19 Versatile Actors Who People Think Are Equally Good At Playing Villains And Heroes

Some actors play the same characters over and over, and then there's Charlize Theron.

There's nothing better than an actor who's got *the range*.

NBC

So, when Reddit user u/phantom_avenger asked the wonderful people of r/Movies, "which actors are good at playing the hero AND the villain?", we thought I'd round up some of my favourite answers...

1. David Tennant

BBC One/Netflix

"Excellent as The Doctor. Spine-chilling in Jessica Jones." 

– u/MikeLaoShi

2. Rosamund Pike

Universal Pictures/20th Century Studios

"The first movie I saw her in was The World's End and I thought she was the cutest. Then, I saw Gone Girl some time later, and was like, 'oh damn, she plays a psychopath really, really well.'"

– u/fakeplasticguns

3. Idris Elba

Warner Bros. Pictures/HBO

"That man can do everything while looking fantastic."

– u/Ok-Answer8807

4. Stephen Root

20th Century Studios/HBO

"He can play anything from red stapler-obsessed Milton in Office Space to a cold-blooded killer in Barry." 

– u/alienlovesong

5. Laura Linney

HBO/Netflix

"From Abigail Adams to Wendy Byrde, she's amazing."

 – u/nefariouskitteh

6. Benedict Cumberbatch

Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures/Paramount Pictures

"He stole the show as the villain in Star Trek Into Darkness! When I found out he was set to play Dr. Strange, I didn't think he'd be that convincing as the hero – but he nailed it!"

– u/phantom_avenger

"He can be both incredibly warm and very menacing." 

– u/Elexandros

7. Ralph Fiennes

Warner Bros. Pictures/Fox Searchlight Pictures

"Voldemort, Amon Goeth to Sunshine, and M. Gustave." 

– u/Warlordnipple

8. Margo Martindale

Hulu/FX

"Esteemed character actress Margo Martindale." 

– u/Notoneusernameleft

9. Samuel L. Jackson

20th Century Studios

"Samuel Jackson can play any type of role."  

– u/RevealActive4557

10. Chris Evans

Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures/Lionsgate Films

"Obviously, we know he's a good hero after being Captain America for a decade. Which makes it easy to forget how good he is at playing arrogant douchebag villains." 

– u/Danishroyalty

"From Captain America to Scott Pilgrim and Knives Out. Awesome on both ends of the spectrum." 

– u/Impeach_God

11. Melanie Lynsky

Buena Vista Pictures / Showtime

"She's particularly adept at playing a villain-protagonist. In Heavenly Creatures and Yellowjackets, she's playing utterly rotten people, but she humanises them and makes them very compelling to watch. And then in stuff like Coyote Ugly and Ever After, she just exudes sweetness and sincerity." 

– u/dauntless91

12. Anthony Hopkins

Orion Pictures/Sony Pictures Entertainment Motion Picture Group

"He played one of the greatest villains of all time (Hannibal Lecter), and one of the greatest heroes, Zorro."

– u/justReading271000

13. Jodie Foster

Warner Bros./Sony Pictures Entertainment Motion Picture Group

– u/Ed_Dantesk

–u/Senrabekim

"Jodie Foster in Contact vs. Elysium."

 – u/Overslept99

14. Tom Hardy

Warner Bros. Pictures/20th Century Studios

"What he especially excels at, IMO, is the morally grey character. He has so much range even within one role; Taboo and Warrior both represent this. His John Fitzgerald in The Revenant is him at his most evil, and he's deliciously despicable.

He has roles where he barely speaks – Mad Max: Fury Road or Dunkirk – and roles where he does nothing but talk the entire movie – Locke. He's the most versatile actor doing it right now, IMO. Not every movie is good (Capone) but he's often the best part. Love that guy."

– u/_laoc00n_

15. Olivia Colman

ITV/BBC One

"Olivia seems so sweet in person and in most of her roles, and then you watch Fleabag and you really want to slap her."

– u/rangatang

16. Margot Robbie

Warner Bros. Pictures

"I feel like she is the one hyped-up actor right now that is actually really great."

– u/dylanmadigan

17. Denzel Washington

Metro-Goldwyn Mayer/Warner Bros. Pictures

"Denzel Washington, for sure." 

– u/brrcity

18. Cate Blanchett

New Line Cinema/Focus Features

"Cate Blanchett in Tár was amazing. That character was so disgusting."

– u/lilmimosa

19. David Boreanz

The WB

"I'm talking his work on Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel. As Angel, he's a flawed and tragic hero who struggles and occasionally gives into his dark side, but can also be a lovable goofball and a bit of a dork. However, when he loses his soul and becomes Angelus, his mannerisms change completely.

He's gleefully monstrous, manipulative, and derives pleasure from people's misery. The way David plays them both is fantastic, and you can tell he always has fun when he gets to stretch his villain muscles." 

– u/Wackamack-98

20. Daniel Radcliffe

Warner Bros. Pictuers/Paramount Pictures

"Obviously, he was the big hero as Harry Potter, but he's also taken roles that cast him as the villain (albeit a very Daniel Radcliffe-like villain). Most notably in Now You See Me 2 & The Lost City (where he plays basically the same person)."

 – u/3rddog

21. Charlize Theron

Warner Bros. Pictures/Warner Bros. Pictures

"Charlize Theron was the first person to come to mind! Hero = Mad Max Fury Road, The Old Guard, Atomic Blonde, The Italian Job, and In the Valley of Elah. Villain = Monster, Prometheus, Snow White & the Huntsman, the Fast & Furious franchise. Some examples are better than the others, but she really brings it in the roles she gets!"

– u/KitsunesWolf4240

Note: submissions have been edited for length/clarity.

Which actors do you think deserve to be on this list? Tell us about them and their versatile performances in the comments below!