In the entertainment industry, actors are often categorized based on their ability to portray a wide range of characters. Some actors are known to be typecast, meaning they often play the same type of character repeatedly. This can become an issue for actors who want to showcase their versatility and range as performers.
However, on the other hand, some actresses get to play a wide range of roles, including the good and bad girls. So let’s see who’s on the list!
1. Emma Thompson
Emma Thompson loves portraying tough women, like a professor from Hogwarts or a snobbish Baroness. Two of her most notable roles are Nanny McPhee and Cruella. These two characters are the complete polar, and she did an outstanding job portraying the whole spectrum.
2. Helena Bonham Carter
Helena is known for her unique style, reflected in the quirky women she often portrays, such as villain Bellatrix Lestrange in the Harry Potter films. Carter’s portrayal of Bellatrix was iconic because she insisted on adding very specific details, like wearing a corset or having rotten teeth. However, Carter is also excellent at portraying kindhearted characters, such as the Fairy Godmother in the 2015 movie “Cinderella.”
3. Cate Blanchett
Cate Blanchett is easily one of the most versatile actresses in Hollywood. She has played heroes, villains, men, women, and who knows what else. From the queen of England in “Elizabeth” to a Nazi agent in “Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull” – she’s done them all. Heck, she even played the goddess of death, Hel, in Thor: Ragnarok.
4. Angelina Jolie
Angelina Jolie is a renowned actress, filmmaker, and humanitarian. She has received numerous accolades, including a few Golden Globe Awards, an Oscar, and two Screen Actors Guild Awards. Jolie is known for her versatile acting skills, playing a range of characters from the villainous Maleficent to the heroic Jane Smith in “Mr. & Mrs. Smith.”
5. Nicole Kidman
Nicole Kidman has excelled in various genres, including musicals, psychological thrillers, and superhero blockbusters. She portrayed Grace Kelly in “Grace of Monaco,” and critics loved her performance. In “Paddington,” Kidman played the villainous taxidermist Millicent, which was a role Kidman had always wanted to try ever since she read Michael Bond’s books. She even took knife-throwing and taxidermy classes to flesh the character out.
6. Lena Headey
Lena Headey, best known for playing Queen Cersei in “Game of Thrones,” has also played countless other legendary roles, including Sarah Connor in “Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles,” which earned her praise for the portrayal of the certified badass. However, her role as Cersei brought both fame and criticism, as some clueless fans mistook her god-like acting skills for reality.
7. Jennifer Lawrence
Jennifer Lawrence has a diverse filmography with an Oscar and Golden Globe to her name. She has been on the Forbes Celebrity 100 list multiple times and starred in both indie productions and blockbuster movies, portraying an array of different characters. For instance, in “X-Men,” she played the shapeshifting mutant Mystique, almost unrecognizable under layers of thick makeup. On the other hand, in her recent movie, “Don’t Look Up,” she became an astronomy nerd who discovered a comet heading towards Earth.
8. Tilda Swinton
Tilda Swinton is a fantastic talented actress who has played a variety of roles that have garnered attention. In 2020, she starred in Pedro Almodóvar’s “The Human Voice,” in which she plays a woman speaking with her ex-lover on the phone. Critics called her performance a concentrated burst of demented passion. In “Snowpiercer,” a post-apocalyptic thriller, Swinton played the crazed right-hand woman of the train commander and brought her own ideas to make the role stand out.
9. Charlize Theron
In 2003, Charlize Theron went through a heck of a transformation to play the serial killer in “Monster.” She gained weight and shaved her eyebrows to look more unhinged. On the other side of the spectrum, Theron played Furiosa in “Mad Max: Fury Road,” a fearless one-armed warrior who outshone the main character, Max, and fought for her and her sisters’ freedom.
