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Villains

Loki

It seems <a href="https://www.ranker.com/list/most-popular-movie-villain-year-you-were-born/mike-mcgranaghan" target="_blank">every year</a>, new iconic villains are coming out of the woodwork. While some of us tend to <a href="https://www.ranker.com/list/movie-villains-who-wore-out-their-welcome/jacob-shelton" target="_blank">despise movie villains</a>, plenty of movie-goers&nbsp;favor some of these antagonists. Whether that&#39;s due to a cool accent, <a href="https://www.ranker.com/list/over-the-top-comic-book-movie-performances/tyler-mitchell" target="_blank">an over-the-top performance</a>, or an intimidating disposition, some villains just stand out - and <a href="https://www.ranker.com/list/actors-who-got-big-after-playing-bad-guys/orrin-grey" target="_blank">redefine the actors playing them</a>.&nbsp;For instance, who doesn&#39;t have some type of fondness for Hannibal Lecter? How about the evil Darth Vader for that matter?&nbsp;Who are the greatest villains of all time? These movie bad guys are the scourge of the movie universe - and that&#39;s to say nothing of their <a href="https://www.ranker.com/list/which-henchman-would-win-in-a-battle/matthew-ludwinski" target="_blank">loyal, powerful henchmen</a> - and you can now vote on the meanest villain ever to appear on film.

These are the greatest, most vile movie characters <a href="https://www.ranker.com/list/best-hateable-villains-in-comedy-movies/elle-tharp" target="_blank">we love to hate</a>&nbsp;(or even <a href="https://www.ranker.com/list/funny-villains-in-serious-movies/jacob-shelton" target="_blank">laugh at</a>) ranked by the wisdom of the crowd, which makes this ranking an accurate, real-time reflection of the crowd&#39;s collective opinion.

Female Characters

Annie Wilkes

List of the best female movie characters of all time, whether young or old. This list includes the best female movie characters to have graced the silver screen, from the beautiful yet willful Scarlett O’Hara to the tirelessly valiant Erin Brockovich. You have laughed with these characters and empathized with their plights, so now is your chance to vote for your favorites on this, the list of the best female characters in movies.&nbsp;The greatest female movie characters can be broadly sorted into two categories: those based on real women and those created by authors and filmmakers. Perhaps one of the most famous of the first category is Erin Brockovich (“Erin Brockovich”), who stood up for the health of her community. Fictional great female characters can be just as engaging, however. Can you forget the grit of Trinity (“The Matrix”) -- or her catsuit?&nbsp;Top female characters in movies might also be classed according to their morals. Some, such as Annie Wilkes (“Misery”), have no problem harming helpless people, while others, including Evelyn Couch (“Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe”), are the very pictures of worthy womanhood. Although viewers might pass judgement on the so-called ‘bad’ or ‘evil’ female characters, there’s no doubt that female movie characters of either morality can land among the greatest female characters of all time.&nbsp;This list includes female movie characters, old and young, whom film fans continually name as favorites. Viewers identify with these characters’ struggles and lives, and it is this identification that makes female movie characters truly great. You may not agree with the best female movie characters’ choices, but chances are, you enjoy watching these leading characters’ films again and again.

Lifestyle

Dorothy Gale

List of the greatest kid characters in film. These <a href="https://www.ranker.com/list/childrens-movies-main-characters-who-should-be-grounded/tracey-graham" target="_blank">onscreen children</a> were the best movie personalities in the history of cinema. Here we have ranked those film characters that we would rather hide from our own children (for the most part) but watch onscreen any day of the week. Of course, if Harry Potter came over for a playdate, a child might want to hang out. 

Movie children are the ones that say what we are really thinking, or sometimes things that no adult would ever be weird enough to think let alone say out loud. Someone like Huck Finn comes to mind, as he ranks up here against (or perhaps with) Simba from &quot;The Lion King.&quot; both of the &quot;Spy Kids&quot; themselves had to be included, of course, as did tough girls like Hit-Girl and Veruca Salt. Speaking of Miss Salt, Roald Dahl brought us more of the great kid characters in movies thanks to Matilda Wormood and Charlie Buckett.

Thing

A list of the most memorable movie sidekicks of all time. The collection of colorful and unique characters in the list below represent some of the greatest roles ever played on the big screen. These legends of cinema act as a supporting player to the film's central characters, but it doesn't mean they are less important. Often, the sidekick appears throughout the movie as a confidant to the lead or protagonist but later plays a pivotal role in the plot. At times they provide comic relief to more serious dramas and epic adventures, while other times they end up as the emotional core of the entire storyline. Trusted sidekicks in a famous film franchise also become some of <a href="http://www.ranker.com/crowdranked-list/best-movie-characters-of-all-time">the most beloved characters of all time</a> because the audience identifies with them more than the hero. A right-hand man or woman offers support, gives advice, loyal to the protagonist and just plain awesome. Other times they turn to the dark side and turn into <a href="http://www.ranker.com/crowdranked-list/the-best-movie-villains-of-all-time">a cinematic villain</a>, adding a twist or element of surprise to an otherwise boring plot. One thing remains the same, however, when it comes to supporting characters -- they are all scene-stealers. Upvote your favorites from the list of famous film sidekicks below, add characters missing from the list and don't forget to re-rank the list your way.When you're done with this movie lover's list, check out which characters made the cut in the sexiest film characters&nbsp;list or <a href="http://www.ranker.com/crowdranked-list/the-most-badass-big-screen-action-heroes">the best action heroes ever</a>.&nbsp;

poll

Jason Bourne

In the age of the superhero movies, it's easy to forget sometimes that there are tough guys who don't need to hide behind superpowers or a super suit. For every superhero Superman, Batman or even Robocop, we have a James Bond, Han Solo, Jason Bourne and John McClane willing to chase bad guys. These tough guys need to rely only their brains, brawn and the occasional weapon or two to foil the plots of bad guys. Some of the most legendary action heroes are just regular guys, military personnel or cops that get caught up in a tough situation and fight their way out of it.Sometimes that can mean rescuing a group of hostages or even family members or femme fatale. Other times that could be defending someone's honor or even protecting his country from the threat of total annihilation. While having a super powers or super suit would make things infinitely easier for these tough dudes, what makes them so endearing to audiences is that some of the men on this list could be any of us, depending on how we react in a particular situation.Vote for your favorite movie tough guy on this Ultimate List. These are some of the biggest, baddest guys in the history of <a class="edS-cl" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/roger_s-top-100-and-tough-guy-movies/roger-royce?ref=internalCrossLinking_keyword">tough guy films</a> and are played by some of the most prominent action stars. So pick who you think toughest of these movie tough guys. Famous tough guys with touch names for guys! They're all listed here!

Lando Calrissian

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Virgil Tibbs, &quot;Red&quot; Redding, Jules Winnfield...&nbsp;This is a list of the all time greatest Black characters in film, ranked as the best in film history by movie lovers everywhere. This list has the best Black characters in film, portrayed by award-winning actors and featured in some of the greatest films ever made. Who are the all time best Black characters in film?

From classic films like&nbsp;Hotel Rwanda, The Color Purple, and Jerry Maguire, the characters on this list are also some of the best characters in film history. Many of the actors who portrayed these classic Black film characters received numerous awards for their notable performances. This includes some of the <a class="edS-cl" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/best-african-american-actors-in-film/ranker-film?ref=internalCrossLinking_keyword">best Black actors of all time</a>, such as Denzel Washington and Sidney Poitier.

Cast your votes for the Black characters listed here that you believe are the best of all time. And, if the Black characters you think are the greatest are missing, add them below to complete the list.

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In most movies, as if by fulfillment of an old adolescent wish, the whole world really does revolve around a single character. And yet&nbsp;some of the whiniest heroes in movie history refuse&nbsp;to be happy about it. Some are just perpetually scared to leave their comfort zone, others have issues they never seem to be able to work out, and others still just get their whine on for comedic effect. Here you&#39;ll find a few serious offenders, including everything from reluctant heroes to some of <a href="https://www.ranker.com/crowdranked-list/the-most-annoying-tv-and-film-characters-ever" target="_blank">the most annoying movie protagonists ever</a>.

Which characters deserve&nbsp;to whine and which ones take&nbsp;it way too far? You get to decide. Vote for the characters whose constant whining is&nbsp;a little too over the top, and whose attitude harms the movie as a result.

You might assume&nbsp;that every moment movie tough guys spend off screen is devoted to romancing a cadre of babes. But is that really the case? If you take a second look at some of your favorite movies, you'll begin to realize that there are a lot of movie heroes who are virgins. They may be constantly draped with sexy love interests, but they’re too consumed with saving the day to actually have sex. And in many cases, the cinematic alpha males you never noticed are virgins have so many specialized abilities that there’s no way they'd have time to actually hook up. This isn’t a dig at virgins;&nbsp;rather, it's another look at the butt-kicking alpha males of cinema.What does it take to be an alpha male in a movie? It requires good looks, a way around a witty remark, and rippling pecs, but there's no prerequisite for understanding how sex works.&nbsp;In many cases, these virgin movie characters are better off never having done the deed. Their chastity keeps them focused on saving the world. From superheroes to action stars, here are all the popular movie characters who are secretly virgins.

Alicia Clark In 'The Paper,' Played By Glenn Close

Let&rsquo;s look at women&#39;s movie roles intended for men. Somewhere along the way in the development process, filmmakers have switched male roles to female, giving the world some of the most iconic screen characters of all time. Could you imagine Ripley in the&nbsp;Alien franchise as a man? How about Paula in the The 40-Year-Old Virgin?&nbsp;

Sigourney Weaver has played three roles that were intended for men. Glenn Close insisted that her character in The Paper stay the same, including a fistfight with Michael Keaton&rsquo;s character. Starbuck&nbsp;from Battlestar Galactica is still a sexual, cigar-smoking&nbsp;fighter pilot, she&rsquo;s just got ovaries. Game of Thrones chieftain&nbsp;Karsi&nbsp;showed us that Wildling leaders can be female or male&nbsp;because it doesn&rsquo;t matter when you&rsquo;re facing off with White Walkers.

Even back in 1940, director Howard Hawks made the bold choice of making a prominent character in his screen adaptation of The Front Page&nbsp;a female. Now, we can&rsquo;t imagine His Girl Friday without Rosalind Russell as Hildy Johnson.

Helen Mirren and Dame Judi Dench have taken on roles previously played by men. Mirren&rsquo;s Hobson in the remake of Arthur was just as deadpan and engaging as Sir John Gielgud&rsquo;s. Dench&rsquo;s M appeared in Bond films.&nbsp;

Women in film may face many challenges when it comes to pay, but hats off to the directors, writers, actors, and producers who create opportunities for women who are more qualified to play authority figures, villains, and tough characters rather than, say,&nbsp;damsels in distress or run-of-the-mill wives, girlfriends, or best friends.

What are your favorite male-to-female film roles? Upvote those you are most glad went to a female actress.

Every now and then we see a film that makes us question good and evil, right and wrong. The concepts of <a href="https://www.ranker.com/list/movie-villains-who-were-right/loganrapp" target="_blank">villain and hero</a> are often oversimplifications resulting from the demands of popular narrative. After the conclusion of the Avengers franchise left us missing characters like Loki and Gamora, we started to ask, &quot;Who was the good guy, and who was the bad guy?&quot; Are there moments where these lines can be crossed?&nbsp;The X-Men are notorious for destruction and chaos, but they do it in the name of humanity. Magneto is good in one film, bad in another, and ignored in yet another. Heroic Wolverine comes and goes as a raging drunk antihero, while ostensibly villainous Mystique never sheds what seems to be a certain essential humanity.&nbsp;

In any case, all heroes were once normal individuals who made mistakes en route to becoming heroes. But they don&#39;t always understand the actual destruction they leave in their wake. Here are a few movie heroes who might&nbsp;have been seen as the villain from someone else&#39;s perspective.

Snake Plissken

What beloved and <a class="edS-cl" href="https://www.ranker.com/crowdranked-list/best-movie-characters-of-all-time?ref=internalCrossLinking_keyword">iconic movie characters</a> would you like to see make their long-awaited return to the big screen?&nbsp;There are many classic film characters that have been absent from theaters for too long. Great movie characters like Rocky Balboa and&nbsp;Max Rockatansky returned triumphantly in 2015, but there are plenty other names that frequently top best movie character lists who are ready for a reboot, and below you can vote up those you'd like to see. &nbsp; When considering which iconic characters you want to see again, think about their longevity, depth, and personality, along with the stories they were involved in, and how they might fit in modern films. Would you like to see the Dude take on the 21st century? How much would you love to see Lando reunite with Chewie in the next Star Wars film?Of the iconic movie characters below, vote up those you would like to see return to the big screen, whether played by the same actors from the original films or by a new star.

Friendship

Throughout the history of cinema, there is no shortage of incredible heroes who are showered with praise for their keen senses and bold spirit. However, for many of these heroes, none of what they accomplished would have been possible <a href="https://www.ranker.com/list/fictional-sidekicks-youd-most-want-as-a-best-friend/ranker-characters?ref=search" target="_blank">without their sidekick keeping them alive</a> and solving all their problems for little to none of the glory.

Often relegated in people&#39;s minds to the role of comic relief or glorified assistant, the all-important sidekick doesn&#39;t just tag along with the hero while riding their coattails. In fact, it&#39;s frequently the opposite. How many times would Frodo have perished long before getting the One Ring to Mount Doom if not for his faithful sidekick Samwise? Would Batman have been able to fight crime <a href="https://www.ranker.com/list/best-batman-sidekicks-family-members-list/barbara-gordon?ref=search" target="_blank">without Lucius Fox&#39;s brilliant tech</a>? Indiana Jones would have flat-out succumbed to a contaminant if not for Sallah&#39;s impressive food-catching reflexes.

Whether it&#39;s rescuing the hero from the clutches of evil, working behind the scenes to solve impossible puzzles that the hero couldn&#39;t have ever solved by themselves, or giving them the motivation and emotional support to persevere when the hero had all but given up on themselves and their adventure, here&#39;s a look at some of the greatest underappreciated <a href="https://www.ranker.com/list/the-most-memorable-film-sidekicks-ever/marc-cuenco?ref=search" target="_blank">sidekicks in movies</a>.

Baseball

Montgomery Brewster

Ever wonder who are the <a class="edS-cl" href="https://www.ranker.com/crowdranked-list/the-greatest-baseball-players-of-all-time?ref=internalCrossLinking_keyword">best baseball player</a> characters in film history? Plenty of people have their own opinions on who are the best fictional baseball players. Some characters in films are newcomers looking to make the team, while others are old veterans that come out of retirement for one final chance at the big leagues. More than a few of them are based on real-life ball players.Who do you think are some of the best baseball player characters in film? Dottie Hinson from A League of Their Own had movie-goers wishing that they could throw like a girl. Geena Davis and Tom Hanks led a talented cast in this 1992 feel-good film. Ricky “Wild Thing” Vaughn from the Major League series is almost as unpredictable as the actor who portrayed him – Charlie Sheen. George “Buck” Weaver (John Cusack) from Eight Men Out is another good ball player character.Kevin Costner played Crash Davis in Bull Durham to perfection, but he also gets a gold star for appearing in the baseball classic, Field of Dreams. Other roles that are featured on this top baseball player characters in film list include Willie Mays Hayes, Lou Gehrig, and Jack Elliot from Mr. Baseball.Which movie ballplayer do you think deserves the No. 1 spot? Give the best baseball player characters a vote and please add any not already on the list.

Some of the <a class="edS-cl" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/best-female-movie-characters/ranker-characters?ref=internalCrossLinking_keyword">greatest female characters</a> in film have entire movies named after them, but who are the best of the best? This is a list of female title characters in movies that are named after women. Say what? Basically: If the movie has a woman's name in it, than that particular girl or lady character can be on this list. Simple! So who are the best title characters in movies with girls' names in the titles? Bridget Jones? Amelie? Mary freaking Poppins?&nbsp;What makes <a class="edS-cl" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/strong-female-characters/anncasano?ref=internalCrossLinking_keyword">good female characters</a> so memorable? Here is something to think about: Georges M&eacute;li&egrave;s built one of the first film studios in 1897, but the 19th Amendment to the United States Constitution that gave the all American women the right to vote wasn't ratified until 1920. In the meantime, women were basically second class citizens. In early Disney films (which may be the earliest movies many have seen), female lead characters like Snow White and Alice are depicted as innocent - if curious - little nitwits who play passive roles in their own lives. Also, they are really the only girls in their movies except for the evil queens. Fast forward four decades, and there is Sally Albright making a ladies-first scene right in the middle of a diner. Another decade, and Summer is out doing her own thing and really not caring what men are up to at all! That's progress.<a class="edS-cl" href="https://www.ranker.com/crowdranked-list/best-female-voice-ever?ref=internalCrossLinking_keyword">The best female</a> title characters are girls and old women, students and teachers, victims and bullies, strong, confused, willful, scatterbrained, regretful heartbreakers, assassins, and regular gals. Vote up your favorites to move them up the list.

Selena

This is a list of the greatest zombie slayers of all time. In movies, the best zombie killers have been depicted in all varieties--from test subjects like in Resident Evil, and girl-next-door types like in Zombieland, to renegade bikers in Dawn of the Dead,&nbsp;and workaholics like in Shaun of the Dead. Each has proven their worth by annihilating countless zombies from the endless horde of multiplying undead with their own particular method. Some use guns attached to their legs like in Planet Terror, and some have animal companions to help them survive like in I am Legend. Other zombie aficionados use three barrel-shotguns or samurai swords.&nbsp;As proven in the cinemas, nearly anyone can slay one or two of the undead, but what defines a truly great zombie killer? Are they judged by how many zombies beheaded? Is it by how long they endure the zombie apocalypse? Is it what type of survival equipment and end of the world weapons they use? Or is it not in the amount of undead they destroy, but in the way in which these bad-ass zombie slayers endure? Our post-apocalyptic heroes are here for the voting--let them rise, or let them fall!

Teen Movies

John Tucker

List of movie jocks that include the most iconic in movie history. Jocks include those from the most notable sports films of the ‘80s, ‘90s, and ‘00s including Varsity Blues, <a class="edS-cl" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/why-revenge-of-the-nerds-is-so-creepy/eric-conner?ref=internalCrossLinking_keyword">Revenge of the Nerds</a>, <a class="edS-cl" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/the-best-dazed-and-confused-quotes-v1/movie-and-tv-quotes?ref=internalCrossLinking_keyword">Dazed and Confused</a>, and Lucas. This list answers the question, ‘Who are the greatest film jocks?’ Relive the <a class="edS-cl" href="https://www.ranker.com/crowdranked-list/best-sports-movies?ref=internalCrossLinking_keyword">greatest sports movies</a> in film history with these athletes.&nbsp;Belved film jocks vary by stereotype. Hero, dumb, rude, violent, the guy who dates the cheerleader, and the goofball. Film drama jocks are typically either aggressive or the hero like Mox in “Varsity Blues” or Fred ‘The Ogre’ Palowakski from “Revenge of the Nerds”. In comedy films, the jock may be a hero like Troy Bolton in “High School Musical”, or comic relief like Adam Sandler in “The Waterboy”.&nbsp;&nbsp;The greatest film jocks help define a movie, whether they are the star, or a supporting character. Regardless of whether these athletes play football, baseball, basketball, and race cars these jocks are the best at what they do. These great film jocks play high school, college, and professional sports. Jocks help win the big game and help movie-goers live out their teenage fantasies. Sports movies are a type of movie that film-goers love because they love movies about teenage athletes who become heroes.

The Stranger

What are the greatest characters with no names? This list includes great, unforgettable&nbsp;characters as &quot;The Narrator,&quot; &quot;The Janitor,&quot; and even &quot;The Man with No Name.&quot; Character names have a way of defining characters. When a major character doesn't have a name, it equally says something meaningful about a them. Just &quot;Cigarette Smoking Man&quot;? Tell me more! Some of film and TV's biggest characters are nameless, creating intrigue surrounding the character and their behavior. &nbsp; &nbsp;Which is the greatest character that doesn't have a name? It's up to you to decide. This list is votable and rerankable, so vote up your favorite unnamed character and add any that may be missing.&nbsp;

Leonard Smalls

The Coen Brothers are considered to be among the best filmmakers working today. Their unique style, crazy characters and <a class="edS-cl" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/best-merch-for-people-with-a-sick-sense-of-humor/chwang?ref=internalCrossLinking_keyword">twisted sense of humor</a> is visible in each one of their many movies. Got a favorite Coen Brothers movie? You can vote it up on <a href="http://www.ranker.com/crowdranked-list/the-best-coen-brothers-films">this list of the Best Coen Brothers Movies</a>. One of the things that the Coens always manage to fit into their movies are bizarre characters that sometimes don't even factor into the plot of the film at all. Whether it is a straight comedy like <a class="edS-cl" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/big-lebowski-trivia-facts/coy-jandreau?ref=internalCrossLinking_keyword">The Big Lebowski</a> or a tense thriller like Fargo, one of these strange characters always manages to make it on screen. Here is a list of some of the absolute weirdest side characters the Coens have come up with so far. Even though they may not be on screen for long, they definitely make an impression. Vote up the strangest characters on this list and thank the Coens for all the creepiness.

Oh, Hollywood... are you even capable of producing a character who isn't the greatest driver ever to take the wheel? When need be, fictional characters can have the cold steel nerve of Mika Hakkinen, the reflexes of Ayrton Senna, and the same effect on basic physics as a superhero. But that's what we go to the movies to see, right? Breakneck speeds, squealing tires, and the best drivers in film.All else aside, ultimately your favorite drivers in movies are really going to come down to your favorite cars and the movies they happen to be in. Granted, some cinematic wheelmen and wheelwomen are objectively better drivers than others. But this list is about ranking the fictional movie characters with whom you'd most want to ride shotgun during a car chase. At the end of the day, it's really up to you. So pick your favorite and vote them up to the head of the pack. Rerank the whole thing to create your own list of the best drivers in film history and be sure to add any great fictional movie drivers we may have missed.

Gordon Gekko

The word &quot;manipulative&quot; has a natural negative connotation to it. To manipulate does not just mean to convince. It implies an influence by deception, to unfairly control a person by exploiting them. Therefore, when we think of the most manipulative <a href="http://www.ranker.com/crowdranked-list/best-movie-characters-of-all-time?ref=internalCrossLinking_keyword">movie characters</a> in cinema history, we immediately think of villains. <a class="edS-cl" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/the-very-best-of-the-good-guy-lucifer-meme/robert-wabash?ref=internalCrossLinking_keyword">A good guy</a> doesn’t manipulate; he persuades or influences. But a bad guy deceives, lies, and schemes.&nbsp;These manipulative film characters are not just your everyday antagonist. Somehow, through their sheer evil, they’ve learned to plot and maneuver in order to not only work the perfect scam, but in many instances get away with their crimes in the end. Think about Keyser&nbsp;S&ouml;ze (The Usual Suspects), Aaron Stampler (Primal Fear), and John Doe (Se7en). Their plans worked to perfection. It’s almost chilling to think that such evil could come out on top, especially in the movies, where the bad guy almost always loses in the end. Of course, we can’t fault the manipulators in movies who don’t get to ride off into the sunset. Darth Vader was never supposed to use the Force to defeat Luke Skywalker. It’s not part of that story's mythology. But we still can’t deny Vader’s manipulative powers to control in the name of the Dark Side.Make your voice heard. Vote up your picks for the most manipulative film characters ever.

Unforgettable Film Characters

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Best Movies

List of the best movie characters of all time, ranked by film buffs and people like you. This list includes performances by some of the <a href="http://www.ranker.com/crowdranked-list/the-greatest-film-actors-and-actresses-of-all-time">greatest actors of all time</a> in classic films, epic dramas, comedies, action and superhero movies, and many other <a href="http://www.ranker.com/tags/best-movie-genres">movie genres</a>. The best characters in film are those unforgettable, magnetic people (or aliens, or self-aware machines) who command the screen. They have spoken some of the <a href="http://www.ranker.com/crowdranked-list/the-greatest-movie-quotes-of-all-time">most memorable quotes in movie history</a> in ways fans have been trying to emulate ever since. They are famous movie characters that have inspired fan fiction and fan art; iconic movie characters who have inspired fashion and pop culture; popular movie characters that kids and adults alike aspire to be like. Simply put, they are the best characters ever. Vote for your favorites.

Best Movie Characters | Greatest Film Character List

The Best Movie Characters Of All Time

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AMAZON

Forrest Gump

Forrest Gump is a fictional character and the protagonist of the 1986 novel by Winston Groom, Robert Zemeckis's 1994 film of the same name, and Gump and Co., the written sequel to Groom's novel. In the film, Forrest is a philanthropist and a war veteran, businessman, and college football player who bears witness to various significant occurrences in the 20th century. He exudes a compassionate, optimistic, and tenacious attitude in the face of countless setbacks and strives to help every person he meets despite his strong naivety. Throughout his life, he maintains a sincere love for his childhood friend Jennifer Curran, who eventually becomes his wife. Tom Hanks portrayed the character in the film and earned an Academy Award for his performance, while Michael Conner Humphreys portrayed Forrest as a child. 
In 2008, Forrest Gump was named the 20th greatest movie character of all time by Empire magazine.

Woody

Woody is a fictional character from the 1984 film Footloose and the 2011 film remake.

T-800 / The Terminator

T-800

The Terminator, or T-101 —a cybernetic organism, initially portrayed as a programmable assassin and military infiltration unit, and then as a bodyguard—is any one of a number of fictional characters portrayed by Arnold Schwarzenegger. "The Terminator" character first appeared as the titular antagonist in The Terminator, a 1984 film directed and co-written by James Cameron, and its sequels. The first film in the series features only one cyborg: the one portrayed by Schwarzenegger, although a second T-800 played by Franco Columbu is shown in a future flashback scene. In the first two sequels, Schwarzenegger's Terminator is pitted against other Terminators; it appears briefly in the third sequel as a CGI model. In the sequels, Terminator 2: Judgment Day and Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines, Schwarzenegger reprises the role, but with a twist: Schwarzenegger is the hero instead of the villain, playing a different but visually identical Terminator in each of the three films.
Within the Terminator universe created by Cameron, Terminators of the same "model" share identical characteristics.

Captain John H. Miller

Captain Miller is a fictional character from the 1998 film Saving Private Ryan.

R2-D2

R2-D2 is a fictional character in the Star Wars universe created by George Lucas. An astromech droid, R2-D2 is a major character in all Star Wars films. Along with his protocol droid companion C-3PO, he joins or supports Anakin Skywalker, Luke Skywalker, Princess Leia, and Obi-Wan Kenobi in various points in the saga. R2-D2 has been played by English actor Kenny Baker in all six original Star Wars films and is due to reprise the role in Star Wars: The Force Awakens, the first installment of the upcoming sequel trilogy, making him one of just two characters/actors along with C-3PO to appear in all seven films.
R2-D2 was designed in artwork by Ralph McQuarrie and co-developed by John Stears but actually built by Tony Dyson, who ran his own studio called "The White Horse Toy Company" in the UK. Many scenes also made use of radio controlled and CGI versions of the character. Original props of R2-D2 and C-3PO are used as audio-animatronics in the queue area of Disneyland's Star Tours—The Adventures Continue attraction.

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Professor Severus Snape

Severus Snape is a fictional character in J. K. Rowling's Harry Potter series. He is characterised as a person of considerable complexity, whose coldly sarcastic and controlled exterior conceals deep emotions and anguish. In the first novel of the series, Snape is a teacher who is hostile from the start toward Harry. As the series progresses, Snape's character becomes more layered and complex. Rowling does not fully reveal the details of his true loyalties until the end of the final book, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. Over the course of the series, Snape's portrayal evolves from that of a malicious and partisan teacher to that of a pivotal character of considerable complexity and moral ambiguity.
In the series, Snape is an exceptionally skilful wizard who primarily teaches Potions at Hogwarts school. In the sixth novel, he teaches Defence Against the Dark Arts, a position which he was known to have desired throughout the series.

Chewbacca

Chewbacca, or "Chewie," is a fictional character in the Star Wars franchise. Chewbacca belongs to the Wookiee species, who are tall, hirsute bipeds native to the planet of Kashyyyk. Chewbacca is fiercely loyal to Han Solo, and serves as co-pilot on Solo's Millenium Falcon. Chewbacca was portrayed by actor Peter Mayhew in the Star Wars films. The character has also appeared on television, in books, comics, and video games.

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Yoda

Yoda is a fictional character from the film Star Tours: The Adventures Continue.

Spider-Man

Spider-Man is a fictional superhero created by writer-editor Stan Lee and writer-artist Steve Ditko. He first appeared in the anthology comic book Amazing Fantasy #15 (August 1962) in the Silver Age of Comic Books. He appears in American comic books published by Marvel Comics, as well as in a number of movies, television shows, and video game adaptations set in the Marvel Universe. In the stories, Spider-Man is the alias of Peter Parker, an orphan raised by his Aunt May and Uncle Ben in New York City after his parents Richard and Mary Parker were killed in a plane crash.

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Luke Skywalker

Luke Skywalker is a fictional character appearing as the central protagonist of the original film trilogy and as a minor character in the prequel trilogy of the Star Wars universe created by George Lucas. The character, portrayed by Mark Hamill, is an important figure in the Rebel Alliance's struggle against the Galactic Empire, he is the twin brother of Rebellion leader Princess Leia Organa of Alderaan, a friend of mercenary Han Solo, an apprentice to Jedi Master Obi-Wan "Ben" Kenobi, and the son of fallen Jedi Darth Vader and Queen of Naboo/Republic Senator Padmé Amidala. The Expanded Universe depicts him as a powerful Jedi Master and eventually the Grand Master of the New Jedi Order, the father of Ben Skywalker, the maternal uncle of Jacen Solo, and the ancestor of Cade Skywalker.
In 2008, the character was selected by Empire magazine as the 54th greatest movie character of all time. On their list of the 100 Greatest Fictional Characters, Fandomania.com ranked Luke at number 14. He will be portrayed in Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens, which is planned to be released in December, 2015.

Vito Corleone

Vito Andolini Corleone is a fictional character in Mario Puzo's novel The Godfather and in Francis Ford Coppola's first two films, where he was portrayed by Marlon Brando in The Godfather and, as a young man, by Robert De Niro in The Godfather Part II.
Premiere Magazine listed Vito Corleone as the greatest film character in history. He was also selected as the 10th greatest film character by Empire.

Gandalf

Gandalf is a fictional character in J. R. R. Tolkien's novels The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings. He is a wizard, member of the Istari order, as well as leader of the Fellowship of the Ring and the army of the West. In The Lord of the Rings, he is initially known as Gandalf the Grey, but returns from death as Gandalf the White.

Dr. Emmett Brown

Dr. Emmett Brown is a fictional character from the 2011 short film Back for the Future.

Aragorn

Aragorn II, son of Arathorn is a fictional character from J. R. R. Tolkien's legendarium. He is one of the protagonists of The Lord of the Rings. Aragorn was a Ranger of the North, first introduced with the name Strider at Bree, as the Hobbits continued to call him throughout The Lord of the Rings. He was eventually discovered to be the heir of Isildur and rightful claimant to the thrones of Arnor and Gondor. He was also a confidant of Gandalf and an integral part of the quest to destroy the One Ring and defeat the Dark Lord Sauron.
He led the Fellowship of the Ring following the loss of Gandalf in the Mines of Moria. When the Fellowship was broken, he tracked the hobbits Meriadoc Brandybuck and Peregrin Took with the help of Legolas the elf and Gimli the dwarf to Fangorn Forest and fought in the battle at Helm's Deep and the Battle of the Pelennor Fields. After defeating Sauron's forces in Gondor he led an army of Gondor and Rohan against the Black Gate of Mordor to distract Sauron's attention so that Frodo Baggins and Samwise Gamgee would have a chance to destroy the One Ring.
At the end of The Lord of the Rings he was crowned King Elessar Telcontar of Gondor.

Obi-Wan Kenobi

Obi-Wan Kenobi is a fictional character from the TV Series Star Wars Rebels.

Leia Organa

Princess Leia Organa of Alderaan, later Leia Organa Solo, and born Leia Amidala Skywalker, is a fictional character in the Star Wars universe, portrayed by the actress Carrie Fisher.
The character is one of the main protagonists of the original Star Wars trilogy, the romantic interest of Han Solo, the twin sister of Luke Skywalker, and the daughter of Darth Vader and Padmé Amidala.

Genie

The Genie is a fictional character from the Aladdin films and plays.

Mr. Kesuke Miyagi

Kesuke Miyagi, known as Mr. Miyagi and also identified in the film The Karate Kid, Part II as Nariyoshi Miyagi, is a fictional karate master played by Japanese-American actor Pat Morita. Mr. Miyagi mentors the characters Daniel LaRusso and Julie Pierce in the Karate Kid films. Morita earned an Academy Award nomination for his performance in the first film.
The Karate Kid screenwriter Robert Mark Kamen stated that Mr. Miyagi was named after Chōjun Miyagi, the founder of Goju Ryu Karate-Do.

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Professor Albus Dumbledore

Professor Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore is a fictional character in J. K. Rowling's Harry Potter series. For most of the series, he is the headmaster of the wizarding school Hogwarts. As part of his backstory, it is revealed that he is the founder and leader of the Order of the Phoenix, an organisation dedicated to fighting Lord Voldemort.
Dumbledore is portrayed by Richard Harris in the film adaptations of Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone and Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. After Harris' death, Michael Gambon portrayed Dumbledore for all of the remaining films.
Rowling stated she chose the name Dumbledore, which is an Early Modern English word for "bumblebee", because of Dumbledore's love of music: she imagined him walking around "humming to himself a lot".

Bruce Wayne / Batman

Batman

Batman is a fictional superhero appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics, as well as its associated media. The character was created by artist Bob Kane and writer Bill Finger, and first appeared in Detective Comics #27. Originally named "the Bat-Man," the character is also referred to by such epithets as "the Caped Crusader," "the Dark Knight," and "the World's Greatest Detective." Batman is the secret identity of Bruce Wayne, an American billionaire, industrialist, and philanthropist.

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Rocky Balboa

Robert "Rocky" Balboa, Sr. is the title character of the Rocky series from 1976 to 2015. The character was created and portrayed by Sylvester Stallone. Throughout the films, he is depicted as an everyman who started out by going the distance and overcoming obstacles that had occurred in his life and career as a professional boxer. This character is among one of Stallone's best known characters and is often considered the role that started his film career.

Andy Dufresne

Andy Dufresne is a fictional character from the 1994 film The Shawshank Redemption.

Marty McFly

Martin Seamus "Marty" McFly is a fictional character in the Back to the Future trilogy. He is portrayed by actor Michael J. Fox. Marty also appears in the animated series, where he was voiced by David Kaufman. In the videogame by Telltale Games, he is voiced by A.J Locascio; in addition, Fox voiced Marty's future counterparts at the end of the game. In 2008, Marty McFly was selected by Empire magazine as the 39th Greatest Movie Character of All Time.
Eric Stoltz was originally cast as Marty McFly, but after five weeks of shooting scenes for the first film, director Robert Zemeckis and executive producer Steven Spielberg chose to re-cast the role to Fox.

Ellis Boyd "Red" Redding

Ellis Boyd 'Red' Redding

Ellis Boyd 'Red' Redding is a fictional character from the 1994 film The Shawshank Redemption.

The Joker

The Joker is a fictional character portrayed by Heath Ledger and the main antagonist of the film The Dark Knight, the second film In The Dark Knight trilogy. He is director Christopher Nolan and screenwriter David S. Goyer's interpretation of the comic book character created by Jerry Robinson, Bill Finger and Bob Kane in 1940 as the archenemy of the superhero Batman. This is the third time the character has been adapted to a live-action film.

List of the best movie characters of all time, ranked by film buffs and people like you. This list includes performances by some of the greatest actors of all ...