19 Actresses Who Are Scarily Good At Playing Villains
And when there’s a hero, there’s a villain. A great villain is just as compelling to watch as a hero. They can raise the stakes for the heroes’ quest, making their conquests and trials much more invested. Who wants to watch heroes win by having everything handed to them?
Some even have their own tragic backstory that justifies their motives. And some are just entertaining to watch. This means playing a convincing, entertaining, and charismatic villain is a Herculean task.
That’s why it's mind-blowing watching actresses succeed in playing a convincing villain. Especially when many of them are only known for playing “good girl” parts. Here are 19 actresses who are scarily good at playing villains.
#1 Blake Lively
Source: © The Age of Adaline / Lionsgate and co-producers, © A Simple Favor / BRON Studios and co-producers
#2 Rachel McAdams
Source: © The Notebook / New Line Cinema and co-producers, © Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows / Warner Bros. and co-producers
#3 Scarlett Johansson
Source: © Jojo Rabbit / Piki Films and co-producers, © Under the Skin / British Film Institute (BFI) and co-producers
#4 Emma Watson
Source: © My Week with Marilyn / BBC Films and co-producers, © Regression / Mod Producciones and co-producers
#5 Monica Bellucci
Source: © The Ages of Love / Filmauro and co-producers, © The Brothers Grimm / MGM and co-producers
#6 Emma Stone
Source: © Aloha / Columbia Pictures and co-producers, © The Favourite / Searchlight Pictures and co-producers
#7 Charlize Theron
Source: © Long Shot / Summit Entertainment and co-producers, © The Fate of the Furious / Universal Pictures and co-producers
#8 Salma Hayek
Source: © Fools Rush In / Columbia Pictures, © From Dusk Till Dawn / Miramax and co-producers
#9 Anne Hathaway
Source: © The Princess Diaries / Walt Disney Pictures and co-producers, © The Dark Knight Rises / Warner Bros. Pictures and co-producers
#10 Demi Moore
Source: © Blind / Michael Mailer Films and co-producers, © Charlie's Angels: Full Throttle / Columbia Pictures and co-producers
#11 Alexandra Daddario
Source: © White Collar / Fox Television Studios and co-producers, © Why Women Kill / Imagine Entertainment and co-producers
#12 Sophie Turner
Source: © Game of Thrones / HBO and co-producers, © Josie / Boo Pictures and co-producers
#13 Mila Kunis
Source: © The Angriest Man in Brooklyn / Vedette Finance and co-producers, © Oz the Great and Powerful / Walt Disney Pictures and co-producers
#14 Nicole Kidman
Source: © Australia / Twentieth Century Fox and co-producers, © The Beguiled / American Zoetrope and co-producers
#15 Penélope Cruz
Source: © Twice Born / Medusa Film and co-producers, © Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides / Walt Disney Pictures and co-producers
#16 Emma Thompson
Source: © Sense and Sensibility / Columbia Pictures and co-producers, © Cruella / Walt Disney Pictures and co-producers
#17 Rebecca Ferguson
Source: © The Girl on the Train / Dreamworks Pictures and co-producers, © Doctor Sleep / Warner Bros. and co-producers
#18 Carey Mulligan
Source: © An Education / BBC Films and co-producers, © Promising Young Woman / Focus Features and co-producers
#19 Elle Fanning
Source: © Twixt / American Zoetrope, © Maleficent / Walt Disney Pictures and co-producers