19 Of The Most Perfectly Cast Movies Of All Time

"If you skip the songs and ignore the plot, it’s a good way to spend two hours."

Recently, we wrote about the best and worst casts of TV shows and movies, and people had a lot of thoughts about other great movie casts — so we're back with 19 movie casts that truly made the film, compiled from the BuzzFeed Community, this Reddit thread, and yours truly!

1. True Grit

Lorey Sebastian/Paramount Pictures/Courtesy Everett Collection

"Sure, Jeff Bridges is amazing and Matt Damon is spot-on cast as LaBoeuf, but finding a kid like Hailee Steinfeld is an achievement. Casting kids is tough, but casting a kid to be the center of a big movie like that is shooting for the moon.

That's Ellen Chenoweth, who is the go-to casting director for the Coen Brothers and who cast No Country for Old Men, Inside Llewyn Davis, O Brother Where Art Thou, etc."

—u/CurlSagan

"I was thinking about how much I love every performance in True Grit last night. I never really hear him mentioned when this film comes up, but I loved Barry Pepper's (brief) performance. Don't get me wrong, the Bridges-Steinfeld-Damon trio is perfect as well, but I always felt like Pepper left me with such a strong impression after only being in the film for maybe 10 minutes. There's just something about the way he's made out to be this awful outlaw (which he is), but that he always is one of the few people who seems to show Mattie some amount of respect."

—u/EnzoGirolami

2. Popeye

Paramount/Courtesy Everett Collection

"I can’t let this pass without mentioning the movie Popeye…the movie itself was awful with the lame songs by Harry Nilsson and a plot that should have been better, but the casting was dead on perfect, especially Robin Williams as Popeye and Shelley Duvall as Olive Oyl….the rest of the cast was also outstanding. If you skip the songs and ignore the plot, it’s a good way to spend two hours."

—prolegend43

3. The Big Lebowski

Gramercy Pictures / courtesy Everett Collection

"The Big Lebowski in my mind has pretty much the perfect cast, especially with Jeff Bridges. The Coen brothers famously wrote the role for him before he was asked to do the role. His performance is all the way brilliant."

—u/oekintaro

"And John Goodman was perfect as Walter. Walter needed that physical presence, and Goodman fit the role to a fucking T. Both Bridges and Goodman can walk that fine line between being a stellar actor and a funny physical comedian."

—[deleted]

"Plus John Turturro, Sam Elliot, Julianne Moore, Phillip Seymour Hoffman, Steve Buscemi, Peter Stormare, David Thewlis. Have any of them been funnier in a movie?"

—u/not_don_gately

4. Knives Out

Claire Folger / Lionsgate / courtesy Everett Collection

I don't know if I've ever seen an actor have more fun with a role than Daniel Craig as Benoit Blanc, though Chris Evans as the smarmy Ransom gives him a run for his money on that front. I want more movies like this — where it looks like everyone involved is just having a good time. Toni Collette, Jamie Lee Curtis, and in particular Christopher Plummer were also extremely strong, and Ana de Armas was a strong empathetic character that really gave you someone to root for in a group of terrible people.

5. ...and Knives Out: Glass Onion

John Wilson / Netflix / Courtesy Everett Collection

I'll be the first to admit: I didn't think they could hit gold twice here, but I was wrong. Daniel Craig, easily the best part of the first film, was a welcome return and somehow managed to be even more fun in the sequel. The rest of the cast also managed to eclipse the cast of the first film, a feat that had seemed impossible. Each character felt more memorable to me, and played perfectly into their type...but it was Janelle Monáe who really stole this movie for me in that she both gave it a really strong emotional core (in a much different way than de Armas) and managed to completely sell a bonkers twist. 

6. Pulp Fiction

Miramax/ Courtesy: Everett Collection

"Everyone was perfect for the roles given to them. It's my all-time favorite movie and I have seen it hundreds of times, so I may be biased, but no way could I see any other people as Mia Wallace, Vincent Vega, Butch, Marsellus Wallace, Jules, or The Wolf. They are all fucking perfect. ... Even Quentin was perfect. That coffee part gets me every time."

—u/beatrixkiddosmith

"Picking actors that are right for the part, not just because it adds a name to your movie. The decision of Travolta alone puts Pulp Fiction on this list."

—[deleted]

7. Everything Everywhere All At Once

Allyson Riggs / A24 / Courtesy Everett Collection

Everything Everywhere All At Once deserved all the love it got at this year's Oscars and more. I am so happy that both Michelle Yeoh and Ke Huy Quan are finally getting their moment — they both have genuine movie star energy that hasn't been utilized in the past. The emotional depth, comedic timing, and physical skills they bring to their roles in unmatched, though of course James Hong, Jamie Lee Curtis, and even Jenny Slate and Harry Shum Jr. are strong. But it's Stephanie Hsu who steals the show, and I think we can all agree that she deserved the Supporting Actress Oscar.

8. Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy

Jack English/Focus Features/Courtesy Everett Collection

"It had three generations of absolutely fantastic British actors - John Hurt at the top of the pyramid, Gary Oldman, Mark Strong, Colin Firth and others in the middle generation, and the younger generation of Benedict Cumberbatch and Tom Hardy. But it's not just that it's got the big names — every actor is absolutely perfect for the character they're portraying. Every important character gets their 'big moment' where they get to really show off their depth — Gary Oldman's soliloquy about Karla, Mark Strong and Tom Hardy's flashbacks, Benedict's espionage sequence - and each actor absolutely nails it. I, personally, believe that Tinker Tailor had the most impressive acting and casting of an ensemble film that I've seen."

—u/DoctorG0nzo

9. Harry Potter

Warner Bros. / courtesy Everett Collection

Suggested by thisisfine

Alan Rickman as Snape is truly a stroke of genius piece of casting. I'm actually kind of in awe of the talent they got for these films, especially when it came to secondary characters — Gary Oldman as Sirius??? Helena Bonham Carter as Bellatrix? Emma Thompson as Trelawney? Imelda Staunton as Umbridge? I also think it's so impressive that they cast three literal children that embodied their characters SO well for basically a decade. 

10. Guardians of the Galaxy

Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures/Courtesy Everett Collection

Suggested by u/Brownpantsjnr

I never would've guessed that Pratt could be an action star from watching Parks and Recreation, but it turned out that making him the face of Marvel's newest outing was a stroke of genius. It made perfect use of Pratt's comedic talents while also tapping into his lying-in-wait star power. Zoe Saldaña proves a perfect foil as Gamora and brings a grounded emotional energy that shines in later installments, including Infinity War. Some of the other choices seem random — Dave Bautista in an acting role? Bradley Cooper as a talking raccoon? Vin Diesel as a sentient tree that can only say three words? Karen Gillan as an angry bald alien assassin? But somehow, it all perfectly ties together into a talented ensemble cast that makes for an incredibly fun movie.

11. The Departed

Warner Bros. / courtesy Everett Collection

Suggested by u/DrKushnstein

The Departed is genuinely one of my favorite movies, which is surprising for someone who usually prefers campy musicals. This is in part due to the strong plot, but far more due to the performances of the actors who carry the plot, which is largely character-driven. I love to see both Matt Damon and Jack Nicholson as villains, and this is truly, IMO, Leonardo DiCaprio at his very best. Martin Sheen is also strong, which is no surprise — the surprise is that Mark Wahlberg is, too. I'll even forgive Vera Farmiga's horrible Boston accent because she proves a compelling romantic lead for both the main characters (though I obviously wish the film had more compelling female characters). 

12. The Hunger Games

Murray Close/Lionsgate/Courtesy Everett Collection

"I think the casting for The Hunger Games was brilliant. The supporting roles like Stanley Tucci, Woody Harrelson, Elizabeth Banks, and Lenny Kravitz especially were inspired. And Jennifer Lawrence was the perfect Katniss."

—melpomeneblue

13. The Devil Wears Prada

20th Century Fox / courtesy Everett Collection

This is my absolute favorite role from Meryl Streep, which I know is saying something. She just nails the role so completely and elevates this movie to a whole new level. Emily Blunt is also fantastic as Emily, and sells a number of iconic lines — and of course, I adore Stanley Tucci in anything he does. But we can't forget Anne Hathaway in a truly career-defining role. She's the perfect girl next-door type to play Andy, but she can also sell the glamorous, more cutthroat version of Andy later in the film — I don't think she gets enough credit for holding her own alongside Streep in this movie.

14. The Talented Mr. Ripley

Miramax / courtesy Everett Collection

"Matt Damon: His performance captivated me. I believed so much in this character's conscious and underlying motives. Damon does a great job portraying the character as a scared, little boy looking for a true identity.

Jude Law: In my mind, there is no one who plays the spoiled, playboy, millionaire better than Jude Law. While watching the film, I had to keep reminding myself that this was indeed Jude Law. His character reminds me of someone we've all met or interacted with at one point in our lives. Gwyneth Paltrow's character points it out best, 'The thing with Dickie... it's like the sun shines on you, and it's glorious. And then he forgets you and it's very, very cold.' I think all of us, at one point, have known that person.

Gwyneth Paltrow: She turns in a very solid, nuanced performance by playing the relatively silent, hopeless romantic. Trying desperately to see the good in Dickie, she blindly accepts his faults without realizing the damage it does to herself and the individuals around her.

Freddie Miles: What else can I say? Phillip. Seymour. Hoffman. He may be the most unlikeable character in the film and no one but Mr. Hoffman could make him so repugnant. He plays a similar character to Jude Laws' Dickie Greenleaf, but with an heir of snobbish, uncaring, and narcissistic quality that makes him far more gratuitous than Dickie.

As for the other players, Cate Blanchett, Jack Davenport, and James Rebhorn, all add their own little quirks and curiosities to the film. This a superbly well-casted film, and I implore you to revisit the movie if you have not watched it in a while."

—u/orogamo

15. Clue

Paramount Pictures / courtesy Everett Collection

Suggested by [deleted]

I watched this with my family a few Christmases ago, and I was shocked at how genuinely hilarious it was. Tim Curry is great in everything he does, and he's particularly hilarious as the butler in the film, which could have been a nothing role. I actually didn't recognize the rest of the cast (forgive me if they were super famous, I wasn't alive then), but each and every one of them was hilarious and perfectly embodies what you would picture the board game characters to be while adding their own flavor. The dialogue is hilarious and every joke hits, and it's because of the actors involved.

16. Superbad

Columbia Pictures / courtesy Everett Collection

"Superbad is perfectly cast. The dynamics that all had together were perfect."

—u/BlahMayn

"Christopher Mintz-Plasse was the perfect choice for Mclovin, great casting choice."

—u/kevr117

"Trying to imagine anyone other than Michael Cera in that role is impossible."

—u/Qwexort

"I love how Seth Rogen cast a better/funnier Seth Rogen than himself (Jonah Hill)."

—u/peetar

17. There Will Be Blood

Paramount Vantage / courtesy Everett Collection

"Anything that Daniel Day Lewis elects to do already has one perfect casting in the bag, but he is truly at the top of his game in this. Putting Paul Dano across from him as the lecherous Eli was a stroke of genius. HW is cast really well as a kid (which is tricky) and as an adult."

—u/greenelephants

18. Office Space

20th Century Fox/Courtesy Everett Collection

"I found every character was perfect for their role. Kyle the office d-bag, Lumburg the boss, Steven Root as the weird guy at work who may just burn the place down. They were all fantastic and every character reminded me of someone I know."

—u/pug-diculous

19. And finally, we already said it in the last post but I have to put it in again because so many people mentioned it...Lord of the Rings.

New Line / courtesy Everett Collection

"Lord of the Rings is the best-casted movie ever IMO. Cast of largely lesser-known actors, absolutely perfect for the most part. I mean Sean Astin as Sam? Viggo as Aragorn? Bernard Hill as Theoden? Andy Serkis as Gollum? So on point."

—[deleted]

"I was so skeptical of the LotR cast and they exceeded my every expectation. I can't imagine anyone else doing any of the roles now."

—[deleted]

"Even though all lord of the rings movies did well at the Oscars I seriously think that Sam and a few other characters deserved nominations. Merry and Pippin included!!"

—u/krasimon

"So many characters and I cannot think of one performance that was lackluster and every character fit into the grand story. I can't think of a better movie."

—u/therealjgreens

Now we need your help — what is the movie with the worst cast of all time, aka everyone was horribly cast? Let us know in the comments!

Submissions have been edited for length/clarity.