In films, people don't always remember the supporting actors or actresses, the people who had smaller roles than the lead people. Sometimes, those supporting people end up giving better performances than the main people. Thomas West, a writer for the MSN.com page Yardbarker, has put together a list of films where the supporting actors / actresses have outperformed the main actors / actresses
1. Thor
-Despite Chris Hemsworth playing the titular blonde Norse god, it was Tom Hiddleston's role as Loki who went above and beyond. His role as Loki was that of a bratty prince and demon of chaos. Despite the fact that Tom Hiddleston has other roles he's performed, he'll forever be known as Loki
2. Mad Max: Fury Road
-Charlize Theron is a versatile actress. She can do any role and manage to steal the show from the lead cast. In Mad Max: Fury Road, she plays Furiosa. She was such an iconic character that people often remember her more than the lead star, Tom Hardy, who played Max. She even got her own film, Furiosa
3. Back to the Future
-Out of all of the 1980s film characters, Marty McFly is arguably one of the most well-known. It's almost unheard of to try and imagine the wildly successful Back to the Future series without Doc Brown, played by Christopher Lloyd. His role as the wild scientist is loved by fans of the film series
4. I, Tonya
-This film tells the controversial story of ice skater Tonya Harding. Margot Robbie plays the lead role. But it's Allison Janney, who plays Tonya's mother, LaVona Golden, who appears to outshine everyone else. She's raspy voiced and cruel, she exudes power. She drives her daughter to outperform everyone else while also tearing her down at the same time. Because of this, it's clear why she won the Oscar for Best Supporting Actress
5. Kingdom of Heaven
-Orlando Bloom was the main star in this Ridley Scott-directed film. He's the center point of the film, but it's Edward Norton, who plays King Baldwin of Jerusalem, that outperforms everyone else. His character is also known as the Leper King. Since he never reveals his face, he gives a performance just as powerful as Bloom's Balian of Ibelin
6. Aladdin
-It's without a shred of doubt that Robin Williams as the Genie that made Aladdin what it was. It was rumored that he threw the script away and improvised almost all of his lines. Despite the fact he is only in the middle to last half of the movie, it's his on screen presence that makes the film great. He combines warm sensibilities with slapstick comedy and humor and this puts the Genie on a shelf above some of the other side kick characters
7. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone (Philosopher's Stone in other parts of the world)
-Daniel Radcliffe might have been the star of the film, as the Boy Who Lived, but, without a shred of doubt, it was the late Alan Rickman who gave an amazing performance as Professor Severus Snape, head of Slytherin House and Potions professor. It's immediately clear tht Professor Snape detests Harry with the passion of a thousand suns. But, over the course of the next six films, the reason behind his dislike for Harry would get clearer. His initial performance in the first film showed there was more to him than meets the eye
8. Interview with the Vampire
-Technically, this would be Brad Pitt's film since he narrated it and also plays a vampire named Louis. His role is beat out by Tom Cruise, who plays Lestat. He struts across stage, as if he owns it, just as he does in the Anne Rice novel. There are times when Cruise seems to give a better performance than Pitt. It's hard to underestimate the power Lestat has over Louis and viewers
9. Schindler's List
-Ralph Fiennes can demand the attention of viewers without even trying. It's the same way with Schindler's List. He seems to be the very definition of Nazi horror as Amon Goeth, a ruthless man capable of unspeakable acts of evil and cruelty. He gives a face to the Holocaust and its horrors while Liam Neeson's portrayal of Oskar Schindler plays the kind hearted factory owner, trying to save as many souls as possible. It's Amon Goeth who holds the viewer's attention and it remains one of Ralph Fiennes' most iconic roles
10. Dawn of the Planet of the Apes
-In regards to Rise of the Planet of the Apes, this film follows an ape named Caesar, voiced by Andy Serkis. He encounters humans after years of isolation. The character who gets the most attention is Koba, the lieutenant, voiced by Toby Kebbell. His character tries to overthrow his own friend. His character can be seen as tragic, someone damaged at the hands of humanity who will never see them as worthy of life or having equal rights
11. The Green Mile
-Despite Tom Hanks playing the lead role of head guard Paul Edgecombe, it's Michael Clarke Duncan who makes this film great. His portrayal of gentle giant John Coffey provides a heart and warmth to the film. He gives such an amazing performance in the film that when he is executed at the end, it's almost like losing a real family member, it's that devastating. This only serves as a testament to how good of an actor Michael Clarke Duncan is
12. Star Wars
-Initially, it seemed like the first film centered on Luke Skywalker. When Harrison Ford, as Han Solo, walks on to the screen, it becomes clearer that Solo will be the scene stealer. Harrison Ford was very much a movie star of the old-fashioned variety. Meaning he is good looking and sarcastic. This is the reason why fans love him in this series to this day. That no one else can do the role of Han Solo as good as him
13. Full Metal Jacket
-The Stanley Kubrick-directed Full Metal Jacket takes a strong, hard look at the Vietnam War. Much of the film focuses on Joker and Pyle, played by Matthew Modine and Vincent D'Onofrio. But, here to steal the movie is R. Lee Ermey as Gunnery Sergeant L. Hartman. This role seems almost tailor made to Ermey, a no-nonsense attitude, full of authority. It would often lead to him playing other military-related characters in the future
-As an interesting side note, he actually served in the United States Marine Corp for 11 years. He rose to the rank of Staff Sergeant and was able to make it to the rank of Gunnery Sergeant after serving two tours in Okinawa, Japan and 14 months in Vietnam. Unfortunately, injuries he sustained resulted in him being retired from the Marine Corps
14. 12 Monkeys
-This is one of those films that some people love and some people hate. The plot of the film centers on Bruce Willis playing a man named James Cole who goes back in time to find a cure for a terrible plague affecting the planet. It's Brad Pitt as Jeffrey Goines, however that outshines all the other cast. His character is a mental patient who is compelling, charismatic and psychotic, experiencing behavior that is strange and unpredictable
15. Skyfall
-Daniel Craig is now firmly entrenched in the James Bond 007 universe. Skyfall is one of the James Bond films Craig starred in. However, Javier Bardem as Raoul Silva manages to steal the light away from Daniel Craig. His calm, but menacing personality makes him a standout villain, especially because of his hate for Dame Judi Dench's M. He holds the viewer's attention as the villain, leading viewers to wonder what his next move will be
16. The Silence of the Lambs
-Based on the book by Thomas Harris, this film revolves around an FBI recruit fresh out of the academy named Clarice Starling who is put to the test of solving a series of murders by a killer known as Buffalo Bill. To get additional assistance, she seeks the help of calm, but psychotic former Dr. Hannibal Lecter. It's Anthony Hopkins playing Dr. Hannibal Lecter who everyone remembers. While he's not on screen for long, he exudes a powerful presence that makes him impossible to forget
17. The Dark Knight
-Heath Ledger played an amazing Joker. His version of Joker was far closer to the comic book than Joaquin Phoenix or even Jack Nicholson. Despite Christian Bale being the titular character, Heath Ledger steals the movie. Heath Ledger's Joker is far closer to the comic book. He is chaos wrapped in a human package
18. Bridesmaids
-This film focuses on Kristen Wiig's Anne Walker and Maya Rudolph's Lillian Donovan. This film allows Melissa McCarthy to flex her comedy muscles as she shines in every scene she features in
19. Die Hard
-Despite Bruce Willis being the main star of the film, it's Alan Rickman as a German terrorist named Hans Gruber who holds the attention of viewers. This film would not be what it is today without Alan Rickman. He's cool, calm and collected. He exudes a laidback, European persona and all of the villains in the following films of the series would never be able to measure up to him
20. The Fugitive
-This film allows Harrison Ford a lead role, but it's Tommy Lee Jones as US Marshal Sam Gerard who shines. He is pursuing Dr. Richard Kimble (Harrison Ford), who is on the run and trying to prove he didn't kill his wife. That a man with one arm did. Gerard is a man of honor, dedicated to his job and earns the respect of the audience, even though he has to arrest a man for a crime he didn't commit
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