10 Actresses Who Can Portray a Villain and a Sweetheart, and Stole Our Hearts At Both
Many actors have spent their whole life to create their own image in the audience's minds, which can ensure a place or credit in the cinema world. Still, they often challenge themself in a new movie genre that is too different from their iconic role's. If these actors fail, they may lose everything they’ve built previously and struggle in having a new beginning. That shows how respectful actors who play both a villain and a sweetheart throughout their acting careers really are. Because they decide to take the risk of being out of the safe zone.
Below are 10 actresses who’ve challenged themself with both a villain and a sweetheart. Thankfully, these brilliant women just nailed it.
#1 Cate Blanchett
Source: © Elizabeth / Working Title Films, © Paramount Pictures
Her list of best roles includes the Queen of England in Elizabeth and Agent Spalko in Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull. By the way, Blanchett's character has become Spielberg's favorite villain of all the Indiana Jones movies.
#2 Jennifer Lawrence
Source: © Don't Look Up / Bluegrass Films, © X-Men: First Class / 20th Century Fox
In the X-Men series, Jennifer plays Mystique and is almost unrecognizable under heavy makeup. But she looks completely different in the recent movie Don't Look Up. She plays a doctoral student in astronomy who discovers a comet approaching Earth. Both of these works were named by the tabloids as the most memorable of the actress's career.
#3 Nicole Kidman
Source: © Grace Of Monaco / YRF Entertainment, © Paddington / StudioCanal
Kidman skillfully portrayed the character Grace Kelly in the movie Grace of Monaco. Critics wrote, "The camera will surely sigh with delight every time she appears on the screen."
But the actress also knows how to play the villain. In the film Paddington, she played the taxonomist Millicent, a bear hunter. It's worth mentioning that Kidman is excited to play a part in this movie because she's a childhood fan of Michael Bond books. She even learned to throw and spin knives and took grading classes while preparing for the role.
#4 Emma Thompson
Source: © Nanny McPhee / MGM, © Cruella / Walt Disney Pictures
One of Thompson's good heroines is Nanny McPhee in the movie of the same name. According to the plot, her character has to undergo certain transformations and the actress conveys those wonderfully.
And in 2021, Emma portrayed the villain in the movie Cruella. The actress revealed she had dreamed of playing the villain for many years. She especially likes the costumes she wears in the movie, she calls them works of art. When asked how the process of creating a villain goes, Emma joked: "Well, you know, obviously I've been drawing about my life. I mean, I think if my husband was in the room, he'd say, 'And there's really no need to act.'”
#5 Natalie Portman
Source: © V for Vendetta / Warner Bros., © Black Swan / Fox Searchlight Pictures
But it was her role as obsessed Nina Sayers in Black Swan that earned Natalie an Oscar. Portman beautifully delivered what a tortured artist must take to gain perfection.
#6 Imelda Staunton
Source: © Maleficent / Walt Disney Pictures, © Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix / Warner Bros.
But the British actress is also very good at playing the lover. In Maleficent, for instance, she plays a cute fairy who raised a little princess. According to critics, both of these roles are among her best.
#7 Tilda Swinton
Source: © The Human Voice / El Deseo, © Snowpiercer / Opus Pictures
In 2020, Pedro Almodóvar released the film The Human Voice, starring Swinton. She portrays a woman talking on the phone with her ex-boyfriend. Critics praised her work and said the film was a "focused explosion of amnesiac passion".
But Tilda looks totally different in the post-apocalyptic thriller Snowpiercer, where she plays the crazy assistant of a train commander. The actress tried to make her character as disgusting as possible, and some of the features were her idea!
#8 Charlize Theron
Source: © Mad Max: Fury Road / Warner Bros., © Monster / Media 8 Entertainment
Another famous character of Theron is Furiosa in the movie Mad Max: Fury Road. Furiosa is a brave warrior who risked his life to save others. Another famous character of Theron is Furiosa in the movie Mad Max: Fury Road. Furiosa is a brave warrior who risked his life to save others. According to tabloids, her character stole the show and even outshone Tom Hardy, who portrayed Max.
#9 Lena Headey
Source: © Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles / Warner Bros., © Game of Thrones / HBO
In addition, Headey's best works include Sarah Trevanny in Ripley's Game, Julia Knight in Fighting with My Family, and Queen Gorgo in 300: Rise of an Empire.As for the role of Cersei, it brought Lena not only fame and money, but also fan hate. Headey portrays the role so convincingly that some fans are starting to think it's real. So during an autograph session at Comic-Con, some people actually snatched their books from her to stop her from signing.
#10 Helena Bonham Carter
Source: © Cinderella / Walt Disney Pictures, © Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 / Warner Bros.
The character became iconic in part because of Helena's efforts. It was she who insisted on making Bellatrix look like in the movies. She also makes her character crazier than what is written in the script.But Carter is also great in good-natured characters. The fairy godmother, for example, in the 2015 film Cinderella was included in the list of the brightest roles of the actress