, the actor is filming Martin Scorsese's Killers of the Flower Moon, which he is also producing.

Matt Damon (Staff Sergeant Colin Sullivan)

In the role of Staff Sergeant Colin Sullivan, an undercover gangster nestled into the Massachusetts State Police, Matt Damon plays the mole in The Departed. Most notably, Damon starred in the title role of Good Will Hunting, which he also wrote alongside Ben Affleck. The actors won an Oscar for their screenplay. From there, Damon starred in the Bourne series, as well as The Talented Mr. Ripley, Saving Private Ryan, The Informant!, Rounders, The Rainmaker, All the Pretty Horses, Syriana, The Adjustment Bureau, Contagion, We Bought a Zoo, Elysium, The Martian, Downsizing, and Ford v Ferrari. Additionally, the actor co-wrote and starred in Gerry and Promised Land, which he also produced. Damon's other film credits include Dogma, Interstellar, Behind the Candelabra, Margaret, True Grit, Thor: Ragnarok, and the Ocean's movies.

Most recently, Matt Damon provided an uncredited cameo in Steven Soderbergh's No Sudden Move. Next, the actor stars in Stillwater. Damon also co-wrote, produced, and frontlines Ridley Scott's The Last Duel. Additionally, Damon will reprise his role as Actor Loki in Thor: Love and Thunder.

Jack Nicholson (Frank Costello)

Playing the part of Frank Costello, a leering, ferocious Irish mob boss, Jack Nicholson is the main antagonist in Martin Scorsese's The Departed. One of the most acclaimed and recognizable actors alive, Nicholson won three Oscars for his leading roles in One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest and As Good As It Gets, as well as his supporting turn in Terms of Endearment. His other Oscar-nominated performances include Easy Rider, Five Easy Pieces, Chinatown, The Last Detail, A Few Good Men, Prizzi's Honor, Reds, Ironweed, and About Schmidt. Additionally, Nicholson played The Joker in Tim Burton's Batman.

Furthermore, Jack Nicholson's other film credits include The Shining, Something's Gotta Give, Anger Management, Carnal Knowledge, Reds, Broadcast News, and The Bucket List. The actor also directed and starred in Goin' South and The Two Jakes. Additionally, Nicholson wrote and helmed Drive, He Said and scripted Head and Thunder Island, among others. He was last seen in James L. Brooks' How Do You Know. Currently, Nicholson remains in retirement, though he has occasionally flirted with a comeback.

Mark Wahlberg (Staff Sergeant Sean Dignam)

As Sean Dignam, the Massachusetts State Police's confrontational staff sergeant, Mark Wahlberg played a bullish character with hidden secrets in The Departed. The musician-turned-actor was Oscar-nominated for this supporting turn. Previously known as Marky Mark, Wahlberg moved into acting with Renaissance Man, The Basketball Diaries, and Fear before Boogie Nights launched his career into movie stardom. Wahlberg was also Oscar-nominated for producing The Fighter, which he also starred in. His other movie credits include Lone Survivor, Shooter, I Heart Huckabees, Three Kings, The Perfect Storm, The Other Guys, Ted 1 & 2, Transformers: Age of Extinction, Transformers: The Last Knight, Daddy's Home 1 & 2, Instant Family, Deepwater Horizon, and Pain & Gain.

Most recently, Mark Wahlberg starred in and produced Paramount+'s Infinite. Next, he'll be seen in Joe Bell, which he also produced. Additionally, Wahlberg will play Victor Sullivan in Uncharted. Currently, he's filming Stu, which he also produced. Also, the A-list actor is working on Arthur the King.

Martin Sheen (Captain Oliver “Charlie” Queenan)

In the role of Captain Oliver Queenan, i.e. "Charlie," the state captain in the Special Investigation Unit, Martin Sheen is a prominent player in Martin Scorsese's The Departed. An Emmy-winning actor for his guest star appearance in Murphy Brown, Sheen is best known for playing President Josiah Bartlet in NBC's The West Wing. Additionally, the actor starred in Badlands, Apocalypse Now, The Subject Was Roses, Gettysburg, and The Way. His other film credits include The Amazing Spider-Man, Bobby, Catch Me If You Can, The American President, Wall Street, Firestarter, The Dead Zone, Gandhi, Dead Presidents, O, Selma, and Seeking a Friend for the End of the World. Outside of acting, he directed 1990's Cadence, starring his sons, Charlie and Ramón.

Additionally, on TV, Martin Sheen plays Robert Hanson in Netflix's Grace and Frankie, which is currently filming its seventh and final season. He also played John F. Kennedy in NBC's Kennedy. Most recently, Sheen was seen in Judas and the Black Messiah and 12 Mighty Orphans.

Vera Farmiga (Dr. Madolyn Madden)

Playing the part of Dr. Madolyn Madden, a psychiatrist caught in a relationship with Colin Sullivan, Vera Farmiga received one of her biggest early roles in The Departed. Most notably, Farmiga is Oscar-nominated for her supporting turn in Up in the Air. She also plays Lorraine Warren in The Conjuring movies, including Annabelle Comes Home. Additionally, Farmiga was Emmy-nominated for her lead performance as Norma Louise Bates in A&E's Bates Motel. She received a second Emmy nomination for Netflix's When They See Us. Farmiga also appeared in Running Scared, Godzilla: King of the Monsters, Source Code, and Orphan. Moreover, the actress helmed and starred in Higher Ground.

Most recently, Vera Farmiga reprised her role as Lorraine Warren in The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It. She also guest-starred in Netflix's Halston. Next, the actress will be seen in The Many Saints of Newark, The Salamander Lives Twice, and Apple TV+'s Five Days at Memorial. Also, Farmiga will play Eleanor Bishop in Disney+'s Hawkeye. Additionally, the actress is signed on to star in and produce the horror film, Bad Bloom.

Alec Baldwin (Captain George Ellerby)

As George Ellerby, the short-tempered captain of the Boston Police Department, Alec Baldwin plays a spirited character in Martin Scorsese's The Departed. Notably, Baldwin was Oscar-nominated for The Cooler. He also won two Emmys for his portrayal of Jack Donaghy in NBC's 30 Rock. Additionally, the acclaimed actor was Tony-nominated for his Off-Broadway take on Macbeth. His other film credits include Glengarry Glen Ross, The Hunt for the Red October, The Aviator, Working Girl, Beetlejuice, Working Girl, Married to the Mob, Talk Radio, Along Came Polly, Alice, It's Complicated, Miami Blues, and Pearl Harbor. Also, Baldwin co-starred in Mission: Impossible — Rogue Nation and Fallout. Furthermore, he hosts ABC's Match Game and played Donald Trump on SNL.

Most recently, Alec Baldwin reprised his titular infant voice in The Boss Baby: Family Business. Currently, the actor can be seen in Peacock's Dr. Death. Next, he'll be seen in Supercell. Baldwin is also signed on to star in The Father and Rust, which he'll produce.

Anthony Anderson (Trooper Brown)

In the role of Trooper Brown, a fellow Boston police officer, Anthony Anderson plays a supporting character in The Departed. Most notably, Anderson has received multiple Emmy nominations as the star and producer of ABC's black-ish, where he plays Dre Johnson. He reprised his role in the spinoff shows, Freeform's grown-ish and ABC's mixed-ish. Additionally, Anderson starred in The WB's All About the Andersons and the final season of Fox's The Bernie Mac Show. Furthermore, Anderson is known for his work in The Shield, Law & Order, Treme, My Wife and Kids, Shameless, and 'Til Death. Additionally, Anderson is the host of ABC's To Tell the Truth. He's also a regular judge on Food Network's Iron Chef America.

Moreover, in film, Anthony Anderson is best known for Transformers, Kangaroo Jack, Agent Cody Banks 2: Destination London, Me, Myself & Irene, Scream 4, Barbershop, Malibu's Most Wanted, Hustle & Flow, Scary Movie 3, and Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle. Also, the TV actor appeared in Life, Big Momma's House, and Romeo Must Die.

Ray Winstone (Arnold “Frenchie” French)

Playing the part of Arnold French, a.k.a. "Frenchie," Frank Costello's enforcer and closest companion, Ray Winstone was a right-hand man in Martin Scorsese's The Departed. Notably, Winstone starred in Sexy Beast, Beowulf, Nil By Mouth, Quadrophenia, Scum, Love, Honour, and Obey, Ripley's Game, Tracker, The Sweeney, Ashes, Jawbone, The Hot Potato, and 44 Inch Chest. His other notable film credits include Hugo, Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, London Boulevard, Point Break (2015), Fool's Gold, Cats, Rango, Noah, Snow White and the Huntsman, Sex & Drugs & Rock & Roll, King Arthur, Cold Mountain, Breaking and Entering, The Proposition, Edge of Darkness, King of Thieves, That Summer, and The Gunman.

Additionally, on television, Ray Winstone led ITV's Lenny Blue and Vincent. Her other TV credits include Robin of Sherwood, Ben Hur, Moonfleet, Great Expectations, The Trials of Jimmy Rose, Of Knights and Prophets, and Ice. Most recently, Winstone chewed the scenery as the villainous Dreykov in Marvel's Black Widow. Currently, the actor is filming a role in Prizefighter: The Life of Jem Belcher.

Kevin Corrigan (Sean Costigan)

As Sean Costigan, Billy's drug-dealing cousin, Kevin Corrigan provides a notable cameo in The Departed. Most notably, Corrigan played Uncle Eddie in Fox/The WB's Grounded For Life. His other TV credits include Fringe, Damages, The Get Down, Blue Bloods, Ray Donovan, Portlandia, Law & Order: SVU, Pearl, Community, Californication, Freaks and Geeks, and The Black Donnellys. Additionally, away from television, Corrigan can be seen in Slums of Beverly Hills, Goodfellas, Superbad, Pineapple Express, Big Fan, True Romance, Seven Psychopaths, Walking and Talking, Results, Henry Fool, Delirious, American Gangster, Please Give, Steal This Movie!, The Dictator, and The King of Staten Island. He also co-wrote and starred in Kicked in the Head.

Furthermore, Kevin Corrigan's other film credits include Knight of Cups, Unstoppable, Definitely Maybe, Lonesome Jim, Trees Lounge, True Romance, The Exorcist III, Detroit Rock City, The Next Three Days, Bad Boys, and Chelsea Walls. Most recently, the actor starred in Scenes from an Empty Church. Next, Corrigan will be seen in Montauk and American Murderer. He's also expected to play Frank Sinatra in The Playboy Interview.

The Departed is available to stream on Netflix and HBO Max.

There was once a time when a legion of angry comic book fans had zero faith in the idea of casting Michael Keaton as Batman and another when moviegoers assumed that no one could ever top Jack Nicholson’s performance as The Joker. In the following years since, the live-action Batman movies have become subject to many major shifts in style and opinion, but one belief that remains widely accepted is that 1989’s Batman cast was an inspired choice to represent director Tim Burton’s vision of Gotham City. 

The shadow cast by the Dark Knight has not fully disappeared for some of these performers as you will see from the following breakdown of what the cast of one of the best superhero movies of all time has been up to. We shall start with the actor many fans thought Batman did not deserve, but would eventually hope to see in the role again.

Michael Keaton (Bruce Wayne/Batman) 

After proving haters wrong in the title role of two of the best Tim Burton movies – Batman and Batman Returns – Michael Keaton (whose real name is Michael Douglas) later satirized comic book movies with his Academy Award-nominated role in the Best Picture Oscar winner, Birdman. He returned to the genre with 2017’s Spider-Man: Homecoming as one of the best Spider-Man movie villains, the Vulture and, following his Emmy win for leading Hulu’s Dopesick cast, made an awesome return as Batman in The Flash in 2023. 

Whether or not Keaton will return in any upcoming DC movies remains undetermined, but we do know he is reprising the title role of Beetlejuice 2, directed and stars in Knox Goes Away (which premiered at TIFF in 2023), and, is set to star in Goodrich opposite Mila Kunis. Outside of acting, he has partnered with a construction company in his native Pittsburgh to develop green building solutions.

Jack Nicholson (Jack Napier/The Joker) 

The man behind The Joker in 1989’s Batman, Jack Nicholson, has been retired from acting since he appeared in the 2010 rom-com, How Do You Know. Before then, however, he would reunite with Burton and give one of his most underrated performances for the 1996 sci-fi comedy, Mars Attacks!, win his third Oscar for As Good As It Gets, and star in one of Martin Scorsese’s best movies, The Departed, in 2006. While we may have seen the last of the icon’s acting talents, the long-time basketball fan was more recently depicted in HBO’s 1980s-set series about the L.A. Lakers, Winning Time, as portrayed by Max E. Williams.

Kim Basinger (Vicki Vale)

Ambitious photo journalist Vicki Vale is traditionally a redhead in the comics. However, the blonde Kim Basinger was one of the top actors of her generation when cast in Batman ’89 after (technically) being a Bond girl in 1983’s Never Say Never Again and sharing on-screen romances with Mickey Rourke (9-1/2 Weeks) and a pre-Die Hard Bruce Willis (Blind Date). 

She continued to achieve great success throughout the '90s (notably her Oscar-winning role in the masterful period crime thriller L.A. Confidential), the early 2000s (such as playing Eminem’s mom in 8 Mile), and more recently the Fifty Shades movies as the seductive antagonist, Elena Lincoln. In 2021, Basinger would lend her voice to the animated short Back Home Again, and the video game, Crime Boss: Rockay City, in 2023.

Robert Wuhl (Alexander Knox)

To get the scoop on Batman, Vale partners with reporter Alexander Knox, which is probably Robert Wuhl’s biggest role to date. Then again, he previously starred in the Robin Williams classic Good Morning Vietnam and one of the best sports movies, Bull Durham. Of course, it would be shameful to forget about his run as the title character of the HBO comedy Arli$$ (which he also created). 

The two-time Emmy winner (both for co-writing Billy Crystal’s Oscar host material in the early 1990s) did not reprise his brief role in 1997’s Good Burger in the 2023  sequel, unfortunately, but did reprise his Batman ’89 character for the Arrow-verse’s Crisis on Infinite Earths crossover event in 2019. Wuhl also appeared in When George Got Murdered – a 2021 drama about George Floyd – voiced himself on American Dad! for the fifth time in 2023, and his comedy, Ellipses and Semi-Colons, is in post-production.

Billy Dee Williams (Harvey Dent)

It took nearly three decades for Batman ‘89’s Harvey Dent actor, Billy Dee Williams, to finally play Two-Face (the Gotham City DA’s criminal alter ego), in 2017’s The LEGO Batman Movie. Two years later, in Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, he reprised his best known role, Lando Calrissian, whom he has since voiced in a few spin-offs of the Star Wars universe (also in LEGO form). 

The former Colt 45 spokesperson more recently became one of the celebrity guests of Scooby-Doo and Guess Who? in 2021 and did an episode of Max’s Sex and the City revival, And Just Like That…, in 2023. That same year, Williams released a memoir called, What Have We Here?

Tracey Walter (Bob The Goon)

According to a DVD featurette, Jack Nicholson recommended that his good friend, Tracey Walter, play the overlooked Batman movie character and Joker's "Number One guy," Bob. The actor is also known for the likes of 1984’s Conan the Destroyer alongside Arnold Schwarzenegger; the sci-fi cult classic, Repo Man, from the same year; the 1991 Oscar-winning drama, Philadelphia, with Tom Hanks, and plenty more brief roles in notable films. 

Walter would later play another villain in a comic book adaptation – the beloved animated series, Teen Titans – and starred in one of the more recent Rob Zombie movies, 31, in 2016. That would also turn out to be one of his last roles, as he hasn't appeared in anything since that year.

Jerry Hall (Alicia)

The character who most closely resembled Harley Quinn before she even debuted in Batman: The Animated Series was Jack Napier’s girlfriend, Alicia, played by Jerry Hall. The model and actor previously made her debut alongside John Travolta in 1980’s Urban Cowboy.

She then went on to appear in small, often unnamed, roles in films like Freejack (starring her then husband, Mick Jagger) or frequently play herself, such as in Absolutely Fabulous: The Movie from 2016. Her last known acting credit was a 2018 drama called Hellbent, but, in 2022, she appeared in the Netflix original docuseries, The Andy Warhol Diaries. 

Jack Palance (Carl Grissom)

An inciting incident that actually leads to Napier's clownish transformation is when his affair with Alicia is discovered by her beau and Napier's boss, Carl Grissom. The Gotham City crime lord in Batman was actually one of two villains Jack Palance played in 1989, along with Yves Perret in the Sylvester Stallone and Kurt Russell-led buddy cop action movie, Tango & Cash. 

Two years later, he would win his sole Academy Award for playing Curly in the western-comedy, City Slickers. Westerns, such as the 1954 classic Shane, were once Palance’s bread and butter before appearing mostly in TV movies by the end of his career until he passed away in 2006 at the age of 87.

Pat Hingle (Commissioner James Gordon)

Also known for acting in westerns before (and even after) he was cast as James Gordon in Batman was Pat Hingle. The actor would go on to reprise the role of the Gotham City Police Commissioner three more times until Batman & Robin bombed and put the franchise on hold in 1997. 

While Gordon is also the character he is best known for, the actor still has his fair share of iconic credits – including Stephen King’s directorial debut, Maximum Overdrive; the Richard Pryor classic, Brewster’s Millions; the 1983 Dirty Harry sequel, Sudden Impact; and Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby in 2006. The funny Will Ferrell movie would actually see one of Hingle’s final appearances before he passed away at 84 three years later.

Michael Gough (Alfred Pennyworth)

Also known for being one of the few actors to appear in all four Batman movies from the Burton/Shumacher eras is Michael Gough. His performance as Bruce Wayne’s longtime servant and father figure, Alfred Pennyworth, is considered to be one of the best things about Batman Forever and Batman & Robin, as well. 

The English actor would work with Burton three more times in 1999’s Sleepy Hollow, the not-so-scary "horror" movie, Corpse Bride; and 2010’s Alice In Wonderland, in which he voiced a dodo bird. That would officially be Gough’s last acting credit before he, at 94, passed away in 2011.

While it is sad to reflect on those from the Batman cast whom we have lost, at least we can be thankful to have seen such legendary names help bring the Dark Knight back onto the big screen and into the mainstream with the acclaimed box office smash, which was the most popular movie of 1989. Now, more than three decades later, we still have multiple upcoming Batman movies to look forward to and can only hope they will live up to this classic that still entertains comic book movie fans of all ages.

Martin Scorsese is widely considered one of the greatest filmmakers of all time, not just for the big screen narrative he weaves and the memorable characters he brings to life, but also because of his artistry as a visual storyteller. He is a director who pays rigorous attention to subjects in frame of his camera, and by extension you could watch all of his movies on mute and still maintain a firm grasp on what’s happening in the plot. He has a brilliant eye for detail, and a perfect demonstration can be found in the background of numerous scenes in the 2006’s The Departed, which was high up on our best movies of the 2000s list.

If you’re paying close enough attention while watching the Best Picture-winning film, you may start to notice that there is a common motif in the production design of many key sequences: the presence of an X or multiple Xs. Per what was described above, this is hardly an accident, and happens to be not only a clever use of foreshadowing, but a direct tribute to one Martin Scorsese’s favorite directors.

This obvious is fully of spoilers from The Departed, so if you haven't gotten around to seeing the movie, we suggest you do that before continuing on...

What The Xs Mean, And Their Origin

To understand the use of Xs in The Departed, we have to take a trip back in history much further than 2006, as this story really begins in 1932 with the release of Howard Hawks’ Scarface (the original that Brian De Palma remade with Al Pacino in 1983). Hawks uses the shape throughout the movie to symbolize that living the life of a gangster means to live life as a marked man. Thus, the X is used to foreshadow death – and we see that repeatedly through Martin Scorsese’s film as an homage.

That’s arguably only half of the full interpretation, however. The whole plot of The Departed centers on characters who are acting duplicitously and betraying those they trust, and what’s a synonym for that? To double-cross. There are multiple levels in play here.

The Characters Marked For Death

So now that you know why there are so many Xs in the background of The Departed, let’s dig into the details and discuss exactly who it is among the extensive ensemble cast that winds up being marked for death (fun fact: the list includes every notable character who touches the envelope pictured above)

Frank Costello (Jack Nicholson)

Martin Scorsese wastes absolutely no time in The Departed deploying his first X, as it’s featured in what is the first original shot in the movie (not counting the archived footage that plays following the studio logos). It’s Jack Nicholson’s Frank Costello, draped in shadows, who passes a pair of crossed beams, and it means that those in the know are aware that he is not going to be among the plot’s survivors.

Colin Sullivan (Matt Damon)

Colin Sullivan gets away with a lot of horrible things in The Departed, and he is unquestionably one of Matt Damon’s most hateable characters, but it’s very early on that the audience is assured of his fate with a well-placed X in the second shot after the movie’s title card. Beyond that there are several others placed in his vicinity throughout the film, including some street graffiti, some tricks of the light, and when we discover that he is number 10 on the rugby team (a.k.a. Roman Numeral X). Of course, his end of the line is reached when he arrives home to discover Mark Wahlberg’s Sean Dignam waiting for him, but that’s only after he walks across a carpet with a red X pattern.

Billy Costigan Jr. (Leonardo DiCaprio)

In the same way that the Xs offer hope for the death of The Departed’s villains, the symbolism generates dread when it comes to Leonardo DiCaprio’s Billy Costigan Jr. One of the biggest shocks of the film is when he gets a bullet in the head in the third act, but it’s less surprising when you remember the giant Xs at the airport, the icon used by Colin to delete his file on the computer, and even the duct tape behind his head when he’s trying to arrest Colin.

Oliver Queenan (Martin Sheen)

The case of Captain Queenan is kind of like the Rosetta Stone when it comes to the Xs in The Departed. If you witness them independently throughout the movie, you may not be entirely clear what they mean – but then Martin Sheen’s character flies past eight windows with crosses made of tape as he plummets to his death. After that point it’s pretty hard to miss what the Xs are symbolizing.

James Barrigan (James Badge Dale)

Much like the death of Billy Costigan, another one of The Departed’s late big surprises is the revelation that Colin Sullivan wasn’t the only member of the Boston Police Department working as a mole for Frank Costello’s criminal syndicate. James Badge Dale’s James Barrigan was also secretly feeding the gangster information, and that’s why he makes the call to assassinate Billy Costigan. Of course, the revelation comes paired with Barrigan standing right next to a pair of Xs, so you immediately know his fate is sealed (and the double crosses also hint that Colin is about to shoot him in the head).

Tony Brown (Anthony Anderson)

Lastly we have the sad story of Anthony Anderson’s Tony Brown. Unlike Colin Sullivan or James Barrigan, Brown is an uncorrupt trooper serving as an honorable member of the Boston Police Department, and the only reason he gets dragged into the whole mess that is The Departed’s plot is because he is a friend of Billy Costigan’s from the academy. Watching the film knowing about the Xs, you can’t help but feel bad when one pops up right next to him shortly before the elevator containing Billy and Colin closes its doors.

For your pleasure, we have created a gallery full of screenshots from The Departed featuring more than 20 of the background Xs – and you’ll note that all of them feature characters who aren’t still breathing when Roy Buchanan's "Sweet Dreams" begins to play and the end credits start to roll.

Does this bit of trivia improve your appreciation of Martin Scorsese’s Boston set gangster epic? Hopefully it does, and you can keep this bit of trivia in mind the next time you watch. Speaking of which, The Departed is currently streaming on HBO Max, and is also available for purchase at various digital outlets and on Blu-ray and DVD.

While Batman would become the hero that Hollywood needed, believe it or not, he was but not the one it wanted years ago. It was not until Michael Keaton put on the cape and cowl in the title role of what would become the highest grossing film of 1989 when he truly became comic book movies’ golden goose. However, some behind-the-scenes facts reveal that the actor’s enduring legacy as Bruce Wayne was almost tarnished before it even began.

To really understand why this is, you have to keep in mind that before Batman, the most exposure the DC icon had in mainstream media was the campy TV show, which ended more than two decades earlier. To many audiences, outside comic book aficionados who knew him best, the “Dark Knight” sounded like a misnomer for the Caped Crusader at the time. Fortunately, after writer and illustrator Frank Miller’s 1986 reinvention and Michael Keaton’s committed portrayal in the film adaptation soon after, making Batman any lighter usually feels a little off (cough Batman & Robin cough).

Even following Christian Bale and Ben Affleck’s well-regarded performances and anticipation for how Robert Pattinson will play the role, Michael Keaton remains one of the more beloved actors to don the Batsuit, and is even set to reprise the role alongside Batfleck in the upcoming solo Flash movie. If you think that sounds crazy, you should hear about some of the events that took place before, during, and even after the making of 1989’s Batman. Broaden your mind with the following 12 bits of batty trivia.

Neither Tim Burton Nor Michael Keaton Had Much Prior Batman Comic Book Experience

While it is practically a rule these days for a superhero movie to be helmed by a fan, that was certainly not the case in when Tim Burton was tapped to make the 1989 Batman, having only loved one comic book in his life - Alan Moore’s The Killing Joke - as the director’s quote on a reissue of the iconic graphic novel would claim. Furthermore, years later, Michael Keaton told Marc Maron on his WTF podcast that he had no knowledge of the character outside of the 1960s series when he was cast. You can only imagine, if that fact had been known back then, how much worse the hate mail could have been.

Casting Michael Keaton Ignited Angry Backlash Among Batman Fans

Ben Affleck and Robert Pattinson, respectively, are not the first actors to experience premature public outcry for being cast as Batman. Just ask Michael Keaton, whose primary background in comedy (i.e. Mr. Mom and the previous year’s Beetlejuice for Tim Burton), had thousands of fans vocally casting doubt on his worth as Bruce Wayne. It is hard to imagine now, not just from the love he receives for Batman today, but for one of the earlier, and more unlikely, choices for the role.

Bill Murray Was Once Considered To Play Batman

There is a dizzying list of actors once considered to play the Dark Knight, the most surprisingly, probably, being Bill Murray (yes, that Bill Murray). Long before Tim Burton was involved in making Batman, Ivan Reitman was attached to direct with a more comedic tone in mind and thought of putting his Ghostbusters star in the title role. Reitman also would have made Eddie Murphy Robin, when the Boy Wonder was still involved in the story, that is.

Early Batman Script Drafts Included Robin

As an original storyboard sequence tweeted out by Mark Hamill in 2019 reveals, Sam Hamm’s Batman screenplay initially introduced of the Caped Crusader’s young sidekick, in which pre-Robin Dick Grayson would assist Batman in foiling the Joker’s plans at the conclusion. Kiefer Sutherland actually recounted to On the Box about turning down the role at 19. Of course, Tim Burton’s finished product saw no sign of the Boy Wonder and, although he considered including the character in Batman Returns, it was not until Joel Schumacher took over the franchise with Batman Forever that Robin got his big moment, as portrayed by Chris O’Donnell.

Adam West Later Expressed Disappointment Of Not Being Asked To Reprise Batman

We might have seen the 1960s’ Robin, Burt Ward, back in the ol’ red and greens had his Batman, Adam West, received his wish to play the character again in Tim Burton’s film. The actor, who passed away in 2017, said that he “cried for an hour” when asked how he felt about Michael Keaton’s casting in a 1989 episode of A Current Affair, but would come to accept that with a new generation, a new man in the cowl would naturally follow. However, he and Ward would reprise their roles in two animated films, proving that good things do come to those who wait.

Michelle Pfeiffer Was Briefly Considered To Play Vicki Vale

Speaking of, before the role of photographer, and Bruce Wayne’s love interest, Vicki Vale ultimately went Kim Basinger, Michelle Pfeiffer was thought of. However, according to a testimony in The Hollywood Reporter by Robert Wuhl (journalist Alexander Knox in Batman), Michael Keaton was against the idea due to his previous romantic history with the actress. He must have changed his mind by 1992, thankfully paving the way for Pfeiffer to give her iconic performance as Catwoman in Batman Forever.

Robin Williams Was Approached To Play The Joker

In another case of almost castings, Robin Williams wanted to be Batman’s Joker, but a report by Fansided, which cites Brian Cronin’s Comic Book Legends Revealed as a reference, reveals a disappointing twist to that story. Apparently, Warner Bros. only used the late actor’s desire to play the supervillain to stir interest in their first choice: Jack Nicholson, whom the role would famously go to. The Fansided article also mentions a 2010 Empire Interview in which Williams claimed a similar thing happened to him when he was offered to play Batman Forever’s Riddler, only to have the opportunity taken away in favor of Jim Carrey.

Jack Nicholson’s Joker Makeup Went Through A Few Complications

I can only imagine how Robin Williams might have dealt with all the makeup involved to play the Joker, as a featurette included on the 2005 edition DVD release of Batman sheds light on. Jack Nicholson and makeup artist Nick Dudman recalled in interviews how the actor’s allergy to spirit gum - an essential element of movie makeup - forced them to figure out another way to construct prosthetics for his creepy, permanent smile. Another challenge was preventing Nicholson from smearing his white makeup when Joker wipes his flesh-colored face paint off, which was achieved by an elaborate combination of substances that the actor, fortunately, was not allergic to either.

Michael Keaton Was Unable To Hear In His Full Batman Costume

Despite all the crap Jack Nicholson endured, the real joke was on Michael Keaton, whose Batsuit was more uncomfortable and problematic than you would imagine. In addition to being claustrophobic, Keaton revealed to NPR that the cowl left him pretty much deaf to any surrounding noise, giving him a sense of isolation that he would smartly channel into his performance. The actor also contributed to the creation of the Batman’s disguised voice, which would become tradition to any preceding portrayal of the character (excluding George Clooney).

Twenty Minutes Of Footage Was Stolen From The Batman Set

The only thing more famous about 1989’s Batman other than… well, Batman are the numerous problems that befell the production, including multiple script rewrites and an increasingly escalating budget while Tim Burton and company were still in the middle of filming. One major contributor to the financial problems, in particular, was the discovery that two reels of film consisting of about 20 minutes of footage were stolen from the set, which led the crew to improvise ways to work around the missing sequences. It all worked out in the end, of course, after the film earned more than $400 million and widespread acclaim… from most people, that is.

Tim Burton Was Initially Disappointed By His First Batman Movie

Despite the critical and commercial success, Batman was not without its critics - the harshest of which, at the time, was its own director. In an 1992 interview with Empire, in promotion of his sequel, Batman Returns, (via Rotten Tomatoes) Tim Burton actually said, despite enjoying some elements, he found it “boring” as whole, calling it “more of a cultural phenomenon than a great movie.” That does not even mark the end (or the most jarring extent) of his displeasure over the film.

Tim Burton Was Also Not A Fan Of Prince’s Batman Soundtrack

While Danny Elfman’s rousing score fits perfectly with the scope of Gotham City, the idea of even someone as talented as Prince reflecting the sound of Batman, to some people, feels a little off. Tim Burton agrees, as he mentions in a 1992 Rolling Stone interview with David Breskin (via the writer’s website), in which he says the following about how the late musician became involved with the film and why the situation was a disappointment to him:

Tim Burton would go on to add that, while Prince’s official soundtrack for Batman is an album he enjoys, he finds it hard to listen to without reminding him of what he does not like about the film (which he seems to put the blame on himself more) and even “tainted” his admiration for his music. At least we can say that Seal and Joel Schumacher did not fall prey to the same fate with Batman Forever’s inclusion of “Kiss from a Rose.”

What do you think? Would you tell your friends about this list of trivia, or do you feel we could have done more to explain how Batman got his wonderful toys? Let us know in the comments and be sure to check back for additional information and updates on the Tim Burton comic book flick, as well as even more behind-the-scenes looks at some your favorite movies and TV shows, here on CinemaBlend.

What a year in movies 2019 shook out to be, huh? The 2020 Oscar nominations were announced Monday morning with massive recognition going to Joker, The Irishman, Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, Marriage Story and so forth. The talent is especially stacked in the Academy Award for Best Actor category, with a high chance four-time nominee Joaquin Phoenix will finally nab his first Oscar, alongside first-time nominees Jonathan Pryce in for The Two Popes, Antonio Banderas for Pain & Glory and Marriage Story’s Adam Driver joining 2017’s Revenant Oscar-winner Leonardo DiCaprio in esteemed Oscars category.

As we await The 2020 Oscars, let’s look back at the best actors to nab a gold trophy at the Academy Awards throughout history. Here’s our ranking:

10. Leonardo DiCaprio (1 Win, 6 Nominations)

The youngest actor to grace this list is 45-year-old Leonardo DiCaprio, who is among one of the nominees at the Oscars for the sixth year in his illustrious career for the role of troubled actor Rick Dalton in Quentin Tarantino’s Once Upon a Time in Hollywood. DiCaprio was first invited to the Oscars when he was 20 years old for a Best Actor nomination for What’s Eating Gilbert Grape for playing the mentally-disabled younger brother to Johnny Depp’s titular role.

And Leonardo DiCaprio has never been a stranger to the Academy for long, nabbing nominations for his memorable roles as Howard Hughes in Martin Scorsese’s The Aviator and The Wolf of Wall Street and 2006’s Blood Diamond. He finally won in 2017 for his brutal role in Alejandro G. Iñárritu’s The Revenant acting in below freezing temperatures in Canada leading to the actor catching the flu a few times, eating raw liver despite being a long-held vegetarian and working with little to no dialogue. The guy really worked for his Oscar!

9. Anthony Hopkins (1 Wins, 5 Nominations)

Another one of the 2020 nominees is one of the best actors to ever take home the award. Anthony Hopkins has been recognized this year in the Best Actor category for his supporting role as Pope Benedict alongside Best Actor nominee Jonathan Pryce’s Pope Francis in The Two Popes. The 82-year-old British actor has been acting since the ‘60s but his well-known role to date is the chilling Dr. Hannibal Lecter in 1991’s The Silence of the Lambs. He won his only Oscar for playing the serial killer, along with the crime-thriller taking home Best Picture and three other awards.

Between The Silence of the Lambs and The Two Popes, Anthony Hopkins has been nominated for playing WWII butler with Emma Thompson in The Remains of the Day, the 37th US president in Nixon and John Quincy Adams in Steven Spielberg’s Amistad. Hopkins has shown again and again his ability to disappear into roles and intrigue audiences with his riveting performances.

8. Dustin Hoffman (2 Wins, 7 Nominations)

He may not be active in recent years as he once was, but Dustin Hoffman has been a part of quite a few timeless movies that will be revisited again and again. The 82-year-old talent has nabbed two Oscars in his lifetime for 1979’s divorce drama opposite Meryl Streep Kramer vs. Kramer and as the autistic brother to Tom Cruise in 1988’s Rain Man.

Along with his two wins, Dustin Hoffman was first recognized by the Academy for Mike Nichols’ classic The Graduate when he was 30 years old. His other nominations include his role in Midnight Cowboy, Lenny, Tootsie and Wag the Dog alongside Robert De Niro. Hoffman belongs on this list because when he stars in a movie his performance is just about always the highlight of the flick. His presence elevates the material and brings a particular emotion that leaves the audience in tears.

7. Daniel Day-Lewis (3 Wins, 6 Nominations)

Daniel Day-Lewis has since retired from acting, but not without a particularly impressive career in Hollywood. The 62-year-old is a favorite of the Academy’s, collecting an Oscar 50 percent of the time he’s been nominated. Day-Lewis’ first nomination lead to a win in 1990 for his leading role in My Left Foot: The Story of Christy Brown where he played a man who was born with cerebral palsy and learns to write and paint with his only working limb.

Daniel Day-Lewis is of course best known for Paul Thomas Anderson’s There Will Be Blood, which awarded him his second Oscar. His most recent win was for playing Abraham Lincoln in Steven Spielberg’s 2012 biopic. He’s also been nominated for In the Name of the Father, Scorsese’s Gangs of New York and Anderson’s Phantom Thread. Like his colleagues, Day-Lewis dazzles with his method acting – like the time when he built a canoe during the making of the Last of the Mohicans.

6. Denzel Washington (2 Wins, 8 Nominations)

Hollywood has long been a white man’s game. Just look at this list! But, there’s one actor who not only broke the disparity, he shattered it. Denzel Washington was the first Black actor to receive two Academy Awards with Mahershala Ali since following his lead in the past few years. Of course, it’s not just about firsts – Washington has starred in some of the best movies of all time such as Malcolm X and Philadelphia.

Denzel Washington’s first win came in 1990 when he won for his role as a Civil War soldier in Glory and his second for 2001’s Training Day. In between, he was recognized by the Academy for Malcolm X, The Hurricane, Flight, Fences and Roman J. Israel, Esq. The 65-year-old actor has delivered some incredible performances, namely about the Black experience in America and inspiring others such as Michael B. Jordan, who referenced Glory for Black Panther.

5. Tom Hanks (2 Wins, 6 Nominations)

Another veteran to the Academy’s good graces returning to the nominee list in 2020 is Tom Hanks. The 63-year-old actor was nominated in the Best Actor category for his supporting role as Mr. Rogers in A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood. As the Golden Globes recently reminded us when Hanks was honored with Cecil B. DeMille award at the 2020 Golden Globes, Hanks has some of the most memorable roles in history. It’s countless really.

The actor won two Academy Awards for two years in a row. In 1993, Tom Hanks nabbed his first for starring in the true story of a man with HIV who takes his law firm to court after being fired for his condition. His second was for playing the iconic and quotable role, Forrest Gump. He’s also been nominated for Big, Saving Private Ryan and Cast Away. He’s America’s Sweetheart for a reason – he always manages to get us on his side and empathize with his performance.

4. Robert De Niro (2 Wins, 7 Nominations)

Now we’re down to the wire. And amazingly enough these next two actors gave incredible performances in Martin Scorsese’s The Irishman in 2019. Robert De Niro will mainly be remembered for his partnership with Scorsese where he was nominated for Taxi Driver in 1976, Cape Fear in 1991 and won for Raging Bull in 1980, but there’s a ton of meat on his acting bone. Did you know his first nomination and win was for his supporting role in Francis Ford Coppola’s masterpiece The Godfather: Part II back in 1975?

He nabbed another nominee in 1979 for The Deer Hunter – an examination of the effects of the Vietnam War along with flawlessly playing a catatonic man to Robin Williams’ physician in 1990’s Awakenings, and father to Bradley Cooper in David O. Russell’s Silver Linings Playbook. De Niro has always picked challenging roles and challenging subjects that stick with us for years… decades since.

3. Al Pacino (1 Wins, 9 Nominations)

Also finding beginnings in The Godfather is Al Pacino, also nominated this year at the Oscars for his supporting role as Jimmy Hoffa in The Irishman. Pacino is Scarface, he’s Serpico and he’s an Oscar winner for 1992’s Scent of a Woman, where he played a blind man who his prep school “babysitter” (played by Chris O’Donnell) discovers to be an alcoholic army veteran.

Al Pacino has been recognized for a whopping nine Oscars (the most on this list thus far) for playing Michael Corleone in The Godfather Part I and II, NY cop in Serpico, a bank robber in Dog Day Afternoon, lawyer in And Justice For All, Big Boy Caprice Dick Tracy, and realtor in Glengarry Glen Ross. He’s done everything imaginable and the Academy clearly loves him. He’s memorable in just about every role he does. He’s Al Pacino!!

2. Jack Nicholson (3 Wins, 12 Nominations)

The No. 2 spot goes to a record setter at the Oscars. Jack Nicholson is the most nominated male actor in the Academy Awards history. (Meryl Streep leads with 21 and he ties with Katherine Hepburn at 12). The 82-year-old actor first impressed back in 1969 with motorcycle drama Easy Rider starring Peter Fonda and Dennis Hopper. He steadily kept coming back to the awards show through the ‘70s, ‘80s and ‘90s.

Jack Nicholson’s first big win was for One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest after playing a rapist who is sent to a mental institution despite not having a mental illness. It followed four prior noms for Easy Rider, Five Easy Pieces, The Last Detail and Chinatown. Nicholson also won for family drama Terms of Endearment in 1983 and As Good As It Gets in 1997. Of course the actor has tons more credits to his name – also playing Joker in The Batman and Frank Costello in The Departed. It’s overwhelming!

1. Marlon Brando (2 Wins, 8 Nominations)

At the top of the best actors to win Best Actor is Marlon Brando. He’s the kind of actor who has influenced just about every man on this list with his classic performances in A Streetcar Named Desire, Apocalypse Now and so forth. He’s well known for adopting the Method Acting formula which many of these men have adopted and have contributed to their Oscar wins later. He’s a model career to many, still being emulated today. If Joaquin Phoenix wins the next Best Actor Oscar, his Joker performance certainly has roots in Brando.

Brando won twice – first for 1954’s On the Waterfront and second for playing Don Vito Corleone in The Godfather. Although, he did not attend the ceremony purposefully choosing Native American actress Maria Cruz to accept his award to make a statement about the poor treatment of American Indians in Hollywood. This certainly shows that even the best of actors don’t always approve of Hollywood and its functions. It’s about the art, not the recognition.

Who's the Best Actor to win Best Actor? Sound off in the comments below and vote in our poll!

This poll is no longer available.

We’ve been hearing a lot about the Joker in the past several weeks. But one social media-savvy cinephile decided we hadn’t heard quite enough. They compiled an awesome, and incredibly unique, video clip that shows off the villain’s iconic laugh from the Cesar Romero to Joaquin Phoenix — and yes, Jared Leto is in there, too.

On November 9, Mark Hamill shared a video clip from Instagram user TheScenesOfCinema that illustrates the different ways that actors have portrayed the Clown Prince of Crime’s laugh. The Star Wars actor was particularly delighted by the fact that it was presented as an old-school flip book, which appears to create an animated image when someone rifles through the pages in order. Mark Hamill’s accompanying caption to the post said, “As a kid I used to collect Flip-Books, but in those days they were silent.”

“A Full History of Joker Laughs” shows a quick animation of six iconic Jokers, and overlays audio from each. We see (and, of course, hear) Cesar Romero, who appeared in both the 1960s Batman television series and the 1966 Batman feature length film; Jack Nicholson, from Tim Burton’s Batman; Heath Ledger from The Dark Knight; Jared Leto from Suicide Squad; and Joaquin Phoenix from Joker. Mark Hamill’s voice appears too, thanks to his beloved take on the Joker from numerous Batman animated series.

It’s a fun retrospective on one of the world’s most iconic villains — and it revealed something interesting about the respective portrayals. Most of the actors take an approach that’s somewhere between maniacal and hysterical. However, Jared Leto’s stands in stark contrast, as he offered little more than a stilted “ha ha” during his run as the Joker. The animation fits his segment of the clip perfectly, too, as it shows him covering his giggle behind his mouth-painted hand.

Neither the clip’s creator nor Mark Hamill pass judgment on any of the actors, but that didn’t stop fans in the comment section from weighing in on their favorites — and getting in some digs, too. (Sorry, Jared Leto.) All opinions aside, the clip serves as an awesome reminder of the villain’s legacy. The Joker has been brought to life on screen in some form for over 50 years, and four Oscar winners have taken on the mighty task of playing him.

And the clip, originally posted by TheScenesOfCinema on October 8, feels timely, given the renewed interest in the character. Within the last three years alone, we’ve seen two entirely different portrayals of the Joker in films. Joker has become one of the most successful comic book films of all time. The Clown Prince’s cinematic history is likely far from over — we’ll be waiting to see who’s willing to take on his dastardly laugh next.

The movie The Shining, directed by the great Stanley Kubrick and starring the terrifying Jack Nicholson, is VERY different from the Stephen King-penned book from which it is adapted. Many of the most iconic things in the movie either don’t appear in the book or present themselves in a completely different way from the book.

It’s not unusual for movies to be very different from the books they are adapted from. There can be a myriad of reasons why. Sometimes scenes in books are impossible to film, while other times it’s due to time constraints, as books are usually much longer than movies. Sometimes it’s simply a director’s choice.

The Shining is a great example of Stanley Kubrick twisting Stephen King’s story to fit his vision of a man going crazy in an isolated mountain hotel in the dead of winter. He made the changes for a lot of reasons, but mostly, it seems, he made the changes so that the basic story was molded into his unique vision, as only Kubrick could have done.

There are some very small changes that do little to affect the overall plot, like changing the main character’s name from John to Jack, to some very major changes that completely change the events and why they happen. More famously, the supernatural room in the book is room 217, but the Stanley Hotel, where the film was shot, asked that they use a non-existent room number so that future customers would be freaked out if they were assigned to 217. The movie uses 237 instead.

Those kinds of changes don’t affect the story, but there are some major changes that definitely change the story a lot. are some of the biggest differences between Stanley Kubrick The Shining film and Stephen King’s The Shining novel.

The Very Nature Of “The Haunted” Hotel Are Very Different

In the book The Shining, it’s very clear, in true Stephen King fashion, that the Overlook Hotel is haunted. There are ghosts, things that going bump in the night and even the topiaries in the garden come alive in the book. The supernatural is very apparent and very real in this version of the story. It is these ghosts and ghouls that drive John mad.

In the movie, the nature of the Jack’s decent into madness is much more ambiguous and seems to take place all in his mind. Rather than supernatural forces making him nuts, it’s his own mental health that falls apart without the influence of ghosts or spirits. Rather than actual ghosts, the movie presents the supernatural as all in the character’s head, due to the isolation and writers block he experiences.

The Main Character’s Writing Projects Are Different

In both the book and the movie, the main character is a writer struggling with writer’s block. That is pretty much where the similarities end, in that respect.

In the book, John is a playwright who abandons his original play and begins writing a story based on the history of the spooky hotel, The Overlook, that the family is care-taking for the winter.

In Stanley Kubrick’s movie The Shining, whatever Jack’s intending to write is never really defined. It’s discovered later in the movie what he’s actually been writing and we’ll get to that later.

John’s Motivation In The Book For His Book Is Different

Again, in the movie, it’s unclear what Jack is trying to write, other than it being a novel of some sort. In the book, John’s motivation for writing a book based on The Overlook comes from a scrapbook that he finds. The impact of the scrapbook on John’s psyche is a major subplot of the book. The ghosts in the hotel and in the scrapbook are the ones driving him mad, but he can’t avoid them; they inundate him completely.

In the movie, while the iconic picture from the 1920s is a major reveal, the rest of the scrapbook is essentially left out of the plot. Since the movie is more about Jack losing his mind from the inside, a motivator like the scrapbook is less important.

Stanley Kubrick’s movie flips what kind man that the main character is. Instead of a sane man pushed into insanity as Stephen King wrote him, Jack Nicholson’s character is already likely insane and he is trying desperately to stay sane while locked in the hotel for the winter.

This difference, while it seems subtle, actually changes the whole nature of the plot from a supernatural horror story to a psychological horror story, and both ways are effective in different ways. It certainly helps that Jack Nicholson pulls off the character’s motivation incredibly well in the film.

The Famous Twins Are Not In The Book

A number of the most iconic scenes from The Shining do not appear in the book. The chances are that when you hear “The Shining,” the first thing that pops into your head the vision of the twin girls in the hallway as Danny rides around on his tricycle. It’s become a classic scene that has been satirized and parodied many, many times in the years since. But it doesn’t appear in the book. The Grady family murders are discussed in the book, of course, but the girls aren't twins and they aren't seen by Danny in a vision as they are in the movie.

The Bleeding Elevator Is Not In The Book

If it’s not the twins that first pop into your head when you think of The Shining, it’s probably the elevator scene when the blood pours out and splashes around the hallway like a tidal wave. Like the twins, it’s become an iconic moment in cinema history. It also was a scene created by the brilliance of Stanley Kubrick, not Stephen King. It’s a scene that works wonderfully on film, but probably wouldn’t have had the same visceral effect had it been written.

The Famous “All Work And No Play Makes Jack A Dull Boy” Is Not In The Book

The scene when Jack’s wife Wendy discovers what Jack has been writing the whole time is a pivotal and shocking moment in the movie. Like so many other moments, it was made up for the movie.

As mentioned above, in the book, Jack is writing a story based on The Overlook, while in the movie, he never cures his writer’s block and it’s a key component in his psychosis.

The moment when Wendy sees the famous lines “All Work And No Play Makes Jack A Dull Boy” repeated thousands of times is a very direct look into Jack’s psyche and one more sign that he has completely lost his mind.

The Hedge Maze Is Not In The Book

The terrifying conclusion of The Shining movie takes place in a hedge maze at The Overlook as Jack chases Danny with an axe in a psychotic rage. This maze isn’t in the book.

The maze in movie replaces the garden in the book, which is made up of varies plants and topiaries that animate and come to life, so to speak, terrifying John and pushing him closer to the edge. Without the maze, the ending of the book is very different from the movie.

“Here’s Johnny!” Isn’t In The Book

In a movie chock full of iconic moments, none are more so than the scene when Jack Nicholson breaks through the bathroom door with an axe and says “Here’s Johnny!” like Ed McMahon on the old Tonight Show With Johnny Carson.

The scene where John chases Wendy into the bathroom is in the book, but he’s not carrying an axe, but rather a croquet mallet, and he never says “Here’s Johnny!” According to lore, Jack Nicholson made the line up on the spot, and for that, movie goers should be forever grateful.

The Main Character’s Deaths Are Completely Different

Very famously in the movie of The Shining, Jack freezes to death after being unable to catch Danny in the Maze. The iconic shot of a frozen Jack Nicholson has become one of the most enduring (and memed) images in cinema history.

In the book, John doesn’t freeze to death. Instead, he is lured into the boiler room of The Overlook and blown up. So, it’s pretty much the opposite way to die from the movie, but both ways work very effectively given their mediums especially as part of the underlying motivations of the main character.

Wendy Is Completely Different In The Novel

Not only is Wendy completely different looking in the novel, her personality is different also. In the book, Wendy is described as blonde, while Wendy, played by Shelley Duvall in the movie, is most definitely not blonde. She is also described as having movie star-quality beauty, and Shelley Duvall plays the role as less of a golden girl.

More importantly, in the book The Shining, Wendy has a much stronger and more independent personality. She stands up to John in much firmer and stronger ways than the Wendy in the movie ever does. In the movie, Wendy is meeker and much more under the influence of Jack’s more violent tendencies.

There are other slight differences in The Shining, like how Danny interacts with his imaginary friend Tony and how much “Shine” Danny has or how he uses in the novel. “REDRUM” also appears in the novel very early on in Danny’s head, far early than it appears in the movie. These are subtler changes that Stanley Kubrick made were effective because of that one important difference that changed everything, and that is Jack/John’s personality and the nature of his insanity.

Stephen King has been famously critical of Stanley Kubrick’s interpretation of his novel, and it’s easy to see why. Kubrick’s changes completely alter the story that King told. But for fans of the movie, it doesn’t matter because what Kubrick created is a masterpiece of horror that reinvented what a horror movie can be.

It’s rare that a super villain can achieve anywhere near the same amount of popularity that the hero they frequently battle, but The Joker is definitely at that level. Debuting in 1940’s Batman #1 (the same issue where Catwoman first appeared), the Clown Prince of Crime has long been cemented as the Caped Crusader’s arch-nemesis, so naturally he’s also been adapted in other media numerous times. In fact, we’ve reached a point where The Joker is now the star of his own movie, and he won’t even be fighting Batman!

As one can logically assume from this kind of prominence, The Joker isn’t a simple role. With so many years of history, there are various ways one can play this character, so with that in mind, we’ve decided to look at the actors who’ve bring this cackling fiend to life on the silver screen. Just to be clear, this feature is only discussing theatrical portrayals of Joker, although I do recommend checking out Cameron Monaghan’s performances as Jerome and Jeremiah Valeska on the Fox series Gotham, as those twins cover the Joker spectrum excellently.

Cesar Romero's Joker in Batman (The 1966 Movie)

Although Batman made his first live action appearance in a 1943 film serial, it’d be another 23 years before The Joker got to follow suit in the live action Batman TV series. Cesar Romero, who had an extensive movie and TV resume and was arguably known best beforehand as The Cisco Kid in six Westerns released between 1939 and 1941, was cast as the Clown Prince of Crime, and for the most part, he nailed the character quite well. Modeled off how Joker was portrayed in the Silver Age of Comics, when superhero stories were more kid-friendly, Romero’s Joker was more of a goofy prankster than a psychopathic murderer, which fit with the TV series’ tone nicely. Romero also refused to shave off his mustache when playing The Joker, requiring the white makeup be applied over the facial hair.

Two months after the Batman Season 1 finale aired, these versions of the characters made the jump to the big screen in the first ever full-length theatrical Batman movie, simply and appropriately titled Batman. Cesar Romero’s Joker teamed up with Frank Gorshin’s Riddler, Lee Meriwether’s Catwoman and Burgess Meredith’s Penguin teaming up to cause all kinds of trouble, with this clip demonstrating their dynamic together and Romero’s overall Joker personality.

Naturally, Romero’s Joker in the Batman movie didn’t differ in any way from how he played the character on the Batman TV series, and the movie was critically well-received and performed decently commercially. In the grand scheme of things, while Romero’s Joker is definitely not nearly as frightening as later versions of Joker, he still has a sizable amount of fans all these years later.

Jack Nicholson's Joker in Batman (The 1989 Movie)

As popular as the 1960s Batman TV series was and still is, there’s no question that it’s campy and kooky, basically meaning you can show it to fans of all ages. The 1989 Batman movie, on the other hand, isn’t something you necessarily want to show to the kids. It marked the Caped Crusader’s first on-screen entry into adult territory, and Jack Nicholson was hired to play The Joker in this tale. Nicholson was unquestionably the biggest actor in this movie thanks to his performances in Chinatown and One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, and he beat out actors like Brad Dourif, Tim Curry, John Lithgow and James Woods for the role.

Jack Nicholson had many memorable moments as The Joker in Batman, but arguably the weirdest one was when he and his goons defaced the paintings inside a museum while dancing to Prince music.

There were two chief differences with Jack Nicholson’s iteration of The Joker compared to how he’s depicted in the comics: one, we knew his real name (Jack Napier), and two, he was the one who murdered Bruce Wayne’s parents as opposed to the traditional culprit, Joe Chill. Beyond that, though, Nicholson’s Joker was a relatively faithful adaptation of the super villain, from gaining his clownish visage after falling into a vat of chemicals to preferring to kill people “artistically” and with dramatic flair. We were only treated to one appearance from this Joker, although had the movie Batman Unchained moved forward, the plan was for Nicholson’s Joker to appear when Batman hallucinated him after being dosed with Scaercrow’s fear gas. In any case, for nearly two decades, it’s safe to say that Nicholson’s Joker was the definitive live action Joker, and even now, he’s still fondly remembered by many for portraying the character not as a pest, but as the psychopathic murderer he is at his core.

Mark Hamill Voice Acting Joker in Batman: Mask Of The Phantasm

Obviously everyone has their favorite version of The Joker, but it’s not exaggerating to say that most Batman fans label Luke Skywalker himself, Mark Hamill, as the definitive voice of the Clown Prince of Crime. Hamill has voiced across Joker across numerous projects for nearly 30 years, but he’s chiefly known for playing the character within the DC Animated Universe, specifically Batman: The Animated Series. A year after that TV show debuted, it jumped to the big screen with Batman: The Mask of the Phantasm, which didn’t fare well commercially during its theatrical run, but was met with critical acclaim and has had a wonderful home video life.

Serving as the secondary antagonist in Batman: The Mask of the Phantasm, Mark Hamill’s Joker was largely the same as it was on television. He could be wacky and absurd one minute, but then turn on a dime and become incredibly horrifying the next minute. This was highlighted nicely when Joker first shows up to meet Salvatore Valestra, his boss from his pre-clown days.

However, because the movie wasn’t subject to the same censorship rules Batman: The Animated Series had to follow airing on Fox Kids, that allowed more wiggle room with making Joker more adult. Even under a PG rating, Mask of the Phantasm got away with Joker much more adult, such as him actually killing people and making sexual innuendos. While I’ll argue that the direct-to-video Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker gave us the darkest version of Mark Hamill’s Joker in the DCAU, Mask of the Phantasm is nonetheless a great example of how Batman’s arch-nemesis can tread a fine line between funny and terrifying.

Heath Ledger's Joker in The Dark Knight

After being teased at the end of Batman Begins, The Joker surfaced several years later as the main antagonist in The Dark Knight, played by Heath Ledger. I don’t need to remind any of you that Ledger’s take on The Joker was acclaimed and netted the actor a posthumous Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor. That said, it is worth remembering that in the lead-up to The Dark Knight’s release, there was skepticism about Christopher Nolan’s version of the Clown Prince of Crime. Along with Ledger’s previous acting work causing concern that he could properly pull off a villain like this, this version of The Joker is quite different from how he is usually depicted, particularly his physical appearance (wearing makeup, dying his hair green and having a Glasgow smile carved into his face) and use of traditional weapons rather than dangerous gag items.

Nevertheless, this Joker was incredibly dangerous, as shown in the scene when he killed Gambol (who’d put a bounty on Joker’s head) and basically turned the phrase “Why so serious?” into one of the most unsettling lines in movie history.

Ultimately, though, the spirit of the original Joker was alive in Heath Ledger’s Joker. He thrived off chaos, and rather than wanting to be just another powerful, money-obsessed crime boss in Gotham City, he aimed to spread anarchy and give the people a better class of criminal. Ledger’s Joker was definitely a more politically-skewed version of the character, but he went all out with giving audiences something incredibly different from what had come before, which included locking himself in a hotel room for six weeks to figure out his Joker’s voice, movements and mannerisms. The result was that Ledger’s Joker is not only widely considered to be the best live action interpretation of the cackling madman, but also one of the best movie villains overall.

Jared Leto's Joker in Suicide Squad

Eight years after we watched Heath Ledger’s Joker nearly bring Gotham City to its knees, Jared Leto put his own spin on the character in Suicide Squad, the first movie not to have Batman and Joker directly fighting one another. Although Leto’s Joker saw the return of some of Joker’s traditional physical traits, like naturally chalk-white skin and green hair, like Ledger, he also had some drastic differences, like tattoos covering his whole body and bejeweled teeth. Because Suicide Squad featured his main squeeze, Harley Quinn, in her first live action film appearance, his role in the movie revolved around his relationship with her: how he manipulated Harleen Qunizel when she was a psychiatrist at Arkham Asylum, how he became depressed after she was imprisoned and his efforts to free her from Task Force X.

Like his comic book counterpart, Jared Leto’s Joker was also a powerful figure in Gotham City, as show in this clip where he kills another crime boss simply for making a lustful comment about Harley Quinn.

Although Suicide Squad was a commercial hit, it was thrashed critically, and Jared Leto’s Joker performance was among the more negatively received elements. For starters, Joker didn’t get that much screen time in the movie, so that meant for some people, there wasn’t enough scenes to properly judge this version of the character. Others were just dissatisfied with this Joker’s physical appearance and/or his weird mannerisms, or just the fact that he came across as a standard, if eccentric, gangster rather than the colorful super villain we know best. It also didn’t help that Leto’s refusal to break character during principal photography led to him doing some crazy things, including sending bizarre gifts like a briefcase full of bullets, a live rat and used condoms. So Jared Leto’s Joker performance certainly isn’t one of the more popular ones, but he may have an opportunity leave a better impression in the future. Assuming he doesn’t become too busy with playing Morbius the Living Vampire or DCEU plans don’t change further, that is.

Zach Galifianakis Voice Acting Joker in The Lego Batman Movie

The Lego Batman Movie is a humorous celebration of Batman’s decades-long history, so naturally The Joker would be involved in the festivities. This movie portrays Batman and Joker’s feud through a romantic-like lens, so when the former tells the latter that he doesn’t mean anything special to him, Joker is hurt. But that just leads Joker to crafting his most ambitious plan yet: surrendering both himself and the rest of Gotham City’s super villains into police custody, and then tricking Batman into sending him into the Phantom Zone when the Caped Crusader suspects he’s up to something. The result: Joker allying himself with villains from other areas of pop culture, escaping the Phantom Zone and attempting to destroy Gotham City. Eventually Batman, having realized he’d been selfish to everyone in his life, “makes up” with The Joker, and the two work together to save the city and send the other villains back to the Phantom Zone before resuming their usual rivalry.

The scene when Joker surrenders himself to the GCPD is a good demonstration of how Zach Galifianakis’ Joker has a more playful edge, but still acts incredibly suspicious.

While there’s nothing wrong with Zach Galifianakis’ Joker performance, there’s also nothing particularly exceptional about it either. It simply sounds like Galifianakis as you hear him in movies like The Hangover and Keeping Up with the Joneses. The actor is amusing enough in the role and is given some good lines, but ultimately, there’s nothing particularly memorable about it. Which is fine, as Galifianakis does a satisfiable job with what he’s given, and fans of the actor will likely appreciate what he did. If The Lego Batman Movie 2 does move forward, the filmmakers might as well bring him back for it.

Joaquin Phoenix's Joker In The Upcoming Movie

Admittedly, we can’t comment too much yet on what’s in store for Joker since the movie is months away from being released. That said, from what’s been revealed from this movie so far, both officially and unofficially, this is going to be a significantly different depiction of the Clown Prince of Crime. For one thing, Joker is telling the eponymous character’s origin story without Batman’s involvement. Bruce Wayne will be in the movie, but as a child and with both of his parents still around. Then there’s the fact that like Heath Ledger’s Joker, Joaquin Phoenix’s Joker is wearing clown makeup instead of falling into a vat of chemicals. However, the leaked set photos and videos show Phoenix’s Joker leading a crime wave across Gotham City, so clearly this incarnation of the character is just as talented in igniting chaos as his predecessors.

Although Joaquin Phoenix had expressed interest in starring in a comic book movie as early as 2014, he was more interested in doing a “character study”-kind of movie, hence why he declined to play Doctor Strange in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Since Joker doesn’t take place within the DCEU and isn’t adhering closely to the comics source material, this allowed Phoenix more freedom with putting his own stamp on the main character, who in this continuity is Arthur Fleck, a failed stand-up comedian who is driven insane and turns to crime after being disregarded by society. We’ll have to wait for a trailer to get our first taste of Phoenix’s Joker performance, but at the very least, this movie will be an interesting experiment that could shake up the comic book movie genre, as well as satisfy Phoenix’s desire to contribute to the genre without being locked in for numerous sequels.

Be sure to let us know in the comments below not only which of the above actors gave your favorite Joker performance, but to name anybody you like who played the character on TV, direct-to-video movies or video games. Joker hits theaters on October 4.

Spoilers below for the Mayans M.C. season finale, so be sure to watch before reading on.

Fans expected FX's Mayans M.C. to features important tie-ins with Kurt Sutter's original series Sons of Anarchy, but the Season 1 finale went next-level in connecting the two shows. Beyond looping SAMCRO into the Reyes matriarch's death, "Cuervo/Tz'ikb'uul" also introduced a new S.O.A. club prospect named Hallorann. The beer-seeking character was played by Ray Nicholson, son of Hollywood icon Jack Nicholson. Such star status should cement his place in Season 2, right? According to Kurt Sutter, signs point to yes.

The reason why Kurt Sutter uses "would" instead of "will" is presumably because Season 2's narrative hasn't been set in stone just yet. Speaking with EW, Kurt Sutter says that Ray Nicholson's Hallorann would be around in Season 2 presuming the Mayans club will continue to work with Charming's Sons of Anarchy. So mark this under "likely to happen, but in no certain terms."

As part of the Mayans' deal with the Galindo cartel, SAMCRO will be overseeing one leg of the drug-running process. Logic would dictate the Sons being around in a big way because of that deal, right? Perhaps not so much, and it's all because of Hallorann's connection with David Labrava's Sons of Anarchy fan favorite Happy Lowman.

Viewers learned in the finale that Happy was responsible for killing E.Z. and Angel's mom, so he's the one the younger Reyes sibling has been tracking all season. It was while chasing Happy down that E.Z. was called out to by the cop that he impulsively pulled the trigger on, sending him to prison. As such, there are no guarantees that E.Z. or Angel will want anything to do with Happy or Hallorann in Season 2.

Son of Jack Nicholson and Rebecca Broussard, Ray Nicholson landed the Mayans M.C. gig because of his own connection with Kurt Sutter. And the way the co-creator puts it, the experience might have been an overwhelming one for the burgeoning actor.

Even there, Kurt Sutter didn't quite seem to be solidifying any assertions that Ray Nicholson's SAMCRO prospect will be present and accounted for in Season 2. Maybe that's just Sutter's way of keeping us on our toes when thinking about how E.Z. is going to handle his new look on life.

Having just chosen to remain a Mayan by finding a new sponsor, E.Z. either has to completely ignore the Happy situation, or figure out a way to take care of it in the most clandestine way possible. Which, for all intents and purposes, could mean he'd need to find out some personal information about Happy from a certain curly-haired SAMCRO hopeful.

As one of the more popular new cable shows of 2018, Mayans M.C. will be the subject of much discussion as Kurt Sutter and showrunner Elgin James mold Season 2 into shape. While waiting to hear about when the FX hit will return, familiarize yourself with the rest of the fall TV premiere schedule to find more bangs for your buck.

Now well into his 80s, Michael Caine remains a constant presence on the big screen, lending gravitas to any project he's in. But the Englishman's acting career almost ended back in the 90s, when he realized that because of his age he would no longer be getting leading roles. So in an effort to reinvent himself, he temporarily retired from acting and opened a restaurant in Miami. Michael Caine was content with his post-acting life, until Jack Nicholson pulled him out of retirement, as he explained:

Michael Caine became a British film icon through starring roles in movies in the 60s and 70s and that was what he knew. So when age forced him out of those kinds of roles he saw it as a sign that his career as an actor was over. But, as he recalled in an excerpt from his memoir reported by Entertainment Weekly, Jack Nicholson proposed a different path.

It wasn't an either/or situation, and Michael Caine didn't need to retire from acting just because he was no longer a leading man. Jack Nicholson opened his eyes to the fact that there were still other roles for Michael Caine available, and that he could reinvent himself as a character actor. This would require some flexibility on his part to transform his performance to suit the script, but it was a way to continue as an actor.

Jack Nicholson wasn't just a fan of Michael Caine's work who wanted to see the actor continue his career either, he actually wanted him to join him in a film, as Michael Caine continued:

Back on set with Jack Nicholson, it seems as though Michael Caine realized that acting was his true passion and nothing else could replace it. It didn't make a difference if it was a leading role or not, just being an actor made him happy. This was especially true alongside Jack Nicholson, who was fun and easygoing and told Michael Caine not to run back to set, with the two ultimately strolling back instead.

Blood and Wine is the only film where these two legendary actors starred together and now it takes on special significance as the film that brought Michael Caine out of his self-imposed retirement. Check out the trailer for the film below.

While he did have some flops after coming back out of retirement, it is impossible to argue that Michael Caine's latter career hasn't been a wild success. The actor won his second Best Supporting Actor Academy Award for 1999's The Cider House Rules and has been a mainstay in the acclaimed films of Christopher Nolan. Michael Caine has also still found leading man roles in films like Harry Brown.

So every time Michael Caine shows up on screen giving a captivating performance, we can all say a little thanks to Jack Nicholson for dragging him out of retirement.

For all the latest movie news, stay tuned to CinemaBlend and check out our 2019 release schedule for all the biggest movies coming to theaters next year.

Jack Nicholson has one of the most impressive acting careers in Hollywood, famed for his unforgettable performances in Chinatown, One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, The Shining and Batman, to name a few. He is a larger-than-life performer who has had been on movie sets for 60 years and racked up 12 Oscar nominations. However, the 81-year-old actor has been absent from the big screen for almost 10 years, and he is now no longer attached to any upcoming projects. Nicholson was previously set to make a long overdue return to film by starring in Hollywood remake of German comedy-drama, Toni Erdmann alongside Kristen Wiig, but he has now dropped out of the project. With news of director Lisa Cholodenko signing on to the comedy, whose past projects include Olive Kitteridge and The Kids Are All Right, also came word of Nicholson's exit, with the reason for his departure unknown.

According to The Wrap, Kristen Wiig will still be starring in Toni Erdmann, along with serving as a producer. The premise follows an older man with a knack for practical jokes and creating alter-egos for himself, who Jack Nicholson was signed on to play. In an effort to reconnect with his estranged daughter, a hard-working business woman, played by Wiig, he creates an outrageous persona and poses as the CEO's life coach. The German-language film the remake is based on came out in 2016 and was met with many accolades, such as receiving an Oscar's nomination in the Best Foreign Language Film category. Nicholson apparently enjoyed the movie so much that he approached Paramount with a pitch to remake the film, and the studio secured the rights from writer-director Maren Ade, who also signed on to produce.

The film was the first project Jack Nicholson had signed on to in over seven years, with his last movie appearance being 2010's How Do You Know, opposite Reese Witherspoon, Owen Wilson and Paul Rudd. Rumors have since been swarming for quite some time as to if the actor decided to retire from Hollywood, reportedly due to memory issues, but the actor maintained that he just hadn't found projects that peaked his interest anymore. With Toni Erdmann, big names immediately signed on to produce; in addition to Maren Ade, The Big Short's Adam McKay and Will Ferrell had stakes in the project. Producing team Lena Dunham and Jenni Konner also were attached to the project, but dropped out, with Lisa Cholodenko taking over writing duties in the spring before also becoming the director.

The future of the legendary on-screen presence is up in the air again now that he is officially back on hiatus. Jack Nicholson may have 75 acting credits on his resume, but we think he has more in him, if he ever decides to make a triumphant return.

As it has been written in the Sacred Book of Streaming, the content provider giveth, and yet they taketh away. Well, we've seen what Netflix has already deemed to giveth to us all throughout September, so now it's time to see what's up for the taketh part of the bargain. And trust us, there's some really good movies on here, some would have even been good for Halloween. So if you're in the mood to celebrate early, this list is your friend. But even if you're not in the mood for some early scares, there's a couple flicks on here worth your time and attention.

The Omen

Movies like The Omen are classics for a reason, despite the popular level of parody they've received over time. You might be inspired to laugh because so many gags about demon children and ominous choirs have been had by now, but if you look past that, Richard Donner's horror classic is still stylish and spooky as hell. Gregory Peck and Lee Remick love each other so damned much in this movie, and they love their little Damien as long as they can, before succumbing to the truth. It's that gradual fade into reality that really drives this flick home, and it holds up like nobody's business.

Something's Gotta Give

Jack Nicholson and Diane Keaton doing a romantic comedy together is something that should have happened a lot more throughout the course of Hollywood history. At least, that's what it feels like after watching them effortlessly play off of each other in Something's Gotta Give, which is already somehow 14 years old! The film certainly plays just as well as it did on day one, as it succeeds in a lot of places a typical rom-com tends to fail through. The entire cast is engaging, there's no falsely engineered conflict that stretches the film's credibility, and ultimately Nicholson's character is put on a journey of self-discovery that rings pretty true. It's fun, it's cute, and it's a great farewell to summer.

A Nightmare on Elm Street

Man, who was put in charge of removing Netflix movies in September? Whoever decided A Nightmare on Elm Street should be taken out before Halloween even goes into full swing should be reprimanded. Or at the very least, have their account restricted to Kids Only mode for the month. Nightmare launched the slasher franchise that made Wes Craven a household name, and Freddy Krueger a cultural icon, so obviously it's perfect fall viewing. Only, it's not going to be here in the fall, so you'd better watch it now while you can.

Frailty

This year, we lost two titans of character acting talent: Bill Paxton and Powers Boothe. And both of those men are in full form in Frailty, the film directing debut of Paxton, which also found some space to make Matthew McConaughey a little more familiar to the world. A horror film that relies on atmosphere and performance, Frailty is one of the most underrated favorites of even the genre's most ardent fans, and it's earned its reputation in spades. With Paxton as the father that teaches his sons to supposedly fight evil, McConaughey as the son spinning the story, and Boothe as the FBI agent who's taking it all in, these three roles hold up a world of demons and trouble in a film that's always deserved a couple more soldiers in its army.

Scream

As if Wes Craven helping kickstart horror films in the 80's wasn't enough, the man also helped deconstruct the house he built in the 1990's. With Scream, audiences that were well versed in the methodology of their favorite screen killers found themselves in for a treat, as a smart-assed movie took those traditions and subverted them with a deft touch. Not to mention, it was the movie that basically reinvigorated horror, as the fact that such a functional parody of the standard "rules" of the game forced anyone who wanted to make their way in the world of the scary think twice before writing the words "I'll be right back." Try to remember the rules as you take this one for a last spin on Netflix.

Hope Floats

Believe it or not, there was a time when Sandra Bullock was considered the up-and-coming queen of both romantic comedies and dramas. While she leaped over that fence and became Hollywood royalty, regardless of genre, Hope Floats is still evidence to that time when America's Sweetheart was just getting started. What helps this film stand out in her early filmography though is her chemistry with one Harry Connick Jr., who easily shines alongside Bullock as her love interest. Here's hoping those two can make another film like this one at some point in the future, because Hope Floats really makes a good case for making it happen.

Lilo and Stitch

While we're getting some Disney favorites back onto Netflix this month, through the returns of Mulan and Hercules, we're sadly losing another one of the Mouse House's titles to the vault, Lilo and Stitch. A franchise that spawned two sequels and a TV series, and somehow never ruined itself, the story of a little girl and her alien is a film that ranks up there with Disney royalty. What's better, it was one of the final films in Disney animation's pre Princess and the Frog era that was hand animated, and it shows in each frame. Beautiful in message and visuals, flip this one on for your kids after a night barbequing in the backyard.

Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street

There's one big admission that has to be made about Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street: if you're a fan of the original, you'll probably have some bones to pick with the film. But put those aside for a moment, and hear us out, because this dark gem of a musical still deserves a place at the table. The fact that a major studio let Tim Burton even dream of making this movie is a miracle in and of itself, but the fact that it worked is a bigger feat in and of itself. Plus, Johnny Depp and Helena Bonham Carter were in the middle of their hot streak together under Burton's direction, and it shows. But if you need that one big draw to pull you into the world of murder and meat pies, let it be this: you get to hear Alan Rickman and Sacha Baron-Cohen sing, and they're pretty damned good, too.

Philomena

Steve Coogan and Judi Dench are one of the best comedy teams in the recent history of film, and Philomena is the absolute proof of this fact. With Coogan's snark and Dench's wide-eyed deadpan, the true story of a journalist trying to help a woman find her son has a huge streak of good natured humor between the two sides of the aisle. And yet, when it comes to the dramatic and emotional moments, both performers gamely portray the heartbreak and uncertainty that such a quest comes with. While it was lost in the best picture nominated shuffle in the same year that saw Argo take the top honors, Philomena deserves an audience, if anything to see just how much you can do with two really good actors and a simple story of reunion.

Déjà Vu

Tony Scott and Denzel Washington is a combination that always worked, and it's been proven time and again over the several times they worked together. And yet, Déjà vu is probably one of the movies that tends to find itself slotted behind the obvious double feature of awesome that is Crimson Tide and Man on Fire. Not only does this movie bring the typical pulse pounding action and humor that the two collaborators loved to bring to their projects, it works with a pretty novel sci-fi concept that works. It also helps that while Déjà vu is technically sci-fi, that portion of the story doesn't overtake the seriously crafty action beats. If you've missed this one, and you're a fan of either Scott or Washington, then you owe it to yourself to correct that immediately.

Bill Murray's aloofness is arguably one of his most redeeming qualities. That and the fact that he's one of the finest comedians to ever stand in front of the camera. But it turns out that Bill Murray's casualness actually cost him a role in the upcoming remake of Toni Erdmann, as Kristen Wiig originally approached him with the role instead of Jack Nicholson.

Bill Murray made this admission himself during a chat with CBS's Squawk Box, via Vulture, revealing that his fellow Saturday Night Live alumni sent him the original Toni Erdmann to watch, as a way of asking whether he'd play her father in the remake. The problem was Bill Murray is so unorganized that he lost the tape and didn't watch it, so Wiig moved onto her next choice, Jack Nicholson. A rather sorrowful Bill Murray recalled,

It's impossible to know whether Bill Murray was Kristen Wiig's first choice. Or if Jack Nicholson was always her number one pick, but since he has been retired since 2010 she just assumed he'd say no. Hopefully it's the latter, because then at least Bill Murray can take solace in bringing the duo together and forcing Wiig to ask Nicholson.

The plot is only going to thicken if Toni Erdmann wins the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film later this month, as interest in its impending production and release will become even more fervent. If Jack Nicholson actually wins an Academy Award after coming out of retirement for the film then even more questions will be asked of Bill Murray and Kristen Wiig, too. While the same questions will invariably be asked if the Toni Erdmann remake turns out to be terrible.

The upcoming remake of Toni Erdmann already has movie hipsters slightly worried. That's mostly because it has been reported that Maren Ade, the woman who wrote and directed German-Austrian comedy, which was one of the most lauded films of 2016, is only involved in an executive producing capacity. You can take a sneaky peek at its mad-cap brilliance below.

Still, with Nicholson and Wiig involved, as well as Adam McKay and Will Ferrell producing under their Gloria Sanchez Productions banner for Paramount, there's still a good chance the American incarnation of Toni Erdmann will rival the original. It's just a shame that Bill Murray will now probably never be able to make himself watch it now.

Jack Nicholson is a Hollywood icon, make no mistake. From Chinatown and One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest to Batman and Terms of Endearment, the man has left an impressive mark on the movie world over his six decade-long acting career. However, since 2010, Nicholson hasn't appeared in a single movie, lastbeing seen in 2010's How Do You Know. Fortunately for fans of the actor, that hiatus is about to come to an end, as Nicholson has just boarded an upcoming remake of a foreign film that's been earning a lot of accolades in recent months.

According to Variety, Jack Nicholson has been cast in the English-language remake of the German comedy-drama Toni Erdmann. Paramount has apparently secured the rights to the movie, and Nicholson will play the lead character in this new version, while Kristen Wiig has reportedly been cast as the man's daughter. The studio is still looking for a director and writer, but there already a lot of producers attached, including The Big Short's Adam McKay, Will Ferrell and original Toni Erdmann writer and director Maren Ade.

First shown at least year's Cannes Film Festival and later released in Germany last July, Toni Erdmann followed an older man named Winfried Conradi, who has a penchant for practical jokes and creating weird alternate personas, trying to reconnect with his daughter, Ines, who has moved to Bucharest, Romania to pursue a business consulting career. In order to get close to her, Winfried creates a new alter-ego: Toni Erdmann, who becomes a life coach for Ines' CEO. Now screening in certain areas of the United States, Toni Erdmann has earned and been nominated for numerous awards, which includes winning five European Film Awards, as well as being nominated for a BAFTA and Golden Globe. Later this month, it will go up against Land of Mine, A Man Called Ove, The Salesman and Tanna in this year's Academy Awards' Best Foreign Language Film category.

For most of his acting career, Jack Nicholson has kept himself busy, but after co-starring alongside Paul Rudd and Reese Witherspoon in How Do You Know, Nicholson hasn't appeared in a movie since then. While there were reports indicating that he had retired from acting due to memory issues, he later said in 2013 that he simply wasn't as interested in taking projects anymore. Fortunately, he's finally found something that's piqued his interest, as the Variety report said that Nicholson approached Paramount's Brad Grey with the idea for a remake after enjoying the original. It's worth noting that Nicholson hasn't been entirely absent from public life, as he co-presented the 2013 Academy Award for Best Picture with First Lady Michelle Obama and appeared during Saturday Night Live's 40th anniversary special in 2015.

We'll be sure to keep you updated on Jack Nicholson's Toni Erdmann remake as more news comes in, but let us know how you feel about the actor's return in the comments below.

For as long as motion pictures have existed, society has maintained certain standards of decency to accompany them. That being said, the nature of these standards has fluctuated somewhat over the years. Swearing in particular has a cinematic history that extends all the way back to the advent of sound on film and has evolved slowly into the style of vulgarity we know and love today. A new video has just hit the web showcasing the evolution of swearing on film over the years, check it out below.

The video – released by Movie Munchies – chronicles the long and glorious history of swearing on film. Based on the clip, it is generally believed that the first utterance of a curse word in a major motion picture came in 1929, with the use of the word "damn." "Son of a bitch" followed one year later, and "fuck" was said for the first time on film in 1933. Such practice remained relatively common for the first few years of film's existence, but eventually the MPAA cracked down on swearing in films and banned the practice; films that opted to include swearing – such as Gone with the Wind – incurred heavy fines for doing so. Although it may have cost them roughly $85,000 to do so, we feel beyond thrilled that the forces behind the iconic Civil War drama had the gumption to include the legendary line, "Frankly my dear, I don’t give a damn."

The year 1968 saw the ban on swearing lifted by the MPAA, and slowly but surely harsh language made its way back into motion pictures. In Cold Blood became the first movie to use the world "bullshit," while MASH became the first movie in decades to return to the use of the word "fuck." Over time the practice became more and more widespread, allowing new swear words to be spoken even by big name actors. Eventually Jack Nicholson became the first A-list celebrity to swear on camera in 1971’s Carnal Knowledge, and Al Pacino broke the record for most uses of the word "fuck" in 1983’s Scarface. If you've seen the film, you know he earned each and every one of those "fucks."

These days PG-13 films have generally become the most profitable forms of film, and as a result the use of swear words is often cleverly edited out or simply forgone altogether. Still, movies that wish to utilize swearing and garner an R-rating can pretty much do so with complete impunity. If you fancy yourself a fan of history, vulgarity, or both, do yourself a favor and check out the video at the top of the page. From now on if you ever stop to think that movies may somehow be getting ruder, dirtier, and generally more crass, just remember one very important thing: swearing on film is a Hollywood tradition that has existed for generations.

George Miller is one of the most versatile directors making movies today. While best known for his work on the Mad Max franchise, he’s also responsible for family films like Babe and Happy Feet. Somewhere in between those extremes was the 1987 drama The Witches of Eastwick. While Miller did not enjoy the experience of making that particular film, he does say that he got some very useful advice from Jack Nicholson while directing the actor in it.

In an extensive interview with The Hollywood Reporter, George Miller talks about his career in filmmaking. While Miller is best known for creating very tough characters on screen, he characterizes himself as a very nice guy - something that Jack Nicholson apparently told him can misinterpreted, and so it can actually be something of a problem. Miller explained,

It’s difficult to believe the man responsible for creating the post-apocalyptic hell-scape that was Mad Max could be too polite, but there you go. George Miller talks about how the reason he was willing to cut the trailer for Witches of Eastwick was because he never worked on it, as he was always busy filming the actual movie and working with the actors. It was no big deal, so he was happy to help cut the budget. However, on the other side of the table, what the accountants potentially saw was somebody who immediately gave up something without putting up a fight. That’s how politeness becomes weakness.

Of course, the other item of note here is that is that Jack Nicholson, who has always come across as a little bit crazy himself in both his films and in public, may have just given away his secret. He’s been kind of faking it the whole time. To be sure, Jack Nicholson’s persona has been a huge part of what has made him the success that he is today, so apparently pretending to be a little crazy works really well.

George Miller doesn’t really say how much he has been able to adapt to Jack Nicholson’s advice, but he seems to be enjoying the movies he’s making, and we’re enjoying the result. Miller’s latest film Mad Max: Fury Road has been nominated for the Academy Award for Best Picture, and hopefully he’ll have many more features coming in the next few years.

Jack Nicholson has romanced his fair share of beautiful, intriguing women during his time as a Hollywood playboy, but none of them have ever been fictional before. Nicholson reportedly told Terrence Howard that he “has a crush on Cookie,” the character played by Howard’s Empire co-star, Taraji P. Henson. While on the Emmy red carpet Sunday night, Henson relayed the story to a reporter from People with her trademark Cookie-like sense of brashness.

Well, look at that, Boo Boo Kitty! Cookie Lyons would eat this attention right up. Can you imagine Cookie getting this kind of notice from a power player in any field and not soaking it into her leopard print clad, fuchsia fur wearing bones? Aging man or not, she’d do whatever she had to in order to get her hands into his pockets, head back to Empire Entertainment and get what’s hers. She’d probably also make sure that some people she’s not so fond of are completely destroyed in the process.

Taraji P. Henson is definitely the breakout star of Empire and, possibly, of all of the 2014-2015 television season. Her command of the sassy, sexy, wild and downright bitchy woman slighted, ignored and ready for payback has already led to talk of a new Cookie-focused prequel show. You can bet Cookie would adore that attention, too.

Meanwhile, it would be fair to say that the 78-year-old star is a big deal in the Hollywood pantheon of famous actors. Jack Nicholson’s success certainly didn’t stop him from enjoying many relationships over the decades. But, now in his later years, he’s worried about no longer being able to find someone to spend his life with. He also lamented not being able to hit on women publicly any more. He spoke to Closer Magazine about his dilemma earlier this year.

Jack Nicholson’s very public love life has been tabloid fodder for decades. His checkered romantic history even got him labeled “Jack the Jumper” by most actresses, models and singers. And yet…

How awesome would it be if Jack Nicholson and Taraji P. Henson started hanging out? I mean, for real hanging out. Fancy dinners in private sections of high-end restaurants. Showing up at next year’s Academy Awards together and canoodling in the front row. This scenario is now the stuff of my enthusiastic imaginings. And all we need to get this started is for Empire Executive Producer Lee Daniels to offer Nicholson an arc on the massively popular show. I can only guess that Jack the Jumper would love to tangle with Cookie on the small screen for all to see. Man, my mind is going in totally new directions now.

Find Empire on Fox every Wednesday night at 9 p.m. ET.

It started as a rumor, and has recently been confirmed, that Jared Leto will portray the newest version of the classic Batman villain, The Joker in upcoming film, Suicide Squad. The announced release date is scheduled for 2016, so this year will hold most of the production. And while Jared Leto has avoided commenting on his newly confirmed role, he just shared a photo of his hairstyle for 2015, and it looks like the Joker is going to be rocking one crazy do. Check it out below:

By simply writing, "Haircut. #2015", Leto gives fans a tease at what the Joker’s hairstyle will look like in the upcoming film. And it is quite different than some of the Joker TV and film adaptations of the past.

First there was Cesar Romero’s version of the Joker in the Batman television series which featured a very well-kept thick, neon-green hair-do. He was a classier joker, always wearing a suit with his make-up in-line. And the had a nice pompadour effect, neatly done without any strays.

Then there was Jack Nicholson’s Joker in Tim Burton’s Batman who often wore a purple hat, but when he didn’t his hair was very minimal. Another well-kept joker, again with bright green hair, but less of it has his hair slicked back.

And of course the most recent Joker, portrayed by Heath Ledger in Christopher Nolan’s The Dark Knight who has long and unkempt locks with a puke-green hue, messily done make-up, and an overall dirty appearance.

If Jared Leto’s 2015 hairstyle turns out to be his own unique Joker hairdo, it will be a completely different style than the previous villains. But, despite the change in hair and make-up between the previous Joker’s, they have all maintained a similar suit-style, with similar color schemes. We’ll have to wait to see what else completes Leto’s look, but hopefully as production progresses some image teases will come out and give us a peak. Suicide Squad is set to release August 5, 2016, and Leto as the fourth Joker has some big shoes to fill.

Gene Hackman is still somewhere in the middle of America allowing Welcome to Mooseport to be his final film, and Steven Soderbergh still hasn't emerged to tell us his retirement plans were a terrible mistake, but there's at least one legend who isn't going anywhere any time soon. Despite rumors that surfaced today about his imminent retirement, Jack Nicholson is reportedly keeping up his intermittent acting career, according to E!. They got Maria Shriver, of all the random people in the world, to debunk a rumor from Radar Online that Nicholson was retiring from acting after memory problems made it too difficult for him to memorize lines.

The notion that being unable to remember your lines could keep an acting legend away from the screen seemed pretty silly to begin with-- Marlon Brando had poor Robert Duvall hold up cue cards for him while filming The Godfather, for God's sake. And it's not likely Nicholson has been exclusively taking on meaty, dialogue-heavy roles lately. His last screen appearance was in How Do You Know, from his Terms of Endearment and Broadcast News director James L. Brooks; when I reviewed How Do You Know. I called Nicholson's performance "hammy and utterly worthless," and it was very clear he was in the film largely to do a favor for a friend. Nicholson's an acting titan, obviously, but his last interesting screen performance was in 2006's The Departed. If he needs cue cards to make the next The Bucket List he'll damn well get them.

Now, if Nicholson really wants to prove these rumors are false, will he finally buckle down and actually make a movie that's better than The Bucket List or How Do You Know? His work in About Schmidt a decade ago was a promising sign that he was still willing to dig deep and show us a new side of himself onscreen, but the results since then haven't been all that promising-- The Departed was good, sure, but that was not a new Jack Nicholson we were seeing in that film. No matter how many more bad movies he makes Nicholson's legend is very much still secure, but is it so wrong to hope that this rumor could shake him out of that comfort zone a little bit? Don't let How Do You Know be your Welcome To Mooseport, Jack! Show us what else you've got, cue cards or not.