From brilliant cannibal Hannibal Lecter to voice-stealing sea witch Ursula, dastardly villains give stories their thrusts, providing the push that moves the plot forward—and the best of the baddie bunch even endear us to their devilish ways. Let’s explore what makes a compelling villain and why they’re essential to great narratives.
A villain is an antagonistic character archetype who typically opposes the protagonist, or hero, through harmful, malicious, or outright morally wrong behavior.
Despite the villain’s proclivity toward grandiosity in many of our most beloved pieces of fiction, the origin story of the moniker is quite humble. Originally, the word simply meant someone who lived in the village, a commoner whose “uncouth mind and manners” offended the landed aristocracy for merely just existing.
This classist disgust at the alleged rudeness of the lower classes began to incorporate itself into our language as a moral judgment against those without wealth. In “Studies in Words” (1960), author C.S. Lewis identified the beginnings of this association in Chaucer’s “The Canterbury Tales”: “The central idea of [villainy’s] meaning is rudeness, bad manners.” Ultimately, the word “villain” became associated with a more general “caddishness,” a movement that Lewis describes as “the downward path which will finally lead [the word villain] to become a word of mere, unspecified opprobrium.”
And so it is that the term metamorphosed from a pejorative for the lower classes to a descriptor of evildoing.
Villain characteristics
Most villains share several common characteristics. They’re often:
- Selfish (motivated by self-serving desires)
- Immoral (with actions that go against societal rules and mores)
- Cruel and/or violent (and want to make the world a worse place)
- Manipulative (controlling and very persuasive)
- Charismatic (able to inspire fear and loyalty)
- Complex (whether due to a sympathetic origin story or occasional moments of kindness and mercy)
What narrative role does the villain play?
Opposes the hero: Without villains, what use would heroes be? Villains give heroes something to fight back against; they cause something to go wrong, often in a quest for power or vengeance. “The relationship between the hero and the opponent is the single most important relationship in the story,” writes story consultant John Truby in “The Anatomy of Story.” “In working out the struggle between these two characters, the larger issues and themes of the story unfold.”
Drives conflict: By giving the hero a problem to resolve and challenging the status quo, the villain is a key driver in getting the plot moving. In challenging the hero, the villain may help them grow as a character, or they may lead the hero down a darker path.
Reveals societal truths: In addition to giving the story conflict and stakes, villains may also be used to reveal deeper truths about flaws in society and belief. Even when a villain is more of an anti-villain cast in shades of gray, their refusal to abide by societal norms reflects contemporaneous cultural values and fears.
Though it may not be every performer’s cup of tea, there is something quite cathartic about exploring your inner villain every now and again. Whether you’re hoping to land a wicked new role or just brushing up on your latest evil schemes, consider these tips.
1. Get inside your villain’s head.
It’s important for any actor to understand their character, but perhaps none more so than the villain. Given the deep and often complex motivations villains can have, as well as their tendency to be written with some type of mental illness, it’s important for performers to truly know who they’re playing. Put in the time and effort to learn about their backstory, desires, and any conditions, and consider how these should come across in your performance.
2. Explore your inner rage.
Everyone needs to get out their anger every once in a while, and villains can be a case study in cathartic release. Study what makes your villain tick, and try to connect it with your own inner sense of anger and injustice so you can play those feelings naturally.
3. Practice your poker face.
Villains are masters of manipulation, and part of that comes from the ability to hide their true feelings. Get an idea of how your character keeps their cool and try to find the perfect moment in the script where you can finally let your villain’s fury loose.
4. Find your evil aesthetic.
Moody, mischievous, malignant, or morose—whatever type of villain you play, your look and vibe should match with their characterization. Even in situations where a villain’s evil is contrasted with their looks, it’s important to pay attention to the details that represent the villain beyond your performance. Practice different voices, evil laughs, and movements to find the right fit for your character, as these pieces of information can subtly convey a lot about your villain to the audience.
5. Perfect your villain monologue.
Every villain must have their monologue moment, in which they provide insight into the justification behind their misdeeds. Take the time to study iconic villain monologues to get ideas about how to deliver your own.
6. Lean into the ugly…but still be sympathetic.
Some of the greatest villains are the most vile ones, so do your best to stay truthful to your character’s inner ugliness, while still striving to show that your villain’s nefarious ways are a tiny bit justified (at least to them).
How to Be a Villain on Stage and ScreenIago from “Othello”
One of Shakespeare’s greatest villains, Iago embodies a cold, calculating evil. Indeed, part of what makes Othello such a tragic hero is his complete trust in Iago, allowing him to be the perfect target for the latter’s malice. Many incredible actors, including Andy Serkis, Kenneth Branagh, and Andre Braugher, have portrayed the iconic evil character onstage. For film alone, he’s been played by Ewan McGregor, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Daniel Craig, Christopher Walken, and Josh Hartnett—and let’s not forget Gilbert Gottfried’s infamous turn as the animated parrot homage to the character in Disney’s “Aladdin” (1992). Iago’s villain monologue is one of the greatest, revealing his motivations and intentions this way in spades.
Javert from “Les Misérables”
One of the most enduring and terrifying villains onstage and onscreen in adaptations of the Victor Hugo masterpiece, Javert is so tragic because he doesn’t view himself as the villain. He thinks that he is doing right by God and country by being loyal to a system, but this belief is what ultimately leads to the Inspector’s demise. There have been several favorite Javerts onstage over the years, including Philip Quast, Norm Lewis, and Earl Carpenter; and the authoritarian villain was portrayed by Russell Crowe in the 2012 Tom Hooper film adaptation.
Ursula from “The Little Mermaid”
There’s perhaps no oceanic villain more iconic or flamboyantly frightening than Ursula, a character first seen in Disney’s 1989 “The Little Mermaid.” Conceived as a twisted tribute to drag queen Divine, the half-octopus, half-human diva delights in making “poor unfortunate souls” like Ariel squirm while reveling in her evil deeds. The over-the-top tentacled sea witch has been voiced and performed by celebrated artists including Pat Carroll, Queen Latifah, and Melissa McCarthy. The deliciously manipulative character offers performers a chance to explore both seductive charm and unhinged malice—and, of course, to show off their pipes.
The Joker from the DC Comics Universe
There’s perhaps no clown more beloved than the ultimate bad guy of the DC Universe, the Joker. Conceived as a counter to Batman’s dark and brooding persona, the Clown Prince of Crime delights in his evil actions and relishes the chaos of it all. He’s been played by no shortage of greats, including Jack Nicholson, Heath Ledger, Joaquin Phoenix, and Mark Hamill (as the voice of the animated Joker). The crazed villain gives plenty of room for actors to play with his characterization, something that often produces stunning performances.
Hannibal Lecter from the “Hannibal” franchise
Despite the demure and charismatic exterior, there’s a monster lurking in the depths of Hannibal Lecter. Created by writer Thomas Harris, the therapist-turned-cannibalistic-killer doesn’t do anything unless it ultimately serves his bizarre goals—typically to get the FBI on the trail of serial killer Buffalo Bill and off his own scent. While Anthony Hopkins perfected the role in Jonathan Demme’s 1991 classic, “The Silence of the Lambs,” credit still must be given to Brian Cox for playing the killer with a calculated coldness in Michael Mann’s 1986 thriller “Manhunter.” And who could forget the glorious Mads Mikkelsen, who brought the cannibal to the small screen in NBC’s “Hannibal” (2013–2015). It’s no wonder that the character is frequently cited as one of the greatest movie villains of all time.
Bob from “Twin Peaks”
For the first one and a half seasons of David Lynch’s groundbreaking cult classic (1990–1991, revival in 2017), the only question on everyone’s mind was: “Who killed Laura Palmer?” And though Season 2 does give an answer, the true villain is the possessing spirit Bob, a multidimensional evil being that feeds on suffering. Even if he was “just” a man, Frank Silva’s stunning performance elevates Bob to the stuff of legend. In 2016, Rolling Stone ranked Bob number five on their list of top TV villains, calling him “the greatest ghoul in the history of television, hands down.”