Compelling characters are the backbone of any great movie. Yet beyond the leading stars, a special breed of film actor has built an entire career on the art of character acting. These performers may never headline a summer blockbuster, but their familiar faces have graced countless Hollywood productions, and a handful have even taken home an Academy Award along the way.
Browse through the gallery below and discover these unforgettable cinema talents from across the decades.
Michael Peña
Michael Peña has built an impressive filmography with appearances in ‘World Trade Center’ (2006) and ‘American Hustle’ (2013). He delivered a memorable performance as tank driver Trini “Gordo” Garcia in the highly regarded Second World War film ‘Fury’ (2014).
Lloyd Bridges (1913–1998)
The father of actors Jeff and Beau Bridges, Lloyd Bridges racked up credits in more than 150 feature films and a wide range of television productions over his long career. Audiences still smile remembering his wonderfully comic performance in ‘Airplane!’ (1980).
Lee J. Cobb (1911–1976)
Lee J. Cobb earned two Academy Award nominations for Best Supporting Actor, recognizing his work in ‘The Brothers Karamazov’ (1958) and ‘On the Waterfront’ (1954). His naturally commanding and authoritarian screen presence made him a go-to choice for law enforcement roles, most notably in ‘Coogan’s Bluff’ (1968) and ‘The Exorcist’ (1973).
Oliver Platt
Canadian-born Oliver Platt has spoken openly about his approach to choosing roles, saying he needs the part to be “different from what I just did…I do have to be interested in the role.” That selective instinct has served audiences well, producing a diverse body of work spanning ‘Indecent Proposal’ (1993), ‘Executive Decision’ (1996), and ‘The Ice Harvest’ (2005).
Peter Lorre (1904–1964)
Hungarian-American actor Peter Lorre spent 35 years crafting some of Hollywood’s most memorably sinister and unsettling screen personas, carving out a permanent niche as a staple of crime and mystery cinema.
Xander Berkeley
Xander Berkeley is the classic definition of a recognizable face attached to a less immediately familiar name. Viewers will place him without hesitation from his appearances in ‘A Few Good Men’ (1992), ‘Apollo 13’ (1995), and ‘Air Force One’ (1997), and he earned further recognition playing Gregory in the television series ‘The Walking Dead.’
Karl Malden (1912–2009)
Karl Malden cemented his place in Hollywood history by winning the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his role in ‘A Streetcar Named Desire’ (1951). He later became a beloved television fixture as Lt. Mike Stone in ‘The Streets of San Francisco,’ which ran from 1972 to 1977.
Steve Buscemi
Steve Buscemi has elevated character acting to something approaching high art through a series of quirky, often unsettling performances. His work in ‘Reservoir Dogs’ (1992) and ‘Fargo’ (1996) stands as definitive proof of his extraordinary range.
Jack Palance (1919–2006)
With a rugged, weathered face and a naturally intimidating physical presence, Jack Palance spent much of his career playing villains and hard men. That work was ultimately rewarded with a Best Supporting Actor Oscar for his turn in ‘City Slickers’ (1991).
Giovanni Ribisi
Giovanni Ribisi firmly established his credentials as a serious character actor through a notable supporting role in ‘Saving Private Ryan’ (1998) and a lead credit in ‘Boiler Room’ (2000). His career has continued to flourish, with a recent high-profile television appearance as Marius Josipovic/Pete Murphy in ‘Sneaky Pete’ (2015–2019).
James Whitmore (1921–2009)
James Whitmore launched his screen career in 1949 with ‘Battleground’ and spent the following decades accumulating an extensive list of film and television credits. His talent was recognized with two separate Academy Award nominations, one for Best Actor and one for Best Supporting Actor.
Jack Warden (1920–2006)
Jack Warden began his film career in 1951 and went on to receive two Academy Award nominations for Best Supporting Actor, for his performances in ‘Shampoo’ (1975) and ‘Heaven Can Wait’ (1978).
Lennie James
While English actor Lennie James is perhaps best recognized by television audiences through acclaimed series such as ‘Line of Duty,’ ‘The Walking Dead,’ and ‘Fear the Walking Dead,’ his big-screen work is equally worthy of attention, with more than 20 film appearances including ‘Snatch’ (2000) and ‘Colombiana’ (2011).
Robert Loggia (1930–2015)
Robert Loggia brought intensity and authority to a wide range of roles across a six-decade career, earning an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor for his work in ‘Jagged Edge’ (1985). He was particularly well suited to playing tough, no-nonsense characters and authority figures.
Robert Morley (1908–1992)
Robert Morley found a reliable niche playing the quintessential pompous English establishment figure, a role he inhabited with such conviction that one critic noted he was “particularly effective when cast as a pompous windbag.” His screen talent was recognized as early as 1939, when he received a Best Supporting Actor nomination for ‘Marie Antoinette.’
Jon Bernthal
Jon Bernthal first captured widespread attention through his portrayal of Shane Walsh in ‘The Walking Dead.’ Since then he has demonstrated genuine versatility across both supporting and lead roles, appearing in ‘The Wolf of Wall Street’ (2013), ‘Fury’ (2014), and ‘Ford v Ferrari’ (2019), as well as headlining the Netflix series ‘The Punisher.’
J.K. Simmons
J.K. Simmons has proven himself equally at home on the big and small screens. Many audiences know him best as J. Jonah Jameson in Sam Raimi’s Spider-Man trilogy (2002–2007), though his finest hour may well be the riveting performance in ‘Whiplash’ that earned him the Oscar for Best Supporting Actor in 2014.
Strother Martin (1919–1980)
Strother Martin secured his place in cinematic folklore with one unforgettable line. His delivery of “What we’ve got here is failure to communicate” in ‘Cool Hand Luke’ (1967) remains one of the most quoted moments in movie history.
Denholm Elliott (1922–1992)
English actor Denholm Elliott brought warmth and gentle humor to the role of Dr. Marcus Brody in both ‘Raiders of the Lost Ark’ (1981) and ‘Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade’ (1989). His broader dramatic range was acknowledged with an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor for ‘A Room with a View’ (1985).
Martin Balsam (1919–1996)
Martin Balsam enjoyed a rich and prolific career spanning film, theater, and television over several decades. Among his most enduring performances is his portrayal of Juror Number 1 in the classic courtroom drama ’12 Angry Men’ (1957).
Charles Durning (1923–2012)
The scene in ‘Tootsie’ (1982) where Charles Durning’s character realizes that Dorothy, played by Dustin Hoffman, is actually a man remains one of the film’s most delightful moments. Durning was a deeply respected presence in Hollywood, and his work earned him two Academy Award nominations for Best Supporting Actor.
Toby Jones
English actor Toby Jones has long been a familiar and trusted face for British television viewers, and his supporting film work dates back to 1992. More recently he has made a significant impression on international audiences through appearances in ‘Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy’ (2011) and ‘Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom’ (2018).
Scatman Crothers (1910–1986)
The shocking fate that befell Scatman Crothers’ character Richard Hallorann at the hands of Jack Nicholson’s character in ‘The Shining’ (1980) is just one moment from a remarkable 55-year career. Crothers became one of the most warmly regarded character actors in the history of Hollywood cinema.
Hume Cronyn (1911–2003)
Canadian stage and screen actor Hume Cronyn made his Hollywood debut in Alfred Hitchcock’s ‘Shadow of a Doubt’ (1943). He subsequently earned an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor for his work in ‘The Seventh Cross’ (1944), a film that also featured his wife, Jessica Tandy.
Michael Hordern (1911–1995)
Although primarily a man of the theater, English actor Michael Hordern became a recognizable cinema presence throughout the 1950s and 1960s, frequently taking on eccentric or military-flavored roles. Later in his career he brought his distinctive voice to the narration of the beloved children’s animation series ‘Paddington,’ inspired by the classic ‘Paddington Bear’ books.
James Rebhorn (1948–2014)
James Rebhorn was one of the busiest and most admired character actors of his generation, accumulating credits across more than 100 films, television series, and stage productions. His screen work includes ‘Independence Day’ (1996), ‘The Game’ (1997), and ‘The International’ (2009).
Jack Weston (1924–1996)
Jack Weston had a rare gift for making hapless, scheming, or comically inept characters feel completely convincing, a talent he exercised consistently across a career spanning four decades. He shared the screen with Steve McQueen on two occasions, in ‘The Cincinnati Kid’ (1965) and ‘The Thomas Crown Affair’ (1968).
Robert Prosky (1930–2008)
Robert Prosky delivered fine work in films including ‘Thief’ (1981) and ‘The Natural’ (1984), while television audiences will always associate him with his role as Sgt. Stan Jablonski in the much-loved police drama ‘Hill Street Blues.’
