Portraying characters from the colorful comic books is no easy job. Bringing back your favourite superheroes to live action adaptations need a considerable amount of effort. Presenting you a list of actors, who not only brought such characters to big screen and gave them a new dimension but also lets us project onto each one. We are considering one actor per character so for example, James Mcavoy and Patrick Stewart will not feature together in this list. Here is the list of top actors who played superheroes the best.
10. Paul Rudd (Ant-Man)
Let’s begin our list with the most unexpected one. Yes, it is Paul Rudd who brilliantly brought the character of Ant-Man on screen. Here, Rudd’s character Scott becomes a protege to Hank Pym, who is the original Ant-Man. Rudd’s portrayal of the shrinking superhero, who is unsure of himself and a father, who is desperately trying to get back to his daughter, earned him widespread critical acclaim.
Read More: Best Character Actors in Movies
9. Chris Hemsworth (Thor)
A Norse Deity in a Superhero Movie? Seems boring. Who would have thought that this Norse Deity can be cool too. Chris Hemsworth’s portrayal of this iconic Marvel character is full of revelry, heroism and lastly, he is undoubtedly entertaining. He wore the armor of this God, armed himself with the hammer and did perfect justice in the first movie. Now, he made himself an integral part in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
Read More: Best Italian Actors of All Time
8. Henry Cavill (Superman)
Filling the shoes of Christopher Reeve as the Kryptonian is a challenge, which only a few actors took so far. Out of these few, the one who truly stands out is Henry Cavill. His first appearance as Superman was in Man of Steel. Released in 2013, it was the first entry in the DC Extended Universe. Cavill’s portrayal of the character in the movie is more focused on the origins. Here, he is a wanderer and a vagabond, in search of truth and trying to adapt into the new world. While Christopher Reeve is considered as an icon, Cavill certainly dug deeper into the roots and made us understand, how Superman was when he was Kal El.
Read More: Best Bald Actors of All Time
7. Tobey Maguire (Spiderman)
Whenever we think of this web swinging wall-crawler, the face that flashes, is the face of none other than accomplished actor Tobey Maguire. Pulling off the role of a nerdy student and the most loved superhero in the history of comic books together, is not an easy task. Tobey Maguire masterfully played the character of Peter Parker, and brought the duality, conflict and the insecurities of Spider-man on the big screen. Remove the emo Parker from the third movie and the rest is as perfect as it can get.
Read More: Best Jewish Actresses Working Today
6. Chris Evans (Captain America)
After playing a lousy version of the ‘’Human Torch’ and after being panned by fans, Chris Evans took the mantle of portraying the greatest American Hero and nailed it in doing so. From being a skinny guy in the first movie to becoming a muscle mountain, a soldier, an upright leader and lastly a devoted friend, Captain America’s journey in the Marvel Cinematic Universe will be remembered because of this brilliant actor.
Read More: Famous Irish Actresses Working Today
5. Patrick Stewart (Professor X)
Enigmatic, charming, intelligent and lastly a leader – These are the four words that define Patrick Stewart’s Professor X, in the X-Men franchise. Patrick Stewart’s portrayal of this telepath is an epitome of intellect. He not only stayed true to the comic book but also added his own charisma to the role and defined perfection and defied expectations.
Read More: Best Jewish Actors Working Today
4. Ryan Reynolds (Deadpool)
Tactically, he is not a superhero but a foul-mouthed mercenary and a more scary looking resemblance of a classic horror movie character. But still we love him as our not so friendly neighborhood. Ryan Reynolds’s depiction of this ‘Merc with a Mouth’ in the eponymous 2016 highly anticipated blockbuster was intense, hilarious and a proof of the fact that “with great power comes great irresponsibility”.
Read More: All James Bond Actors, Ranked From Worst to Best
3. Christian Bale (Batman)
This DC icon was played by a handful of actors in the past. While Michael Keaton stayed true to the comic book, George Clooney made a mess of it. Then came Christian Bale, who gave the caped crusader a whole new outlook with visionary director Christopher Nolan. In his three movies, Batman is tough and morally ambiguous at the same time. His intense portrayal of Batman managed to instill fear among villains and make a permanent mark in the hearts of fans.
Read More: Best Young Actresses Working Today
2. Hugh Jackman (Wolverine)
This entry does not need any formal introduction. When Hugh Jackman was chosen for this role, he faced criticism from hardcore comic book fans as well as critics for his unorthodox portrayal and short height. Jackman however, shut them up by becoming the only face that represents this iconic character in the live-action adaptations. His portrayal is bad-ass, vulnerable and we loved him, when he ripped his enemies apart in the movies. Sadly, Jackman bade adieu to the character with Logan and we are highly skeptical if anyone else can take up the mantle.
Read More: Richest Actors in The Marvel Cinematic Universe
1. Robert Downey Jr. (Iron Man)
Our final entry on the list is not the playboy, billionaire and philanthropist himself, but the guy who played it, or the other way around. Tony Stark means Robert Downey Jr. and there is no one who can replace him, at least not in this century. His portrayal of the Marvel superhero is suave and smooth and Downey is an ace when it comes to play douche bags. Moreover, Stan Lee himself said that, Downey’s Iron Man, is what he had envisioned before creating the character.
Read More: Best Batman Actors
